Opportunity

"Darling, I'm glad you came here," my mother says, waving her hands in my direction and catching the attention of my friend who turns slowly.

"Dalia Penedo!" Richard greets me, approaching me, and I'm shocked by his presence. He hugs me tightly and then steps back. "I finally managed to find you."

"Were you looking for me?" I ask, confused. Although I spent some time with Richard in Senegal and the rest of the group, he was the last person I thought I would see again. "What brought you to Barcelona?"

"You," he promptly replies with a wide smile. "Not necessarily you, but a big part of it has to do with you."

"Richard, could you please explain this better because I really don't understand how you got here and what it has to do with me."

"Of course, I informed you that I would come here by email two weeks ago, but you didn't respond..."

"Sorry, I was swamped finishing the preparations for my son's birthday party," I reply with a slight smile.

"Wow, you have a son?" Richard asks, surprised. "How old is he?"

"Yes, he is turning one today," I answer, nervous. Gradually, Richard's expression changes to the same one Filomena had when she caught me on the phone with X. Well, he's a doctor, and that math is easy to do. "Please, don't say anything."

"Richard," Carlos says, approaching and hugging my shoulders. "This is his name. Sorry for not remembering your name."

"No problem. Sorry for crashing your party... I'll go to the hotel," Richard says, rummaging through his backpack. He hands me a card with his international number. "Call me later so we can finish our conversation."

"Stay for the party," I ask, looking at his card. "There's no problem, and I want to know what you have to say to me from now on."

"I don't want to disturb you," Richard insists. "I can talk to you later."

"You really don't know my wife. She is capable of canceling this party just so you reveal why you came here. Come on, Richard, stay for the party."

"Alright, then I'll stay," Richard responds excitedly.

"Come, I'll take you to get a drink," Carlos invites, leading Richard along.

"What a lovely young man," my mother says, approaching. "He seems to be a good guy."

"Who seems to be a good guy?" Filomena asks, curious, standing behind my mother. She hugs me and hands me Juan's gift wrapped in white and blue paper. "Sorry for interrupting, but for Mrs. Penedo to think someone is a good guy, he must be the man of my dreams..."

"He is Dalia's friend she met in Senegal," my mother innocently replies. Filomena stares at me in disbelief, proving that she thinks exactly like me. My mother turns and smiles, finding a friend of hers arriving at the party. "I have to greet the guests. Make yourself at home since you're already part of the family."

"I can't believe you invited him to your son's birthday," Filo blurts out as soon as my mother walks away. "What were you thinking inviting him to Juan's party?"

"I didn't invite X at all. It's not even him who's here. It's Richard, the English doctor I met in Senegal, remember I told you about him?"

"Him? Wow, he didn't even cross my mind," Filomena says awkwardly.

"Nor mine," I comment. "But he said he came here because he needs to talk to me about something."

"And what is it?" Filomena asks, curious.

"That's what I intend to find out today," I respond, seriously.
***
I tried to give as much attention as possible to the guests, my family, and my son, but my mind was buzzing, trying to imagine what Richard wanted to talk to me about coming all the way here. After the birthday celebrations, the party started to calm down, requiring less of me, allowing me to finally approach Richard, who was engaged in a lively conversation with Filomena, who wasted no time in putting her claws on the not-so-holy doctor. Yes, Filomena is still married and happily so, but their relationship is open, without questions or jealousy... and they're happy that way. This makes her request for me to stay away from X increasingly confusing. I've thought about it many, many times and never concluded. I approach the two of them, sitting in the chair in front of the table where they are, adjusting my long white dress bought in Greece, making the leg slit less prominent.

"So, Richard, what do you want to talk to me about?" I ask, interrupting their flirting session. "Starting with how you found out where I live in Barcelona."

"I was in Senegal just over a month ago, to talk to Leonor about what I came here to talk to you about, and it was she who gave me your address," Richard replies, adjusting his chair.

"What were you doing in Senegal? I thought that was your last trip before getting married..." I inquire until I look at his hands and see that he no longer wears his engagement ring. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. After that trip, everything changed for me. I realized that I wasn't meant to stay in one place, but she was. So, our paths diverged," Richard responds with a smile on his face. "I'm a citizen of the world, born to help others. Just like you."

"Me?" I ask, shocked. I never stopped to think that I was a citizen of the world. "I don't think I'm a citizen of the world. I'm fine with my family here in Barcelona."

"I would be a citizen of the world... if there were more men like you," Filomena interjects, practically throwing herself at Richard, who doesn't refuse the advance.

"Dalia, I doubt you don't miss how it was in Africa, helping those people. I saw that in you there," Richard says.

"Yes, and I continue to help other people here," I reply calmly.

"So, wouldn't you like to go back and help the children there? You saw that they lack resources in the orphanage, in Lac Rose, Mali, and the other places we visited. They need support, they need people like us who are willing to do good, regardless of who they are. To go after resources, to give them a dignified life, to get our hands dirty. I decided to create an NGO to help the people there, understand?"

"Well, I would love to go back there to help, but I have Juan..." I explain.

"You don't need to go back there. In fact, I want you to manage the NGO. Create projects, help with fundraising, distribute funds, those things. I don't know how to do that, but you were brilliant in the village, and I know you know what to do," Richard says.

"Well, the proposal is interesting, incredible, but for that, we would need capital, and I don't have money to finance the NGO," I point out.

"I can help Dalia with the financial aspect, but not with money, you know. I can provide accounting services, contacts..." Filomena says.

"Well, when it comes to money, you don't need to worry," Richard retorts, smiling. "We already have a financier for the NGO. Money to get started won't be a problem."

"So, what do we need then?" I ask, curious.

"I need your answer: Do you agree or not to be part of the NGO?"

"Of course, yes," I respond, excited.

"Great," Richard says eagerly. "I sent the entire proposal of the NGO to your email. Read it carefully, give suggestions, everything we need, and then we'll start putting it into practice. I want to get the NGO up and running as soon as possible."

"Does the NGO have a name yet?" I ask, curious.

"No, not yet. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Yes, I do. MAMA Africa."

***

Juan's party was incredible in every way. Everyone had a lot of fun to the point that the last guest left only at midnight. We decided it would be best to sleep there at my parents' house so as not to tire Juan even more, as he was already dozing off in my arms. Richard left, guided to his hotel by Filomena. He said goodbye to Juan and stared at me for a long time but didn't say anything about my son. I hope he doesn't say anything to anyone.
I take Juan to the room we always occupy when we sleep at my parents' house and put him in the crib. My husband is already fast asleep in bed. I lie down next to him, but I can't sleep, even after a relaxing shower. My mind begs me to open the email and start working on MAMA AFRICA. The feeling I had in Senegal returns, which gives me the certainty that I'm doing the right thing. I smile and get up, heading towards my bag and taking out my laptop. I sit at the vanity so that the light from the screen doesn't wake Carlos. On the screensaver, there's a photo of us when Juan came home. I open my email and wait for it to update my messages. As soon as it's done, I'm paralyzed by what I see:

richard@hotmail.com NGO 11/03/2012
x@rlc.com Sweet 10/25/2012.