Silver Tears(50)

“Excuse me.”

David stood up to go to the men’s room. The restaurant’s toilets were in one of the buildings lining the square. Faye followed him with her eyes. His mobile phone was still on the table. For a moment, she considered picking it up, going through his conversations with Johanna, trying to understand what she wanted. Seeing how he addressed her. She had made a note of his PIN on one occasion when he had entered it in front of her. But she left the phone where it was. She wanted to show she trusted him.

Going through David’s private correspondence would be an intrusion into his personal life. And even if he never found out, she would know what had happened. Instead, she turned her attention to the patrons scattered around her. Faye had noticed that many couples barely spoke to each other. Instead, they sat there scrolling on their mobiles, their eyes dead. It was a waste of time—a waste of life. Beneath a big tree, there were some children playing, chasing each other with laughter. Faye smiled sadly. She wished Julienne could have been here to meet David. He could be the father she had missed since Jack had abandoned them.



The realization hit her like a slap in the face. She realized that she could see a future in which she one day had children with David.

Her train of thought was interrupted by his voice.

“Faye…”

He sat down opposite her. All of a sudden, he looked anxious, and the worry put a knot in her stomach. Something was wrong, she could see that on his face. She gripped the edge of the table, readying herself for what was about to come.

“Faye, I’ve been thinking…”

She swallowed. No matter what he said, she would try to behave with dignity. Not show weakness.

“I’ve been thinking about how we thrive together,” David continued. “Well, I can only speak for myself. I love being with you. And I hope you love being with me.”

He looked at her questioningly, with an expression of vulnerability that he rarely displayed. Faye reached across the table in relief and took his hand.

“I love being with you,” she said.

David’s azure eyes seemed to shine more brightly than ever. He squeezed her hand.

“I know it’s early days, but I can’t stand being apart from you. I’d like it if we started looking for somewhere together—a home that we can create for ourselves. A new beginning. I hope you don’t think I’m getting ahead of myself.”

He looked away in embarrassment.

The waiter arrived with more dishes that he set down in front of them: pimientos de Padrón, tortillas, jamón, croquetas, and albóndigas.

Faye heard herself laugh. A laugh that rose up into the velvety dark Spanish night, among the cobblestones and brick walls. Somewhere a little way off, probably at one of the many other restaurants nearby, someone began to play a violin, a heartfelt, melodious sound that slowly wound its way through the narrow streets.



“I’d really like to share a home with you, David. Can’t you move into the apartment that I’m renting for the time being? Until we can get something of our own. I’ve already been asked whether I want to extend my contract, and you’ve given me a reason to spend more time in Sweden.”

“Sure?”

David squeezed her hand again.

“It can be a tryout,” she said, smiling at him. “You can move in as soon as I’m on track with the American expansion.”

David pulled a small package from his trouser pocket, beautifully wrapped with a white ribbon around it.

“Don’t worry,” he said with a wry smile. “It’s not a ring.”

He winked.

“Not yet, anyway.”

Faye cupped the package in her hands, trying to guess what was inside it, but of course it was impossible. Slowly, she removed the bow and lifted the lid. Inside was a beautiful, ornate silver locket on a chain.

She lifted it out carefully.

“I love it. It’s wonderful.”

“You happened to mention that Kate Gabor photographed you and your…your family on some occasion before it all happened. So I got in touch with her, explained who I was and why I wanted her help. Open the locket, Faye.”

Faye looked at the silver locket. With trembling fingers, she opened it gently. She saw her favorite photo of her and Julienne. The love between them was so powerful—she was stroking her daughter’s hair with such tenderness. Faye stared at the portrait. And then at David. She blinked away the tears.

The violinist was now playing “Kalinka.” The darkness of the night enveloped them and Faye realized she was happier than she had been for a long time. Then she remembered what she had with her. For David. She wiped away the tears and took the box containing the Patek Philippe wristwatch. She’d been waiting for the right moment to give it to him. As she watched him unwrap it, she put the locket around her neck and stroked it lovingly.



Maybe, just maybe, she was ready for a new family.





Neither Faye nor David wanted the evening to end, so when they had finally eaten every single tapas dish and paid the bill, they strolled through the streets of Madrid, hand in hand. The city felt enchanted. More alive than anywhere else that Faye could remember. There were musicians on every street corner playing their beautiful, lingering melodies. Children played football or were absorbed in noisy games. Loved drunk couples were sitting on park benches. Young people were smoking weed and drinking wine on the grass.