Chapter 3: Peurco Pibil
It was completely dark now. Nino had lit several candles on the table and warned Sands to be careful of them. The candles and the moon were now the only light, and neither of them were very strong. Evelyn was still in the kitchen, Sands could hear her humming to herself as she put the finishing touches on dinner.
"Is she beautiful Nino?" Sands suddenly asked and Nino knew he could only be talking about one person.
"Si senor, she is very beautiful," replied Nino sincerely. He saw the ghost of a smile cross Sands' lips.
"I knew that," he said. Some things you don't have to see.
Evelyn served dinner inside. She had expected some sort of response when she told them what it was but Sands didn't say a word, not even when she offered him tequila with some lime. The only one who really talked while they ate was Nino who described his day at the market colourfully between mouthfuls of pork. Evelyn knew he was trying to paint a picture for Sands, much as she had tried to do with the sunset. Sands did not say anything until Nino finally got to the end of his tale and fell silent.
"Why'd you quit your job?" Sands asked quite unexpectedly.
"Oh," said Evelyn caught by surprise, "I didn't like the boss." She shot a quick look at Nino who didn't seem to be listening very intently.
"Mm," said Sands in a knowing voice, "Did you fuck him?"
"Sands!" Evelyn cried looking in horror at Nino who hadn't even looked up from his food.
"Relax," said Sands impatiently, "I taught the kid all the English he knows, and I chose to leave out a few words." Evelyn still felt it was inappropriate but didn't say anything.
"Well, did you?" prompted Sands. Clearly he wasn't just going to let this go.
"No," replied Evelyn feeling her cheeks burning, "I wasn't interested."
"Ah but he was and there lies the problem," said Sands who sounded more animated than Evelyn had heard him so far.
"Yes," said Evelyn feeling very uncomfortable. Sands gave an amused smile before saying, "So you left before he could corner you in an office lift, am I right?"
"Actually it was the stationary cupboard," corrected Evelyn, "And no, I didn't quite leave fast enough."
"But he didn't..?" asked Sands his tone suddenly quite serious.
"I fought him off," said Evelyn who felt cold at the memory. Sands relaxed.
"Good," he said, "I would have smoked the fucker." He didn't see Evelyn turn pale and grip the table rather hard.
"Good meal by the way," Sands added unceremoniously, "How did you know?"
"Know what?" Evelyn asked all too glad that the conversation had changed.
"That I liked peurco pibil," said Sands calmly, "Seems a bit of an odd choice of meal if you didn't already know I liked it." Evelyn felt like her insides had suddenly frozen, she had to make up something or tell the truth and risk Sands being angry, but whatever she did she'd have to do it quickly or he'd...
"I told her senor," said Nino. Evelyn looked at him and saw him warn her to be quiet with his eyes.
"You told her?" Sands asked sceptically, "When?"
"The last time she was here senor," said Nino, "She noticed the bottle of tequila." Sands sat back seemingly convinced enough to stop questioning them. Evelyn mouthed a quick thank you to Nino who shot her a small scared looking smile. He wasn't used to lying to Sands and he didn't like it. Lying to Sands was like lying to his father, it was making him feel so ill that he couldn't manage to finish his meal. If Sands had been able to see he would have seen the guilt printed all over Nino's young face.
Evelyn and Nino washed up together in silence, neither daring to speak about what had happened in case Sands was listening. They weren't to know that Sands had already heard the lie in Nino's voice and was presently trying to work out why Nino would want to protect Evelyn like that. And how exactly had Evelyn found out his favourite meal if she hadn't asked Nino? Who had she been talking to? He was fairly sure that she would only have innocently come across the information but then why had Nino covered up for her? He shook his head; perhaps he was just being too suspicious. He had no reason not to trust Nino after all and every reason in the world to trust him with his life.
"Shall we rejoin Sands?" Evelyn asked when the dishes were stacked neatly to dry. Nino poked his head out of the doorway to check it was safe to talk and then whispered, "Who did you talk to about senor Sands?"
"Only a couple of locals," replied Evelyn feeling apprehensive, "I didn't snoop around or anything."
"Senor Sands has many enemies senorita," said Nino very quietly, "Many people who..." He stopped at once as Sands entered the kitchen.
"You two are standing in the kitchen doorway," he said bluntly, "Is something wrong?" Nino looked up at Evelyn to get them out of trouble.
"No," said Evelyn lightly, "We have just finished the dishes and were coming to join you." Sands looked faintly disbelieving but didn't say anything.
They were all seated in the dimly lit living room. Evelyn made a mental note to buy some new light bulbs the next time she was at the market.
"Did you get your car fixed?" Sands asked remembering the reason why Evelyn had turned up on his doorstep in the first place.
"Yes, it's working now," replied Evelyn pleased that at last Sands was talking to her and making an effort with conversation that didn't involve anything too personal.
"Is it an old car?" he asked.
"Very."
"Why don't you buy a new one?" Evelyn got the distinct impression that Sands was only asking questions to find out the information he wanted, his intelligence background was showing through.
"I don't have the money," Evelyn said stiffly. So she was financially challenged, this interested Sands, but this time he wisely decided to change the subject and begin a new line of questioning.
"What's your profession?" he asked.
"Well, I'm an artist," said Evelyn. Sands' face registered some sort of internal pain as she said this.
"Painting?" he asked spitting out the word as if it was poison.
"Mostly," said Evelyn failing to pick up on Sands' negative tone and adding modestly, "I'm not very good."
"I'm not very good with art," said Sands sardonically, "It all looks the same to me." Without thinking Evelyn said, "You're not missing anything." She instantly knew she had said the wrong thing as Sands' face was now the picture of anger.
"Oh really?" he spat, "Not missing much, eh?" Evelyn tried to retract her statement but even as she spoke she knew the damage was done.
"Just get the fuck out!" yelled Sands who was on his feet now, his rage overtaking him before he could do anything about it. His raised voice woke Nino who had been dozing, curled like a cat, on one of the chairs. He too tried to pacify Sands but Sands was livid now. Evelyn thought he was going to hit her or something but instead he just stood looking threatening and muttering what sounded like Spanish curse words under his breath. She backed away from him but didn't leave; Sands somehow knew she had not gone.
"I said get the fuck out!" he repeated as he almost pushed Nino over in an attempt to stop the boy from trying to calm him down. Evelyn hurried outside. She was on the porch steps when she heard Sands roar, "And don't fucking come back!"
She ran all the way back to her hotel, shut the door behind her and sank onto her bed feeling horribly shaky. How quickly Sands' mood could turn! Just when she had been sure Sands was warming to her. She sighed and hoped Sands wasn't taking his anger out on Nino, somehow she doubted it; there appeared to be real affection between the two of them though she was pretty sure Sands would never admit to it. Sands never got angry with Nino, not like he did with her.
She didn't dare venture back to Sands' house, the look on his face as she had left was more than enough to keep her away this time but she still stayed in town. She pretended to herself that she liked the scenery; she pretended that she had made the choice to stay here, pretended not to know the real reason behind the payment for another week at her hotel. It was a pleasant enough town but there was nothing in the average streets and shops to inspire a young painter. As a consequence Evelyn found her canvases remained stubbornly blank despite her best efforts to decorate them. She was trying to paint during the heat of the day, five days after she had run out of Sands' house. Trying to paint was the best way to describe it; she was standing with her paintbrush in hand just staring at the daunting expanse of white as the minutes ticked by. Finally Evelyn threw her paintbrush at the wall in frustration. It was too hot to read, too hot to sleep, too hot to do anything but swelter. Evelyn threw herself onto her bed tears of exasperation pricking at her eyelids. She sat upright when she heard a knock at her door. Slowly she went to open it feeling rather nervous, she hated opening the door to strangers, but she needn't have worried. Standing outside her door wearing a grin that could outshine the sun was Nino.
"Greetings senorita," he said as he bounced on the balls of his feet, "Senor Sands wishes to speak to you over lunch if you're not too busy."
"He does?" Evelyn asked in surprise.
"Si," said Nino his grin positively infectious, "He is waiting for you across the street."
Evelyn frowned. "But that restaurant doesn't open until four." Nino's eyes glittered.
"Senor Sands is an important man" he said, "No where stays shut for him."
Evelyn walked into the restaurant. It was mercifully cool, a stark contrast from the street immediately outside. Sands was sitting at a table smoking and looking quite at home. Evelyn's shoes clicked on the polished wooden floor as she walked up to him. Sands stubbed out his cigarette.
"You can come closer," he said when she stopped, "I won't bite."
"Are you sure?" Evelyn asked as she sat down. Sands inhaled deeply.
"Not entirely," he replied.
"At least you're honest," said Evelyn then she added, "I didn't mean to make you angry before."
"I know," said Sands.
"It's ok," said Evelyn kindly and she reached across the table and touched Sands' gloved hand. He gave a sort of soft half gasp but said nothing. Evelyn did not remove her hand until the waitress came with the menu. The woman did not place a menu in front of Sands; clearly she had been given her orders. Sands did not order any food at all; he simply sat smoking while Evelyn ate hers. Usually Evelyn would have found this off putting but some how knowing Sands couldn't see her put her at ease.
"Not much gives me pleasure any more," said Sands in a wistful voice to himself more than to Evelyn, "Things tend to lose their meaning when you can't see them." He didn't seem to want a response, Evelyn wasn't sure she could have given one anyway.
Sands paid for everything and the money had just been taken away when Nino arrived. Evelyn was just wondering how Nino had timed his arrival so well when she was distracted by Sands standing up.
"You are welcome at my house at any time Miss Evelyn," he said and Evelyn knew this was a Sands apology for his behaviour. She was happy to accept.
"Thank you," she said, "I'll be sure to visit." Sands nodded and then Nino took hold of his hand. Sands looked, for a fleeting instant, slightly resentful at this total dependence but the look was gone almost immediately, he was used to it now. Ever since he had first stepped into a world that would be forever dark Nino had taken on the task of being his guide without complaint. There were some things that money could never repay; sometimes gratitude can be too hard to put into words.
Thank you to everyone who has read my story and reviewed so far...I am very grateful! Sorry this chapter was a little on the short side, I hope to make them longer again soon.
(returns to her lair to begin the next chapter)