The Journey II.

Axel was sitting on a bench in the park right next to the hotel; he remembered that when he entered his room he lay down on the bed. He felt a little tired; he had wanted to sleep during the trip, which he had managed, but only for a few hours, as he woke up to the sound of small snores next to him.

"How can a girl snore like that? Maybe she was very tired."

Then she took a pair of pants and a polo shirt, took a shower and decided to go for a walk, finding that park where she sat down to watch the birds and the people who were there.

Axel sighed and, turning his gaze, he saw that woman in a white dress with pink flowers and pink sandals just like those flowers; she was really short. Her waist-length brown hair followed her with her gaze. She walked looking around. She noticed that an old man accompanied by a little girl approached her and he offered her something, to which she shook her head. The little girl pulled the old man's pants hiding between his legs. Alicia smiled and then nodded to the old man, offering him a bill. While the old man searched for what was surely change, she bent down towards the girl, putting her arms crossed on her knees and above them her head, looking for the girl's gaze, who upon finding her made a sign for her to come closer. The girl approached timidly, watching as the woman put her hand in her bag; apparently she was looking for something, but it seemed like she couldn't find it because she made faces of disgust, until finally she made one of happiness and took out a popsicle, offering it to the girl with a big smile. The girl took it very happily, giving the girl a hug, which she reciprocated. When they separated, she stroked her hair and stood up; the old man opened a small cooler, took out a slice of watermelon, gave it to the girl and prepared to give her what seemed to be the change for the bill. She took the watermelon, shook her hand at the old man; he insisted and so did she. He lowered his head, she lifted his face with her hand and smiled at him. He reciprocated, they began to walk; it seemed that they were talking. After a while, the old man said goodbye to the woman and so did the girl.

Axel was surprised by the whole scene that had passed before his eyes.

Alicia said goodbye to the old man and her granddaughter looked for a bench where she sat with the slice of watermelon in her hand, looked at it and took a bite; she hadn't finished giving it to him when a man stood in front of her. Alicia looked up and it was Axel who was blocking the sunlight.

"Sir?!"

Alicia asked in surprise, with the piece of watermelon still in her mouth sticking out on her cheek.

Axel saw that look and those cheeks red from the heat; on one of them there was a piece of watermelon. She looked really beautiful.

"What are you doing, Miss Torres?"

"Well, eating a slice of watermelon."

"I see... And where did you get it from?"

She asked, pretending not to have seen anything of what had happened minutes before.

"I bought it from an old man."

"That's strange, I've never seen watermelon sold like that."

Axel questioned.

—What happens is that the gentleman's daughter is working, but she doesn't have much money to make, and he decided to go out and sell slices of watermelon with his granddaughter to help her a little.

Alicia explained to him while she continued eating the watermelon.

— I mean, do you like watermelon?

—Not really, but I don't like throwing anything away, and it's delicious... And with all this, sir... What are you doing here?

Alicia asked curiously.

— I couldn't sleep.

Axel answered.

— Oh, me neither; what happens is that I slept the whole trip. Didn't you sleep at all?

— I slept a little, but I woke up because of a slight sound.

— Oh! Was it the plane?

— Yes, something like that.

Axel smiled as he looked at her; then, he sat down next to her.

Alicia finished her watermelon and looked for a trash can. There was one just a few steps away. She got up from the bench leaving Axel sitting, put away the trash and came back. Now she was standing in front of him.

“I'll take a walk around the park, do you want to come?”

Alicia asked. Axel was thoughtful for a few seconds.

“Well, why not? Let's go.

Axel stood up and they started walking. The two of them walked in silence. Axel thought that he had been with this secretary for three months and he knew nothing about her life; he hadn't bothered to ask anything, he only knew that she was divorced because of the modified schedules and because he remembered that he had read it on her resume. He turned to look at her. She was looking at some flowers.

"And what did your boyfriend say about your trip?"

Axel asked the question and then wondered why she had asked that; what did he care.

"My boyfriend?"

Alicia frowned, confused by her boss's question.

"Yes, her boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend. Who are you talking about?"

"The guy you have lunch with."

Alicia sighed.

"Ah! Luis, he's not my boyfriend... He's a friend."

"Mmm, but she's divorced, right?"

Alicia was puzzled by her boss's questions.

—Yes, I got divorced three months ago, just two days before I started working.

Axel remembered that man he saw talking to her a couple of days before and then knew that he was her ex-husband.

— And... if it's not too indiscreet, can I ask why?

— Why do you think someone would separate from their partner?

— I don't know, it could be because of a lack of love?

— Exactly, the boss hit the nail on the head, because of his lack of love for me, and... He said I was ordinary, so...

"Ordinary?" "She's anything but ordinary."

Axel thought.

— Marriage is complicated, don't you think?

Axel asked.

— That's right.

The thought that she didn't know her boss crossed Alicia's mind; there were no things about him on the Internet when she looked for information about the company and her coworkers hadn't told her anything. Apparently, he had a very private life.

— That boy works for the company, doesn't he?

Axel didn't understand why she kept asking about that boy who had lunch with her, but the questions came out of her mouth without thinking.

— Yes, he's in the Accounting area, don't you know your employees, sir?

Axel smiled a little embarrassed.

— Not really... I just sort the reports from the areas through my Secretary.

— Ah, well you should know them, they are part of your company.

—And… Are you… Married? Or single?

Alicia asked embarrassed.

—We are in the same guild, miss, the divorced one, and before I asked, it was the same reason as yours, but on both sides.

Alicia sighed a little embarrassed.

— I think it is the evil of marriage.

She began to laugh.

— Yes, it is a real evil.

Axel answered.

—So, did you get married young, sir?

— Yes, I got married when I was 25 years old and we only lasted 5 years of marriage; that was 5 years ago. We separated because we realized that each one was on their own; from the beginning it was only a relationship of convenience on the part of both.

"Convenience?"

Alicia thought, but she did not want to be indiscreet.

— Ah...

— And how long did you last with your husband? I mean, with your ex-husband?

— 10 years.

Alicia answered and smiled, but with a hint of nostalgia.

— Phew! Many years, miss, that is to say, he got married very young.

— I was 19 years old when I married him; I was the woman, or rather, the most in love girl in the world.

— And how did you meet your husband?

Alicia sighed, took his hands behind his back while still walking by his side.

— We both studied in high school; I was 16 years old, I lived my normal life. Gabriel, my ex-husband, was a very handsome and very popular boy, unlike me, who was the shy one at school. Yes, many boys talked to me, but I ignored them. Gabriel and I did not, we did not spend much time together, but we had greeted each other once in a while. He was always with his best friend, who was Luis, the boy who works at the company.

Axel kept listening attentively.

—One day I received a letter; it was a pink sheet, I still remember what it said.

I quote Alicia.

"Hello, "Al. I know you don't know about me and that hurts me, because I see you every day. That smile is the most beautiful; I would die for you to dedicate it to me one day. Sometimes I just sit and watch you. I know it sounds scary, but it's not. "I can't just stop admiring your beauty; I hope I don't bother you with these letters, little "Al." Sincerely. Your admirer.

Alicia smiled when she finished.

— It really was very cheesy.

Alicia clarified.

— At first I didn't pay attention to it, but little by little I started to like it and I started to answer her.

— And?... How did the letters reach her?

—The first 5 letters were given to me by a boy and he said he was just the messenger; in the last one he said he was looking forward to me answering him and that for the next one he would leave the letter in a place waiting for me to answer. In the letter he said it would be at the back of the school; there was a planter where he would leave a little box and the letter would be there. He even told me the days and the time when I could pick it up. Two more letters went by and I picked up those excited letters. One day I decided to answer him and that's where it all started. So 4 months went by between letters until we decided to see each other. We met at a place, he was there waiting and well, we started dating until we got married at 19 and had our daughter at 22.

Axel looked at Alicia, noticing the sadness in her eyes, so he wanted to change the subject.

—Your daughter is 7 years old then.

—Yes, her name is April, she's beautiful. And you...?

At that moment, Alice was distracted by a man selling ice cream. She loved ice cream.

“Sir, would you like some ice cream?”

Alice stood in front of him.

“Ice cream?”

“Yes, yes! There they are, come on, I’ll buy you one.”

Alice took Axel’s hand and pulled him over to the ice cream man; Axel felt that soft hand. He didn’t like being touched without his permission, by people he didn’t know. In another situation, he would have pushed her hand away, but he didn’t. Alice’s hand was very warm, so he just followed her without resistance. They walked hand in hand.