“ I love you.”
“ Tomorrow.”
The phone disconnected.
Bianca huddled under the covers of her bed, tears filling her eyes. A long hard night full of tears lay ahead of her.
Ring!
Startled, she woke. Eyes wide, she grabbed the phone.
He didn't wait for a greeting. “A package will be delivered in the next hour. Sign for it, then call me before you open it.”
“ Okay.” she squeaked.
Esteban hung up without another word, leaving Bianca alone with her panic.
He's divorcing me. He's having papers delivered and he wants me to call him so he can be sure I get them.
So he can hear me cry.
Rachel's ring tone trilled from out of Bianca's purse. She listened to it till it stopped and waited to hear the voice mail beep.
The intercom from the front door beeped. She jumped up, wrapped a robe around herself and went to the door.
Peeking through the window, she saw Roger standing there. Her heart leapt to her throat.
“ Can I help you?”
“ It's Roger. Are you okay Mrs. Alvarado? Rachel is worried. You aren't answering your phone.”
“ I'm fine. Migraine. I just need quiet. I'll call her later.”
Call and tell Rachel what, exactly? Oh, my husband is divorcing me. Why? I watched you fuck my chauffeur and it really turned me on and now he thinks I'm a freak.
A cup of tea and a few good cries later, the intercom buzzed again.
On the other side of the glass, the delivery man looked crisp, professional and thoroughly optimistic. Bianca hated him.
She yanked the door open, snatched the clip board and pen, and scrawled her name on the line. Shoving the paperwork back at him she took the box and retreated back into the house.
From the coffee table, the box stared at her. She had expected the apocalypse to come in an official looking manila envelope, not a diminutive white box.
Her cell phone rang. Esteban's ring.
“ You should have gotten it by now.”
Great. He's anxious to get it over with.
“ Hi.”
“ Did it arrive?”
“ Yes.”
“ But you didn't call?”
“ No, I…”
“ You have been so naughty lately.” His words were reproachful, but held a warmth and playful edge she hadn't heard in a long time.
“ Go shower. Do your hair. Put on make up. Then call me. Before you get dressed. I want to pick out what you wear. This is important. Don't open the box.”
“ O…okay.”
“ Good. I love you, Bianca.”
“ Yeah, I…”
The phone went dead. She hung it up, bewildered.
“ You're ready? Hair? Make up?”
“ I'm all ready. What is this all about? I don't…”
“ Send me a picture.”
“ I'm naked.”
“ I know.”
Bianca dithered for a minute. Could she, really? What if he was setting her up?
“ Bianca?”
Finally, she resigned herself to the set up, if there was one. If she was going to lose every thing, she might as well go out in a way that would make Rachel proud of her. Bianca snapped a photo with her phone and sent it to him.
“ Good girl. Now open the box.”
Well, great. After he divorces me for being a deviant he'll be able to post naked pictures of me on the internet.
She pulled the tab on the side of the box and it zipped open. Inside was… tissue paper, in various shades of pink. Not what she had been expecting at all. Past the crinkling paper she found a satin bag. She pulled it out and stared at it.
“ What is it?”
“ Darling, if you can't tell by looking at it, I can't help you.”