OLIVIA.Carl went crazy, but I understand.Carl Malaver is mad, unhinged from asking me to move in with him.I know it. I sense it.And I, from the bottom of my heart, wish to say yes.If he ever asks me, since I don't think he'd love to feel that way for much longer. Besides, life itself has taught me that sometimes, rushing, only leads to tiredness and the worst of them is the emotional one, the same tiredness that sometimes carries disappointment in its hands. And being disappointed, and so soon, is not good.That's why I'm still living in my little apartment, the one I can afford even with my salary, getting ready to go to work, after having spent wonderful days with him, with me... I must clear my throat. Next to my boyfriend. Yes, my boyfriend! How great it sounds and how terrifying it feels at the same time.Riding the bus to work early one Monday morning, I had time to think about what would happen that Friday. I could also regret that we had already met on another day of the
OLIVIA.I stopped dead in my tracks, not sure what to do for a couple of seconds, maybe more.My hands tingled. Carl was at La Napolitana!«But what's going on today?», I asked myself.We stared at each other. He with some strange impression on his face, dumbfounded almost, in the middle of noon inside that beautiful and emblematic restaurant, realizing that I had just entered... accompanied.I don't know what face I could have made, I don't think I felt it. I had to relax. I wasn't committing any crime, keeping calm and sanity was paramount. But how to do it, when the gentleman who fascinates me, the owner of my emotions (the weak, treacherous, and compromised ones), the day and night emotions, was eating me with his eyes and not exactly in a good way? I looked at my companion and decided to take the bull by the horns."Alonso, could you wait for me at the table, please? I'm going to say hello to Carl...""And who is Carl? Is he that Carl?"I looked at him completely to give a proper
CARL.I tried to share this conversation that should develop with my friend, who had been watching me for minutes with pure curiosity."Your girlfriend is very beautiful," he commented, making me look at him. "She's the same one you met that night, isn't she? Do you frequent this restaurant a lot... both of you?"I sighed, feeling stressed.I cleared my throat and took a sip of my coffee, which was getting cold."We met here."There was a momentary silence, as he nodded, concatenating in his head the answer I gave him, while he gobbled a dessert that I didn't even notice the moment it was brought to the table, although it was evident that he couldn't avoid looking at me, as I was more focused on what was happening at the other fucking table, than on the bites he was taking off his cake or the words themselves."Are you sure you're right?" I looked at him with a friendless look on my face. "Boy, you can't fool me. Besides, this is quite a show. Seeing you like this..." He laughed. "It'
CARL.«Ahhh... So he's the ex.»I must confess now, inside I was laughing. And of course, laughter is better than jealousy.Somewhat amused by the situation, I had to say a few things to that Alonso."You're his ex? Wow, cool. I'm glad you finally found your way to this restaurant."I think my smile and words almost made Olivia faint and I know they also pissed off the idiot in front of me, who with his little air lenses, couldn't even do justice to that beautiful female.I looked straight at her and enjoye more when I saw her close eyes and almost shake her head. The best part: she also avoided smiling. In fact, I noticed that she was trying to keep her laughter from exploding. That made me feel very relieved.«I love you, don't I, Olivia?»"It was a good thing you didn't make it," I told to little Alonso. "Thanks to that boat of yours, she and I met." I patted him on the back, smiling all the time.I looked at my girlfriend and winked."Baby, before you go, look for me at the table,
CARL."Let me pay the bill," Meléndez told me and I let him do it. Got up and went to swipe his card at the cash register, when we all know that waiters bring the point of sale to the table, or whatever... I needed to be alone for a moment, that was good for me.I looked at her.She was wearing her uniform and it looked perfect. I had seen her in those clothes before, but something was different, something was happening that day. I think I still feel the shock of everything that happened.The waiter approached them and I saw how the guy who had lunch with my girlfriend, paid the bill, passing a card through a wireless point of sale... I hoped Meléndez did not see that.Within seconds, I got up and went to the bathroom. I wanted her to say goodbye to this... guy... without seeing me at the table, that she wouldn't find me later, looking for me. I didn't know exactly why I wanted it that way, but I did.When I returned, she and Meléndez were talking, standing in the middle of both table
CARL.Her mouth... God, her mouth. She was driving me crazy, she had me desperate, I needed to touch her, attract her to me, stick her to my skin, get inside her soon, at once... Olivia is cruel, her existence is cruel, she is... too much, but the overflowing in her, that thing that provokes me, I like it.Her tongue tasted of liqueur and bolognese sauce, but also of mint and it seemed unheard to be so. When did this woman eat mint? It's unbelievable.I almost pulled her out of the seat and placed her on top of me. It was what I was provoked to do, but I wouldn't do it in broad daylight. With my car's windows, you can see a bit of silhouette from the outside.I held her hair with a fist without it being painful and bit her lips, our mouths fought. I curled my tongue with her and bit her lower lip a couple of times before cutting the kiss short, almost blinded by the emotional charge that came over me the moment we entered the car.Our breaths were labored. I held Olivia's beautiful fa
CARL.I was speechless.She chose to wear silver... Damn, that woman looks good in silver.I took her hand and left a kiss on her lips that was intended to be chaste, however, I ended up hugging her and running my mouth over her perfect neck, caressing it with a lot of desire to never stop."I'm sorry," I had to tell her because it was indeed not very late, it was 20:00hrs and the diners, who were not many, looked like curious owls, watching what part of our anatomy we were placing our hands on.I talked to the host waiter to let me receive her and so it was, and I enjoyed a lot to see Olivia's expression when she saw me practically at the entrance waiting for her. I must confess that internally, I laughed, it was nice to see her react that way.Quickly, we walked among the tables and reached the farthest spot in the place. We sat down, leaning against the wall on the left. Anyone who wanted to see us in detail would have to walk past the main area, through the ugly wooden frames, and
OLIVIA.We ordered pizza. Mine with pesto, full pesto, tomatoes, and double cheese for him, pepper and oregano for both of us. I didn't think I would go crazy with the taste of pizza and wine, I have to eat like that more often. That amount of pesto plus the liquor... Everything was overflowing with flavors, too delicious, plus the night, Carl and I, together again at a new dinner, dressed as if to conquer the world, clothes that are bought and put on only to be taken off. However, we wouldn't leave so quickly, it didn't seem to be a common plan. That man wanted to smear me with emotions, he was succeeding in doing so by summoning me there again. Friday night meant for us, among other things: bed, bed, and bed.The laughter, the kisses, drinks, and jokes calmed a little this internal running that threatened to disrupt everything and go in search of a mattress, or a wall, the inside of a car perhaps, or any other random place. The night was long and the hours passed as if they did not
OLIVIA.I didn't bleed anymore. Of course, we didn't have sex that month. But the next month, in April, after the first official consultation and starting the usual check-up, we started to break the news.I told Mom, he to his parents and cousin. Everyone screamed in their way, too surprised, tearful, beautiful, very beautiful to say something like that and have everyone's support, the best thing that could happen.I wasn't nauseous, I just disliked some foods, while others I like very much now. I was very sleepy, that's for sure. And I used to sleep as much as I could after coming home from work.Then came the news in the Insurance. I thought a lot about whether to announce it at once or not. It was getting busy and pregnancy always meant sick leave, pre, and post-natal leave, and bonuses, among other things depending on the company policy, I did not know if the news would go down well at all.But the opposite happened; at least that's what they made me feel. Especially my boss, his
CARL."Excuse me?""Help me to my feet."Of course, I helped her.I carefully lifted her, and helped her clean herself.I got her clothes immediately, sat her on the be,d and dressed quickly.I grabbed the keys from the pick-up,and the wallet and we walked out of the apartment straight to the elevator, to my car, where I helped her into it, although I realized she could do it on her own, and we got out of there.I tried to drive like a civilized man, but my nerves were attacking me."Did you know you were pregnant? Since when?""I'm not. Drive carefully, Carl, please."I nodded and slowed down."Okay, let's see. If you're not pregnant, why did you tell me that in the bathroom?""My period is not due yet and I was bleeding heavily. I was in a lot of pain, Carl. I didn't want to wake you up, but I almost didn't make it to the bathroom.""Shit, Olivia, damn it! You should have said something to me, we've been at the clinic for a while now... We're getting there. Good thing I thought of m
CARL.I carried dinner in bags, my rolling suitcase in another, and maneuvered with the keys. I waved to the concierge and went upstairs.I opened the door expecting to see Olivia, but I didn't expect her to be like this.Yes, I asked her to undress, but being obeyed to the letter and beyond is too much of an impression.She stood with her back to me wearing wicked black heels. Nothing else.Her hair was down and as she turned towards me, her fully waxed mons pubis and wild face almost made my pants explode.Quietly (pretending to feel that), I arranged everything on the floor of the entryway and walked over to her.She had her hands behind her lower back and with them, held herself against the glass.The terrace had been reopened and rearranged, and that construction served perfectly to generate light around the female who was waiting for me.I sighed deeply. She smelled exquisite, all of her."Stay like this." I knew my command would be fulfilled to perfection.I took the food to th
OLIVIA.Hot, it was very, very hot that morning in early March.The months fly by, you don't realize it. And things are happening and passing as if everything was a long corridor that we had to walk down.The end of the year was a good celebration. For obvious reasons, we preferred to stay at home. Our adrenaline level was already sky high and Carl was not ready to "jump-jump for his life", as he put it. So, we invited his cousin to the apartment, who came with her husband, and a little black box that I didn't see until after the gunshot.The ring... I still can't believe it.Carl has told me how he got it, without any shame, managing very well that philosophy of no secrets, although I know we'll always keep for each other some little thing we don't want to say or tell.But there he was, hugging me from behind as we watched some beautiful fireworks that some neighbors launched outside the entire building.We watched them from the largest window in the living room, Carl and I, his cous
CARL.Olivia saved my life. That's how it is. That's how it was.I only think of the possibility that if I had been there alone, or with another woman, maybe I wouldn't be telling this episode of my life.I'm still dazed and in my body runs a painful relief, the one that manages to channel and make me think of things that I would not have done before, but I needed to get up soon, or I would go crazy.Walk a little, go to the bathroom, drink water, or something stronger. Olivia was doing all that for me, but she was asleep, I wasn't going to wake her up.Nobody shot me, they shot Nancy. And thanks to Olivia, who saw when the guy came towards the blonde to shoot her almost at point blank range, my girlfriend managed to get to the ground just before being hit by the bullet.The problem was when we fell, we stumbled hard against the table, the tablecloth rolled off crazily and we got tangled up in sharp things, like a damn glass pitcher full of water that someone left on the edge of the c
NANCY.Juan Finol's push prevented my body from lying, catastrophically, on the pavement in front of my restaurant.Both of us, escort and I, fell to the ground. And in a matter of seconds, a couple of men belonging to the restaurant's security and part of Finol Sr.'s crew, fell on top of the guy like hungry gazelles making his escape impossible."Nancy, are you okay? Nancy, hey, are you okay?!"I was trembling, my heart was beating fast, and I felt dazed.I looked at the person who wanted to kill me, I wanted to see his face, something that the hood of the sweater made impossible for me.But face down, hands tied behind his back, I could not see him.Then, I focused my gaze on Juan. He looked dismayed, waiting for an answer from me.I held his forearms tightly, he kept caressing my face trying to revive me."Am I hurt?" was what my lips said, but it was not what I wanted to say. I wanted to say a thousand things and that's all that came out.He quickly checked my body. He shook his h
NANCY."Can't I stay out of my restaurant either?" I asked Juan Finol's inveterate pursuer. "What a nuisance with that guy! I came to hire your bodyguard services at the right time".He wouldn't let me in the sun, or the shade, neither to other people's cigarettes nor to city fumes or alcoholic beverages. He wouldn't leave me either on roads or sidewalks, cars or trucks, nothing, he wouldn't leave me in peace, he wouldn't leave me in peace! And I thought he didn't like my resistance and every act of stubbornness I showed him.Finol Junior Second approached me while I was on the phone.Mom wouldn't answer. I'm the worst daughter in the world. I started to organize everything and I missed the time she told me to call her. She must have left her cell phone somewhere in the apartment or whatever.My family is big, but few of us are close. My father and mother were still alive, still married and traveling, spending Christmas far away from home. They were in Miami.I wanted to talk to them,
OLIVIA.I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.We arrived at the restaurant, we were treated excellently. What a spectacular atmosphere there was inside La Napolitana, it reminded me so much of their anniversary party, the one Carl and I were at; (well, I was, actually). That time, waiting for him was uncomfortable, I thought he wouldn't go, but it was fun to see the level of organization of Nancy and her people, they always pull out all the stops.That 24th were not as many people as that night, the paraphernalia was not as high.Outside I did not find girls dressed in the promotion of a brand of alcoholic beverage, the celebration that December was a little quieter, although all the tables around ours were occupied.I saw families with underage children, that partly I liked, partly I did not. It always generated a bit of stress for me to see 14, 12-year-olds there. I never understood why they let children in the place, but sure, I understand, it is a family restaurant, however
OLIVIA."Baby, are you all right? It hurt pretty bad yesterday. When are you going to see a doctor? Every time that happens, my life gets a little short." I had to laugh. "I keep thinking about it all day long. I'd like to think about sex all day long, not what exactly hurt you from sex."That was Carl. That was the memory of Malaver in my head, as I was grooming myself in the bathroom, one that was about to be over, just a few minutes away.In just one week, being that night December 24, we were already loaded with all the ready clothes and the desire to enjoy ourselves.We wanted to go now. Especially to that specific place. Carl and I were very excited because last December we didn't celebrate together because of our breakup. I remember it with a bit of annoyance, since he celebrated in Caracas with the mother of his son and they even kissed and I celebrated at my mother's company in a tower in the city, the same company that at that time was having problems, even though mom had no