The Wrong Number

It is Friday evening. Pablo is cooking dinner. His phone buzzes. The message says: “Hi Dad! Are you coming on Sunday? Mum has your favourite cake.” Pablo has no children. He is twenty-six.

He writes: “Sorry, you have the wrong number.” A minute later, there is an answer: “Oh no! My dad has a new phone. I am so embarrassed!” Pablo writes: “No problem. But what about the cake?”

The girl is Lucía. The cake is a lemon cake. It is her grandmother’s recipe, and it has a secret ingredient. Pablo makes a joke: “I can be your dad for the cake!” She sends three laughing faces.

They talk every day for a week. They talk about music, burnt toast and the neighbour’s noisy parrot. Pablo looks at his phone a lot.

On Sunday evening, Lucía writes: “We finish the cake. Dad knows about you.” A photo arrives. A man holds a plate and a piece of paper: “Come for a slice next Sunday, stranger.” Pablo smiles and writes: “What time?”