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Josefina turned to Brad and explained, "This is Raul. He is a fellow physician at the hospital where I work. He was also my husband, Ernesto's, best friend."
Brad smiled and his teeth almost twinkled in the light as he winked an eye at Josefina to warn her of his impending retort.
"Is it normal for your guests to insult other guests? Insulting people of whom they know nothing and about whom they couldn't possibly jump to such conclusions. Does he practice medicine the same way?"
By then Raul was looking rather sick. He realized that Brad might have blond hair and blue eyes, but he was certainly able to understand what he, Raul, had said about him.
"Pardon me," he stammered, and made a slight bow in Brad's direction. "You are correct. It was very rude and presumptuous of me." Looking at Josefina he continued, "I will leave now that I've embarrassed myself and let the rest of you have a pleasant evening."
But Brad shook his head, "No, Raul, unless Josefina wants you to leave you don't need to go on my behalf. We will just regard the remarks as a poor jest and let them pass!"
Raul looked at Josefina, and she nodded her head, "Yes, please stay Raul." Then in a whisper, "But from now on," her eyes squinting and shaking her finger at him like a schoolteacher, "be on your best behavior!"
Raul grinned a little and replied, "Yes ma'am," before turning and beginning to speak with some other guests.
Josefina's mother approached Brad from the side and quietly spoke.
"Raul always had affection for Josefina. He accepted it when she married his friend, Ernesto, but since Ernesto's death he has wanted to develop a relationship with Josefina. But she has never been interested in him as anything more than a friend. That is why he was so rude: the green monster, jealousy raising his ugly head!" Then she patted Brad's arm and returned to her husband's side.
At that point, a little less than an hour before dinner was to be served, Josefina asked he father to tap his wine glass to get everyone's attention. Several others joined in and soon the din in the room had subsided.
"Dear friends, thank you for coming tonight and joining me on this evening when we remember our Ernesto. Please raise a glass with me." Everyone did and they toasted in memory of their departed friend, son, and in one case, husband. There we tears streaming down more than one face, including Josefina's.
But after that tears were wiped away.
Josefina was still standing when she introduced Brad and Amy.
"Most of you have met our new friends who are with us tonight, Brad Taylor and his daughter Amy, who are visiting from California. We had them over with a group for lunch and afterwards, Brad entertained us with his excellent piano playing. I asked him and Amy to join us tonight — although I DID warn him that I was going to make him play for his supper!" Everyone chuckled.
"And now the time has come for us to make music. This is to remind all of us of the times that Ernesto and I would have a musical salon for our beloved friends.
"So, Brad, could you play for your newest friends?" Josefina asked with a disarming smile.
"How could I say no to such a charming request, from a delightful lady?"
He smiled and sat at the piano bench. He checked it for height and found it was still in the position that he had adjusted it the day before. Brad then turned to his audience to speak.
"The first piece that would like to play is Chopin's Nocturne #20 — which was featured in the movie 'The Pianist'. This piece was published after his death but before he died, Chopin told his sister in a letter to learn this nocturne to prepare herself for playing his 1st piano concerto. There are many passages in this Nocturne that are similar to the concerto."
Brad started playing the Nocturne and peoples faces lit up as they recognized the piece. It is not a long piece, only about three minutes, but Brad was given an enthusiastic applause.
The next piece that he played was Rachmanonov's 'Elegie', a dramatic piece of late Romanticism, with the usual technical challenges of playing music written for Rachmanonov's giant hands. It had always been one of Brad's favorites — a dark Russian minor melody.
Without taking a formal pause, Brad followed up with Clair de Lune by Debussy, a piece everyone knows and loves. Once again, as he finished, there was a round of applause.
He turned to his listeners.
"I don't want you to think that I am completely a slave to sad and minor music. So I would like to play, as my last piece, 'Sevilla' by Issac Albeniz from his 'Suite Espanola'.
'Sevilla' was a piece that Brad believed everyone in the room would recognize, not as the piano piece that it originally was, but from the famous arrangements of the piece for guitar.
His energetic and upbeat rendition had his Argentine audience smiling and nostalgic, for this piece is well known throughout Latin America.
Juanita then joined him, bringing a music stand and her flute out next to the piano.
Her first selection was one of the Schubert Lieder, "Du bist die Ruh" ("You are the Peace,")
Du bist die Ruh',(You are my quiet,)
der Friede mild,(The mild peace,)
die Sehnsucht du,(I yearn for you)
und was sie stillt...(And how you calm me)
* My loose translation that I think captures the intent of the poem.
Brad had played the piece often for singers, so he could simply sit back and listen to Juanita's tone and phrasing as she played. She really was quite good, and he enjoyed playing for her.
But he was surprised when she asked her Grandmother, Ernesto's mother, to come up and sing with her.
Juanita had a very good quality voice, but her Grandmother was operatic! As the first verse finished,
"Mein Aug' und Hertz, mien Aug' und Hertz," (<with> My eyes and heart)
When they finished, everyone in the room was completely still for a moment, followed by applause and many voices simultaneously telling the pair how wonderful and beautiful it was. Brad found himself wiping tears from his eyes at the sheer beauty of the two soprano's voices.
On a lighter note, Juanita played a piano/flute version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," accompanied with 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the group of friends and family in the room. It left everyone with a smile on their faces.
When Josefina placed her music on the stand, Brad played the 'A' for her to do a final check on the tuning of her violin. She looked at Brad and gave a slight nod of her head, and he started playing the introduction to the piece.
As people in the room heard the first couple of bars, they recognized the main theme of the film, "Schlinder's List". Josefina's violin was communicating all of the pain and pathos of the wonderful John Williams piece. The sound of utter sadness of the piece reminded everyone of the heavy heart that Josefina had suffered from since the death of her Ernesto.
As she and Brad finished, again, the room was completely quiet, before the applause began.
Josefina made a slight bow to the group, and then smiled at Brad.
Brad was a little confused because Josefina had asked him to, when he had finished the song "Après un rêve"("After a Dream", transcribed for piano and violin) by Gabriel Faure to repeat it from the beginning. But that was no problem.
Brad started the piece with the six C-minor chords and was joined in the second measure by Josefina's violin. Her interpretation was intense and the room was still as she played. Brad was reminded of just how much this piece affected him as he tried to keep tears from forming in his eyes.
"I'm just a sentimental jerk," he thought. Beautiful music did that to him.
Almost at the end, Josefina's mother-in-law came up again and stood next to Josefina, and as the song ended (on another C-minor chord), Brad started the song over again, this time with Isabel singing:
"Dan un sommel que charmaitton image,(In a slumber, your image is like a charm,)
Je révais le bonheur...(I dreamed of the pleasure,)
Then in the last 10 bars of the song, Josefina joined Isabel with her violin, softly so as not to overpower the singer, to the end.
Brad was doing everything he could to keep his throat open to breathe — it was that beautiful. And the listeners thought so as well.
Isabel's voice was clear and even at her age she could easily hit the high notes and hold them.
Cries of 'Brava! Brava!' and wild applause greeted the two women, who, holding hands, gave a bow.
It did take everyone a minute to settle down again, when Josefina announced:
"Thank you so much, dear friends. Now Brad and I will play one more piece and then we will eat dinner. Something I'm sure you are all impatiently waiting for!"
There were cries of 'No! No!' But Josefina just smiled and wagged a finger at them.
For their last piece, Josefina had selected Jules Massenet's famous 'Meditation'.
Again, Brad was taken a little by surprise (what happens when you don't actually rehearse the music in advance) when in the middle of the piece, Juanita came up with her flute and joined in, playing the cadenza and then playing along with her mother for the ending of the piece, making it a flute/violin duet, with piano accompaniment.
There was a very warm applause, but it was cut short when Josefina announced it was time to have dinner.
The great room was quickly cleared of the chairs and tables were brought in and set. Soon everyone was seated. Brad, Josefina and the parents were seated at one table, while the girls were seated at another with a couple of other younger people. Brad was told that they were cousins of Juanita's who had come into town from an estancia some miles to the west in the Pampas. There was a lot of laughter and giggles coming from that table.
For Brad, the entire ambiance of the evening had change post concert. Before, everyone had been civil and interested; curious about this 'norte americano' who had suddenly appeared in their midst. Afterwards, everyone (including Raul) wanted to shake his hand and tell him how much they enjoyed the music and how he had brought a spark of joy back to Josefina. They said they could see it in her eyes.
George stood laughing as Isabel hugged him tightly to her body, thanking him for making Ernesto's piano 'sing' again. "Women! They civilize us," was all George had to say.
Although the dinner was great — Brad remembered having a beef main dish, some sides and delicious wine — what had really occupied his attention was the woman at his side.
Josefina and he ate and talked and periodically she would take his arm and hug herself to his side. They looked at each other and smiled; anyone could see their infatuation with each other. Josefina's parents and in-laws would later tell people how 'charming' it was seeing them together that night.
After dinner, dessert, and coffee, the group started to break up as people left to go home. Josefina insisted that Brad stand with her and Juanita at the door saying good night to her guests.
As Raul left, he paused to speak to Brad.
"Thank you for your music — as well as the rather humbling lesson reminding me not to prejudge people based on stereotypes! I leave chastened," he said, this time with a real smile on his face.
"No hard feelings, Raul. We are all guilty of committing a social faux pas once in a while," Brad told him genially.
Last to leave, as they had been the first to arrive, were Josefina's parents and in-laws. They all seemed happy and told Josefina what a wonderful evening it had turned out to be. Brad told Isabel that any time she wanted to sing and needed an accompanist; he would feel privileged if she asked him. That got him another huge hug and kiss.
Finally, as all of the guests had left, Brad turned to Amy and was going to suggest that it was time for them to leave as well.
Josefina stopped that idea in its tracks.
"Brad, I am so embarrassed. I must seem so forward and aggressive to you. I'm really not that way. But could you please stay with me tonight? I haven't felt this way about a man since Ernesto died, the way I feel about you. I want to love you, even if it is only for tonight. I want to wake in your arms. I want to spend the night with you and look at your face in the morning with at least a night of memories to keep me warm!"
Brad had been watching Josefina's lovely face as she made her plea. It seemed so sad to him that she was so lonely.
"Josefina, I cannot tell you how happy you have just made me. I would normally take my time to give us a chance to know each other better, for longer; to become friend first and then lovers. But you are right. Tienes razón. This may be, like the song goes, 'bésame, bésame mucho; como si fuera esta noche la última vez.' (Kiss me, kiss me more, as if tonight may be the last time.) Let's not waste this chance that we have to be with each other, because who truly knows what the future may bring."
With that, Brad and Josefina finally kissed each other with a lover's kiss; deep and long and full of passion.
Suddenly behind them were two young women's voices.
"Eeeuuw! Get a room!" "I think that I'm scarred for life!" "It's about time, you two..." Followed by gales of laughter.
"Mama, is it okay if Amy and I go out with my cousins for awhile?" came Juanita's voice.
Brad looked quizzically at Josefina.
Josefina told Amy and Juanita, "Sure, go ahead. But be safe and don't stay out too late!"
"Great! Bye guys! See you in the morning." "Don't do anything that would get you in trouble with your parents!" were their parting witticisms. More laughter.
Josefina could see the concern on Brad's face.
"Don't worry, they will be safe. Juanita is very careful and her cousins are very protective.
"And it gives us a couple of hours of privacy — in my bedroom, mi querido!"
Brad didn't resist as Josefina grabbed his hand and led him to her boudoir.
~~*~~
La mañana después (The Morning After)
Brad woke up to the wonderful sensation of a facing a woman sleeping with her arm across his chest, while his hand had found its way to resting on her bare ass. They were surprisingly comfortable as intertwined as they were.
He thought about the night before, making love, and making love it was, to Josefina. Theirs was a gentle passion. Josefina was happy both to give and to receive oral attentions, and the first time that they coupled, she was on top.
"You are so large and it has been so long; let me control how quickly I take you inside of me."
She took her time settling down on his phallus initially, but after a few strokes, she was lifting herself up and down his full length.
"I cannot tell you how much I needed you," she said breathlessly, "And you are everything that I had hoped for."
Josefina orgasmed quickly and easily (at least compared to his ex) and they made love three times, something he hadn't done for years, before falling into an exhausted sleep.
Brad turned his head to look at Josefina and found her looking back at him.
"Oh, my sweet lover," she said, "you are so beautiful sleeping in my arms."
Brad smiled, "Well, I haven't been told that I was beautiful before, but I accept the sentiment, and I return it to you. You are so beautiful laying there in my arms."
"So how are you this morning? Any regrets? Second thoughts?" Brad asked.
"No, no regrets, no second thoughts. Todo bien."
They were both thinking of making love at least one more time, when they heard voices and activities from out in the kitchen.
"Che; time to get up you two! Madre de dios! Your coffee is ready and we have already gone to the bakery and bought los facturas! (literally 'the receipts' but in this case a term for 'pastries'.) We have medialunas and alfajores! Out of bed, now, or there won't be any left!" More laughter.
Brad and Josefina had to look at each other and laugh.
"I don't think they've left us with any choice but to start the day," Brad admitted with a grin.
Soon the lovers emerged, Josefina in her silk robe and Brad in one of Ernesto's robes that fit him quite well. Josefina had never been able to part with it, so it was still hanging in the closet.
They sat down and the girls actually served them their coffee and pastries.
As they ate, they could barely take their eyes off of each other. Their daughters found the situation hilarious. They would ask questions intended to distract their respective parent, with all seriousness, and tease them unmercifully when they couldn't focus on anything except each other.
Finally the girls gave up their teasing and went to clean up themselves.
As they finished up their breakfast, Josefina put her hand over Brad's.
"Mi amor, you said you run your own business, sí?" Josefina asked.
"Yes, I do. Why? What do you have in mind, sweetness?"
"Do you really have to leave today? If you are the boss, couldn't you stay here, with me for a week or more? I would love to show you around the real Buenos Aires; take you to the finest restaurants, make love to you each night. I would love to take you out to our family estancia (ranch) in the Pampas... Could you, please stay with me just a few days longer?"
Brad thought about it for a moment. He would have to make some arrangements, but it wouldn't be impossible. There weren't any pressing problems with any of the projects that were going on at home. He would have to contact the tour people and arrange for his airline tickets to be reissued for a later date. Amy would still need to leave because of her school schedule, but she could go to the airport with the rest of the tour group.
"I think that I could arrange to stay longer, if you really want me to. I know that my head is telling me that things are moving too fast, but my heart is telling me to stay," Brad replied after a moment's reflection. "But I'll have to talk it over with Amy and make sure that she's okay with the idea."
They kissed to seal the deal.
That day became very busy as Brad arranged everything.
He and Amy went back to their hotel room, where Amy packed and would join the tour group in the afternoon as they checked out of the hotel and went to the airport where they boarded their U.S. bound flights. Amy's trip to Los Angeles went through Miami where she would go through customs and change airplanes to L.A.
Brad brought his luggage to Josefina's apartment and then spent much of the afternoon in contact with his employees in L.A. informing them of his extended stay and checking for any impending crisis that might arise. His management team seemed to have everything under control and actually encouraged him to take as much of as break as he wanted; they all felt that he deserved it.
Feeling confident that he could take the next week or two off and stay with Josefina in Argentina, Brad called the airline and cancelled his trip for that night and rescheduled his flight for two weeks hence.
Meanwhile, Amy texted her mother to ask her if she could pick her up from LAX (Los Angeles International) when she arrived. When her mother responded positively, Amy gave her the flight information for the Miami to L.A. flight.
Amy texted her dad when she was seated on the plane awaiting their departure.
Brad stayed with Josefina and Juanita for the next several days, making love and becoming best friends with Josefina. Josefina, in turn, was infatuated with Brad. They played music together and spent time seeing the 'real' Buenos Aires, as Josefina called it.
They left after their first days, driving in Josefina's car out west of the ciudad, El Capital, and into the farming and ranching lands of the Pampas to see her family's ranch.
They stayed in the sprawling ranch house and spent their time with Josefina showing Brad around the ranch operation. They, of course, raised cattle there, but they also had a hunting operation where clients from the U.S. and Europe came to shoot doves, or hunt the Red Stags, Fallow Deer and Black Bucks that lived on the ranch. These were not native species, but had been imported into Argentina more than a century before specifically for hunting.
