Take him!

by Parejo, Sandra

  “She says that because she’s angry. You don’t listen to her.”

  I realize they had a big fight and I can’t help smiling to myself.

  As my niece sees I don’t fall for it she decides to change the topic, but I don’t like it at all, so she decides to do it:

  “How was the party of Álvaro’s parents?”

  “Fine.” I lie, a lot.

  As she sees she doesn’t get much information about that topic she decides to change the subject and she tells me things about the boy she likes and doesn’t like her back, which selfishly makes me happy, as I think that, if he doesn’t like her back, she won’t suffer like her aunt the idiot, that is me.

  Finally, we say goodbye and we agree to speak next week.

  On Tuesday I’m worse than on Monday.

  I’m a lost soul, but the girls, who don’t see reason, force me to eat out with them. I warn them, well I kind of threaten them, that if I run into Álvaro I’ll rip their heads one by one and I’ll eat them later. They immediately realize my condition thanks to my subtle comment.

  Thanks to my warning, they decide to go to a quite shabby café where I’m sure we’re safe, as it’s not Álvaro’s style.

  Then, the annoying begin:

  “What happened?” Angélica asks.

  I tell them about the party first and how everything was going well until the reunion with Paula’s parents, her very pregnant sister Beatriz and the presents for her baby, which Álvaro sent behind my back.

  And they have their first verdict:

  “He did it because he didn’t want to upset you.” Emma defends him.

  “He shouldn’t lie.” Lucía continues, who matches better my opinion.

  “And that’s the reason why you’re like that?” Angélica makes fun of me to defuse the issue.

  Then, I continue and add the conversation with the dear cousin and her friend, and there’s a verdict again.

  “Bitches!” Emma says.

  “Evils.” Lucía adds.

  “Sluts!” Angélica states.

  I agree with every nickname that my friends call these witches which they deserve. But they say anything about Álvaro’s attitude and I say:

  “What about him?”

  “I’m sure he would have told you that it was a misunderstanding.” Emma says.

  I don’t answer.

  “You didn’t let him explain.” Lucía realizes.

  I don’t answer.

  “He doesn’t even know why you’re angry.” Angélica resolves, who seems to read my mind.

  I finally nod and I finish explaining my flee from his parents’ home, who I found on my couch a while later and how we broke up.

  “Call him.” Emma says.

  “Noooo.” I tell them, surprised because they don’t understand me.

  I add they last sentence Álvaro told me.

  “Besides, he told me that if he left without an explanation, he didn’t want me to call him ever again… Although I’ll tell you this, I’m not going to do it, ever.” I say sharply.

  “He deserves to know what happened and I’m sure he has an explanation.” Angélica says.

  ―Noooo! And we must leave now, it’s very late ―I sigh in relief and think that I was saved by the bell.

  We stand up and run off to finish our shift.

  On Wednesday, the annoying girls don’t disturb me as we have a staff meeting and we can’t go to eat out so, they can’t tear me to pieces .

  On Friday I go for a walk with the kids in my class, we’re going to visit some stores to see how they work.

  When we’re passing by the Rambla de Sarriá, we see some boys dancing break dance.

  The children and I are delighted and, awestruck, we watch the couple who is dancing.

  We stay there for a while enjoying and watching how they move. It’s a very funny dance although, suddenly, the fun is over.

  In front of me, I see Álvaro and his colleague Pablo walking down the sidewalk.

  When I see him, my heart beats faster and my whole body shakes. He’s gorgeous with that navy blue suit that he’s wearing and with that firm walking.

  Luckily, none of them seem to see me, but suddenly, Álvaro raises his head for a second and with his cold gaze, he looks at me and continues talking.

  I freeze when I see that look, which makes me very angry and my children pay the consequences as I ask them to make a line to go back to the school.

  At the weekend I’m bad, very bad.

  I have weak moments, as I would call Álvaro right away. Some other moments are full of anger, with me and with that bigmouth; and some others, which are most of the moments, I can’t stop crying. In the end, I stay still and I don’t do anything until Monday comes.

  Week 17

  I have a very sad week, but about all, I’m angry.

  I still don’t understand why Álvaro had to tell his cousin Noelia and her friend Irene, our private conversation about me wanting to get married.

  After a few days without him, the pain for not seeing him and not being able to touch him, taste him, smell him… doesn’t weaken, but I know one day it will stop hurting like this.

  One afternoon, I leave the school one hour later than the rest because I stay preparing an activity for my class.

  I decide to walk quietly until the train station, even if I know I can run into Álvaro, but I don’t care. I might even like to. What can I do? I’m a masochistic.

  When I pass by a café near the school, to my surprise, I see inside Angélica with a man.

  The first thing I think is that she’s with a new pickup and I’m happy for her. But suddenly, I feel something breaking inside me, as I perfectly know who is the man who is with her even if I can’t see his face, I only need a minute to take in she’s with Álvaro.

  My blood boils, my heart aches, I grey out…

  I think it’s horrible that they didn’t take long for both of them to run into each other, I’m getting sick.

  I’m more angry with me than with them, I think that it was obvious. I knew that I couldn’t trust any other woman, even if she swore she was my friend, every time a man is in my life this will change. And that happened again, and Álvaro failed me again.

  My face is filled with tears and this time I cry for two reasons: for him, because I feel in love and for her, because I thought it was worth to be her friend.

  And elder man, when he sees my condition, comes closer to me worried and asks me:

  “Miss, are you okay?”

  I nod in tears.

  “Do you want to sit down?” He points at some chairs at the terrace of the same café where those two are.

  I run off and go to my home.

  I get there with no tears left in my eyes and my heart broken.

  Now I know I must leave, I can’t continue living here.

  On Thursday early in the morning, I call my work and I tell them I need some days to solve some family issues. They don’t have any inconvenient, they know me and know that if I take those days off, it’s because I really need them.

  At nine in the morning I take the underground to Sants Station, I need to be alone, think and be away from here. This is why, I take the first high speed train which goes as far as possible and it takes me to the city of Seville.

  When I arrive in this beautiful city from the South, I only look for a cheap hotel room, where I lock myself to think and cry. I feel like I did two years earlier, this is, as betrayed and hurt as I did.

  I decide to turn off my phone, I know Angélica will call me sooner or later pretending she’s worried about me, so I don’t have any intention of tuning it on for a single second.

  After a few hours in that hotel room in Seville and sick of crying, I decide to go for a walk.

  Being a place so different to my city calms me down, I know I’m safe from everything and everybody.

  I spend the Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the same attitude. And I still haven’t decided what I want to do with my l
ife.

  I know I’ll have to change the city and Seville seems to be perfect, but it makes me sad to be so far from the only thing I care in this life, Carla. I’ll also have to look for another school to work, a new apartment, etcetera. But I’m so dense that I can’t decide anything.

  Week 18

  On Monday, from a pay phone, as I refuse to turn on my phone, I call the school to inform them that I can’t go back yet. The principal is anxious because I don’t tell him anything and asks me to speak with Angélica for a moment, as she requested that if I call, she will speak with me.

  “Joaquín, I can’t right now. I’ll call back soon.”

  And I hang up.

  I know it isn’t the best way to treat my superior, but I’m not in the mood for good manners.

  At night, I go to the same pay phone from where I called the school this morning and I decide to call my little niece. I know it’s Monday and she’s keeping an eye on the phone.

  I’m not going to tell her anything and I hope she’s busy enough for trying to hang up on me as soon as possible.

  “Auntie?” I hear her say anxiously.

  “Hello ho…” She cuts me off.

  “Where are you? I’ve called you a thousand times.” My heart breaks. I know something is going on.

  “What is it?” I ask scared.

  “Everything is awful.”

  “But what happened, honey?”

  “Aunt Maria is in hospital and mom is devastated.”

  “But what happened?”

  “Come, please.” My little one begs me in tears.

  ―I’m coming right now, it’ll take me a few hours but I’ll be there as soon as possible.

  I grey out and I wish to leave now.

  I hang up and run off to the hotel, I take my things and go to the station. I take a train to Madrid and in Madrid, I get to catch the last high speed train of the day to Barcelona.

  When I get there, it’s later than two in the morning and I take a taxi to the village I left two years ago and swore not to go back ever again.

  At around half past three, the taxi leaves me at the door of my oldest sister’s house.

  Luckily, they didn’t lock the door and I can get in. I go to the living-room where I see there is some light.

  My two little angels sleep curled up on the couch. Carla hugs her brother Gerard. Seeing my little nephew moves me, it is the first time I touch his beautiful face.

  I cover my mouth because my sobs will end up waking them up.

  I also cry because my niece needed me and I was hidden in the other side of the country. I realize that I’m an irresponsible person. Finally, when I stop crying, I lie on the couch with them the best I can and I fall asleep quickly.

  In the morning, a kiss attack from my niece and Gerard’s laughter wake me up.

  They make me smile but they also make me see this is not a nightmare, but reality.

  When I have a moment alone with Carla, I tell her:

  “Carla, tell me please how aunt Maria is and what happened.”

  “She has been in hospital from last Thursday. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I know she’s in a very serious condition “ When I hear serious I get scared.

  “Honey, I’m sorry!” I decide to tell her the truth.

  And I tell her:

  “I had a fight with Álvaro and with everybody and I went to Seville to think. I never imagined that this would happen. Do you forgive me?” I say sobbing.

  “Of course, I already know you’re the best auntie in the world and something must have happened because I couldn’t reach you.”

  She hugs me to comfort me and she gives me a lot of strength.

  Suddenly, she continues saying:

  “Álvaro called me and calmed me down explaining the problem a bit.”

  Has she said Álvaro, or is it my obsession which makes me hear his name? I wonder.

  Carla continues telling me:

  “Then, as he noticed I was overwhelmed because I had to look after the rugrat and see my aunt Maria and mom like that, he came to see us.”

  Is she talking about Álvaro, my Álvaro? I decide to clear up any doubts and asks:

  “What do you mean by Álvaro called you? And you say he came to visit you?” I ask confused.

  “You know… Do you know what happened?” She asks.

  Then she explains:

  “As he couldn’t talk to you on the phone, I called your school and left my number so they could call me if they heard anything from you. Álvaro told me that Angélica had called him and gave him my phone number.”

  Oh!, of course, Angélica… Sure! It’s clear that they’re much more than friends now, I think in anger.

  “And he came here?” I ask incredulous.

  “Yes, he was with me and then he went to visit mom and aunt Maria to the hospital. He has also called me every day to know how we are and if you had come back.”

  A while later, Carla goes to school and I take Gerard to kindergarten.

  On our way, people greet me and are happy I’m back to the village.

  The truth is that everything is how I remembered. The same houses, luckily, the real estate boom didn’t reach here and the streets still have their charm. It seems time hasn’t gone by and I see the same people, who look exactly the same, and do the same things.

  I see Paco with his van delivering bread from afar, Elisa with the mail, Charlie clearing the tables from the terrace… I’m sure time stopped here when I left.

  Afterwards, I decide to see my sisters to the hospital to check how they are and find out what happened.

  As I’m on my way, I tell myself that this situation won’t change anything, that I’m here for my nephew and niece and not for them. They hurt me a lot and that’s why I can’t forget it.

  Maria slept with my boyfriend for years. Lara knew it and told me nothing about it.

  When I get to the hospital, my heart can’t stop beating very fast and my head hurts a lot. But I face my anger and, after asking for María’s room at reception, I decide to go there.

  Lara is the first one to see me and she stands up quickly crying to hug me, although I answer coldly.

  Afterwards, Maria notices my presence and with tears in her eyes, bruised and filled with blood, tells me:

  “I’m sorry, forgive me!”

  Words don’t come out from my mouth and I show myself cold, but a colossal love arises from my inside, the love that our parents offered and taught us. I remember my parents and that sentence my mother used to tell me every time she saw us fight that exact moment: You should love each other, you’re sisters and that will never change.

  And, as I saw the wrecked faces of my sisters, unintentionally and acting my subconscious for me, I tell her:

  “It’s all forgiven, Maria.”

  Then we all three cry, until a nurse comes and asks very concerned:

  “Madams, is something wrong?”

  Lara tells her:

  “It’s been a long time since we last were together.”

  And the nurse tells us that she also has two more sisters and they’re the most wonderful thing she has and of course, that story doesn’t help us to stop the crying and we continue crying for a little longer.

  A while after, when we were clam, Lara tells me what happened.

  Apparently, Maria, fed up with the constant infidelities from Rubén, she decided to break up. One afternoon, Maria had gone to grab some things to the house she shared with the jackass of Rubén and he had decided that Maria should come back together one way or another and of course, Maria refused.

  When he had my sister’s rejection, first he begged, but then, desperately, he slapped her. She reacted and gave him a pair of blows, but he slapped her again and pushed her, and with so bad luck, Maria fell and hit her head with the staircase and lost consciousness.

  What is more, this idiot escaped and left Maria there and the neighbors called the police, scared by the blows and screams that they had
heard.

  I’m astonished by the news, I didn’t know that Rubén was so insane to leave her there and not help her.

  When I’m more clam and I’ve assimilated what happened, I realize that my head doesn’t hurt so much and my heart works at a normal rhythm.

  Honestly, I feel much better now that I’m with my sisters, I imagine how happy Carla will be.

  Suddenly, Lara says:

  “Thank you for sending your boyfriend.”

  I prefer not to tell he’s not and I answer.

  “To be honest, it was his choice.”

  “He’s so lovely, he helped us a lot with María’s surgery.”

  I think I don’t know what they’re talking about and then, Maria says joking:

  “I promise I won’t be near him.”

  I smile at her and I wish deeply she stays true to her promise.

  When I snap out of it, I ask them:

  “How come he helped you with María’s surgery?”

  “You know how everything is with the crisis. She couldn’t have surgery at the hospital we were assigned. Then he arrived and he took charge of the transfer to here and that we could be in this room. Besides, he took charge of the bills, we couldn’t afford all this.”

  My face looks surprised and Maria adds:

  “We thought you knew.”

  I’m amazed, I like what I’m told and my heart beats very fast when I think on Álvaro.

  I decide to change the subject and I ask about the bastard that is Rubén.

  “What happened with Rubén?”

  “The police has been looking for him since Thursday.”

  “Isn’t he under arrest?” I ask surprised.

  “He disappeared and nobody has seen him since.”

  I process all the information and I wonder where he could be.

  When the time to pick up my nephew from kindergarten arrives, I leave and then we go back home, where Carla is.

  When we get in, I hear Carla talking on the phone and telling the person she’s talking to this:

  “Yes, she arrived yesterday.” Pause. “Yes, annoying, my auntie Martina is fine.” Pause. “My aunt Maria? She’s better too, but my auntie Martina can tell you that, she has just arrived. Do you want to talk to her?” Pause. “Oh, okay… Goodbye.”