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CHAPTER 54
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JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 55
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
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 56
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
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 57
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
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 58
NANCY.Now it was my turn.I had to leave as soon as I saw an opportunity, but I wasn't quite sure when that would be.I managed to get Olivia out of there. I gave myself a star for the merit of convincing her.Her face seemed to be connecting the dots and understanding the signs, perhaps remembering things I didn't even know, but they worked perfectly to get her out of the building as soon as possible. I did well.I joined the group as much as I could.I sang, I danced, I chatted, I took pictures with Romeo's cell phone... I needed to know if Tony had noticed that Olivia left because of me. The blond didn't seem to have caught my intentions, however, he is a smart guy, and and to underestimate him would be a sovereign stupidity.It was 01:00 AM on January 06 and the city was still emanating light and noise.Despite how high up we were, from there, the breeze brought noise and divine weather that I wanted to catch and keep with me.My contacts at La Napolitana had told me that the par
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 59
CARL.I arrived at the airport at 06:00 AM to take one of the few flights leaving at that time to Maracaibo City.My son was staying in Caracas with his mother es and aunts, but with the promise that they would return before January 15, since Mark was supposed to be back to school by that date.Sitting in one of the waiting rooms near the boarding gate, my phone vibrated. It was Nancy.The woman had already shown me that she was a little crazy, calling in insistent ways and at odd hours.I didn't answer her right away, just to test how urgent what she had to tell me was.When another call came in, I decided it was best to take it."Hello," she greeted me and asked if I had woken up."No, don't worry. Tell me, did something happen...?""Carl, I must tell you something very important about Olivia," she cut my greeting short and I became alert.That she said something like that, it wasn't good."Again? Olivia is well at your mother's house. Or apartment. Everything is ok. Don't fuck up m
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 60
OLIVIA.My boss had been writing and calling me since December 3rd, exposing the idea of accompanying him and other employees to a corporate meeting to be held on January 6th in Margarita Island.It was not a problem for me to attend, however (something that seemed as unbelievable as it was stupid), I was experiencing some inconveniences in my apartment with the gas connection.Several floors of that building were suffering the same thing, and it seemed crazy for me to leave under the circumstances.The money from the spill for the repairs, the monitoring of the work that perhaps had to be done from inside each floor... After shooting, I had become very popular in the hallway whispers and the paranoia of being mentioned by neighbors made me feel far beyond stressed. It was as if the gas inconvenience was my fault.But work is important too, something I didn't forget or put aside. My boss, when he found out what I was going through (about the gas, I didn't tell anyone the reason for my
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 61
OLIVIA.The island welcomed us with rain.The hotel was beautiful and gave us a chance to rest a little and leave, after lunch, towards the hall where the event would be held.I volunteered for all kinds of tasks. From locating some people and organizing their stay to organizing a lunch with the other colleagues from the accounting and extension areas of our insurance company in Nueva Esparta, the Venezuelan state to which the island belongs.A group of Americans arrived almost at nightfall. We did not have any of those roles, other than to chat a little with the people who would be present the next day, but for me it was very important to get fully involved in everything, to be extra efficient and I took advantage of my knowledge of English to be the hostess for the Americans.Exhausted, and after dinner, which my partner attended almost reluctantly (I had to apologize for getting him in the middle of my work anxieties), we're the last ones at the table, sharing a little drink that w
JUST LOVERS CHAPTER 62
OLIVIA.Still standing, he sighed deeply, putting his arms up and looking down at me from above, his breathing quickened, and his face was one of consternation.We stared at each other like that for a couple of seconds, until he dropped to his knees in front of me, startling me, and exhaled all the pent-up air, resting his hands on my knees.I tensed as I felt his touch, but I didn't pull away. Seeing him like that, with his head down, looking at no specific point and denying, as if in disbelief, made me so curious, that I wanted to listen to him more eagerly.Then, he looked at me."I didn't plan this trip. I didn't think things through, I just took a plane and..." He looked at his hands above me. "Olivia, I couldn't bear the thought of having to wait to come back from your trip to see you."I didn't make a move for a few seconds."How did you know where I was traveling to and where I would be staying?"His expression changed to one of slight obviousness and embarrassment.«Leonidas»
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