Cheers to the good life

by Lorena Franco

  Friday,November9th.Asalways,thealarmclockrangatnineo'clockinthemorning,butthat dayIhadnodesiretogetoutofbed...lookingatmeinthemirrorIalmostranoutstairsof fright. Swollen, red eyes ... it was horrible. The sweet words of Angustias came to mind...

  "beforedying...mychildlive."LIVE.LIVE.LIVELIFE.Ismiledtomyself.Iwouldnotleta man-evenifitwereHIM-ruinmydays.Mynewdays.

  Beforetakingthecar,Ilookedatthecellphone.Ihadhundredsofmessages.Clara,Felisa, Jaime, Toni, Silvia ... everyone complimented me. My birthday? "Twenty-nine years! You're tooold,atthegatesofthirty!"WroteFelisawithprettyemojis,confettiandbirthdaycakes.I turnedoffthephone.Inthatmoment,itrangagain.Ilookedatit.AmessagefromAlejandro.

  "CongratulationsPrincess.EnjoyyourdayandI'msorry...willyouforgiveme?"Iwantedto teleportmyselftoAveiro,andseehimfacetoface.Facetofaceandnotaskanything,justto have the gift of knowing what he thought - but without being a spirit, of course ... -.

  Discoveringhowhespentthenight...Didhecrytoo?Didhesufferfrominsomnia?Myheart wasfilledwithrage,imagininghimwithanotherwoman.Inthebedweshared,intheplacewe danced, in the restaurants we enjoyed ... on the beach where we watched nightfall between kissesandhugs.Thatresentmenttowardmewastotallyunfair.Ihadn’tdonehimanyharm,on thecontrary...hehadmademewantthisbodyagain.But...whatdidheknow?Therewasonly one guilty person and even though her body was present, her soul had disappeared from the earthlyplane,themomentsheneededitmost...Oratleastthat’showitseemedtome...

  OnFridays,thesalonwaspackedwithpeople.Inthemornings,oldladieslookingforaclassic look.Intheafternoons,youngpeople-manyknewme-,justtocutthetipsorchangetheirlook radically;Makeup,manicure,pedicure...Theylovedtohearmyhonestopinion.Iknewwhat wouldfit,whathairstyleorhaircutwouldbebest.Andasformakeup,theyleftthesalonwitha permanentsmileontheirfaces,believingthemselvestobethemostbeautifulintown.Tolive ituponFridaynight!

  Beforeclosing,Loli,whohadspentthedayremindingtheclientsthatitwasmybirthday, stoppedme.

  "Howlonghaveyoubeencuttingyourhair?"Iasked."Comeandsit."

  She washed my hair with massage included, showed me some chocolate-colored wicks that I accepted, short, climbed ... and combed my hair. I had left an incredible mane with a fringeonthesideveryflatteringtomyfacethatwasnolongerroundasIknewit.Ihadlosta lotofweightand...mycheekswereevenmarked!

  "IloveLoliit.Thankyouverymuch."

  "Yourwelcomebeautiful.Areyougoingouttoday?"

  "Ofcourse!ItwouldbenecessarytocelebratethatIamolder..."Iansweredwiththebest spiritofwhichIwasable.

  "Tomorrow if you come at twelve, I don’t care. We don’t have appointments before that time."

  "Thankyou,butI'llbehereatten."Ihadbecomeveryresponsible.

  "You'rethebest.Haveagoodnight."Shehuggedmeandgavemetwokisses.

  "Likewise,Loli.

  Felisa was waiting for me at the door of the salon to go out for hamburgers where Silvia worked. Already dolled up, well-groomed and better dressed than ever, thanks to my new acquisitionstomywardrobe,Ifeltbeautiful.Goodaboutmyself.Althoughinside,Alejandro leftmeshattered.Itwasverypainfultoimaginehimwithanother..."

  "What about Alejandro?" Felisa asked without giving me time to bite my appetizing cheeseburger.

  "Bad,verybad."

  "Why?"

  "RememberwhatItoldyou?Ithadbeenalongtimesincewehadspokenorwritten..."

  Shenodded.Apparentlytwoweeksagohestartedseeingsomeoneelse...hisboss'sdaughter orsomething...Itriednottocaretoomuch,But...

  "Do not tell me anymore! This guy is a dog ... Do you remember the blonde that he was goingwith?"

  "Ramona."

  "HernamewasRamona?"

  "Yes...

  "Alex, and I still have not forgiven my parents for giving me my grandmother’s name." I laughed.

  "Felicianaisnotsobad..."

  "Shutup!IchokedonthepieceofpotatochipbecauseofthepushFelisagaveme."That one, Ramona. He was going to marry her. And then look, you came back ... It's like very disheartening,thepoor..."

  "Yes,butit'snotthesame.Hesayshecan’tforgiveme..."

  "Okay,normal...whatyoudidtohimwasverywrong."Iglaredather.Butyouarenotthe sameasbefore.ShestaredintomyeyesasIatethreefrenchfries.It'sasiftheblowtothehead withthetoasterchangedyou.WhatIsufferedthatdayforyou...howstrangeyougot.Anyway!

  I’llbetwenty-nine."Shewenton,moretoherselfthantome.

  "Twenty-nine,"Irepeated,laughing.Thankyouformakingmelaughandforalwaysbeing thereforme.Forputtingupwithme..."Imumbled.

  "It'sapleasure...andI'msorryaboutyourneighbor,ithadtobeashocktofindhercorpse

  ..."

  "I had a feeling ... it was older," I said, remembering the shower moment, my encounter with her spirit and her smile. The peace and acceptance with which she had gone to see my friendSaintPeter.

  "Ah ... Poor thing. And returning to the subject Alejandro, "Don’t worry. He’ll be back.

  Andbesides,theproblemswiththeboss’sdaughterareinevitable...thatcan’tbeanygood."

  "Itismyfault.Itoldhimtofindsomeonewhowouldmakehimhappy,togowithher...but Ididnotthinkitwouldhappensofast.

  "Youtoldhimthat?You’reverystupid."

  "It's okay anyway. I need to move on, it’ll be for the best. And how's it going with your geek?"Iwantedtoknow.IhadnotmentionedtheStarWarsfanforalongtime.

  "MyFelipe...he’scomingtospendChristmaswithhisfamily.Imisshimsomuch!"

  "Everythingokaythen?"

  "Yeah,yeah...youknowIdon’tliketalkingaboutthesethings."

  At twelve we were with the whole gang in the usual bar. Everyone came to hug me, to congratulatemeandtosmudgemymakeupwithsomanykisses.Nothingtodowiththatfirst time at the end of July in the same bar, when I did not know anyone and they paid me no attention. I still remember that at the time, I still wanted my previous life, when Laura was alwaysthecenterofalleyes.InMarta'sbody,itcontinuedtogounnoticedformanypeople,but atleastnotforthosewhocared.Myphonerangagain.Alejandrowascallingme.Ioptedto turnoffthephone.

  The bar that day was very lively. Packed with groups of friends having fun and people I hadneverseeninthemonthsIwaswearingmynewbody.Especiallyasmallgroupofmenin theirearlythirties,verytallandstrong.

  "Haveyouseenhowhotthenewfirefightersare?"Clarareported.Toni,JaimeandAndres rolledtheireyes.

  "Youseeaswollenarmandyougocrazy,"Jaimesaidjealously.

  "That’snottrue!"Silvialaughed.

  The truth is, as Laura I was so accustomed to seeing such men and they didn’t catch my attention.Tall,muscular,gorgeous...mymodelbodywastakentobedbyafew.AsMarta,I don’tIwouldgetanyaction.Mythoughtsmademelaugh.Butthen,justlikethatFridayduring thesummerwhenIsawAlejandrowalkthroughthedoor;Mygazefixedonhim.Anditwas matchedwithasmile.Timestopped...andtherewasonlyHIM.(AnotherHIM).Hewastall andstrong,verybuilt.UnlikeAlexander,nostrandsofhairobstructedhisface,sincehishead was shaved. Three-day old beard on his subtly tanned complexion and blue eyes as blue the skyshownbright...Hewalkedbyusjoiningthefiremenandbeingimmediatel
ytheprotagonist ofthegroup.

  "LikemysweetFelipe,"Felisasaid.Everyonelaughed,exceptforher,wholookedatthem withnarrowedeyes.

  Iwasstillengrossedinthoseblueeyesthathadalreadyfailedtonoticeme,whensuddenly atall,verythinwoman,dressedlikeabride,cameinthedoor.Shewasfurious,butherface wasstilloneofthemostbeautifulIhadeverseeninmylife.Blondehair,bigeyeswithavery beautiful honey color, plump lips and skin to die for ... I realized that it was a ghost when

  nobodybutme,noticedherstrangepresence.Sherantothefirefighterwiththeblueeyes.She hithim,lookedathim...invain.

  "Youreyesaregonnapopout,"Clarasaid,laughing.

  "What?" I came back to reality. The bride-dressed woman had stood still, staring at the blue-eyedfirefighter.

  "Nothing,whatahotty,right?"

  "Yeah,he’shot..."Ihadnoideawhatshewastalkingabout.

  "Andwhataboutmycousin?"Clarawasinterested.

  "Nothing.Hehasanothergirl-everyoneheardmywords.Theysighedandkeptdrinking,I supposetoironthematterandnotspoilmybirthday.

  "You’rebetteroff,"Clararepliedindignantly.

  We met the firefighters again in the pub. I danced with Felisa, if what we did could be calleddancing...wejumped,shouted..."Myfirefighter"lookedatusandlaughed.Thespirit ofthebride-dressedwomanwasnolongerathisside.

  "What are you laughing at?" Felicia asked mischievously. The fireman turned red as a tomato.MynameisFelisa-myfriendgavehimtwokisses.

  "Pablo," he introduced himself. He looked at me, waiting for me to say my name. Shy, I smiled.

  "Marta,"IsaidasheapproachedtogreetmeSpanishstylewithtwokisses.Whenhishand touched my shoulder, it was like a shock ran through my body and jump started my heart. I became nervous, I felt my cheeks heated and for a moment, Alejandro disappeared from my mindandtimestoppedagaininthoseblueeyesthathadcaughtmyattentionfromthebeginning.

  "ApleasuretomeetyouMarta.Isawyoulastnight."That'ssomethingIdidn’texpect.In Pine.Youwenttothefountainandstoppedtolookatahouse.Youseemedsosad."

  "Yes,thehouseIwaslookingatisthatofaneighborwhodiedthedaybeforeyesterday.

  "Wow,I'msorry.Youlivethere,right?"Inodded.Ialso.

  "Yes?Where?"

  "Infrontofthefirehouse."

  "Areyouafirefighter?"

  "Doesitshow?"Helaughed."Wantsomething?I'llbuyyouadrink."Iwaitedalongtime tohear"I’llbuyyoutoadrink".Thereeverybodycalleditacuba,ashot...but...Adrink?

  Awesome!

  Felisahadbeenwatchingusfromthebarforsometime.WhenIlookedather,shewinked atme.IwentwithPablotothebarandtoldhimitwasmybirthday.

  "Let’scelebrate!"heexclaimedexcitedly.Anddidwecelebrateit.Wow,wepartiedhard!

  Pauldidn’tleavemysidethewholenight.Wehadagoodtime,althoughIkeptthinkingabout thespiritthatwaslurking.Whowasshe?Whatdidshehavetodowithhim?Fortunately,Idid notseeheragain,butIfearedher...experiencetoldmethatspirits,onmostoccasions,don’t appearonlyonce.

  Silvia (who was no longer with Jaime) and Clara, used to flirt with all the firefighters.

  Felisa without much interest and thinking of "her geek", accompanied them. Toni, Jaime and Andresontheotherhand,spokewithanothersmallgroupofwomen.Thesingleinthevillage wastheorderofthedayandthewintersinsolitudeareveryhard.

  Atfiveinthemorning,Idecidedtoleave.Iwouldsleepafewhours,butIneededtoworkthe nextday.

  "I'llwalkyoutothecar.I'mleaving,too,"saidPablo,chivalrously.

  "Okay."

  "I see you won’t be needing me for a haircut," I said, touching his shaved head that was tremendouslysexy.

  "Icanseethat."

  We got to my car. When a constantly touches a woman, he expects something from the woman in front of him. And although I wanted to kiss him and was happy to start something fromscratchasMarta,somethinginmewastellingmetowait.

  "Well,seeyouinPine,"Isaid,amused,openingthecardoor.

  "Yes,but...wait...uh..."

  Ilookedathim,alreadyseatedinfrontofthesteeringwheelofmySuzuki.

  Iwaitedafewsecondsforthewordstocomeout.Whatwasthenervousnessabout?Ihad nevermetamansohandsomeyetsounsureofhimself.

  "Whattimedoyougetoffofwork?"Hefinallymanagedtosay.

  "Normallyatseven,butitcanbelonger."

  "Doyouwanttohavedinnerwithmetomorrow?"

  "Sure.Canyoupickmeup?"

  "Atnine."

  "Atnine.Seeyoutomorrow.

  Withanindeliblesmileonmyface,Iwenthome.Inmyroom,Iturnedonmycellphone.

  TencallsandaresoundingmessagefromAlejandro.

  "Idon’twantittoendlikethis.Notwithyou.Pleasecallme...Iwanttotalktoyou."

  Myfingershesitated.InmymindonlycamepicturesofPabloandthatnight.Thefantastic nightofmybirthday.

  "We'lltalkwhenyoucome.Meanwhile,justasItoldyou,behappy.Iwillbetoo.Without you."

  Without him. Because there was another HIM to start from scratch with. No past, no resentments, no sixteenth opportunities ... Because I deserved to LIVE and deserved my chance.Icouldn’tcommitmyselftowastemytimeonsomeonewhowasnolongerwithme, someonewhocouldn’tforgiveorforgetsomething!

  AndIwenttosleep...smiling,happy...rememberingagainthewordsofmyoctogenarian angel.

  Chapter10

  Him

  (Andhisghost)

  Atseveninthemorning,akindofshakingawokeme.Mybedbegantomoveagitatedlyand then,Isawher.Again,thewomandressedasabridestaringatme.Icouldstillseefuryinher eyesandthenIrememberedhowweakIfelttobespirit,whenIwassoangrytohearmyself speakevil.

  "Iwouldnotcallthisagoodwake-upcall,"Isaid,rubbingmyeyes.

  -Forgives. It was impossible to wake you up any other way. "His voice was soft, whispering,andenveloping.Donotgowithhim,he'sgoingtokillyou.

  "Who'sgoingtokillme?"Thatwasscary.

  "Pablo."

  "Pablo?"shit."Didhekillyou?"

  Shenoddedandleft.Thespiritsandtheirhabitofleavingwiththelastword.Obviously,I couldn’t sleep anymore and the smile that I fell asleep with had disappeared. Was Pablo a murderer? Had he killed that woman dressed as a bride? Was he going to marry her? After monthsofsilence,mygrandmother’slaughterreturnedechoingthroughthehouse.

  "You know this is not a good time? This is something serious! Go play petanque! I screamed."

  Saturdaysatthesalonwereveryentertaining.Spiritsfromthepastcontinuedtotellmetheir stories from their youth, while the living liked to get more involved in reading the gossip magazines. The hours passed quickly, and both Alejandro and the spirit that assured me that Pablowouldkillmehaddisappearedfrommymind.Everythinghadanexplanation,forsure.

  AndthatnightIwouldfindout.

  Pablocametopickmeupatnineo'clock.Hedidn’tdrive.Thatsurprisedme.Heoffered walkmearmandarmtohishouse.AsIentered,Iasmalltablewithapairoflitcandlessaw inthelivingroom.Pablomadedinnerforme!Inthecenter,therewasadelicioussaladandon twoplatesasucculentroastchicken.

  "Hownice!"Iexclaimed.

  "Thank you. I thought it would be something original to make dinner." he smiled. How couldsomeonewiththatgood-naturedfacekillme?Itwasimpossible.

 
"Well,I'veloveit."

  Paul was very gallant. He pulled out my chair so that I could sit down and without difficultyslidmetowardsthetable.Hesatdownandpouredmeaglassofredwine.

  Ihadpracticedhowtogetinformationaboutthewomandressedinwhite.Idecidedtoget tothepoint,directly,withouttact.

  "Andtellme,Pablo,haveyoueverbeenmarried?"Helookedupfromhisplateandstared atmeinamazement.Asifmydirectandshockingquestionbroughtsomepainfulmemorythat hedecidedtosharewithmefromthebeginning.

  "Yes.Sevenyearsago.But...Well,thisisveryhard.Whenwelefttherestaurantwherewe celebratedthewedding,wehadacaraccident.ShediedandI’vefeltguiltyallmylife."Iput myhandstomymouth.Manyspiritsconfusetherealityofwhatactuallyhappenedwithitsend.

  Andshewaspissed,andveryangrywithhim.

  "I'mreallysorry..."

  "Whydidyouaskmethat?Nobodyasksthosequestionsright,"hesaidwithalaugh.

  "Idon’tknow,she'sgone.I’msorry."

  "It’salright.Idon’ttellthisstoryuntilthefifth,sixth,seventhdate..."

  "Isthisadate?"Iwantedtoknow.

  "Yes.OratleastIwouldlikeittobe."

  IstillwantedtoknowwhatMartahadtoattractgood-lookingandattractivemen.Couldit beherfreckles?MaybeMartawasrightanditwastruethateveryonelikedher...

  PablotoldmethathewasfromZaragoza.HehadlivedinLugo,MadridandBilbao,buthe needed a change and was offered the opportunity to move to the town last October. He accepteditimmediately,lookingforsomethingsmallandquietwherehecouldstartover.He wanted to be a firefighter since it gave his life a purpose. He was passionate about helping people,enjoyinghiswork.Hewasbraveandadventurous,twoqualitiesI’vealwayslikedina man.