Chapter 2

Call Juice narrating:

Taking a deep breath, I understood perfectly the irritated way that Leonor got up from the bathtub. It wasn't that he wasn't attracted to her, but he hated the fact that he felt so much attraction that he hated that he'd faltered and failed. I felt proud to have a strong woman by my side, holding my hand even in the immature decisions I made, but I hated the fact that I felt that Leonor was more capable than me, she managed to solve situations and have a broad view of the business in a way that I couldn't, and not being macho, the more I felt weak around her. As if I didn't want to accept the fact that she had all the skills I lacked to solve the problems she got me into. Leonor lay down naked on the bed and with her back to me she fell asleep quickly. She couldn't even touch her, and it tortured me to think of how she managed not to lose the roof over our heads. At nine in the morning, I prepared coffee in the kitchen in a calm way so as not to wake Leonor, I left her a note and a rose on the table next to the bottle, and leaves towards the bankrupt company that consumed me:

- Mister Juice. - The rude voice of a man calling me made me turn around. He was one of the mobster partners we had.

- Hard, it's good to see you.

- I still smell the alcohol of those who tried to forget that they are going bankrupt. – he told me in a sarcastic tone with his hands in his pockets. Hated the way he was intimidating.

- How... how do you know about? I was going to tell you...

- was at the party yesterday, I found out together with his wife. I have a proposal... this company is important to me too... meet me for lunch.

Hard backed away, and I could feel the weight of his intimidation, his proposals probably wouldn't be the best, as he was the partner bringing in the money laundering profits, yet he was the only light at the end of the tunnel I could see. I could see with my eyes blurred still.

Leonor Juice narrating:

Opening my eyes in bed at the sound of the living room door slamming, I stayed still, somehow not wanting to deal with Call, not right now. I got up and went to the bathroom brushing my teeth, washed my face, and faced my own reflection, trying to find something that would justify the fact of not being touched by my own husband, I ran my hands over my body, touched and felt the softness of my skin, I walked to the bed, opened the drawer, lay down looking at the ceiling as if reflecting on all the latest events, it was as if my mind questioned myself about everything that was happening, especially with Call, until the That mobster's look came back to my mind with an intense touch of excitement, remembering the intensity he looked at me, fantasizing about him, and letting a shiver run through my body, remembering the desire that was in that little look, breathing hard and sinking again on the pillow, I got up, trying to push those thoughts away, and I took a cold shower, and I went downstairs in comfortable clothes, I saw the coffee and the note saying how much Call loved me, the guilt for having Having an orgasm thinking about another man overwhelmed me as the aroma of coffee rose, loved the coffee Call brewed. I'd always been terribly repulsed by betrayal, and while it wasn't physical, it felt wrong to think of another man that way. I have no contact with my mother, she was an unfaithful woman, my father left home tired of being frustrated with the betrayals, I always remember how she destroyed him day after day with her infidelity, I saw the weight of a betrayal, and that leads me to repudiate it ever since. I unlocked my cell phone, and sent an audio to Call “good morning, thank you for the coffee my love, you are amazing and I know that you will do everything possible for us to overcome this, you know that you can count on me, I will help you with whatever is necessary” . I blocked him again, dropping him on the table top, and with my cup of coffee I sat on the velvety sofa taking my notebook, from a magazine writer, now I am the blocked romance writer who cannot express anything else in her books, you don't get much inspiration when you don't live it, and my entire marriage was based on business dinners and conversations with investors. Sometimes I was thinking or taking the blame for not even having sex with my husband anymore, even though I am the person willing to do that.

Call Juice narrating:

After listening to the audio that Leonor had sent me, I felt confident about having lunch with Hard. I arrived in front of the luxurious restaurant worried about how I would say that I don't even have enough money to split the bill. I found him and sat down opposite him.

- Hello, I didn't know it would be in such a fancy place... - he said uncomfortably amidst laughter as he asked the waiter for a glass of whiskey.

- Don't worry, after all, you're facing his owner. - Hard said making me even more uncomfortable, imagining that he was the owner of that place left me speechless.

- well... damn... anyway what is your proposal about? I admit to being anxious.

- would be too. You know that sometimes I look at the way you handle business and the importance that luxury has in your life, and I wonder, how far would your ambition take you?

- I'm sorry, I didn't understand... - I told him, embarrassed by his question.

- what are you willing to give up, or risk just to be able to stay in the life you lead? You know Call, when I saw this restaurant I asked myself that question, and the answer was obviously everything that might one day not be mine. The stability of a life sometimes means being willing to do anything. And I was about to be able to sit here now and breathe the air of ownership.

- I imagine, it's something big...

- I'll cut to the chase, my proposal doesn't even require much. One night with your wife.