Chapter Text
Ever since his mother died Luciano wasn’t the same. He’d shrugged off all responsibilities and fled to Europe, touring the countries drinking wine, expanded his business, and ignored the letters from his younger sister, Dulce’s, boarding school. He couldn’t stand looking at them. They reminded him of her and it rubbed salt in the wound he was fighting to ignore.
His cousin, Estefania, would call and try to scold him for leaving Dulce alone but Luciano would just sigh and say, “And how do you think we can afford to keep her in that school? Afford your apartment? I need to work.”
“She misses you. She needs you too, cabrón. We’re the closest thing she has to parents.”
Luciano was leaning against the front desk of whatever hotel he was staying at now, somewhere in Spain, he adjusted his tie and glanced around the lobby. Finely dressed patrons walked by smoking cigars, women draped on men's arms like fine accessories as bell hops quietly followed behind carrying trunks. Luciano picked up his hat off the desk and placed it on his head, growing tired of the same argument already.
“Dejame. We go over this over and over. Dulce Maria is fine. I’ll be back soon.”
Estefania groaned and mumbled something indecent under her breath, “Esta bien. Adios Luciano.” Then they hung up and he handed the phone back to the front desk attendant and stood up straight scanning the scene for where to go.
He could head to the race track and meet up with his colleagues, or sit by the pool and catch up on work. Then a long pair of legs caught his eyes in a long green gown worn by a tall woman with a matching green sunhat. She leaned against a pillar smoking a cigarette.
She smiled at him with bright red lips and Luciano smiled back, he could use a little distraction.
He walked over and tipped his hat, “Buen dia.”
She smiled brilliantly, “Buen dia señor,” She looked him over, appraising his stature and his expensive suit. He was still taller than her even with her heels. “How can I help you?”
Luciano extended a hand and she placed hers in his as he bent over to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles, “Luciano Larios Rocha. I was wondering what a beautiful woman was doing smoking all alone.”
This seemed to be just what she wanted and she tilted her head to the side, “Sometimes I like to wait and see how lucky I can get. Seems like I’m quite lucky today. Looks like you’re buying me a drink, Señor Larios.”
Luciano grinned, “I am?”
She nodded, “Oh yes, a dirty martini, extra olives.”
Luciano extended his arm for her to take, when she did he pulled back and she pursed her lips in distaste, “One condition,” He teased appreciating taking control back, “You have to tell me your name.”
The woman looked at him, eyes narrowed in amusement, “All you had to do was ask. Nicole. Nicole Romero Medrano.”
Luciano extended his arm again and this time let her take it and then they walked over to the hotel bar. Two strangers using each other for their own selfish means.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ⊰ ⊹ ─
“¿Cecilia Santos a donde vas ir? ¿Quién te va cuidar?”
A hand flew down and slapped her across the cheek. Cecilia flinched but didn’t cry. She grabbed her bag and walked away.
“Sister Cecilia? Estas bien?” She blinked looking around realizing everyone was standing up, no longer kneeling in the pews.
Cecilia flushed embarrassed and stood up straightening her habit, still somehow getting used to the long fabric. She mumbled quietly, “Yes - sorry. Lost in prayer.”
The nun next to her smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes and Cecilia sighed to herself trying to pay attention to the rest of mass but Father Gabriel was ranting about something like he always did, waving his arms and she felt her eyes glaze over again. It wasn’t until she saw Mother Superior giving her a death stare that she straightened up and paid attention for the last section.
Once it finally ended Cecilia approached the other side of the pews and smiled at the group of little girls who were whispering and waiting patiently for her to guide them back outside.
One girl in particular was asleep and Cecilia covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laugh and Cecilia leaned over to Sister Loo, “Can you lead?”
Sister Loo nodded politely and started walking as Cecilia slid to sit next to Dulce. She nudged her shoulder and went “Pssst.”
Dulce grumbled and went, “Cinco minutos mas.”
Cecilia grinned and pinched the girl's arm, “Wake up Dulce or Mother Superior is going to make us both do extra prayer.”
That seemed to work and Dulce sat up looking sleepy. “Noooo.”
“That’s what I thought. Come on.” Cecilia took Dulce’s hand and walked her out of the tiny chapel out into the sun.
“Sister Cecilia, why is mass so boring?” Cecilia bit back another laugh as they walked in the bright sun wiping sweat off her brow. She looked over the courtyard as the other girls ran around squealing or lying in the grass. Other nuns watched or sat on benches chatting.
Cecilia had only been here for six months but she had gotten used to the calm of the school, comfortable with the company of the other nuns, even if they were all older than her. They were mostly nice to her. They mostly seemed to doubt her devotion to God more than anything, she heard their whispers, “Too pretty to be here.”
“Must be pregnant and hiding it.”
Nuns could be unnecessarily catty.
“Sister Ceciliaaaaa.” Dulce was tugging on her arm and Cecilia looked down at her shaking her head out of her daze. “Sorry Dulce. Mass isn’t boring, it's a time to be closer to God.”
Dulce groaned. “We’re always close to God, we live at church.”
Cecilia chuckled, “Okay closer then.”
Dulce sighed and pouted, “When can Tia Peluca come visit again?”
Cecilia tugged on the end of her habit anxiously, Dulce’s cousin made her nervous, she was so confident and wore such vibrant wigs and skirts to the knee, so modern. She always tried to include Cecila in conversation when she visited Dulce and Cecilia never knew if that was proper or allowed.
“Visits are tomorrow, you know that.”
Then Dulce looked at her with wide eyes, “Any letters from my brother?”
Cecilia felt a twist of anger she knew she wasn’t supposed to feel, Dulce missed her brother clearly but apparently he didn’t miss her.
Mother Superior told Cecilia he had left Dulce here two years ago and hasn’t visited once. Too busy being a fancy business man. “Hombres. Todos malos. Obsessed with money.”
Cecilia couldn’t help but agree.
“No letters Dulce Maria.”
Dulce scowled and shrugged. “Okay. I’m going to talk to Mama. Bye!” Then Dulce gave her a quick hug and ran off disappearing into the distance. Dulce always said she could talk to her dead mother which at first concerned her but after a while Cecilia decided it must be her way of praying. At least it was how Cecilia decided to understand the small girl’s way of coping with loss.
Cecilia stood there unsure where to go, deciding maybe she could hide in her room and nap, pretending to pray.
Then Mother Superior appeared grabbing her arm. “Sister Cecilia, come with me.”
“Oh- okay.” Mother Superior dragged her along to the main building of the campus at a quick pace. “Is everything okay?”
Mother Superior scowled, deepening the lines in her face, “No. It’s about Dulce Maria.”
Cecilia felt her heart skip a beat, she didn’t want to lose her favorite student, she’d grown close to Dulce and the thought of something happening to her made her dizzy.
“Her brother is here.”
Cecilia tripped, “What?!”
Mother Superior nodded, “I know. He wants to see her. Bastard.” Cecilia gasped, eyes widening as she looked at the religious woman.
“Mother!”
The woman did the sign of the cross. “Dios perdoname.”
They entered the stone building and entered the visiting room which was quiet and furnished with old leather couches. Mother Superior stopped and turned facing Cecilia.
“You stay here. Talk to him. I’m going to find the girl. Don’t let him forget how he abandoned the poor girl.”
Cecilia suddenly felt very nervous. “Are you sure? I don’t-”
Mother Superior was already leaving the room and another door opened.
A tall man entered in a dark brown suit, Cecilia was looking at the ground nerves making her panic, his shoes looked nice, waxed and reflecting the light. He stopped a couple feet in front of her.
“Hello?”
Cecilia slowly looked up and stared at the crisp white shirt and mumbled, “Hello.”
The man went “Tch” clearly annoyed, “Do nuns also take a vow of silence?”
Cecilia looked up now and saw his face, and her mouth fell into a quiet oh. He was so handsome. She didn’t know men could be that handsome.
He stared back at her equally surprised. “Oh. You’re so… young.”
Cecilia could see the resemblance between him and Dulce. The gold eyes, the soft curl in their dark hair, even the same dimple in their cheek.
“Hello Señor Larios, so nice of you to finally visit.” It came out sharper than she meant to and his eyebrow quirked up in surprise.
“Are you allowed to be rude?” His smile widened and she hid her hands in her sleeves digging her nails into her arms.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Before he could answer the door behind her swung open.
“HERMANOOOOO!” Dulce’s voice burst into the room and Cecilia immediately stepped back, his cologne almost suffocating her and she tackled her brother in a hug he wasn’t ready for.
He knelt down to a single knee and patted her head. “Hola Dulce.”
“Where have you been? You never answered my letters!” Dulce pelted him with tiny fists and Cecilia bowed her head feeling like she was intruding.
“You know I have to work Dulce. I’m very busy.”
Dulce didn't like that answer and pouted, “That’s a bad excuse. Tia Peluca says you’re a big stinky butt head.”
The man laughed and Cecilia pinched herself harder not knowing what to do with how the laugh made her feel.
“Well I brought you a present.” That got Dulce’s attention. “A present?”
Mother Superior opened the other door and a woman came in, a woman in a long green gown and clearly not afraid to show off her shoulders. She had short dark hair and bright red lips.
“Dulce, this is my fiance, Nicole. We’re going to get married and move back home!”
Dulce stared at the woman and looked like she was short circuiting.
“What? No!”
The woman chuckled, “Aw Luciano she’s precious.” Somehow it felt derogatory and made Cecilia’s skin crawl.
The man, Luciano, knelt down again and reached out to Dulce, “What’s wrong Dulce? I thought you’d be happy? We’ll see each other more-”
“No you can’t marry her! You have to marry Sister Cecilia!”
Cecilia’s head shot up and Mother Superior barked out a laugh as everyone turned to look at her and Cecilia wished she could ascend into heaven now.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ⊰ ⊹ ─