Chapter 50 - The Interloper (1/2)
For a moment Claire is stunned—she just stands there, staring at Karen's body on the ground. A bunch of conflicting feelings ȧssault her—resentment, pity, apprehension, confusion. Wasn't it just days ago when Karen and Russell tried to gang up on her? Which is why she's living in the Residence now, thanks to Gabriel's good graces. But then again, you can also take that as a good thing: if Karen wasn't such a bitch, then she wouldn't be ejected from the apartment, and wouldn't be enjoying time in her penthouse suite in that swanky Residence.
Meanwhile, Miguel is instantly upon Karen, as though he's about to resuscitate her.
”Let's bring her to my place,” Claire says as she grabs Miguel's hand. ”We have a doctor there and maybe she needs to have something to eat.”
”Shouldn't we bring her to a hospital?” Miguel is starting to lift Karen in his arms. ”People don't normally pass out if it's just nothing.”
It's really just nothing, Claire wants to say, but she doesn't want to seem heartless. ”The nearest hospital is still farther than my place. How about if we let her rest first and see how she does, then I'll have my doctor coordinate with the hospital.”
”That sounds like a good plan,” Miguel says as he gently places Karen in the car's backseat.
On the way to the Residence, Miguel shoots Claire with questions about the unconscious woman. Who is she? What happened to her? Why does she look like she's wearing the same party dress for days? Is she homeless?
If Claire had to be brutally honest, she'd give Miguel all the bullshit-free answers. But there's something about Karen's sudden reappearance in her life that gives her the screaming mimies. Something's off. Something's too contrived to be considered merely coincidental. And she has just met him—Claire doesn't know what he really wants. She carefully weighs the words that come out of her mouth. ”Karen used to be my roommate. But a few days ago, we had a little misunderstanding, so I had to leave.”
”How was she the last time you saw her?”
There's genuine concern in Miguel's voice, and yet, he has just met her. He treats her as though he has known her all his life. That's maybe the difference between the two brothers, Gabriel and Miguel—the younger one seems a bit naïve, too trusting of people, while Gabriel seems too jaded for his own good.
Claire gazes at Miguel's eyes, and all she sees is sincerity.
”The moment the doctor says he could not help, let's proceed to the hospital, okay?”
I'm sure she'll be completely fine, is what Claire almost says, but then again, she doesn't want to seem heartless; Miguel has no idea what kind of a person Karen is. ”Absolutely,” she says. ”And besides, if she needs first aid, she needs it as soon as possible. Going all the way to the hospital might aggravate things.”
”Sorry,” he says, ”but where did you say you're staying again?”
”The Residence?”
”The Residence? Where's that?”
”It's the former Ilustrados Hotel downtown.”
”Oh, I know that. Gabriel loved that hotel. He used to take Michelle, err, I mean, his former girlfriend there a lot. They both loved the little fine dining restaurant there. That Michelin-starred place being run by that Italian chef called Gustavo What's-his-face.”
”What? Michelle knows about that place?”
”Are you kidding me?” Miguel laughs. ”Michelle does not only know about that place. She loved it. They used to occupy the penthouse suite overlooking the park for weeks on end. Why?”
”Oh, nothing. It's just that Gabriel seems to have missed mentioning that.”
”Oh, sorry.” Miguel looks at her. ”Did I touch a nerve? Sorry I talked too much.”