Severo Laris drops Paula Rouco off at her house after returning to Villa Moon Lake Road.
I went upstairs and opened the bedroom door to see her house clothes lying on the bed, the bed she had slept in, one pillow at her head and one at her feet, and the comforter rolled up in a ball and arched there like a pig’s nest.
He has a mild form of OCD, but seven years ago, after being with her for a long time, his OCD was gradually cured by her.
Now, he saw the mess and didn’t feel the least bit bad about it.
The man looked at the scene and stood in the doorway, hooking his thin lips, eyes rapt, and for a moment he didn’t want to go clean it up.
He headed for the bathroom.
The bathroom she had used was wet on the floor and there were a few long strands of hair tangled in the tub from washing her hair, and some shower gel suds were still on the taps before they dried.
Soft and messy looking.
But the smile in Severo Laris’ eyes deepened.
It’s great that this Moon Lake Road Villa will leave more and more traces of her in the future.
The cell phone in his pants pocket rang and Severo Laris picked it up as he looked around the cluttered bathroom, then turned around and picked up the phone.
It was Rufio calling.
“Dude, I’m marrying Susana this weekend, so even if you have a big multi-million dollar case to sign that day, you’re going to have to postpone it for me and come to my wedding, okay?”.
Severo Laris laughs lightly, “I’m not an iron man, I need a break too, besides, my firm closes on weekends and never signs contracts.”
“Technically, you’re still my matchmaker to Susana, and it’s only fair that you be my witness to Susana’s marriage.”
“Forget about witnesses, but I’ll be the best man.”
Rufio’s tone was slightly leisurely, “I’ll have two groomsmen, one for you and one for Lastra, and Saturday is Imperial College’s centennial, do you want to come to Imperial early for the celebration?”
Centennial of the school?
Severo Laris, who had almost forgotten about it in the last few days because of the news of Paula Rouco’s illness, said, “Do you have the energy to attend the school’s festival when your big wedding is the next day?”
“Saturday is my last day of free agency and I still have to have a good bachelor party with you guys, so when I step on the marriage grave, I won’t be free.”
Severo Laris held up the phone, surprisingly with a hint of envy, and said, “You don’t understand the pain of being alone.”
Rufio smiled reluctantly, “Severo, how come I never realized you were such a fag. Bun, the truth is that I didn’t see you wanting to get married so much.”
“The issue of whether you want to get married or not has to do with who you marry – what, you don’t want to marry Susana?”
Rufio lowered his voice and said, “If I dare say I don’t want to marry her, I’ll be pulled by the ears immediately.”
Severo Laris didn’t want to hear any more bluster from Rufio and said, “Hang up.”
“Wait, you haven’t told me if you’re coming to Imperial for the school festival on Saturday or not. ”
Severo Laris grabbed his cell phone and headed to his study. He had just opened his computer and logged into his email when he received an e-invitation card for the Imperial University Centennial in his inbox.
“I just received my invitation card.”
“So are you going or not, if you are going, let’s form a group, get Susana and Paulita together.”
Severo Laris said, “If she goes, I will go.”
Rufio was a little surprised, “She? You mean Paulita, old Lin, I really didn’t see that after all these years, you still haven’t died for Paulita?”
Severo Laris’ thin lips spat out words, “Never.
Never is dead in the water.
Rufio said, “Don’t worry then, I’ll have Susanna drag Paulita anyway, you were sort of moonlighting for Susanna and me in the first place, this time, I’ll be your assistant.”
Severo Laris didn’t say a word of thanks, and with Rufio he was always rude.
After hanging up the phone, Severo Laris looked at the time, it was only eight o’clock, and called his mother Modeste.
Modeste had just finished washing the dishes when he got the call, “Severo, why do you have time to call Mom tonight?”
“Mom, how is your health these days?”
“Nothing wrong with me, it’s just that my lumbar spine isn’t very well sometimes, it’s an old problem, a few band-aids and I’ll be fine.”
Severo Laris said, “Mom, why don’t you come live with me in town, you won’t have anyone to help you if something happens to you alone at home.”
Modeste laughed and said, “I am used to living in a small town, I would suffocate if I went to live in your big house. I’m not too old, I’m in good health, so don’t worry, in a few years, when I’m really not well, I’ll stop being stubborn and go live with you if you want me to.”
Previously, when Severo Laris was still in New York, he offered several times to buy Modeste a suite in The Holy City, but she always refused because she did not need it and was not used to it.
Severo Laris did not force the issue, but said, “As long as you are happy.”
During the period back to The Holy City from Severo Laris, I was too busy with work at the branch office and with Paula Rouco to go back to town to see Modeste.
“Mom, I’m free tomorrow afternoon, I’ll make a trip home to see you.”
Modeste said, “You are very busy, don’t come back, if you are really free, tomorrow I will drive the car myself to the city to look for you, by the way, I will bring you more home-grown vegetables, many vegetables in the city are transported from greenhouses, anti-seasonal vegetables are not healthy.”
“Tell you what, then, I’ll have my assistant come to the house tomorrow to pick you up and bring you back. Bring a few changes of clothes and come stay with me for a few days.”
Modeste: “Okay, that’s fine.”
After exchanging pleasantries and as we were about to hang up, Severo Laris suddenly remembered and asked, “Mom, do you still have pickled beans at home?”
“Yes, would you like a pickled bean?”
“You can bring more tomorrow. Paulita likes it.”
Modeste froze when he heard Paulita and then asked happily, “Severo, are you and Paulita together again?”
Severo Laris said, “Not together, but working on it.”
Modeste said, “Then you should go for it, Paulita is a good girl and it’s weird that you have liked her for so many years, I know you really like Paulita, don’t miss out again.”
“Hmm.”
Over the years, Severo Laris has felt many emotions in his heart, wasting a seven-year relationship blankly and regretting it in the end.
Modeste sighed and said eagerly, “Severo, your father’s guilt can’t be counted on you. If you really feel sorry for Paulita, make up for it by being doubly good to her. But if he really misses you, I’m afraid you won’t be happy for the rest of your life.”
Severo Laris replied quietly, “Well, I know.”
“Work then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Severo Laris answered and waited for the other party to hang up before hanging up the phone.
Perhaps, after seven years, everything has changed.
His life has started anew and Modeste has stepped out of Leopoldo’s shadow once and for all.
And with his lita, the depression will gradually improve.
Severo Laris felt the heavy stone weighing on his heart lighten slightly.
…
The next afternoon, Salvino picked up Modeste in La Ciudad Santa and took her to Villa Moon Lake Road.
Modeste brought Severo Laris a cart full of groceries, filling the large three-door cooler.
Modeste held up the jar of pickled bitter beans and said with a smile, “I brought a jar, Paulita if you still want some, just let me know, there are plenty of cow peas at home, I’ll just pickle some more, it’s easy.”
Severo Laris squeezed his brow bone and cried, “Mom, she doesn’t come here much and I don’t eat much at home, so many pickled beans, I’m afraid I won’t be able to eat them all.”
“If you can’t eat it all, throw it away when it stinks, it’s not a rare and valuable thing anyway, but if Paulita doesn’t have it when she wants it, go get it on the street, you don’t have it for sale in town either.”
Severo Laris smiled slightly, nodding, “Noted.”
Modeste looked at him, “Now you’re courting someone, grow a pair.”
Severo Laris nods, still in agreement.