I had much to do in the coming days, so I didn't have time to get entangled with him.
I planned to break up with him on the day I left.
As the end of the workday approached, it started raining outside. I received a call from Arturo.
"You're off work, right? Swing by the hospital to pick us up."
His command sounded so natural.
I wondered how lowly he thought of me, expecting me to go and pick them up in the rain.
"Well, there's a company dinner. I've no idea when it'll end."
"You can drop us off and go back."
"You can just take a cab."
I hung up and didn't care whether Arturo was fuming.
I had dinner and some drinks with a few colleagues I got along with.
When I got home, it was already eleven o'clock.
Arturo was sitting on the living room sofa.
"Why are you back so late?"
I ignored him.
After changing my shoes and washing my hands, I planned to go to my room to shower and sleep.
Arturo got up and blocked my way.
"Lynne, what do you mean by this?"
I looked up at him. The face that once filled me with joy now seemed so ordinary, perhaps because my heart had long since turned to still waters.
"What's the matter?"
I asked him.
He looked displeased. "It's fine that you didn't come to pick us up, but why are you back so late?"
I wanted to argue.
Just then, Esther's voice came from the bedroom.
"Lynne, did you drink? The smell makes me uncomfortable."
I stared at Arturo, thinking he had sent Esther back. Unexpectedly, he had brought her home.
It was absurd.
"Do you want me to stay in a hotel, or do you want to stay in a hotel with Arturo?"
"Lynne! How can you be so filthy-minded?"
Arturo reprimanded me loudly.
"Arturo, stop using your loud voice to cover your guilty conscience. Am I filthy-minded?"
I turned to Esther standing at the guest room door. " Esther, I heard from Arturo that you fainted yesterday because I blocked you. Don't be like that. I blocked not just you, but also him and many others. If you don't like the smell of alcohol, just close the door and go to sleep."
Esther looked aggrieved, tears streaming down her face.
Instead of responding to me, she looked at Arturo and said, "Arturo, I think I should leave. I don't want to make Lynne unhappy and cause a fight."
"It's so late. Where would you go? It's not safe outside. Go back to your room and sleep."
So, he knew it wasn't safe for a girl to be out at night.