She saw him out and, after he had gone, she leaned against the door with a sigh of happiness. Yes, this was the man she wanted!
Delgado was walking down the street towards his apartment when he suddenly heard his name being called. “Hey, Ricardo! Where’s that pretty little girl of yours tonight?” followed by raucous laughter.
He looked over to see two of his ex-army colleagues, Captain Estaban Velasquez and Lieutenant Juan Zamorra, both smartly dressed in their army evening uniforms, approaching on the other side of the street. Delgado crossed to meet them. They embraced one another, laughing. “Well, where are you going, all dressed up on your own?” asked Velasquez.
“Ahh, nowhere in particular! Christina, she felt a little unwell.” And he tapped his stomach knowingly, which set off another peal of laughter from his companions. “No, no, not that!” he laughed back, “She’ll be well again tomorrow, she assures me!”
“Why don’t you come with us, then? We’re going to the gambling club – we just got paid and have a few cruzerios to burn!” said Zamorra.
“Naah, I’m saving my money to marry Christina.”
“But we go to this place often, my friend. Why not tonight? Maybe you will get lucky!”
Delgado considered for a moment. “Ah, why not?” he said and, amicably, they patted each other on the back and made their way to the establishment nearby, laughing with their reminiscences as they went.
Delgado was walking down the street towards his apartment when he suddenly heard his name being called. “Hey, Ricardo! Where’s that pretty little girl of yours tonight?” followed by raucous laughter.
He looked over to see two of his ex-army colleagues, Captain Estaban Velasquez and Lieutenant Juan Zamorra, both smartly dressed in their army evening uniforms, approaching on the other side of the street. Delgado crossed to meet them. They embraced one another, laughing. “Well, where are you going, all dressed up on your own?” asked Velasquez.
“Ahh, nowhere in particular! Christina, she felt a little unwell.” And he tapped his stomach knowingly, which set off another peal of laughter from his companions. “No, no, not that!” he laughed back, “She’ll be well again tomorrow, she assures me!”
“Why don’t you come with us, then? We’re going to the gambling club – we just got paid and have a few cruzerios to burn!” said Zamorra.
“Naah, I’m saving my money to marry Christina.”
“But we go to this place often, my friend. Why not tonight? Maybe you will get lucky!”
Delgado considered for a moment. “Ah, why not?” he said and, amicably, they patted each other on the back and made their way to the establishment nearby, laughing with their reminiscences as they went.
---oo0oo---
The gambling club was in full swing when Delgado, Velasquez and Zamorra arrived. Recognised by the maitre de, they were led to a table at the back of the room on an elevated section, where they were able to get a good overview of the gambling tables. They ordered drinks and, for a while, relaxed in each others’ company. After a while they made their way to the roulette table and sat down. Delgado placed a bet on Double Zero, which came up, winning him one hundred cruzerios. Smiling at his good fortune. He placed it all on Red 13, which also came up. Although his luck was on a roll, he decided to cut and run while he was winning and left the gaming table. That was when he saw her, sitting at a table near the dance floor – the most beautiful American woman he had ever seen! But she was sitting with another man. He sighed, and went back to their reserved table at the back of the room, where Velasquez and Zamorra soon joined him. They had been less fortunate with their bets. He ordered a round of drinks with his winnings, but he could not take his eyes off the beautiful woman. His two companions saw who he was looking at and winked at each other behind Delgado’s back.
