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
CARL.I don't know what the hell was wrong with Francis. She used to stay out of my business, never came into my house, never even went to my work, nothing at all. If she needed someone to take care of Mark, she looked for someone else, I was always the plan C or D of her life and I knew, until then, that this decision was not because of me, or any annoyance with me, she just didn't like to meddle in my business, because she hated it when I did it with hers.Now, what the hell was wrong with her? The thing at her house in December, I attributed it to the moment, the late night, the alcohol, what do I know. To say that, in that moment, and a tone of loud voice, became crazy to me, stupid.It's enough just to understand that after having broken off the relationship ten years ago with her, a furtive encounter between the two of us was what made us parents. We weren't even a couple, we're nothing and we succumbed to a surrender to this day I only understand it as a twist of fate for Mark
OLIVIA.I got up from the couch and went to the kitchen. I needed to get away from him. If I continued to argue, I would make the mistake of saying something I might regret.I poured myself a glass of water, which I drank in a few gulps. I placed the glass inside the dishwasher and held my hands on the edge of the counter.Carl came over, of course, standing on the other side of the counter."Nancy recommended to me that leave town. You know thatbecause I told you."I cocked my head, still turning my back to him, listening.He continued:"I stayed at Francis' aunt and uncle's house. My son and his mother were already there. Mark was on vacation, as you might expect. I just took advantage of being in the country's capital to set up and advance some business. I would return if it would have been good for me and for you to be here." I turned to look at him. "She may be crazy, but Nancy usually gives very accurate advice. It was a good thing she recommended me to do. Do you realize that e
NANCY.Things happen for a reason, I'm one of those who manages that discourse. But sometimes I would like to think that this is not so. That fortuitous things happen to us all the time and that despite carving out our destiny, we continue to be victims of unthinkable scenarios in deliberate scenes of life.Six o'clock in the evening. February. I stood at the curb on the other side of the garage door of my house, watching the vehicle parked next to the gray and white gates of my home, diagonally across from me, right in front of the main entrance.It was Tony.Despite what my life might be like, I didn't used to have many enemies. My life was partially quiet. I knew it was him without to see. I didn't know his cars, it was impossible to tell and much harder to identify them when he made a life out of the country. Despite not being able to see his face thanks to the tinted windows of the black luxury van, it was him, no doubt about it.Behind me, I could see through my center rearview
NANCY."He's my client...""No, he is not." Tony pointed at my face with one of his index fingers and spoke to me sternly, directly. There were no more smiles on his face, the darkness appeared before me and I could only stand still. However, I couldn't be afraid of him, I couldn't even show it."He's not a fucking client, yours. That guy is nothing to you.""I don't understand what you're talking about.""You called him and told him something about me.""What the fuck are you talking about, Tony? Was you who sent a guard behind Olivia.""I had Olivia followed because I wanted to woo her, not just to make sure she arrived safely that night." I swallowed thickly. "I like her. Quite a lot. I just wanted to woo her and that's why I asked to keep an eye on her, you know what I mean?"He took his time to speak again. He was scrutinizing me, wanting to see my reactions."But she's moved out of her apartment." I didn't know that. "She went with that accountant, the same guy who kept Vasallo'