CARL.Olivia left for home on Sunday.I asked her to get some clothes and a few things and move immediately to my apartment, but she asked me to be calm, as had to arrange some things there. I asked her what it was about, and the word "quiet" came up again in our conversation. I decided not to insist.I was worried that she was in danger. I needed us to be together and to have her around most of the time. She and I are alike in one way, in how reserved we are. Olivia doesn't tell me a lot of things about her life, she doesn't open up so easily to people, or me. Knowing that she leads a quiet life: work-home-work (and some Fridays at La Napolitana), I could still wonder what she did during certain times, what happened when the night came when it was still early and she wasn't sleepy.What hobbies did she have, and what habits did she have in her free time? Does she have free time? It was to be expected that whatever she had to "fix" before moving in with me, she would not tell me. With
OLIVIA.January started heavy, definitely.Apart from the conference in Margarita, I had a lot of work to do at the office.My dear boss received us with a welcome meeting, commenting that they would soon start building a new wing in the administrative office building, which would be dedicated to corporate and political alternate rentals, such as public notaries and some governmental institutions. He explained little, but I understood that he needed to expand, as the economic situation of the country could affect our salaries at any moment and he preferred to invest in new and safe cash inflows than to sacrifice personnel (something he could not afford) or lower salaries.That man always knew what he was doing when it came to expansion, which is why he was so successful. He was lucky that the human resources woman, his partner, fell in love with him. I think it added to the quality of his persona.I wondered when the wedding between them would be, and there, right after I remembered t
CARL.A little more than fifteen days later..."Cheers." We clinked our glasses.It was already Friday. We barely saw each other's faces almost halfway through February.I confess to being on the verge of exploding. Olivia had become a little hermetic with me, more than I have been in my whole life, and I didn't want to pressure her, but I couldn't help asking myself a thousand questions.I spoke to Leonidas. He informed me of the amount of work they had, since the director of the insurance company was starting to expand the grounds, it was normal to get involved. That's why I had to delay the placement of her bodyguard.No, correction. I delayed telling her that she already had one assigned.We were in a new location. It was night... On a nice terrace, we could see the lake in front of us.The attraction of the place is its boats and yachts parked in front of a concrete and wooden dock, especially having been built in the middle of the city and not in the official port of Maracaibo,
OLIVIA."Now, tell me about your health. How have you been feeling?" he asked, after kissing my hand and dropping that little bombshell on the table.A Bodyguard...Security, bodyguard... for me? For us?Everything seemed to get complicated and he asked me about my health."I'm fine, don't worry about it." I took back the pasta that by fate hadn't gotten cold. "Carl, is someone following us around the clock?" I had to ask, "Isn't it like... too much?""It won't be as overwhelming as you think, trust me. They will keep their distance, will communicate with us if they think it's strictly necessary.""What about my job?" What will I say when my coworkers see this...?""None of them will enter your office, Olivia, not even the building. They will only follow you when you leave the house, on your transfers and errands." «Good Lord». "Baby, take it easy. We'll see how long this is necessary, let's see how things work out, but it's for the best, believe me."This seemed to me too extreme, as
OLIVIA."Please come in," Carl asked the two men who had just arrived at the apartment.I had already seen them the night before, especially the jet-black-haired mastodon who had been accompanying us during dinner.Although the guy in the vehicle that had followed us there, I'd not been able to see him well until now, being a man with hair level with his skull, well shaved in military style, dark brown the color of his bristles, quite corpulent, almost like his counterpart, seconding in the same way the face of few friends that he had."Boys, meet Olivia Quintero, my girlfriend." I nodded, smiling pleasantly. They looked polite and attentive at the same time. They seemed uncomfortable too. "Baby, this is Juan and Ray Finol." He pointed first to the black-haired Juan, then to the other one, Ray.We shook hands, but I couldn't help but ask them:"Are you family?" I did it because of the last name.Carl smiled. Ray decided to answer:"Yes, ma'am. We're brothers."«Ahh...», I thought, mak
CARL."Baby, is it going to be a problem for Mark to stay with us this weekend? I know you're just moving in and you'll want us to be alone, but...""Of course not! I love the idea, I already want to meet him." She was serious, you could hear it in her voice."Perfect, then." I took my cell phone away from my ear to check the time. "I have to pick him up at 17: 00 hours. Should I tell Ray to bring you, or should I pick you up and we'll come together?""I don't know. I'd love to rather... You know, how about we go out? A movie or something? My treat."I imagined for a second the scene of the three of us sharing an outing. It could be the most positive thing for her and Mark to get to know each other."Excellent, I like the idea. I'll let you know when I'm on my way...""I haven't gone to Mom's yet." She informed me, cutting me off.I knew because Ray had reported it to me. Or rather, Juan, his brother, was the one who received the reports and passed them on to me, but he wouldn't tell
OLIVIA.My mother and I were well taken care of at the hospital. It is a good thing to work in an insurance company, our policies are always the best, besides, the real estate company where my mother works, had a large part of its payroll enrolled in the insurance company where I worked. We had to make it worth the money she was deducted each month.The downside of taking her there was herself. Being stubborn as ever, she pretended that she was not in pain and that the high fever she had been carrying for hours (many hours) was due to a viral process that —according to her— would pass in no time.Sometimes I don't understand Mom.Generally, she is a haughty, active woman, with energy, intelligence, and a lot of kindness to give. It was not so easy to notice her old age, many did not believe that she was almost seventy years old. On the contrary when she got sick. She aged suddenly, she looked older. No exaggeration, that she looked like a ten or twelve-year-old girl who must be persua
OLIVIA.I woke up in another apartment, one that was offered to me as mine, the same one where I was invited to share.I woke up in the apartment of Carl Malaver, my boyfriend.Even though I didn't have my things there at all, only the necessary and very basic ones, I could say that we were officially living together.I would have liked to inspect the place thoroughly. But recognizing that I would have plenty of time to do it (and of course, without going through his most private belongings, I don't usually do what I don't like to be done), I didn't have time that Sunday after we woke up together, swirling between hugs, our legs, and the comforter.His son was home and Carl thought of buying something for breakfast, so he went out early, leaving me alone with Mark.The boy was still sleeping peacefully at 08:00, so it gave me a chance to arrange my things a little, something I didn't manage to do the night before and not exactly because I was too tired to go to bed at once... I can bl