A Picnic of Love

After an intense weekend, I returned to my routine. I get up, get Juan ready, and wait for Nina to arrive so I can start working. As soon as I get to work, I sit at my desk, listening to the girls talk about their weekends while I limit myself to smiling and saying mine was like any other weekend. I didn't dare to tell them that I had an almost perfect weekend, except for Carlos refusing to come into the apartment. I focus on my work again when the delivery guy comes into the office with a vase of tulips:

"Is this for Dália Penedo?" asks the guy, looking at us.

"Yes, it's me," I reply, getting up from my desk.

"Please sign here," the guy asks. I sign for the delivery, and then he hands me the vase with a card. "Have a nice day."

I open the envelope already knowing who those tulips are from. I read the card with the following message:

"Thank you for the wonderful weekend. Will you have lunch with me?

Carlos."

I smile at the note and then return to my desk, placing the vase of tulips behind my son's photo. The girls keep exchanging glances until Rúbia forces a dry cough, saying:

"I think someone lied to us about the weekend. So... whose flowers are those?"

"They're from my husband," I calmly reply.

"Wow, where did you find this man?" Isabel asks, excited.

My phone rings, preventing me from answering her question. On the caller ID, it's Carlos's number:

"Yes, I'll have lunch with you," I reply to the unspoken question.

"Perfect."

"Which restaurant?"

"I'll pick you up," Carlos replies before hanging up.

"I definitely need a boring weekend like yours, Dália," Rúbia comments, making all of us laugh.

***
A few hours later, Carlos parks his car in front of the real estate agency. The girls practically crowd around the window to see my husband, who was wearing a white dress shirt and gray pants. He had probably taken off his suit and tie to look more relaxed, and it definitely suited him. I have to admit he looked sexy, as I notice his shirt is slightly tight on his arms, and the pants fit snugly. I adjust my moss-green blouse in the mirror, as well as my hair, and then walk towards him as he opens the door for me.

"You look beautiful," my husband says, holding my hand to help me get in.

"Thank you," I say. He closes the door and gets in on the driver's side. "You look... Wow."

"I've been working out," my husband replies, smiling at me. "The experts say it's good for health and self-esteem."

"I have to agree with them wholeheartedly," I comment, looking at my husband from head to toe, simultaneously biting my lip.

Carlos drives for a few minutes until he parks the car. He comes to my side and opens the door, helping me out of the vehicle. I look towards the Martinez restaurant, already imagining the beautiful Paella we're going to enjoy. My husband walks towards the trunk, where he takes out a basket and a blanket.

"Shall we?" my husband asks before heading to the Montjuïc cable car that goes up to Montjuïc mountain.

I follow my husband curiously to see where he intended to take me for lunch. We enter the cable car and sit in the air-conditioned cabin. He places the basket on the floor and then takes two glasses, handing them to me. He then takes out a bottle of wine, opens it, and pours it for both of us. I hand him a glass, and he raises it towards me, saying:

"A toast to us."

We clink our glasses and drink the wine. During the trip on the Montjuïc cable car, we are amazed by the incredible views of the entire city of Barcelona. It's ten minutes of sitting back and relaxing, just admiring the beautiful view of Barcelona city and the Mediterranean Sea.

However, this is just the beginning of the trip that took us to the Castell de Montjuïc, a historic building built in a military field in 1640. The structure was built on top of Montjuïc Hill. As soon as we arrived at the Montjuïc Castle, we saw the lush gardens surrounding it. We walked through that pleasant environment until Carlos found a spot where he spread the blanket. He helps me sit, and then we start our picnic with the food Carlos brought. We have lunch while admiring the view of the city of Barcelona.

"So, did you enjoy lunch?" Carlos asks, sitting beside me.

"I did, but honestly, I'd trade my lunch break for something else," I reply as I slide my hand down my husband's leg to the inside of his thigh. My fingers stretch until they lightly touch the waistband of his pants.

"Don't tease me, Dália," Carlos asks, holding my hand.

"Why? Can't I tease you? Is it only you who can tease me?" I ask, kissing his neck.

"Because I've already told you that I need you to love me before we...," Carlos replies, holding my face to look at me.

"Make love," I complete, annoyed, returning to my place. "The therapist didn't say we need celibacy."

"No, she didn't. But she said that we have to do things my way," Carlos argues, looking ahead.

"Okay. I'll become a nun, and I'll put Juan in an orphanage," I snap, angrily.

"You don't want to love me again?" Carlos asks, looking at me.

"Of course, I do," I quickly respond. "It's just that... Sometimes, it feels like you're using me until something better comes along. It's not easy for me to be like this."

"Do you think it's easy for me to be here with you?" Carlos asks. "Do you think it's easy for me to be here with you? I can't stop thinking about making love to you all the time. Right now, I want to lay you down here and make love to you without caring if we get caught. That's what you do to me, Dália. I desire you... I love you."

"I love you too... I...," I start to say when he puts his fingers on my lips.

He moves his lips closer to mine and then kisses me passionately. I wrap my arms around his neck. Our kiss intensifies to the point where I let out a soft moan. Then Carlos pulls away from my lips:

"I just ask that you say you love me when it's really true," Carlos says. He traces my lips with his fingers and then touches my chin. "And it will only be true when I see that look in your eyes like the first time we went out together. Promise?"

"Promise," I reply breathlessly. "And what will happen until then?"

"Well, we'll get to know each other better, like any couple at the beginning of a relationship," Carlos replies. "We've been given the incredible opportunity to start over, and I don't want to lose it for anything."

Carlos then takes my hand and kneels on the blanket, saying:

"Dália Penedo, will you date me again?"

"I accept," I reply before kissing him.