“Cunning little witch,” thought María José. She was certain that Ludmilla’s yawning, which had also made her feel sleepy, was merely an act. “She’s pretending to be an innocent, tired old lady.” María José herself, however, had to summon every ounce of strength not to fall face-first into her plate.
“Tell me, Ludmilla,” María José attempted to regain control, “don’t you miss Germany?”
“Sometimes,” the German woman shrugged.
“What did your family say about you moving so far away?”
Ludmilla absent-mindedly poked at her mashed potatoes.
“I think they were glad,” she finally spoke up. “You know how difficult I can be.”
Her unusual honesty surprised her neighbor.
“We all have our quirks, things that others find strange or annoying.”
“Indeed. But in my case, it’s compounded by my aristocratic upbringing. For me, it’s natural to always be in charge. I don’t ask—I command.”
“An actual aristocrat?” María José’s eyes widened. “Like those highly educated, multi-talented women who speak several languages?”
Ludmilla laughed softly.
“If you mean that I was forced to learn piano, violin, and singing from an early age, then yes.” Pride subtly colored her voice. “Luckily, I have a good ear and voice, otherwise it would’ve been unbearable.” She paused briefly. “I do speak several languages, but I don’t usually brag about it. My skills have faded somewhat due to lack of practice.”
“What languages do you speak?”
“French, Spanish, English, Italian, Russian. I also studied Mandarin, but only enough to get by as a tourist.”
“Good heavens!” María José’s admiration was genuine.
“And you? How did you spend your youth?”
“I traveled the world as a pastry chef,” the Spanish woman replied, making it sound like an insignificant hobby rather than the remarkable career she had actually had. “I won a few awards over the years. Once, I even participated in an international competition in Berlin.”
Ludmilla clapped her hands together.
“Oh my! Not in the eighties, by any chance?”
“Hmm,” María José furrowed her brows, struggling to recall the past. “I think that might have been around then. I was young, but already well-known in the industry.”
“This is amazing!” Ludmilla exclaimed, eyes sparkling. “I was at that competition too! I saw the most incredible creations. To this day, I remember a silver carriage made entirely of sugar. I simply couldn’t believe it wasn’t metal.”
“Oh! The carriage!” María José whispered emotionally. “Indeed… I won the competition with that carriage…”
“What an extraordinary coincidence!”
Juannita watched Ludmilla’s flushed face with alarm. Who would have thought that such an innocent-looking lunch could upset the woman so much? What if the excitement combined with the valerian damaged the elderly lady’s heart?
“Madam,” Juannita nervously wrung her hands, “perhaps you’d both like to move to the couch? I’ll bring you a glass of liqueur before dessert.”
“Wonderful idea! Let’s toast to this incredible event!”
“It really is astonishing that our paths crossed again after forty years,” María José shook her head in disbelief. “Though I don’t remember our first meeting, it’s still heartwarming to share such a memory.”
Their liqueur glasses were barely half-empty before exhaustion from excitement plunged both elderly women into a deep sleep on the soft, spacious couch. Mouths open, with saliva dripping, they snored beside each other until early evening, awakened only by Juannita’s deliberate clattering. The housekeeper had decided it was time for the guest—and herself—to go home.
Ludmilla awkwardly wiped the corner of her mouth, hoping she hadn’t snored like a tractor. It had been a long time since she’d slept so deeply and restfully. María José, embarrassed, began apologizing.
“Oh, I’m so ashamed for dozing off like this! Please forgive me, neighbor; I’ve been very rude.”
“At our age, we can afford such indulgences,” Ludmilla waved dismissively. “Besides, I enjoyed the quiet rest too. I don’t even remember when we fell asleep.”
“Sometime around the sugar carriage,” María José smiled.
Ludmilla’s expression softened considerably as she looked at her waking neighbor.
“You know, I never actually saw Carlos with anyone,” she remarked cautiously.
“I know. I’m not upset. I would have said the same thing in your place.”
Juannita was baffled to see the two troublemakers holding hands, sipping the remaining almond liqueur with peaceful expressions.