If she had been pretending the whole time, I had to ask myself what for? What did she get from it?
Yeah, she got a place to live for a couple of months, and some pocket money. But she cooked for me and kept my place cleaner than ever. We also made love almost every day, some days more than once. Could she fake the way she trembled when I pulled her into my arms and kissed her? Could she fake the frantic beating of her heart when we reached orgasm together?
There was so much to contemplate, so much to roll around in my head, that I didn’t know where to begin.
“Thank you, Daniel, you gave me a lot to think about.”
“I am sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. We’ll keep looking in case something comes up.”
I just nodded and left his place.
***
That night, I was at home trying to cook something for myself when my cell phone rang. I sighed at the unknown number. I had to answer them because it could be a client.
A voice I remembered too well greeted me.
“Hello, Rolf? It’s Lukas. Listen…”
The nerve of that man! I didn’t let him finish and immediately let him have it.
“You! You had to take her away from me, right, you narcissistic prick? It wasn’t enough you danced with MY girl in MY house, you really had to steal her from me…”
“Rolf, wait, this is not what you think it is…”
“It never is, isn’t it? Stop making excuses! Did you call to gloat, the best man won and all that crap?”
“Would you shut up for a second a let me talk? Rain loves you, not me. Besides, I am married.”
“So you’re married, but still you have Rain. Is she your mistress… your lover? What kind of sick game are you two playing…?”
“Shut up! I am faithful to my wife. Rain is a friend, JUST a friend. She was the one who asked me to drive her away from Middletown… away from you because she was scared…”
“Scared? Of me? I was upset when I saw you two dancing, but I would have never laid a finger on her… We talked and I thought we had sorted things out. That’s the reason why she left? Because she was afraid I’d do something to her?”
I could hear Lukas growling at the other end of the line. “You’re so frustrating, Could you stop talking nonsense for a minute and listen?”
I took a deep breath to calm myself down and said, “I am listening.”
“Rain loves you… And I think you love her, too. The reason she left… I am sorry, this is very upsetting news…” he took a deep breath. “I think you have the right to know… I think it was wrong leaving you the way she did… The things is… Rain has cancer.”
“What?” The pieces started falling into place somewhere in my mind. I sat down, trying to take it all in. “Did you say cancer? Rain has cancer?”
I was shocked. My mind went blank. I only remember thinking, why didn’t I know about it? Rain was my friend, my lover. I should’ve known first. Did Rain not consider me a friend enough to tell me about her condition? I was stunned. Was Rain dying? God! I was overwhelmed by so many questions at the same time.
“I thought you deserved to know the truth,” Lukas said, on the other side of the line.
“I don’t understand.”
Stupid words. I knew what Lukas had said, but Rain was young, healthy. It didn’t make any sense.
“I am sorry, man.”
I struggled to take a breath and fought down a wave of nausea.
“Thank you for telling me, Lukas. You did the right thing. So how is she?”
“She has cancer, stupid, how do you think she is?”
“Rain starts chemotherapy on Monday. She is not in a good place now. She needs you, even when she is too stubborn to ask for your help. I am here with her, but I can’t stay long. I have a business and a family… I would if she was alone, but I am positive she’d rather have you at her side than me.”
“I want to be there for her, Lukas. I love Rain with all my heart. Send me the address of where she is staying. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I could hear Lukas sigh of relief through the line.
“I knew you would. I’ll text you the details. Don’t worry about the money, my family is taking care of everything. She needs you for emotional support.”
“Rain asked for me?”
“Not with some many words.”