Distilled

chapter 5

Susana was not what we might call an ugly woman. She was tall and blonde and extremely beautiful and elegant, but from the moment she opened her mouth, she lost all her charm. She was rude and insensitive. She treated the employees badly and occasionally played a nasty little joke on me. Mike would often look at me and I could tell he was apologizing. I didn't care what she said, I'd never found a more loving family than Michael's, and every rose has thorns.

After dinner, I stayed in the living room for a while packing a backpack for the next day's classes. He had borrowed materials from Sophie and was getting everything ready. Michael passed through the room and up the stairs and Susana was right behind him, but when she saw me, she changed direction. She came close to me and leaned towards me speaking quietly.

-Look here, inflatable doll. Don't think she's going to steal Michael from me, because that's not going to happen. He may have liked you when he was younger, but now he's with me, and between us, I'm much better than you. And much less round. Have a good night.

Susana went upstairs and left me there. Stop, with tears in your eyes. That shouldn't affect me. I heard that every day from my father. But coming from the mouth of that woman, who had been lucky in life, who had everything, it hurt me more than I could explain.

I finished packing my bag as fast as I could and went upstairs to my room. I cried during the shower and lay down devastated, eventually I even slept, overcome by fatigue.