The receptionist is no longer alone, and does not mind giving a concrete answer to my questions. His words are always evasive and short, and this, in addition to all the secrecy regarding the non-mention to the unknown patient, annoys me. My breakfast is as improvised as my nap, since I fill myself with snacks and juices from the vending machine, deliberately avoiding having to move away from the surroundings of the reception to look for the snack bar.My frustration lasts for two more long and endless hours, and Penelope emerges from one of the long corridors illuminated by strong lights, fluttering her pink dress and honey-colored hair. Her bag hangs next to her waist, drawing the contour of the canteen inside, however, Penelope still looks quite sober with her soft steps. A discreet smile pulls the corners of her lips before she reaches me, wraps her arm around my shoulders, and pulls me to the exit."I was talking to my mother's ex-boyfriend and I found out some things about her G
"So, Suzane, after analyzing my report, do you still consider that the investment with Brazil can be advantageous for the company?”Biting the lid of my pen "a vicious mania that only hits me in moments of distress", I keep my gaze on the vastness of downtown Boston reflected in the windows of my office, and the attention on the voice of this one who sits on the other side of my very well organized desk."Not only do I consider it, but I'm sure. Benden had promising results with the Niobium tests. And, as you know, Brazil is the country with the greatest possession of this element.”"What about the tax incentives offered by Canada?”"Tell me, Blackmore... "I boost my rotating chair to face it, shadows of the twilight on my back oscillating by the movement. "Do you prefer to secure a contract with a 98% chance of success, or stay at the mercy of the group in Canada, knowing that the remaining 2% of chances can still fail? "I arch an eyebrow and watch him bow his head curiously. "Just r
Instead, I can focus on my arduous task of bringing enough technology to the world for the economy to prosper and more job opportunities to be opened up. Since I have completed my four graduations and guaranteed an important position in the first company that opened its doors to me, it has been a long way to get to where I am now. Many men were "and are still" obliged to recognize that being a woman does not disfavor me in what they consider themselves capable of.I have the money, the trust and the willingness of many investors who accept having a woman representing them, from the moment I bought my first shares and became President of the company. But there are still those who only see the southerner without an accent who arrived in the big city with fabulous dreams and conquered an enviable reality.At thirty-two years of age, I am one of the only women on the board of this company who has the power to employ and feed the dreams of those who do not enjoy an easy start.The second a
I’m five minutes late when I arrive at Hillary Maxwell’s veterinary clinic.The double and glazed doors emit a small dye when opened, overlooking the extensive and varied shelves of toys and pet food. There is little movement in the store, with the exception of one or another customer passing by me with bags full of rations.I approach the counter where Hillary is, and even irritated by my delay, I allow me to correspond to her friendly smile."How's life going, Suzy?”Impatiently troubled, the irritable little voice inside my head responds first."Well, what about you, Lary?”“Yeah... It could be better "she still has a smile on her face, but he doesn't reach her eyes. My heart almost splits in two. "Your order is in the warehouse, child.”The deposit is at the back of the land, connected by a passage with a glass vaulted ceiling and flanked by the smell of freshly cut grass "where dogs and cats walk with employees dressed in white, in order to exercise their injured paws.The said d
Hunter's laughter vibrates in my ears, and even after my request, he keeps squeezing my body against all the mass of muscles and sweat in his chest. Maybe it's because of an appetnous longing that has been kept in my heart for a long time or because the embarrassment doesn't allow me to offend him as I could, but I'm early to contact.A moment later "longer than I should, I admit "I contort my body and move away with a push in his arms, shaking my hair and coat in the process. The winter wind surpasses the loose slats of the shed and is busy chilling my body through painful touches. Hunter doesn't undo his smile, although he limits himself to diminishing it."You are Turkish," I'm happy to have rediscovered my intellectual capacity. "Of all the twenty-three languages in which I am fluent, you had to speak the one I don't know more than thank you and please.”While sitting on the single bed next to a suffered nightstand, Hunter seems to have fun with my grumpyness."It's more than I kn
"What kind of guy doesn't want to meet the bride's own family? "Hunter questions in a humorous tone.I sigh, deliberating whether it is worth defending my ex-fiancé for a stranger, or if I can agree with all the previous fifteen times in which he had made it very clear that Dean is, without a shadow of a doubt, a jerk."Anyone who knows that his fiancée's family relationship has always been very complicated," I answer.Hunter remains with his deeply questioning look, taking turns between studying my face and the clarity of the moonlight gushing from his window."Even so, it's strange. Did your parents never wonder why they didn't receive a photo or anything that proved the existence of a guy?”I shake my head negatively."Dean and I have always been a lot... Reserved. We didn't have social networks to share our photos, we didn't go out together so often, and we didn't even worry about using engagement rings or anything like that.”"Oh, yes, reserved" he pauses before seeking a deep br
I hate myself for leaving a loophole so that Hunter can pull out the intrinsic root of my past. I hate the rough touch of vulnerability that forces me to oscillate between pains that should have been forgotten for a long time. I hate having to bite my lip to contain the sob in my throat and remember to keep my armor impenetrable. I hate to recognize that my wounds have been open since the breakup with Dean, and that I can have a relapse at any time.The truth is that without the bitterness in my heart, I can undo myself as easily as a tower of cards is blown.Hunter's chest moves at an accelerated pace, attracting my attention back to his muscles. For some strange reason, he seems bewildered and, at the same time, consumed by remorse. If I'm not mistaken, the opacity in your eyes is taking you away. Who knows for some memory that he would not like to remember.We were like this for some time; trapped in obscene silence, staring at each other and not knowing what to say. Above all, bec
Even with the cold air of the starry night, all the streets are full of people.Musicians play in the squares, entertaining small audiences that are mostly childless couples. Singles and committed parade along the sidewalk as they head to theaters and public gardens, wearing their best clothes and brightest smiles. The tinkling of cutlery on dishes fills the walks as I go through cafes and restaurants with illuminated signs, and the delicious aroma of food invades my path beyond the resplendent stores.The meeting point that Penelope had indicated to me earlier appears sneakily hidden between two convenience stores. It is a small restaurant built on the lowest floor of a duplex, whose decoration displays the gradient of gold and burnt brown, soft and cozy. A song flows smoothly between the walls, played by a musician on a small stage next to the bar.It's the first time in a long time since I've explored the city in search of fun right in the middle of the week. It's Thursday, and Pen
I listen to her steps before she appears on the door frame, balancing herself in high heels that highlight the entire length of her naked thighs.Leaning with one hand on the wall, she watches me for a long time, from where I am kneeling waiting for her, venerating her.She's in no hurry. You know that I am, more than ever, willing to drown in any delight that your newly discovered sexual hunger is inclined to offer me.Therefore, I take this as an invitation to record every inch of her body in underwear made of leather and latex. She is wearing a black bodice with braided buckles that settles around her breasts as the perfect design of a heart, leaving her lap raised and more inviting than she has ever been. Black hair is hidden for some reason under a blonde wig that barely reaches your jaw, but that matches perfectly with your idea of innovation.I'm pretty sure I have my eyes shining when I notice the garter belt that connects in her tiny panties, considering that she worries about
“Listen, Mika. I want you to calm down. This is nothing but drama and emotional blackmail, it's soon over. And Grandma hit you for believing she's not strong. Have you ever thought how many times she and our mother fought and kept talking?”"This is not about mom," she sighs, calming down. "Our grandmother is dying, Suzy. She doesn't have any more time. She can't worry anymore. You can no longer have to stay away from your grandchildren because they are contrary to what her daughter wanted. She always wanted us to have someone to take care of us, but she also believes that this someone has to be a man, and all I want is to offer her some comfort before it's too late and that this guilt tear me apart inside.”That's what it is.Guilt made me make hasty decisions, but if I had had another choice... If I could have prevented the worst things in my life from happening... I understand what my sister means, but I can't help but shudder.My family is too conservative for a woman who succeeds
TWO MONTHS LATER“Something tells me that there are two very hungry people, Suzy... "sing Gabby when she appears through the door with two dormant packets in her arms.Gabby invades the office of my apartment without worrying about the cardboard boxes that guard my future move, and that lined up in the four corners of the walls, smiling openly even with the uncomfortable crying of two children at the same time. They are wrapped in wraps of the same color, because I didn't want to prematurely define the color my children should use "like blue for Adam and pink for Eylem; both are in red.I ask Gabby about Hunter's whereabouts, in which she gestures with her shoulders, going around the table so I can carry the babies. She says that my husband may be in the bath, or in the room he has been using as a studio for his photos, or simply resting. She cheerfully nods to Colton and Penelope sitting in front of me, both with expressions of pure charm when seeing the babies.Penelope sighs passio
Long before I met Jonathan, I tried to deal with my problems with oblivion, with ignorance. Because I thought that not admitting something could make it less true. So I didn't admit my mistakes, and I didn't see the mistakes in others, because that way it was easier to continue acting naturally even with the chaos in my head.This caused me problems in the future, made me sick and weakened. I filled my head with unnecessary occupations. On the other hand, I learned several languages, traveled the world to graduate as many courses as I could, I got a chance to show everyone who blamed me that I could be better than that. But inside, there has always been the shadow of a child hidden in my tangle of memories. There has always been instability.I open the door that takes me to the leisure area of the roof, where the water in my pool is motionless and apparently very cold. The large window that allows me to see the sky is open, blowing a cold breeze against my loose hair, pushing it to my
No one dares to even give a peep while watching, stunned, the long and intense kiss that Mikaela steals from Penelope.Not even Colton, whose act is limited only to taking a step back, looking away and leaving. He takes the glass of some drink in his hand in a hurry to go out the door, without caring about the looks that move to accompany him. I can't see her face, because he passes through the door with his head down, but the strength with which he hits her says a lot about what Penelope's inertia before the kiss may have meant to him.Penelope, however, is the first to recover from the shock, and what she does next almost allows us all to hear Mikaela's heart breaking.She is reluctant for a second, but ends up pushing Mikaela away, pushing her with a touch of delicacy on her shoulder, just before looking for Colton. When she realizes that he is not, Penelope curses some profanity and passes by Mikaela as if she were just a stone on the way. In a single second of impetus, my friend
"You only live once," rehe rehetes Nicole, another friend of ancient times. "It was always this phrase that Glenda used for us to agree to do something stupid.”“Nothing has changed! "Exclaims Samantha in a muffled scream, putting her shell-shaped hands in her mouth.Only three of my best friends at school could be here right now. I made the invitation to everyone because I remember that they made my wedding one of the best brands of my life. And the best part about this is that they are all already married, or with children, and offered to take care of me in the postpartum period."How are you feeling about waiting for the babies, Hunter? “My father asks.“Nervous”Glenda laughs."If Suzy hadn't been so exaggerated, she would have had one baby at a time," she scolds in a mocking tone."I just need to know the formula to get far away from a twin pregnancy. It's my husband's dream, "laments Samantha."Stay away from the Turks," I warn.Hunter slides an arm around my body, wrapping me e
"It's great to have all of you here tonight," I say when I raise a glass of juice. "It's not a Thanksgiving day, but it's a meeting with the most important people in my life, and the last time I'll see you for a while.”My pregnancy will not reach the thirty-seventh week, like the pregnancy of a single baby, and that is why I had the choice to prepare for hospitalization in the maternity hospital with almost eight months of gestation. Recognizing this left me panicked at first, but I already knew that I could not rule out a cesarean section since my exams became more frequent each new month.The babies are big and heavy, my stress "no matter how small it has been in recent weeks" has increased the chances of a premature birth, and my anxiety has not helped in much to ensure my rest. I'm leaving tonight for the maternity hospital, and I chose to have a dinner with friends and family members "the only family that really matters" so that they can give all the positive vibes I need for th
I observe the funeral silence that seems to observe us as a living form. Nothing but dust and silence, it's all we become after we were dead. How many of these souls will ever find peace?"One day they will cease to exist, dear. They will never be forgotten. We will still be fighting for them. Remember what you told me on our honeymoon?”Hunter gently denies it with his head.“I knew a lot of secrets for you that night.”I give a soothing smile with the memory."And one of them was that if at some point I thought about giving up, I should remember that I still had a world to save. We still have a world to save, Hunt. The world that will be the home of our babies. Don't give it up. Not now.”Hunter retreats slowly, looking at my face as if he were seeing him for the first time. Maybe you are writing down the details and remembering others that may have been forgotten in your period in prison. The anklet deliberately hidden under his jeans shows no sign that he may have problems for bei
We are in front of one of the cemeteries where unidentified people are buried. Hunter's uncle brought us here this morning, with the intention that I thought was a way to get closer to the family ties they lost over thirty years. It is the worst day anyone could have chosen to visit a cemetery without gates or any privacy, in an open field with a lot of dust and dead trees around.Path hand in hand with Hunter, while his uncle makes his way on the ground and talks about having visited each of the nameless tombs over the years so that he could bring peace even to those who have never had a family to cry about in their graves.It's a windy and terribly humid day, like the prelude to a storm.It's autumn, we are about to enter winter, and even the sun is misleading at this time of year. I'm wearing a scarf and above all, my body temperature has dropped faster than usual, and I'm always thinking of a way to protect my babies at all costs; even if the evil to be fought are the strong winds