Love at Spain's Iron Cross

41 - Museums

41

Museums

Saturday, June 26

Makena woke up late, looking forward to her rest day. She thought about last night's World Cup soccer results.

Spain's victory was almost a miracle. When they lost their first game, it was like my own loss with Luis. They could have been eliminated last night, just like I could have given up. But now they control their destiny. That's what I need to do.

She got dressed and walked to a cafe to have something to eat and plan her day.

*****

After the late game last night, Jordan didn't get into bed until after eleven but set no alarm. A day off. When he woke up, he took his time, then headed off for breakfast. He was surprised to see the blonde who had apologized to him the night before. She was reading a Camino guidebook. "Permiso," he said while beaming and holding up his hands in mock surrender.

She looked up, startled at first, then smiled broadly at him. Makena glanced at his sandals and said, "You are not walking today?" Then she paused. "What are you grinning about?"

"I was just thinking how much I prefer this response of yours when I say 'excuse me' to yesterday's."

Makena laughed, nodding. "Me too. I prefer it to 'go away idiot'. You're so much better behaved than the others who pestered me."

And I'm smiling because I'm grateful for your polite demeanor after my overreaction then.

"Again I apologize. Would you like to sit down?"

"Yes. And you're right, I'm not walking today. I left Salamanca last week, and decided on a day off."

"Me too. I walked from Burgos for the last ten days straight. So you were following the Via de la Plata?"

"I was. I walked the Camino Frances a few years ago." The waitress came and he ordered what Makena had, the tradition on the Camino: a cafe con leche and a Spanish tortilla. "Did you begin at St. Jean?"

"Uh-huh. And you?"

"Gibraltar, on the Mediterranean."

"A long trek. Why are you making a second pilgrimage?"

Jordan smiled. "Okay, we will have a Camino conversation. I love the way people walking to Santiago always have at least two reasons for their journey, and I feel like sharing. My wife passed away recently. I'm walking to honor her. Tomorrow I will leave an artifact for Oriana at the Iron Cross. How about yourself?"

"I'm recovering from a failed relationship. I will be saying goodbye to him at the Iron Cross. It's Jordan, right?" He nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss, Jordan. Oriana is a beautiful name. That was your spouse?"

"Yes. She died at the beginning of March. It has been painful."

I won't share about becoming dependent on depression meds.

"My mother passed away fifteen years ago, and I'll say goodbye again to her, but that's not so painfully raw as the recent loss of my wife."

Makena understood. "I was supposed to get married later this summer, but I found out my fiance wasn't trustworthy, so I left for Spain to help me recover."

No need to tell him how many times Luis cheated on me.

"We are both experiencing loss. The end of a close relationship is also like a death in many ways."