The Sunflower: A Novel (24 page)

Our announcement was about as well received as a bowl of soup with a hair in it.

PAUL COOK’S DIARY

The flight out of Puerto was delayed two hours and they sat in the airport café playing cards and drinking Cokes in the sweltering heat. When they finally boarded, the plane was less than half full. Paul lifted the armrest between their seats, and Christine lay into him. “Did you get hold of Jim?” she asked.

“They’ll be at the airport to pick us up.”

“I can’t wait to find out what Jessica’s big news is. What if she and Jim eloped?”

“You think that’s it?”

“I can’t think of anything else.” She smiled. “I can’t wait to tell her
our
news.”

Paul rubbed his hand across her cheek, pushing her hair back over her ear. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this happy,” he said.

She took his hand and kissed it. “Then you’re overdue.”

As the plane touched down in Cuzco, Christine felt the altitude pressing in on her sinuses. She rubbed her forehead. Paul leaned over and kissed her. “Altitude?”

“Yes. Will I ever get used to it?”

“Eventually.”

The plane taxied over to the terminal. They disembarked, holding hands as they walked. Jessica and Jim were waiting for them near the baggage claim. When Jessica saw her, she ran to her.

“Christine!”

“Jess!”

They embraced. Then Jessica stepped back to look at her. “My gosh, you’re a twig.” She turned to Paul. “And welcome back, handsome.”

“Hi, Jessica.” They hugged.

Jim hobbled up on crutches. “Welcome back, you two.”

Christine hugged him. “How are you?”

“Better than the last time you saw me.”

“Glad to see you
vertical,”
Paul said.

“Glad to
be
vertical. Thanks for putting me back together. In fact, thanks for everything. I saw the rest of the group before they flew home. They said the jungle was their favorite part of the trip.”

“Glad I could help.”

Christine leaned into Paul, putting her arm around his waist. “Okay, you two, the suspense is killing me. What’s your big news?”

Jessica glanced at Paul. “It can wait.”

Christine looked at her quizzically. “It can
wait?
Come on!”

“No, really. It’s not that important.”

Christine eyed her incredulously. “Then why did you keep calling me?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Jessica said.

Christine shook her head. “You make me crazy, girl. Well,
we
have big news that won’t wait.”

Jessica’s eyes darted between them. “What?”

“We’re engaged.”

Jessica looked at her as if awaiting the punch line.

“Well?” Christine asked.

“Congratulations,” Jim said, stepping forward. “That’s great.” He hugged Christine then Paul. “Didn’t I tell you that things would work out?”

“Well, you had to fall to make it happen,” Christine said.

“You’ve given meaning to my suffering.”

Jessica stepped forward and hugged her. “Congratulations,” she said weakly.

“You look like you’re in shock,” Christine said.

“I am. It’s so…
unexpected.”

“You’ve always told me to be more spontaneous.”

“I guess you were saving up for something
really
big.” She said to Paul, “So you’re coming back to the States.”

Christine hesitated. “We’re going to live down here.”

Jessica looked tortured. “You’re moving to Peru?”

“That’s the plan.”

Jessica stared at her in disbelief. Christine was hurt by Jessica’s reaction and the awkwardness between them grew palpable. Jim spoke to break the tension. “Hey, let’s get you two back to the hotel.” Then he turned to Paul and handed him a key. “I’ve a few errands to run. You can chill out in my room.”

“Thanks,” Paul said, still looking at Christine. He wanted to comfort her but knew she needed time with Jessica.

“I almost forgot, Jaime’s been trying to reach you. He says it’s
muy importante.”

“I’ll call him from the hotel.”

As they walked to the parking lot, Jessica led Christine away from the men.

“So you have reservations,” Christine said, trying to control her anger.

“That doesn’t even touch what I’m feeling. This is
insane.”

“Insane?”
Christine repeated indignantly.

“Leaving everything you know for a man you just met is
insane.
I know I’ve always told you to think outside the box. But girl, you’re thinking outside the solar system.”

“Thanks for your support.”

Jessica stopped walking. “Chris, there’s something else.”

Christine looked at her anxiously. “Is it my mom? Is she okay?”

“Your mom’s fine.”

“Then what is it?”

Jessica glanced over at Jim and Paul. “Let’s wait until we get back to the hotel.”

If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, today I met the road crew supervisor.

PAUL COOK’S DIARY

Paul was lying on Jim’s bed when there was a knock on the door. Without getting up, he said, “Come in.”

Jessica entered. She looked even more distressed than before. Paul’s stomach tightened.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Got a minute?”

“Sure. Where’s Chris?”

“She’s back in my room…crying.”

Paul sat up. “What’s wrong?”

Jessica sat down on the corner of the bed. “Chris
really
is in love with you.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“In this case, it is.”

Her expression turned more intense as she searched for the right words. “Paul, I have nothing but the upmost respect for you. What you do for those children in these conditions is beautiful. But the Christine I know could never live a life like that. The woman owns a carpet rake.” She shook her head. “This is my fault. I never should have brought her down here when she’s so vulnerable.”

“Isn’t that why you brought her down?”

She looked at him sympathetically. “You’ve got to see that she’s fallen in love with you on the rebound, right? Rebounds never work out.
Never.
You can’t do this to her.”

Paul reacted angrily. “I’m not doing anything to her. Christine can make her own decisions. She’s not a child.”

“When it comes to men, she is.” Her voice softened. “Before Martin came along, she dated a guy named Justin. He was a real loser. He’d belittle Christine in public. Stand her up. Cheat on her. He treated her like a doormat. I begged Christine to drop him but she wouldn’t. She just can’t stand being alone.

“Then one day she decided to stand up for herself. He beat her up. That should have been the end of it, but even then she wouldn’t leave. She made up some lame excuse for him. So I told him that if he didn’t leave her, my father the congressman would see to it that he did serious jail time. He said
‘fine’
he
‘was just using her anyway.’ ”
Jessica’s voice grew hard. “When it comes to men, I’ve always had to look after her.”

“Like now?”

“Precisely,” she said. “Listen, I’m not Martin’s biggest fan. But aside from chickening out of the wedding, he’s been good to her. Even after he broke her heart, Christine told me that Martin was everything she wanted. That’s why they were together for six years. That’s a lot of history.”

“That’s all he is,” Paul said curtly. “History.”

“Not anymore.”

Paul looked at her quizzically.

“…he’s in Lima.”

For a moment Paul was speechless. “Does Christine know?”

“She does now.”

He lowered his head into his hands. “So
that
was your big news.” He looked up. “What did she say?”

“She didn’t know what to say.” Jessica sighed. “He makes her happy, Paul. He’s her happy ending.”

Paul’s cell phone rang. He ignored it. “So what am I supposed to do? Just fade into the sunset?”

Jessica didn’t answer.

“I won’t do that to her.”

“Not
to
her.
For
her.”

Paul stood. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”

“I wish we weren’t,” Jessica said. “I’m so sorry. You’re such a great guy. But Christine could never be happy living like you do. And did she mention her mother? They’re inseparable. She couldn’t possibly live without her mother. She’s the only family Christine has. Even if she could leave her, she’d hate herself for it.”

Paul’s cell phone rang again and this time he shut it off. Jessica knit her fingers together. “I’m sorry, Paul. But if you don’t let her go, you’ll end up hurting her. I know that’s not what you want.”

Paul leaned his head against the wall and for several minutes nothing was said. The hotel phone rang. On its thirteenth ring Paul walked over and picked it up.

“¿Qué?”

Jessica could hear a voice speaking in Spanish excitedly.

Paul answered in Spanish.
“What do you mean? Did the boys see
her? What about Richard?”
He shook his head.
“All right. I’ll be right there.”
He hung up the phone.

The pain in his eyes had turned to panic. “What’s wrong?” Jessica asked.

“Roxana’s gone.” He grabbed his bag. “I’ve got to go.” He walked to the door.

“What do I tell Christine?”

He stopped, then looked back at Jessica. His eyes were dark and hard. “Tell her that I wish her and Martin well.”

He disappeared behind the closing door. Jessica lay back and put a pillow over her face and cried.

All is chaos.

PAUL COOK’S DIARY

Christine knocked twice, then pushed the door open into Jim’s room. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was surprised to see Jessica sitting on the bed.

“Where’s Paul?”

Jessica exhaled. “He left.”

“Where’d he go?”

“He went back to the orphanage.”

“What?”

“He went home, Chris.”

“He told you this?”

“Yes.”

“Was he angry?”

Jessica wrestled with the truth and what she should say. “He just said to tell you that he went home.”

Christine went to the phone and dialed Paul’s cell-phone number. There was no answer.

“That’s all he said?”

“No.” Jessica looked at her sympathetically. “He said he wished you and Martin well.”

“You told him that Martin was here?”

“Of course I did.” Jessica went to put her arms around Christine, but she pulled away angrily.

“You had no right to do that.”

“I was just looking out for you.” She walked around to face her. “You told me that all you wanted was a second chance with Martin. He flew all the way from Ohio to Peru to bring you back. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Christine sat down on the bed. “Yes. No.” She took a deep breath, then started to cry. “I’m so confused.”

“I know, honey.” Jessica sat down next to her. “But once you see Martin, everything will be all right. I promise.”