The Wrong Woman

Daphne laughed, "And so I said, 'William? Aren't you a bit too old to be dating that girl, Cora?'"

Melanie scoffed, "Daph, they are both adults. You can't interfere with their relationship."

Daphne waved her off, taking a drink of her mimosa, "I'm not interfering. I am simply inquiring about their connection. It's merely conversation."

The girls and I decided to go on a brunch date during our work breaks. The small cafe by the sea made walking down the busy streets of Long Beach worthwhile. It was lunch hour, so the sun was high, and the buzz of the crowd made it the perfect day.

"B, you need to talk to William. He is going to ruin his life running around with these young ladies. He is supposed to be married, and fruitful with children by now," Daphne pointed.

I shook my head.

We finished our lunch and decided to spend the rest of our hour break skimming through the boutiques nearby. Melanie said that she got word of a new collection coming in at Spring's. As we strutted into the vibrant boutique, a song playing on the overhead speakers sparked a memory in me. I stopped in my tracks as flashes of sunlight, the lake house, and citrus salads flowed through my mind.

"Beatrice, what's the matter? Are you ill? Is it those tacky bags over there?" Daphne questioned.

I shook my head slowly, "The song…it's bringing about fond memories. Do you remember the year we took off to the lake house in Spain?"

They nodded.

"What a time it was. I can't believe we only spent a few months there. It felt like years," Melanie recalled.

I sat down on the nearby bench by the silk scarves, breathing slowly as I was taken back to that time.

"I can remember how excited we were about the house when we first arrived. We made Sergio, Marcus, Catrina, and Ivan go with us. Sergio was our unofficial guide because he knew the most Spanish," I laughed.

Daphne rolled her eyes, "Sergio's ego was too stroked. You all gave him too much power over our itinerary."

I shook my head, "That wasn't me, that was Melanie and Catrina! I suggested that we actually hired a local travel guide, but you all said no to save money."

Melanie laughed, "Well, it was a great idea at the time."

"The cooking classes we took. Ivan even signed us up for yacht rides and community work. I was so amazed how composed you guys were when the captains boarded the boat. I think Daphne almost secured a ring at one point," I continued.

I got up from the bench and made my way slowly towards the shoe rack against the right wall. Stilettos, pumps, kitten heels, boots, and sandals of all shades brought the memories closer and clearer. The sound of footsteps approached us.

"Welcome to Spring's! My name is Ronda. Can I help you ladies with anything?" the petite woman said.

Her green eyes and red hair made her navy-blue dress standout. Her smile was calculated and performed.

Daphne stepped up, "Yes, of course. I hear you have next season's velvet couture collection. May we see it?"

Ronda grinned, "Right this way."

We left the boutique with a bag in each of our hands. Money well spent. I still couldn't stop thinking about our long trip to Spain.

"Melanie, are you still in touch with the fisherman, Del?" I asked.

She shook her head, "We stopped talking a couple months ago. He's engaged now. We both knew it would end up that way."

I remember vaguely that everyone was in some type of romantic affair or pursuing a life-changing experience. Like Melanie, I found myself entranced by a Spanish man, Tomás. He is a businessman who owns real estate and industrial companies. I was intrigued by his work ethic, but also his kindness that seemed like a burden to him. We met together most nights, dancing, drinking, and making love.

I found myself falling for him by the end of our stay, but unfortunately, he had to stay in Spain. Unlike Melanie, I still spoke to him as if he were still close by my side. His sincere and passionate nature made him both a great lover and businessman. His flaws were minor compared to his stance as a man. Maybe I was just drunk in love and too blind to see them fully.

"Please tell me you aren't thinking about Tomás? That man is fine and all, but he's so…serious?" Daphne commented.

I rolled my eyes, "Of course I am thinking about him! Besides the things we all did together, he was the best part of the trip! And not to mention the s—"

Daphne waved her hands erratically, "No! Let's not go there! Ew, ew, ew!"

Melanie and I laughed at her dramatics. I looked down at my watch to see my lunch hour was almost over.

"One last thing. Do you guys remember when we all came back from snorkeling and found Catrina and Ivan together? I think I may have blurred that out a bit because it was so awkward," I said nervously.

Silence ensued between us as we walked back to our office suite. I looked over at them to see they both were trying not to look at me. Melanie coughed, fixing her purse on her arm. Daphne was unusually quiet as she looked down at her phone.

"What?" I asked.

Daphne put her phone away and looked at me, "B, that was me, not Catrina."

My heart fell into my stomach. I swear I remember it being Catrina. Her blonde hair spread over the pillow as Ivan was on top in shock. The outfit she wore that day spread on the floor along with his. This can't be right?

I scoffed, "No, it was Catrina. Unless you also spent some special time with him and I didn't know."

She rolled her eyes, "B, I promise you it was me. I remember being in bed with him. I don't fault you for being a bit absent with the details. You had been drinking that night. Catrina and I had the same hair color that year, remember?"

Finally, it clicked. Daphne had dyed her hair the same color as Catrina's, and they argued about it for a week. Oh my. No wonder it was awkward. That was the year Daphne and Henry, her ex-fiance, broke off their engagement because of the incident.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. Maybe we should cut the journey down memory lane a bit short," I stated.

She nodded, "I agree."