"Birds of a feather flock together" (II)

Sara realized that Brian's sister was the same woman with whom she had seen Carlos. Jazmin and Brian brothers? She couldn't believe it, although some things were beginning to make sense to her, remembering that the blond had mentioned a woman when he argued with her boss at the bar. She had become so absorbed, organizing her ideas, that she had to react soon and get out of her thoughts if she didn't want everyone to start looking at her strangely. She tried to raise her hand to introduce herself, but assumed, from the way Jazmin looked at her, that the woman had no intention of shaking hands, so she only greeted.

In Sara's mind, this phrase was constantly repeated, ‘She is Jazmin, my sister and Carlos's wife’ But, he had told her she was his ex-wife. Why deny it, she was too bothered by the fact that he had not corrected the error. Or was there nothing to correct? Had he lied to her? Carlos? Who always held up his flag of sincerity? He had lied?!

“Are you two planning to stay there all afternoon? Maybe we should order some drinks,” Brian spoke reluctantly to break the awkward pause that had taken place between them and to get rid of the insistent and incisive look of reproach his sister gave him. He had changed his mind and he no longer liked having Carlos so close to Sara … deep down he hoped that, as always, he would decline the invitation.

“Of course,” he replied smiling and willing, which surprised those present since, under normal conditions, he was already left, not without first getting angry about anything and sending them all to hell.

“Love, there is an important event to celebrate,” An emotional and overly affectionate Jazmin, hastened to respond, even though Carlos was paying little or no attention to her displays of affection. Sara was the only person who occupied his thoughts and monopolized his look, camouflaged under his expensive sunglasses.

“Right, your boss just had a birthday.” Brian said without any other expression, more than nuisance, as he put his arm on the back of the chestnut seat and approached her to speak to her ear, depositing soft kisses on her cheek, trying to get her attention back. “But of course, you probably don't know that either, since my brother-in-law, as always so effusive and friendly, he prefers to keep it a secret.”

Brian, at this point, no longer knew why the hell he had agreed to participate in Jazmin's madness, he felt stupid playing her game, ignoring the rudeness with which Carlos treated his sister, after all, he didn't understand what her insistence was on getting that man back … If she was not interested in retaining him when he was her husband. Why do it now? It was very evident that Carlos felt absolutely nothing for her anymore. At the end of this depressing show and once at home, he and Jazmin would talk very seriously.

Hearing the blond so close to her ear, Sara just smiled, nervous and uncomfortable, wanting to run away from that place. She felt everyone's eyes … especially Carlos's. A look that, despite the dark glasses he had on, she could feel that he was angry.

What's your problem?

“And, then you are my husband's most recent ‘acquisition’?” Jazmin asked intrigued and playing with words.

Husband? Carlos thought and immediately he looked at Jazmin, smiling wryly.

Was this woman never going to change? One of these days she would end up dead from her own poison.

It was obvious to him that this meeting was not as casual as they intended to make it see. It was just the immature of Jazmin seeking to satisfy her curiosity with Sara and, although he considered him an idiot, he had to admit that it seemed strange to him that Brian was lending himself to supporting his sister's follies. He just remained silent, as he watched and listened.

“I suppose ‘acquisition’ means employee, but I wouldn't say recent … in fact, I've been working as a waitress at the Mon'tblank for several months.”

“I understand, and what did you think of the experience?” Jazmin insisted. “What do you think of my husband?”

Sara decided to ignore the sharp words that Jazmin used and responded as she thought appropriate. She had no parents, but she did know of discretion and unfortunately could not say the same about Carlos's wife. Looking at this pair, it was clear to her that money bought neither happiness nor moderation … Or could it be that neither Carlos nor Jazmin knew how to use it for this purpose?

“A person with character, a good heart, and to whom I am extremely grateful for giving me a chance and hiring me.”

While she spoke to the blonde, she felt like, very subtly, Brian grabbed her hand, interlacing his fingers and stroking her gently, causing Sara to focus her attention on him, who was staring back at her with the same intensity that he had done the last time they were in the mall cafe when he declared his love intentions to her. She felt intimidated that he was doing that in front of Carlos, so while the conversation continued, she began to withdraw her hand very discreetly.

For Carlos seeing Brian so affectionate with Sara, was like receiving a direct blow to the stomach, at this point, he could not hide his hunched eyebrows and the stiffness of his jaw.

He was upset with everyone, but more with himself for feeling everything he felt at that moment, without any justification, since between Sara and him there was only a working relationship and maybe … just maybe, a nascent friendship, she was in all her right to make her life with whoever seemed best to her, although … Why the hell did she have to choose Brian exactly?

He motioned to a waiter to ask for a drink, seeking to ease the sudden thirst that caused the tension of the moment. He ordered a whiskey just like the blond, Jazmin a glass of wine and before Brian opened his mouth, the blue-eyed took the liberty of ordering a non-alcoholic cocktail for Sara.

“But what a thoughtful boss you have!” Replied the blond, hinting at his discomfort at Carlos's meddling.

“Honey, but how well you know your employees!” Jazmin addressed her ex-husband sarcastically, trying to keep her composure before continuing to ask. “And tell us, apart from ‘thanking my husband’, what else do you do?”

The next thing in the conversation was a series of insidious questions that Jazmin asked Sara, some of which were answered by Brian or diverted by some sharp comment from Carlos, who was already getting fed up with the interrogation, the phrases with double meaning and, in general, the nonsense of ‘the Smiths’. Actually, he was still there just for Sara, he knew those two enough not to leave her alone with them, but his patience had already run out, so he started preparing to go.

“I guess you guys never get tired of meddling in other people's lives, you obviously have a lot of free time, but I have more productive things to entertain myself. And I suspect that you too,” he said addressing Sara. “If you want, I can take you.”

“Come on brother-in-law … If she came with me, the most sensible thing is that she also leaves with me, don't you think?” Brian responded bluntly, long before Sara could even utter a word, and of course, after this answer, she had to decline Carlos's proposal, although she also wanted to leave.

“Possibly, she also wants to run away from this absurd celebration.” Sara could see the tension on Carlos's face.

Actually, she wanted to leave that place too, but she couldn't help feeling upset that he was still married to Jazmin. Although this topic was not within her competence if it was, the fact that, he had lied to her! For that reason, she opposed him and decided to stay.

“Brian is right, the correct thing is for him to take me,” she said regretting almost instantly.

“Well, as you like,” Carlos hated that answer with all his soul, but there was nothing else he could do but leave the place and attend to his own affairs.

Brian's face, on the contrary, was all happiness. Sara made the Mon'tblank look like an idiot, she kicked his pathetic butt and, with him his pride that was something that did not happen often, so the blond made sure to enjoy it to the fullest. Jazmin wasted no time either, she quickly said goodbye and accompanied Carlos, but he ignored her all the way from the pool area to the parking lot.

Once the spouses left, silence reigned between Sara and Brian, creating such discomfort that just a few minutes later, she began asking her companion to take her home, but he insisted that it was still early.

“Why not take advantage of the time alone?”

Brian asked the waiter to pour him another whiskey and, in the blink of an eye, to his bad luck, he had already accumulated many drinks on his record.

Sara put all her efforts to recover the good atmosphere that was between them before the arrival of Carlos and his wife, what worked for a while, but the tension could be felt in the environment, the blond was no longer as nice as used to be.

The above, added to the fact that she had never seen him drink like that before, were the trigger for her to insist on leaving, but upon seeing his refusal, she simply got up ready to leave alone so Brian was forced to please her, keeping himself silent for almost half the route, but then …

“What is there between you and Carlos?”

“I don't know what you mean by that question.”

“Sara, I'm not stupid. He lives taking attributions with you, defending you from I do not know what. He did not take his eyes off you since he arrived and when he left, it was more than obvious that he expected to take you with him. Why?”

Brian could no longer or did not want to hide his discontent. So, among the madness of Jazmin, his eternal rivalry with Carlos and all the alcohol he had consumed, which he was not used to, the sum of all those things, soon began to affect him.

“It is Carlos that you should ask that question, but you can be sure that it is not my habit to date married men, so the only relationship that exists between us is my work.” Sara knew she didn't owe him an explanation, but she honestly resented the fact that he linked her to a married man.

Sara knew very well all the damage that third parties cause when they intervene in a marriage.

How many children ended up in an orphanage as a result of the separation from their parents? How many tears were shed when they saw their families destroyed? Not! She definitely wouldn't be a ‘home breaker’! Not with Carlos … or with anyone! Come on! Why fool herself? Maybe she is the product of infidelity? Maybe that is why they rejected it, without compassion.

Sara's silent and withdrawn attitude made Brian take a deep breath, force himself to calm down and rethink his questions … she was totally right, she was not to blame for the outbursts and of that embittered of the Mon’tblank.

“Excuse me, precious. I must admit that this arrogant attitude of Carlos bothers me too much.”

The rest of the way, they were both very tense and uneasy, but once in front of the residences, where she pretended to live, Brian sought to calm things down.

“Sara, I wanted to have a special day with you, I'm really sorry that it wasn't.”

“Don't worry, it was a very nice place and I really enjoyed the outing,” she replied trying to lessen the bad time while preparing to get out of the vehicle. Deep down, she sensed that the blond was going to get intense, she shouldn't have allowed him to drink more alcohol, less when he was the one driving.

As she grabbed her bag and said goodbye, he gradually approached, so that when Sara reacted, she had Brian so close that she couldn't help but that he wanted to hold her back by placing his hands on both cheeks, and then lowering one, until wrapping it around her waist, where he held her tightly to draw her closer to him and kiss her lips somewhat roughly, leaving the chestnut, for a few seconds, unable to break free of his grip, allowing him to deepen the kiss and, in a way, to take possession of her.

“Brian! What do you do?! No!”

Sara couldn't help her mind from being flooded by a series of difficult memories from her past, which inevitably intensified all the negative emotions that were overwhelming her at that moment. ‘You are too whimsical and prudish to be a street bitch.’

She began to cry, but not for that reason to feel weak, if not the opposite, that sense of survival that she had cultivated and trained during the difficult period in which she lived on the streets, came to the surface, helping her to face an unknown Brian and free herself of that awkward situation.

“You know perfectly well what I do.” The excess of alcohol, his bright eyes, and his wily smile spoke for him. “Beautiful, what do you think, if we go to your apartment and—”

“Are you crazy! Brian let me go, please!” She began to hit him hard in the chest, she couldn't believe that her friend was subjecting her to that … he wasn't like that, he had always been very gentle and respectful towards her.

What the hell was happening to him? All this had to be a product of alcohol. The more memories came to her mind, the more irritated she was, hitting the blond harder and getting a little more desperate with each passing second.

“Come on Sara! What's wrong with it? We have been dating for a long time, we are adults, single and we get along very well. I just want us to have a nice time, you and me, without anyone interrupting us. Don't you realize that I'm crazy about you?”

“No!! Enough!!” She would never allow him to approach her this way, so while with one hand hitting him with the other, she reached for the handle to open the vehicle door which was not easy, but in the end, she did … Although more difficult that the door was to get Brian out who, as always, did not accept a negative answer.

“Please, I'm begging you! Don't continue this.” The despair of not being able to get rid of grip ended up defeating her. Brian, hearing Sara with her voice so broken, seeing her expression and her eyes full of tears, finally reacted releasing her immediately, realizing the atrocity he was committing.

“Sara I—” He cursed under his breath, not knowing, why the hell he had been carried away by his impulses? What the hell was happening to him?

“Sara, forgive me… I …”

The blond didn't know what to say, he rubbed his face, scratched his head, and ruffled his hair with clear gestures of nervousness. He was so ashamed of his behavior, that the words just didn't come out.

She noticed the moment of abstraction from her partner and quickly looked for the opportunity to get out of the vehicle and start running, looking to get as far away as possible. He tried to follow her, but she managed to sneak down an alley, allowing her to buy time and hide enough until Brian gave up and stopped circling his vehicle all over the area.

Sara's mind kept flashing with tragic memories of her past that, without her being able to avoid it, only increased her level of anxiety and nervousness, so much so that she couldn't move, she just stood still in her hiding place, sitting on the floor, hugging her legs, while she felt her whole body trembling, prisoner of the fear that, at that moment, flowed through her veins. She didn't know how long it was, but once she was able to react and get out of hiding, she walked quickly until she got home. She took several deep breaths, seeking to calm her nerves and enter without attracting attention, but as soon as she was near the annex, she met Carlos. She smiled falsely seeking to divert the attention of her boss after the shock she had when she found herself facing with him, and even more when listening to his voice.

“What's going on? Why are you so nervous?” He noted, in addition to her dull eyes, Sara's unease and the way she twisted and intertwined her fingers without stopping.

“No, nothing happens, I just didn't expect to find you here.” She released the contained air and fixed her eyes on nothing, waving one of her hands as if it were a fan. “I'm just a little tired from the walk.”

“Didn’t you expect to find me in my own house? Also, walk? Brian didn't bring you?”

“Yes, he brought me,” she was quick to reply, trying to correct her mistake. “I just asked him to drop me off another place … I had some things to do, before going back to the annex,” she finally said, but Carlos was not completely convinced of her explanation, he sensed that she had problems and insisted on asking her.

“Another place? Are you sure?” He looked at her suspiciously, but almost immediately he changed his attitude to a friendlier one, he wanted to let her know that she could trust him. “Sara, if you have any problem, you know you can count on me, I will always help you.”

“I'm sure, nothing happens. Thank you so much for caring about me.” She smiled, though without her usual joy, then said goodbye. Carlos did not insist but kept thinking that she was too nervous and scared … although, if she did not want to tell him, there was little he could do. She had just made it clear that she didn't need his help.

Once Sara managed to enter and feel safe in her little castle, she was finally able to breathe, calm down, and think about everything that had happened. It certainly wasn't the ‘start to living’ she had planned. She knew the blond wasn't looking for a waitress to get married, but … she also didn't expect him to be so cheeky. Got damn!

She really believed that she had gotten a friend but in case of looking for something else … Didn't she deserve a little sincere, respectful, and selfless love? What was your crime? Why did life work so hard to keep her so lonely and unhappy?

She thought Brian valued their friendship and it was disappointing to feel that he was just looking for her to entertain himself and have a little fun. Weren't her feelings ever going to be important to anyone? What could she expect when not even her parents took into account what she could feel or suffer?

The worst part was that she had to wipe away the tears and prepare to go to work. Knowing that nothing was stopping Brian from being at the bar that night, didn't help calm her nerves at all, but she had to mentally prepare herself to overcome this and continue, she didn’t want any more problems. She had to admit that it had been a total mistake to have accepted that invitation. Sara, you should never have gone to that club. Accept it, you don't fit in a place as refined as that … in fact, you don't fit anywhere.

**«»**

That night when the Mon'tblank opened its doors. Sara had trouble hiding her unease, although she wanted to be strong, deep down, she feared Brian would show up. To calm down, she preferred to think that he was such a busy man, that he did not have time to introduce himself there, that she was not so important for him to take that trouble, perhaps she exaggerated and what happened was just stupid behavior due to alcohol. Yes, surely it was just that, a bad time because of alcohol, he must be as distressed as I am, and he will come to apologize for—

Apologize? With you?

“How pathetic you are!” She told herself.

‘Street bitches have no right to anything.’

Do you really think that a man like that, who can have the woman he wants, will apologize to someone as insignificant as you?

**«»**

Sara was doing her job until, when looking at the lobby of the bar, she realized that Brian was just arriving, without being able to avoid it, her heart began to beat very hard and her hands sweated cold, she did not understand why things as these were still happening in her life. Why the blond kept insisting if he knew that neither the place nor the time was the right one to talk. She had decided that she didn't want any contact with him that night, but … How could she avoid it?

She finished serving the table she was assigned at the time and immediately fled to the kitchen. Tried to convince Jean Pierre to allow her to be one of his assistants that night, or to assign her clients from another area, all except where Brian was, who, unsurprisingly, had requested that she attend to him.

Jean Pierre continued to urge her to come out to attend to Mr. Smith, but she flatly refused.

“Sara, you know that without Carlos's order, I can't reassign you anywhere. Tell me, what's going on? What happened to Mr. Smith? I thought they were friends. I'm worried about seeing you like this, so nervous.

“Jean … I … I can't tell you anything now, but please … help me with this. I'm sure Carlos won't say you anything,” she pleaded in the midst of her anguish.

“How are you so sure I won't say anything?”

Hearing that voice behind them was not encouraging, nor for Jean Pierre, much less for Sara. Neither of them realized that Carlos had come down from his office and listened to much of their conversation.

“You haven't been hired to be a kitchen helper. What's wrong?”

He asked impatiently when he realized that Sara was a ‘bundle of nerves’, that she didn't have the same jovial and funny attitude that characterized her.

“Carlos I …” At first glance, he realized that she was holding back her crying, so much so that she could barely speak. “I can't attend the tables, at least not now. I'll do whatever, I'll stay in the kitchen, I'll attend another area, but—”

“But, what?”

She remained silent, while in her mind she was looking for a good excuse, she did not want her boss to get involved in her problem with the blond, but she was so lost for a long time in her thoughts that Carlos decided to take her, to another area, to talk in private.

Both, Renata and Jean Pierre thought it was the end, even Sara thought the same. As she walked, following her boss, she clung to the idea that she didn't want and couldn't, lose her job. She felt her whole-body tremble just imagining it, her tears began to fall, cleaning them discreetly with the back of their hand.

“What did that wretch do to you?” He was very direct and concise in his question. She looked down and remained silent, her mind went blank, maybe it was because she wanted to fulfill her promise not to tell more lies, which was really difficult, but she was determined not to involve him.

“I don't understand your attitude, just a few hours ago, you and Brian were ‘great friends’. What did the hell happen?” He asked annoyed and near to lose patience, but forced himself to take a deep breath and continue, he needed to know what was going on. “Sara, if you want me to help you, you will have to tell me ‘exactly’ everything that happens … otherwise, I will have no choice but to demand that you fulfill your obligations in this place.”

Thoughts of some of her deepest fears came to the chestnut's mind, those that reminded her that: First, she had to be gentle with the subject, since Brian and her boss were brothers-in-law. Second, the reproach she knew she deserved because Carlos had offered to bring her and she had rejected him, and lastly, his warning that he would fire her if she did not do her job, which made her react since she needed her job. She armed herself with courage and although, at first, she hesitated a little to tell him … in the end, she ended up telling him a short version of what had happened, trying to minimize the damage, but Carlos, likewise, angered.

“Got damn! I was ready to bring you! Brian is an idiot, why the hell didn't you listen to me? The bad time at the club and now this.” Really, he was furious. “I asked you several times if something bad had happened and of course, you lied … once again.” He paused, to sigh deeply, and then under his tone of voice, talking more to himself than to her. “I honestly don't know why I'm angry, I should be used to what you are a compulsive liar,” said the last sentence with so much disappointment painted on his face that it completely destroyed Sara's fragile heart and made her cry again.

“Carlos, I … I didn't want problems, I just wanted to forget what had happened, it's just a misunderstanding, he … he had never behaved in a disrespectful way and I didn't—”

“To forget?!” He interrupted. “He disrespected you, how come you want to forget? Sara, things in real life don't work that way, when do you plan to get off that cloud you live in?” Definitely, he would not forget and would never allow Brian to get away with it.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Jean Pierre was worried, he knew that Carlos would never turn his back on Sara … but he also knew that if Brian had done something wrong to the young woman, his godson would not rest until he got even with the Smith and the last thing he needed at the time was for him to get into legal trouble or of any other nature.

On the other hand, Renata, who had realized how much Sara had climbed in the life of the Mon'tblank and in the preferences of her boss, was jealous since, before her arrival, she had been the closest employee, the boss's right hand. Renata was relieved that, with the ‘imminent dismissal of that destitute’, things would return to normal.

After many minutes, Renata and Jean Pierre saw Carlos return strangely … calm? Accompanied by a very tense Sara. He ordered her assigned to work as an assistant in the kitchen for the rest of the night, while without mentioning anything to anyone, he went to the restaurant, specifically to Brian's table. Renata could not believe what had happened since Carlos had never had so many concessions with any employee, much less with someone who did not want to fulfill her duties, so the level of curiosity about what was happening increased.

Brian, was boring waiting for Sara, it had been too much time and she didn't show up so he started to get desperate and ask every waiter who was passing near. It was obvious that she would not come surely, she was hating him right now. He still didn't understand: How had he been so wrong?

Yes, obviously he wanted to be intimate with Sara, but he never thought that his audacity was going to be misinterpreted in this way, he thought, he was almost certain, that she corresponds to his wishes, that she felt the same as him. For crying out loud! He would never press, nor force anyone.

He took one last look and having no signs of her, decided to leave the bar, thinking that it would be better to let things calm down and look for her to speak the next day. He was aware that he had gone too far and just wanted to apologize and make an effort to fix all, he came to the parking lot, cursing under his breath, while his mind kept busy reviewing what happened that afternoon. He still couldn't digest, the idiotic way he had lost control of everything.

Just as he was about to enter his vehicle, he heard Carlos's voice. “Are you so tired of your sluts who are now looking to take advantage of defenseless young girls?”

“I don't take advantage of anyone!” Certainly, hearing that voice had never been a good sign for Brian, least of all when he was so full of hatred towards him. It was inevitable, there would be more problems tonight. “I have nothing to talk to you about.”

“You don't … but I do.” Immediately, he pounced on the blond, giving him an accurate blow to his right cheekbone. Brian, who did not see the attack coming, ended up losing his balance inevitably falling to the ground. The aggression was the result of all the rage the blue-eyed felt, not only for everything that happened with Sara but for years after years of having to endure his constant stupidities and eccentricities.

Carlos tried to attack Brian again, but this time the blond had a hook ready for his stomach. After several blows, coming from both sides, the two men were in equal conditions … equally beaten and in pain.

Carlos inadvertently took Brian by the collar of his shirt and stamped him against the door of his car.

“Why the hell do you think you are to come to my business after disrespecting Sara?!”

“I already told you it's not your damn problem!!”

Brian, seeing that Carlos was preparing to continue the fight …

“Curse!! You are misinterpreting things!”

“Misinterpreting? Are you sure? You're a wretch!!” He replied as he clenched his fist tighter on the blond's shirt.

“It's okay!” The blond, knowing that he was responsible for over-drinking, gave up. “I know, I made a mistake with Sara … Fuck! I accept it! It was not my intention!”

“It is never your intention. Idiot!”

“If I'm here, it's because I came to apologize to her.”

Carlos realized that he was suffocating Brian and although, amid his anger, he did not lack the desire to eliminate that imbecile from the planet … well, he was not a criminal, so he ended up releasing him.

“Get out of my business and never come back!! I'm warning you, Brian! Next time I won't have any consideration.” He returned to his office, wanting to calm all his fury with a shot of whiskey, while Sara, seeing him climb the stairs, she wanted to go after him, but Jean Pierre held her back, making her see it was not a good idea. It was best to wait for your boss to calm down.

**«»**

It was time to close the bar and already when all the workers were gone.

“Carlos, I—” Sara tried to approach him and explain her reasons to keep quiet about what happened, but …

“I know Brian perfectly; he doesn't need reasons to be an idiot … he always is.” He put his glass of whiskey on the bar and fixed his gaze on Sara, who only until now noticed the blow he had on the cheek, very close to his lips. She closed her eyes feeling miserable and, mostly, knowing it was her fault, as she continued listening to him. “From the beginning, I tried to warn you when he started to bother you, I confronted him to leave you alone, I tried to take care of you … Obviously, it's your life, not mine … I can't make decisions by you.”

‘This is what I can deduce from the way he defended you the last time I was at the bar … With claws and teeth!’

Now Sara understood why Brian, on the first date, had hinted that Carlos was defending her, only at the time, she did not understand. Ashamed, she remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground.

“It is too late, it is better that you go to sleep,” he said very seriously, not wanting to hear anything else on the subject. And, although she wanted to clean the blood and attend to the blow he had received because of her fault, Sara obeyed, she went to the annex in silence, resigned. She did not want to ‘throw more fuel on the fire.'