Through the window, she watched him leave the house, fiddling with Manuel’s oversized trousers. He looked so droll. Her first impression of him had been that he was a typical Terranean macho. She started to suspect now that he was a proud, sensitive man who was broken and sloppily put back together.
She had lied to him. She knew that Manuel wouldn’t return with the police. He was way too vain for that. Her ex would find another way of punishing her. She knew the kind of violence he liked. How had he managed to get a key to her front door when she had the lock replaced months ago? She knew she had better not kid herself. The way the junta governed this country gave Manuel every opportunity to see her as prey. The police wouldn’t stop him.
juntaShe hadn’t sent Alejandro away because of Man
