La Soledad

SOLITARY FRAGMENTS

CHAPTER l: Adela and Antonia

Here we are.

Here we are and it's lunch time.

Up we go

and time for lunch.

Yummy!

Yummy!

Time for lunch.

Sweetie!

Don't go to sleep now, sweetie, it's time for lunch.

Don't go to sleep,

it's time for lunch.

Just here.

I'll get yourfood right away, sweetie.

Shit!

Dad?

Dad?

Honestly...

Sweetie!

Sweetie!

Okay?

I'll get yourfood ready right away, my love.

Miguelito.

Hello?

Yes, I just got in.

Okay.

I'll start making lunch.

Lentils and rice.

I hope it'll be okay.

Call in at Miriam's.

Her eldest has a pullover...

I think it'll fit Miguelito and she said she'd...

No.

No.

No, if you don't go now, she won't...

That's right, she's going overto her mother's...

Right.

Right, Dad, see you here then.

Don't be long. See you then.

- Adela... - What?

Rememberthe Sabero budgets?

Which budgets?

They were supposed to be in by now, September.

- The September ones? - Yes.

They haven't come in yet.

- When they do, give them to me? - Okay.

Shall I tell Susana to make copies forthe two of us?

- Perfect. - Okay.

- Thanks. - I'll need one too.

- Thanks. - Okay.

Where are you going? Here. Look at the ball.

Look at the bunny rabbit.

Where's the zebra?

Oops, your pacifier.

You'll get it dirty. Here.

What's that?

Who's at the door?

Who's at the door?

Here.

It's Mummy. Shall we go and meet Mummy?

I'll be right back, okay?

- Hi. - Hi.

Sorry. I came as soon as I could but as usual something came up.

That's okay. Want some coffee or anything?

No, it's late. I still have to bath him and make his supper.

Supper? But he just had tea.

He's had his fruit?

Yes, he was hungry.

Shit, Pedro!

If we don't keep to his schedule, he won't want his supper.

- Where is he? - In there. And it's no big deal.

Maybe, but he won't want his supper now.

You won't want yourfish, will you?

What are you doing, my little mousie?

Miguelito.

Kiss kiss... Oh, that's nice!

Kiss kiss.

Kiss kiss, my little mousie.

Anyway...

Let me see...

His shoes?

Underthat jacket.

What's the matter?

Your pacifier. Here.

I won't bother to put them on him now.

No, darling...

Your pacifier. Coming? Coming with us?

I'll put this there.

- What is it, my love? - Come here.

There there, sweetie.

Want to stay for supper? I bought some great mushrooms.

No. I told my dad I'd go overto his place.

What's the matter? Have your pacifier.

- Here it is. - Damn, I dropped it.

- Don't you want it? - He can sleep here if you like.

No, I'd bettertake him home. He's tired.

- There there. - Whateveryou say.

There there, my love.

Pedro, you haven't given me any money for 2 months.

I'm a bit short of cash this month.

Maybe production will increase and I can give you something.

Not "something". What you owe me.

Miguelito can't live on fresh air.

As I said, I'm broke. Okay?

So am I.

I'm not exactly rolling in money.

There there, my love. That's it.

Right...

Pepe.

What about Pascual's order?

Are they coming to pick it up orwhat?

I spoke to the delivery guy on Friday. He's coming today.

I see. How much milk have we got left?

Five boxes, more or less.

Five...

Bring them all up.

- Okay. - And tell...

Tell Martin to call. We don't want the same thing happening again.

So shall I go on with this or?

No, go downstairs. I'll do this.

- Okay. - Right.

- Mummy. - Yes, dear?

- Mummy. - Come and help me.

He won't give me the toy.

Won't give it to you? Look, this is a toy.

- He doesn't know how to. - What do you think of them?

I bought a lot. They were cheap.

- No, buy... - Good, aren't they?

Yes.

There's room for plenty of them. The geraniums brighten things up.

I know.

I don't want to put too many...

- You can get more in there. - I know.

Let's see the baby.

David wants to get a new car.

- What's wrong with the one you have? - Nothing.

He's become obsessed with the idea.

And you don't want to get one?

I think the one we have is okay.

He won't say how much it is.

He just says it's cheap.

Get him to tell you how much, then talk.

As I said, all he'll say is that it's cheap.

I'm thinking of leaving the village.

No, actually, I will be leaving the village.

- Where to? - Madrid.

To live there?

Come on!

The idea's a bit scary

but it shouldn't be that difficult to start there from scratch.

I mean, what have I got here?

Yeah...

Sounds a bit crazy, right?

What about Miguelito?

He'll come with his mummy.

Sweetie!

And what about Pedro?

I haven't told him yet so...

My goodness.

What do you think he'll say?

I don't think he'll be too happy.

But he shouldn't be surprised.

I told him I wanted to leave a long time ago.

You could always come back anyway.

I don't think Dad would lock me out.

That's nice!

I'm sick of mags. The models aren't real, they're artificial.

It's the fashion to say beauty's only skin deep

but people take more care of their appearance than ever.

It's not that, Manolo. We were talking

about how important it is to look beautiful in this society.

Beautiful people get paid more.

What?

I think how you look is important.

That's where it all begins.

I wouldn't want a fat, ugly,

scraggy, shabby boyfriend.

Looking at me?

I wouldn't want one like Manolo.

If I had to choose, I'd rather have one like...

- Casillas. - Oh, sure.

Listen to her.

- So that's us out, Manolo. - And she's only just started.

I don't like handsome men.

- Come on! - No, really.

The other girls can have them.

Yourfatherwasn't handsome. He was...

attractive but not handsome.

And Manolo... Manolo...

Is Manolo.

Thank you very much.

And you're happy together.

Yes, I've been very lucky with him.

I'm not saying looks are

everything. All I'm saying is

I'd prefer a handsome man. If I had to choose

I'd say "handsome".

- I wouldn't care. - I agree.

I don't know... I think a man can be...