Clarence did not answer, carefully watching Kilian and Laha. Her uncle took his hand affectionately between his enormous hands for several seconds, as if he wanted to make sure he was real, and did not stop looking into his eyes. So many years wondering what he looked like, and now he had the answer in front of him! Everything was starting to fit into place. He heard Jacobo mumbling under his breath.
Kilian let Laha’s hand go and went over to his brother while Clarence introduced Daniela, who seemed to dither on the best way to greet the young man. She finally put out her hand, which Laha went to shake just when she got on tiptoes to give him two kisses. The scene ended in laughter.
Carmen interrupted to announce that the dinner would be ready in a few minutes. Clarence showed Laha to the guest room so he could unpack his bags. Soon after, when he entered the dining room, Clarence had just placed the box of chocolates in the center of the table beautifully decorated by Daniela. For the first time in that house, the name of Sampaka would be with them throughout the evening.
Everyone agreed that Carmen had prepared an unforgettable meal. The first course was Christmas soup, with tapioca and broth cooked for hours over a low heat, followed by eggs stuffed with foie gras on a bed of fine slivers of the best Spanish Jabugo ham accompanied by prawns and tender broad beans; for the third course, she surprised them with the finest roast lamb and sliced roasted potatoes they had had in years; and for dessert, she managed to get the island of beaten egg white to perfectly float on a lake of homemade custard.
With full stomachs and good wine coursing through their veins, the family had gotten over the initial slight tension of the introductions.
“Clarence told us many things about her trip to Guinea,” said Kilian, reclining in his chair.
This movement indicated that the conversation was about to veer into more serious matters.
“We”—he gestured toward his brother—“were very pleased to get firsthand information after so many years. Nevertheless, given that you’re here, I’d like you to tell us how things are going.”
Kilian had made a big impression on Laha. He must be over seventy years old, but his energy had not left him. He gesticulated passionately when giving his opinions, and his smile was always frank. Jacobo resembled his brother physically, but there was something in his look that was off-putting. It was not exactly the speck, like a small thick spiderweb, in his left eye; it was that he did not look straight at Laha. He also kept out of the conversation, as if it did not interest him in the slightest.
Daniela and Clarence watched their fathers, confused. Something did not fit. It was Kilian who led with the stories. And Jacobo was grumpier than ever. Maybe they had both had too much wine.
“Actually,” said Laha, “I don’t know what to add to Clarence’s report. I assume she told you that life isn’t easy there. The country’s lacking in infrastructure, good jobs, labor laws, progress in justice, in the administration, in sanitary conditions . . .”
As a nurse, Daniela was interested in the state of public health. In fact, she was becoming interested in everything Laha said and did. She began to understand why Clarence had suffered this man’s absence in silence. But how could she have hidden this secret from her? If Daniela had fallen in love with someone like that, she would have announced it to the four corners. Was her cousin’s love unrequited? She had not stopped looking at them since they arrived. Clarence treated him with exquisite deference, even a mutual understanding, and glanced from Laha to Jacobo continuously, as if she were waiting to see what impression the young man made on her father. Jacobo, for his part, did not look too pleased with his daughter’s companion. Was it because of the color of his skin? Poor Uncle Jacobo, she thought. Surely such a thing had never occurred to him! Daniela bit her bottom lip. She was going too quickly. She saw Laha and Clarence very happy together, but she had yet to see any gesture that meant anything more than a good friendship. Or that’s what she wanted to believe.
Laha criticized the lack of resources and qualified personnel not only in the larger-population medical centers, but also in the rural areas. The infant mortality rate had remained very high. Daniela listened, hanging on his every word. Laha was wearing a white shirt and had put on a tie. He had curly hair, with rebellious locks that fell over his forehead. His head tilted back when he laughed, and his eyes gleamed.
Daniela did not want Laha to stop talking to her. She felt a pang of guilt, but Clarence did not seem to mind Daniela hogging his attention.
“But how could a small country with so much oil still live with such conditions?”
Laha shrugged. “Bad management. If the production was properly programmed and controlled, the country would have one of the highest per capita incomes on the African continent.”
“Clarence told us that most of it is due to the rivalry between Fang and Bubi,” Carmen chimed in, her cheeks red from the wine.
Laha sighed. “I don’t agree. You see, Carmen, I have many Fang friends who understand the unease of the Bubi population. But the Bubis aren’t the only ones who are marginalized. There are many Fang not among the privileged members of the power circles. The race conflict is often used as an excuse. If a Bubi is detained or murdered, the family paints all Fang with the same brush. That is how race hatred is perpetuated. A hatred that is very convenient for the regime.”
Kilian got up to refill the glasses. Suppressing a smile, Jacobo asked, “And what’s this that Clarence was telling us, that there are still some asking for the island’s independence?” He rubbed the scar on his left hand. “They weren’t happy enough when they broke from Spain . . . now they want independence for the island itself!”
Clarence shot him a hard look, but Laha did not seem upset.
“There are also independence groups here, yes? On Bioko, the independence movement can’t even get recognition as a political party. Even though they defend nonviolence and the right to freely debate ideas and opinions, as in any democracy.”
A small silence followed, broken by Daniela. Clarence was surprised at how talkative she was.
“I suppose it’ll be a question of time. Things don’t change overnight. Clarence told us that she saw many things being built and that the university was not as bad as she had thought it would be . . . That’s a good sign, isn’t it?”
Laha turned to her. Daniela looked very young, definitely younger than Clarence. She was wearing a black dress with straps and had her shoulders covered with a woolen sweater. She had gathered up her light-brown hair in a small bun above her neck. Her skin was very white, almost porcelain, and she had expressive eyes that he had been staring at all night. Daniela blinked, looking away toward the table, then focused on the box of chocolates and spent a few seconds choosing her favorite. Laha noticed that she left it there, slowly taking her hand away so that nobody would notice that she had just gotten nervous.