Chapter 47

“How do I look?” I ask Florencio as I adjust my collar in the mirror.

“Good enough to eat,” he replies, but sadly we don’t have time for that. Though he still comes to stand behind me and puts his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder and looking in the mirror with me—him in a dark red shirt, his favourite colour and one that looks so good against his skin, and me in midnight blue.

“We both look good enough to eat, and if we’re lucky, that might just happen.” He smiles, and I turn my head to kiss him.

“Did Con say anything about the surprise he’s arranged?”

“Not a thing. Not to me, at least.”

“Do you think he’ll come?” I glance at my watch.

“He will be here. If he isn’t, he knows what’ll happen.” He gives me a feral grin in the mirror .

“You were so good at making him apologise the other day. After that song, I was ready to jump into his arms.”

“Your beautiful spirit, sense of forgiveness, and willingness to see the good in everyone are some of the many things I love about you. But we needed to make sure he understood because I’m not joking, I cannot go through that again,” he says, turning me round and kissing me properly.

Just then, we hear the beep of a car horn and make our way down to the lobby. Constantin is near the door, which is standing open. We look through it to see a huge black limousine.

“I thought we could do this in style,” Constantin says.

“I love it!” Florencio exclaims.

Estrella and Juana appear from the other side of the house. Estrella looks stunning in periwinkle blue, and Juana looks beautiful in a green dress, which makes a change from the plain clothes she normally wears that she calls her uniform.

“ Senora , your carriage awaits,” Constantin says with a flourish. “Ladies, are you ready?” He goes over to them and offers each of them an arm, escorting them both out to the waiting car.

Florencio and I follow right behind. We’re ready to take Estrella for her day out.

“How’s everything at the bar?” I ask Constantin as we settle into the car, fully aware that it’s the grand reopening tonight. We said we should change the day to take Estrella out, but Constantin was adamant about keeping it the same as he had another surprise.

“We’re as ready as we can be. Alena is more than capable of handling the opening, and we’ll be there later. There’s also the band and Anton.”

We drive out to the Museu Nacional d’Art De Catalunya first, where Estrella spends some time looking up at the huge building and the cascading waterfall.

Then we drive past the Casa Vicens and to Park Güell.

Estrella tells us tales of times when she used to visit often. How she wasn’t sure about the Gaudi designs at first, but has grown to love them over time.

Estrella won’t be able to walk around the park, but she wants to visit the dragon steps one last time.

Florencio and I walk with Estrella and Juana. Constantin follows slowly, as if he finds each step a struggle.

“What is it?” I ask when he catches up with us.

“This was a place that Valery and I came to a lot.” He looks down at his feet. “This was pretty much the exact spot I proposed to him.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have come, Con.”

“It’s fine. He wouldn’t want me to be upset about it. He’d say I was a sentimental fool. I have my memories, they’ll always be there, but I’m ready to make new ones.” He places an arm round each of us, and we stand there together, looking across the city.

Back in the car, we travel to the Eixample district, past the roof like a dragon’s back of Casa Batlló to see the Sagrada Familia. I haven’t visited it yet and am excited to see the huge building. Construction started in 1882, and over a hundred and forty years later, it’s still not complete. I look up at the passion facade, but it’s impossible to take it all in with just one brief visit, so I vow to come back again.

“I’ve watched this grow ever since I arrived in this city,” Estrella says as we walk through the apse where hundreds of stained-glass windows throw their colours onto us. “It takes a lot of vision to start something that you are never going to see finished, a lasting legacy that it will take generations to build. And yet no one ever said no, let’s not bother. If something is worth building, it’s worth taking the necessary time to make sure it’s the best it can be.” She takes Juana’s arm and walks slowly back to the limo, leaving us all staring after her and then looking curiously at each other.

We make our way to the old town, passing the parabolic arched doorways of Palau Güell and on to the Cathedral. Only Juana and Estrella go in, while Florencio, Constantin, and I walk in the shady cloisters.

“She’s saying goodbye to everywhere, isn’t she?” Florencio’s voice is strained.

“I think she is,” Constantin agrees. “It’s like she’s visiting each of her old friends in turn.”

“She’s the only member of my family I actually like. I don’t want her to die.” Florencio gulps and I pull him in for a hug.

“None of us do, baby,” I whisper, and we stay like that for a long time.

Estrella, though, looks very cheerful as we get back into the car, and Florencio manages to smile even if he is not his usual bubbly self.

We pay a visit to Cafè de l’òpera, a restaurant Estrella was a frequent visitor to, and she’s greeted effusively by the owners who lament that they haven’t seen her for several years. She’s treated like royalty as they show us to a private room and bring tapas and drinks.

The day gives over to evening as we make our way back into the limo for the short journey to Constantin’s bar. Neither Florencio nor I have seen it since the day the ceiling collapsed, and I’m keen to see how the repairs have gone. It also feels special as it’s the place where we first met each other. I reach for Florencio’s hand as the limo stops at the end of the alleyway. Constantin has talked several times to Alena on the phone, but he assures us all is well.

Constantin goes on ahead as the rest of us walk together to the bar. When we get to the door, Constantin opens it .

“Senora, welcome to La Casa De Valery,” he says, and ushers us inside.

I’m struck by how it looks. It’s the same and yet very different. It still has the wooden dance floor to one side, and half wood-panelled walls. The sign behind the bar is neon, but that’s not the only change. The walls are brighter, and most of the old pictures are gone. Instead, hanging on the walls are most of the photos from the Hollywood room. Photos of Estrella and all the stars she met. It’s beautiful and gives the bar an elegantly classical feel.

My eyes are finally drawn to Estrella, who is standing in stunned silence. Then I notice Sofia and Senor and Senora Bernat. I don’t recognise the rest of the people in the bar, but it’s clear Estrella does because she turns to Juana.

“You did this for me?”