CARL.(A day after lunch between Olivia and Leonidas)."It's good to find you here, although I'm not happy about it," Nancy said when she saw me sitting at one of the tables at La Napolitana.I didn't do many relevant things since Olivia and I met at her mother's house, but the last thing I did was to go to the fucking restaurant that reminded me of her at all times and where, of course, I wouldn't meet her, even if I could conjure up such a moment with all kinds of magic.The normal thing to do was not to go anywhere, less there, much less alone, but I didn't care. I was already starting to need to get out of the apartment. My son's mother went with him to the country's capital to visit some family, Christmas was approaching and I would go crazy for not having nearly everything I wanted, who I loved, what I liked.The blonde woman with short hair, with an outfit between black and white that (I must say) fit her to perfection, with that thin fabric panty close to the body with bell bo
CARL.Christmas had arrived and Caracas promised good weather, extreme madness, and no stopping.That's how the big city was, the second big apple of the world, with its groups of people pushing you in the subway, each one doing his own thing, coming and going, crowded with thoughts and troubles, debts and debauchery.I liked the city, I couldn't deny it, but at the same time, I missed Maracaibo too much, the people, and Olivia.Time flew by and I found myself riding on his wings, although it was not my intention. While it tore me to think that I would not return so soon, starting to work online just to say goodbye to the year, at the same time I knew I could not miss the opportunity to do business in the capital, besides, I was with my son, we were seeing each other more often and that was extremely positive.I communicated little with Nancy. She kept me up to date on the situation about that asshole Charlie, whom no one had interviewed and the same person who, perhaps, could be kept
OLIVIA."My name is Tony Urdaneta. It is a pleasure." The guy came closer and extended his hand.I gave him mine, we shook them and he sat down next to me, not very close, but there he was, accompanying me that new year on one of the biggest and highest rooftops in all of Maracaibo."Olivia Quintero, the pleasure is mine. I guess you're a co-worker of Mom's." I wanted to strike up a conversation and all I could think of was to say something obvious.He smiled and I looked at him more closely, I noticed that he was not ugly, but not beautiful either. I was sure that his face was not from here. He had foreign features, but I couldn't identify where he was from. I wanted to ask him because his last name was Latin«Urdaneta...», I repeated mentallyThe Urdaneta were the owners of the real estate company where my mother worked and the hosts of the celebration that had brought us there."I'm part of the company's board of directors."I nodded, I was already afraid of that."That is, she wor
CARL.I'm not a photo lover, but when it comes to my son, things change.I was in bed at 05:00 AM, the party was over. The food, the gifts, the shouting, the laughter, and the drinks, were all consummated. All that was left was tiredness and unnatural sleeplessness.I took my cell phone and started to look at the pictures we took in the living room of my ex's aunt and uncle's house, where we were staying. Since I knew I had to leave Maracaibo, my destination would be wherever my son was, and very kindly Marco's mother's relatives offered me to stay with them, which I gladly accepted.For a moment I thought it would make them uncomfortable since I was not married to Mark's mother and the situation could get strange, but I was very wrong, the uncles were very aware of everything, and they showed it to me. Also, I should point out that I arrived at the big house that would receive me for a few days, at least, until the new year started, and the life they lead is of another level, which a
CARL.A second went by, then another second looking at her and I burst out laughing lightly. I didn't expect that question. Not even coming from her, let alone in such a direct way.But when I went to answer, my smile faded."I don't have one." I sighed and looked down at my plate, picking up the bread to finish it once and for all.She nodded, looking quizzical."What happened to her?" I looked at her. "Mark told me." She shrugged her shoulders.«What?» I mentally asked myself. «How does my ten-year-old son know I had a girlfriend if I never introduced her to him?» We didn't have time for that to happen.What's more, just the last day she and I were together, we precisely talked about it, about finding the time for a meeting between the three of us."Don't be surprised, huh?" she said to me. "Children know everything, they seem like little wizards."“What did he tell you?""His dad has a girlfriend, but he doesn't know her yet."I was overwhelmed. Really, very overwhelmed. How was th
NANCY.(Early January).I parked my car in front of the building.Some years ago, not many, I ran away from there.I have always run away from bad meetings, from mafiosi and corrupt people, but without realizing it, Dad's business was surrounded by everything I didn't like since its beginnings. The worst part was that you couldn't tell. Our facade (I should say so because now this business is mine) was happiness and enjoyment, it was always like that, but behind those masks, there was a world so deep and of such diverse colors, between matte and opaque, that when I realized it, when I saw it with my own eyes and understood what always surrounded me, I understood so many things? The first thing: there was no point in running away or hiding from anything. I learned to draw borders and stripes, to place dividing panels and strict barriers that would keep me away from the undesirable, taking away from all that, my happiness and enjoyment, taking them with me.However, as I grew up and bec
NANCY.As soon as we got inside, Tony took over, as he always did. However, this time he couldn't beat me. Even though it wasn't such a smart move to be there, seeing Olivia among those people changed everything. If I messed things up before, if my intimate or love life wasn't any good and hadn't been for a long time, I had no reason to let others fare badly.Carl and Olivia had me dazzled for a while now, since the first time they —even— met. Watching them, witnessing their ways, the way they look at each other, the desire was forming between them, those clandestine, nocturnal and city encounters they planned, all of them, from my restaurant as a starting point... and now witnessing their separation as well (something I saw coming after I found out what happened), made me feel I had the power to touch some deep sides of both of them. Olivia didn't have to be there and I was betting anything that Tony Urdaneta had everything to do with it. He is a master, a malevolent master of seduct
OLIVIA.I pretended the whole time that Nancy hadn't walked through that door, because I was truly shocked to see her there.«Tony and she know each other...», I thought, «If Carl is right in not trusting her very much, should I be suspicious of Tony Urdaneta?»It was true that I agreed to go to his apartment only because I wanted to trust his word that we would not be alone. I wouldn't give wings to anyone I didn't want to have anything with.After several hours, several drinks, and a long repertoire of music of all kinds, indeed we were always accompanied, the man kept his word. Tony seemed to be willing to court me and I wasn't willing to accept anything from him yet, however, I wondered what was wrong with enjoying the courtship. Also, I didn't dislike him. He seemed mysterious, a worldly man who could have a thousand secrets, but strangely, I liked him. I understood that everyone has the right to maintain a line between the social and the private. I was not the one who would judg
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