A Love for Rebecca by Mayte Uceda

it a cozy family feel. The girls withdrew British pounds from the ATM at the Bank of Scotland, an elegant building with a square floor plan, Gothic windows, and a salmon-colored plaque displaying the bank’s name.
    They strolled through town, stopping to buy groceries for the next few days. The layout of the streets in Beauly, with the long avenue always a point of reference, made it hard to get lost.
    In the afternoon, Lola wanted to go out with Rory alone. She had three weeks to find out if the relationship was anything more than a whim or an idealized memory. Wishing her good luck, Berta and Rebecca chose to stay in, grill the chicken they’d purchased, and cook a big pot of vegetable stew that would last several days. In the late afternoon they went for a walk on the path running along the River Beauly.
    Berta looked curiously at Rebecca as a fresh, clean breeze rose to greet them. “How are you feeling?”
    “Fine. Why do you ask?”
    “I mean about the wedding.”
    Rebecca toyed with the engagement ring Mario had given her. She spun it around a few times, as if physical contact with the ring would arouse some feeling. It was a delicate ring with three stones. Engraved on the inside was the date of their engagement.
    “I’m looking forward to it all being over. You wouldn’t believe how crazy everything gets.”
    “Yeah,” Berta said. “But are you excited?”
    “Of course.”
    “I’m happy for you.” She was silent for a moment and then ventured: “You’re sure, right?”
    Rebecca stopped and looked at her, surprised by the question. Then she looked away and allowed her gaze to get lost in a clump of trees near the riverbank.
    “I want to marry Mario, although I wouldn’t have minded waiting longer, maybe until I was twenty-five or so. But then I remember he’s older than I am.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “And then there’s my mother. I think she was super relieved when we announced the engagement. I’m sure she thinks we’ve never slept together but was worried the inevitable could happen at any moment.” She looked at Berta and gave her a mischievous grin. “She’d die if I got pregnant.”
    Berta knew how strict Elvira was with her daughter. “Yeah, but it’s not like it would be the end of the world,” she said.
    “It would be the end of my mother’s world.” Rebecca thought a moment and looked up at the dark clouds. “Do you ever have doubts?”
    “About what?”
    “You know  . . . about Albert.”
    “Well, I’ve always known he was my soul mate. So no, I’ve never had any doubts.”
    “But how can you know? How can I know I’m making the right choice?”
    “I suppose your heart tells you. You feel it, and that’s it. There aren’t any magical formulas.”
    “I wish there were.”
    They walked in silence, accompanied only by the murmur of the river and the songs of birds hidden in the bushes.
    Berta stopped suddenly and grabbed Rebecca’s arm. “Do you hear that?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
    Rebecca strained to listen. “No,” she whispered.
    “It sounds like heavy breathing.”
    Berta crept forward along the path and approached a small, thick bush that hid the riverbank a few yards below. Rebecca waited where she was and watched her friend peer through the branches. Berta turned back to her and motioned for Rebecca to come closer.
    When Rebecca reached her side, Berta signaled her to keep quiet and look through the opening she’d made among the leaves.
    At the edge of the river, a couple was enthusiastically engaged in exploring each other’s bodies. He was seated on a large, flat rock, embracing the blonde straddling him. Their kisses looked as if the two wanted to devour one another. Her hands were tangled in his coppery hair; his were hidden under her skirt.
    The two friends stifled their giggles. They noticed fishing gear scattered around the rock, indicating, at least in theory, that the lovers were there to fish.
    Berta moved aside,