Delia
They explained their decision to the doctor who came in for a checkup in the afternoon. She made a serious furrow between her eyebrows and paused appropriately.
I’m glad you’ve made a decision that works for you, she said. But it should be an informed decision. So I’m going to ask you and your partner to attend a few films, the ones we were talking about before.
Thank you but I made my decision, it’s time for us to return home to our pets and our jobs, they said. I insist. I am concerned that you are holding us here against our will, you need to take us home. They were sure to lower the pitch of their voice and look resolute and decisive.
I understand. Your day-to-day logistics at home have been managed, I can assure you, but I can sympathize with how difficult this must be. Unfortunately, we don’t have any outgoing trips scheduled until next week. In the meantime, I would ask you to view the films we prepared for you. I think you will find them more instructive than you expect.
They kept quiet for a moment, trying to find a way to fight back convincingly. Their partner freed them by saying it was unacceptable. We aren’t going to be held hostage here to be preached at, you need to send us back or we’re going to
You’re going to what
We’ll be sure you’re charged with, with this crime.
She was clearly suppressing a chuckle but her voice was assured. I don’t know. I’ve seen the financing plan you had with us, well, before, and I’m doubting, respectfully, that retaining a lawyer is in the budget. She shifted tone immediately so no one could become infuriated, so nothing would be left to sit out for scrutiny.
What I will do is send Delia over. Delia is our clinical counselor. She’s very nice, I think you’ll like her. You can talk your feelings over with her and come to an understanding with us about this matter.
How is a counselor going to get us home, he said, but she had already gone. I don’t think, they said. What don’t you think? He asked. I don’t think I can do this.
They were thinking about the numbing with frozen peas and the injections in their stomach, the week when the doctor used an ultrasound transducer to seemingly goose all their reproductive organs with a charley horse threat, and for what. They knew it might come to nothing, even somewhat hoped it might, but the exact way in which it happened seemed more unacceptable than they expected. They were still trying not to think of the two weeks of pretending their middle quadrant was not part of their body when Delia came in.
If they had had to describe Delia later on they wouldn’t have been able to. She was unremarkable and faded into the clinic furniture much faster than her name would in memory.
I know what the doctor said, she said, I know you’re ready to go. So pack up right now, and we can do it. I’ll help you leave.
How, their partner asked, suddenly arrested by inaction. The doctor said there weren’t other departures until next week. Was that just made up, to keep us here? How will we leave? How is it possible it could be right now?
You’ll see, she said. I need you to focus on getting your things together. Be sure you have everything because you won’t be coming back.
So they did, they had a single backpack with a change of clothes for them and some magazines, their toothbrush. They double-checked that both of them had their wallets, their IDs. Oh wait, I don’t have a passport, they said, it´s back at the house. That’s fine, fine, said Delia. We’re not going to worry about that today.
Delia was wearing white canvas shoes, they did remember that, because she walked them out so quickly, down past the lo mein place and down the hallway to the picnic table again, but then they kept going, down the hill below the table. It was brilliant outside, calm and late morning. There was the sea, like they thought before, and there was a small motorboat.
This can’t be real, we didn’t come here on a boat, he said. And this is the ocean, it’s too much for that tiny boat. Look, we’ll cooperate, whatever you like, watch those films, whatever, but we need a safe way to leave, not this.
Oh this is perfectly safe, I promise, she said. She told them to go inside the tiny cabin, and she advanced just past them to the steering wheel. She charged the ignition before he could respond. They checked the backpack, their wallets, their IDs again. It was too loud to talk and there was nothing to say. The water seemed oddly calm, for the sea. They arrived at a different beach not long after.
“Welcome to outer Algeciras” said Delia.
