by Keren Or
Eli had everything prepared: the black high-heeled shoes that highlighted her delicate feet; the earrings, the bracelet, the shawl; and of course, her famous lucky dress. It was black and elegant and seemed to slither in perfect harmony with her figure. This special dress had indeed produced good results on another occasion...
As she finished her daily cup of tea, she could feel the spasms caused by the nerves in her belly. Clearly, she did not have many hours left to reach her goal, and her thoughts... were already pleading for help. Would she have the opportunity she hoped for so much? Could she return home with her head held high and a seed of hope? Or would she return with empty arms, forced to bury her feelings forever?
The moment of truth was approaching in leaps and bounds.
The final round... was about to start...
Noises from the outside interrupted her line of thought. A mixture of screams, whistles and applause was concentrated in the pool area where a volleyball competition had just started: “Sales Managers vs. Project Managers.” No doubt… at least for Eli... it was an event that deserved her attention.
To ensure that she had a good view, she positioned herself just steps away from the court. Needless to say, it was not exactly the game that she was interested in seeing, as much as the participation... of someone in particular.
Eli watched him... how well he played, his determination to win and how attractive he looked, his hair wet with sweat. Lucas looked relaxed. For the first time after a long while he seemed to have freed himself of his role as father, and even if it was only for a short time, he shed a few years. Even though he felt a slight remorse for having left Andy in the care of a close, trustworthy neighbour, Lucas welcomed and enjoyed the final minutes of his freedom. A point, Eli thought, that would be in her favour.
Even though it was entertaining, Eli could not wait for the game to end so she could find a moment to talk to Lucas alone. She went to buy an ice pop, and on her return she saw him...
Positioned at a corner of the pool, Lucas was resting all by himself. He looked gorgeous, with his arms resting on the edge as he gazed in wonder at the blue colour of the sky and the still waters of the sea.
Pretending to take an innocent walk around the pool, Eli started on her journey to Lucas. She also looked beautiful... in a transparent white blouse... The turquoise colour of her bikini highlighted her green eyes and now, with her skin tanned... ignoring her became difficult...
“Hi, beautiful,” said Lucas, on seeing her pass by, “Don’t you say hello anymore?”
Eli turned to find him smiling and staring at her:
“Hi, I didn’t see you, sorry... How is it going?” she asked calmly, but she was burning deep inside.
“Amazing! The best vacation I’ve had in a long time... Of course, now, after seeing you in that bathing suit... it has become even better...”
Eli could not help blushing. It was much more than she expected. However, they were both surprised, and Lucas even more than Eli.
His comment made her happy, but she was not fooling herself... It was not the first time that Lucas had treated her that way, always returning to his closed world that nobody could approach, much less enter...
In spite of his everyday emotional indifference, on several occasions Lucas had spoken to her, somehow seducing her, and behaving in a way that did not coincide with his usual rejection, such as that day when he intentionally threw the calendar on her desk on the floor just to see Eli picking it up... Or that other time when he baffled her by tossing into the air a phrase that was absurd, coming from him, but uttered seriously: “How I would like to be the air, to be able to touch and feel every centimetre of your body.” Eli had not known whether to laugh or to cry at that moment... Although it sounded ridiculous, deep inside she had liked hearing it...
Eli could not explain Lucas’s attitude on those occasions, and, actually... he even less.
He, himself, realized that it was only when dealing with Eli that he behaved in a different and strange way. In fact, thinking about it logically... anyone who was not interested would not risk acting that way... Lucas tried not to give it much importance, quickly shaking off any thought about it.
“I’m glad to see you like this, Lucas. You really deserve it,” Eli replied sweetly.
They continued talking for a couple of minutes about trivial matters. Although they were alone with no one to disturb them, Eli felt that this was not the right time to bring up a subject as serious and delicate as the one she had in mind. Instead, she preferred to enjoy the simple, friendly conversation, to laugh with Lucas for a while and to take photos, preserving forever an experience that probably... would never be repeated.
It was a couple of hours before the party. After watching the sunset, Eli returned to her room to have enough time to rest and get dressed. The first thing on her list was to take a long, relaxing bubble bath. The feel of the bubbles caressing her skin and the clean scent floating in the air were a miracle cure for her in any situation of distress or stress.
She immersed herself in the almost boiling water, rested her head on a towel and closed her eyes for a long time. Her technique... never failed.
Transformed as usual, Eli came out of the bathroom with a natural touch of makeup, her hair smooth and shiny, with a scent of perfume trailing as she passed.
Fran, who was ready first, went downstairs to smoke outside, leaving Eli alone to finish getting dressed.
Rushing, Eli took the dress and untied the bow at the back. The fabric opened up like a shapeless rectangle. She put in both arms, first covering the left side and then the right side. Finally, she again tied the two strings that formed the bow sealing the dress like a wrapper, which clung to her body, slithering... to perfection.
After putting on the final finishing touches, Eli looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair fell over her shoulders like silky waves of red wine. Her prominent lashes highlighted her clear eyes, and a pink colour gave life to her pale cheeks. Finally, a cherry-coloured lip gloss outlining her lips completed her radiant, sensual appearance. Satisfied, she turned off the light and closed the door.
The moment of final judgment had arrived.
At this point in the game, to tell the truth, there was little she could do, and for that… she was willing to face any verdict... any reaction... just to know...
As she walked down the long passage to the lobby, she took a deep breath, imagining how the curtains of her dream play were opening, and she was going on stage. “It’s time to begin the show...” she said in the slightest whisper, as the elevator door opened. She looked up expectantly, but at the same time... inoffensively. And there was Lucas... At the beginning of a...
Countdown...
5
Shuffle the Cards
Leaving the elevator, Eli joined a large circle of people. Curiously, he was the first to see her...
“Hi Lucas,” said Eli, smiling and leaving him confused by not stopping to chat with him.
In a strange move, she did not even wait to receive a reply. She simply walked on, slowly moving away, becoming absorbed by the crowd.
Eli knew very well what she was doing... She did not want to exhaust all her resources in the first five minutes, and preferred to leave Lucas with a taste for more. And indeed she did...
Throughout that night, Eli received endless compliments, which raised her self-esteem. Apparently, her black dress was still making an impact... just like the last time, when it had made her feel as attractive and flattered as she was now. It was a couple of years ago at the wedding of her best friend, Ema. The memories of that day gave her a bittersweet feeling. It had been one of the happiest nights of her life, but at the same time the beginning of a painful nightmare that would permanently mark her life and completely destroy her relationship with Ema.
Eli often thought about her, missing her, regretting her absence and not bei
ng able to share together what she was experiencing. All... because of a fight that really did not make any sense.
At the party, an abundant and varied buffet offered everything: meats, fish, pasta and a colourful range of salads. Within minutes, everyone, without exception, was eating. And as the waiters removed the empty plates of the main course, different dance contests started—beginning with the limbo. All the participants had to pass, without losing their balance, leaning backwards under a stick held close to the floor. The acrobats who managed to do it faced another stick closer to the floor, and so on over and over again until there was a winner...
Eli was not one of the best, but good enough to not embarrass herself.
At the same time, a few metres away... the dance floor was opening up in the middle of the room.
“Are you coming to dance?” asked Fran, startling her from behind.
“Obviously,” said Eli enthusiastically and followed her friend to the floor.
An invitation to dance could never be declined. For Eli, dancing was much more than a form of entertainment; it was her passion. As a little girl, she had dreamed of being a professional dancer, singer or actress. Her mother enrolled her in ballet, jazz, theatre and other classes, and in all these activities Eli stood out. Her talent was… remarkable. But her enormous potential remained just that—great potential never realized.
Having learned from her past experiences, Eli knew that life often takes us on a different path than the one we dreamed of. Doors close, opportunities slip out of our hands or simply... bad luck. We may live a whole life searching for reasons, wondering why, wasting an entire existence with our own actions. Or we can wake up in time and learn to trust that things happen for some reason, and that undoubtedly it was not the best thing for us at that moment...
Maintaining that degree of faith is not an easy task, and in fact... Eli would still need a few years and several blows before she could open her eyes, grow and mature beyond that naïve little girl.
Dreams for Eli faded one by one until the day came when she did not even remember that, at some point in her not-so-distant past, she knew how to dance or sing and that she really did so very well. She was thinking about this when, making her way through a few tables, she, along with Fran, joined other co-workers who were already on the dance floor, quickly becoming the centre of attention.
Throughout the night, people had their fill of drinks, dancing and jumping as if there were no tomorrow. Meanwhile, Eli, as usual, had her fill of juice and water, since she did not like the taste of alcohol in any form. Even so… she seemed to be just as drunk off the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the energy she was absorbing from everything around her.
The only thing lacking in the farewell night... was time...
To prevent its employees and representatives from oversleeping and missing their flight, the management of the company called them all together at twelve thirty sharp at the door of the hotel. In principle, it was a good idea, but not exactly to everyone’s liking. The obedient ones went off to their respective rooms, whereas some rebels refused to put an end to such a magical night...
Unlike Fran, who, as always, preferred to do the right thing and respect orders, Eli chose to stay along with a dozen other people, a decision that was motivated by Lucas’s presence. But it is also true that adventure, danger and risk were components of a major dose of adrenaline and a feeling to which El... had grown accustomed...
Settling into the seats at the hotel bar, the little sinners exchanged jokes, creating a wave of laughter. Some of them laughed for the simple reason that they were drunk, while others laughed because they were infected by the laughter around them. When all the jokes were exhausted, some surrendered to tiredness and went off to sleep, while the rest remained engaged in a philosophical conversation as if the night was young and the day infinite.
Suddenly... a simple comment by Eli on a spiritual book she had been reading lately managed, without it being planned, to catch the attention of Lucas. Surprised to discover that they had a subject of common interest, he decided to join the conversation, taking the empty seat... right next to Eli!
In a few seconds, Lucas was drawn by her wise words, deep thoughts and her way of expressing them, recognizing that never before… had he really listened to her. That woman who seemed to have only one interest in life: to succeed in getting her claws on him and entrapping him, suddenly showed herself to be an intelligent, sensitive and very interesting person. That was how Lucas became fascinated with her way of looking at life and how much she was like him, as he thirstily drank in… everything she was saying.
From one minute to the next, tiredness turned into interest, and indifference into passion, and as the hours went by, there were fewer and fewer people remaining...
Eli and Lucas barely noticed when someone was leaving, telling them goodbye. Even then... they did not even take the time to turn their heads or pay attention. They seemed surrounded by a circle of energy that no one else could penetrate.
And so, without realizing it, suddenly they were completely alone...
The clock was showing three forty-two in the morning, which meant that the flight was approaching, but neither of the two… seemed to be in a hurry.
Without prior warning, all of a sudden... a powerful silence wrapped around them.
Eli looked down and took a deep breath...
“Can I tell you something, Lucas?” asked Eli, trying to calm her trembling.
“Of course, Eli... whatever you want...,”
“I feel the time has come to confess my truth...,”
Eli whispered this phrase, praying that Lucas would not be frightened by the unexpected outburst of sincerity that had attacked her...
“What truth are you talking about? I don’t understand you,” he said, confused.
“The truth about why I’ve been pursuing you all this time... and the reason for my strange obsession...”
He smiled timidly...
“Don’t worry, Lucas, you don’t have to pretend. You would have been blind not to realize...”
“I’m listening, Eli...,” said Lucas, intrigued.
“Well, I’ll tell you... I just hope you’ll be able to understand me...,” Eli closed her eyes, filling her lungs with air and courage. “Three months ago I went to see a fortune teller... you know... those who read the future... Lena is not just any fortune teller, but a very serious psychic who knows things about my family and... my past, things she had no way of knowing... In short, and without beating around the bush... she told me that you would be my husband...”
A heavy silence cut through the air. Eli opened her eyes slowly, fearing that she would find that Lucas was no longer there...
However... Lucas remained in the same place and, surprisingly, did not look scared.
“Eli, I’m sorry...,” he said carefully so as not to aggravate the situation. “I’m not interested in anything serious with anyone. My experience, as you already know, was not one of the best, to put it mildly. Therefore, I will never marry again. Please, don’t get me wrong… I respect and am drawn to the whole subject of the metaphysical and the afterlife, but some people are simply mistaken... I’m afraid that this person Lena... was wrong.”
Lucas’s words were slashing Eli’s agonizing heart without anaesthesia, but at the same time his gentleness and sensitivity... soothed her.
“It’s not my intention to hurt you,” Lucas continued, noticing Eli’s shining tears, “but... we could be friends, couldn’t we? I would love that,” he added, trying to soften the blow.
The catatonic state into which Eli had now fallen hindered her ability to respond. One more sigh would have sufficed to open with full force the infinite waterfalls of the universe... Eli was trying to swallow the knot clinging to her vocal cords and to rescue as best she could her trampled dignity. But unfortunately... now there wa
s nothing remaining... none of it was left.
Resigned and surrendered to the final result of her countless attempts, she barely replied:
“It’s all right, Lucas. I will never bring up the subject again, I promise you... Nor will I continue to pursue you as I’ve done so far. I respect your decision.”
“In other words... you accept me as a friend?” he asked gently, looking her in the eye.
“Yes, Lucas,” Eli tried to smile. “From today on we’ll be friends. Forgive me, I’m going through a difficult phase and I think... I needed to feel an embrace again... a caress. A little while ago, someone left too big of a scar on my heart. Perhaps I tried to sustain myself with a dream where you were the prince who could save me... Forgive me... I was wrong.”
“Come here, Eli. Sit beside me,” Lucas asked tenderly, reaching out an arm to her.
Eli allowed herself to be carried almost like an automaton. Her mind and soul were exhausted.
Sitting down by her side, Lucas sheltered her against his chest, protecting her with his wings, trying to contain her obvious pain.
“See, Eli? A friend can also give you a hug,” he said, holding her close to him.
Eli fell silent... What sense did it make to answer by saying that it was more than a friend’s hug she needed? So she let her body rest in the arms of her beloved, his caress consoling her and relieving her sadness.
After a long moment of catharsis, Eli got up, adjusting her dress. She had been assaulted by the feeling of being defeated, of being shattered, and she could not wait to get to her room to forget her plans, dreams and fantasies...
“Good night, Lucas,” she said almost solemnly. “Thanks for… understanding me.”
And she left without him.
She had not taken three steps when she heard:
“Wait, Eli, I’ll walk you...”
As they passed through the lobby, both preferring to remain silent, Lucas watched her closely. Her sadness... moved him and her delicate body... confused him. Her transparent silence... enveloped him. Suddenly, Eli looked different. She was a woman... he had never met before.