Chapter 6
1381 Words
She had been living there for quite some time and never greeted anyone, nor did anyone in the
visited her, except for three clients who came every week.
Sometimes she was called from the apartments for a serVice, but she never went. Her work
was at home, whoever wanted the serVice should go there. For the houses she did it
at the time, only with the desire to emancipate herself.
Once achieved, to what end to return to yesterday?
One day, perhaps, he could set up the business in a first floor, pay all the fees
and look for specialized personnel. That was his goal. And persevering
as he was, he believed he could achieve it.
He went to the door thinking about all these things. The new ringing of the doorbell
indicated that the person, whoever it was, was in a hurry.
So let him wait.
Besides, he didn't plan to open it all the way. He would leave the security chain on, lest
lest some uncontrolled person had slipped through the doorway and tried to rob her.
to rob her. She had money at home. The money she had collected in two days. Because of laziness, she had not gone to the bank.
to go to the bank. Therefore, if she was robbed she could be robbed of a good amount.
-I'm coming,- she said at the third call.
The caller could not hear her footsteps, because of the carpet that covered the entire floor.
the floor.
He opened the door and left the security chain on.
She didn't know him for the moment. But then she almost jumped.
The gynecologist doctor, only without glasses.
And no white coat, of course.
-Hello,- he greeted her.
-Well...
-You weren't expecting my visit?
-No, of course not.
-I've come to bring you news of Daniel Fanjul... I promised you, remember.
-Ah!
He let go of the chain and opened wide.
-Come in, come in...
-Good evening, by the way,- he greeted.
-Good evening.
He let him in and Alfredo crossed the room.
-Come this way,- she said. We'll be better in the living room.
Alfredo thought Juan was right.
It was a very comfortable duplex. Tastefully furnished. No luxuries,
no frills, no frills, but very cozy.
He followed the young woman. He observed her slender figure. The fine corduroy pants
modeled very well her rounded hips, with no hint of pregnancy yet. Already
was a known fact. First-time mothers were slow to put on weight. There were those who didn't show it
almost until the end.
-Sit down,- she invited him as they arrived in the living room, a beautiful little room with functional light colors, plants and books
and books, as well as pictures on the walls and the whole floor covered with a golden carpet.
Make yourself comfortable, doctor.
-It's not a good hour, is it?
-The best for me. I finished late tonight, had dinner and was going to sit down to watch TV.
TV.
-I felt that what I had to tell you was of some importance. -Well, I think a lot.
Well, I think a lot.
-But sit down -and he asked again. -Whiskey?
-A brandy, if you have it.
-Of course, of course. I never drink myself, but I always have something for what might happen.
happen.
He walked over to a bar cabinet, built into the bookshelf. Because of the mirrors
the bottles and glasses were multiplying.
He poured it into a large round glass and went to hand it to her. Then he sat down.
sat down. Alfredo also took a seat.
-You will say.
-It was easy for me to find Daniel Fanjul's family.
-I assure you that I have no interest in the subject. Ido Daniel, everything else
is unimportant.
-But it wasn't what you thought it would be.
-No?
-You'd think the subject didn't interest her at all.
She looked off into the distance.
-Nothing! -she said. Absolutely nothing.
-Yet you claim to be the father of her child.
-Well?
-You are thinking that he shirks his responsibility.
-And he hasn't?
Before answering, Alfredo raised his glass to his lips and took a sip.
Then he stared at her. One could say that he was trying to scrutinize him, to know what this peculiar young woman
what that peculiar young woman would feel before the news he was about to give her.
* * *
-The same day Daniel left you, the same morning. Because it was
morning, wasn't it?
She affirmed without understanding, just with a nod of her head.
-He was hit by a car.
I expected that reaction. She could be made of stone and hard as a rock, but not as hard as she wanted to make it seem.
not as hard as she wanted to make it look.
She got up and stood before him.
Her blue eyes shone strangely, as if in fear.
Then she sat down again.
-Dead? -she asked.
And her voice had a brassy undertone, rising with difficulty from her throat.
-Yes.
-Oh!
And she stared at the ground, as if abstracted.
You'd think she hadn't heard anything. But Al knew that she knew for sure from her answers.
but Al knew he knew for sure from her answers.
-It was all very fast, Alice,- she said slowly. The hit-and-run was brutal.
He couldn't say a word. They put him in the hospital dead. Logically,
They called his family. You did not figure at all, because just as Daniel did not talk about his parents and siblings, he did not talk to them about you.
Daniel didn't talk about his parents and siblings, he didn't talk to them about you either.
-Dead! -he repeated.
-The same day, the same morning. I was certainly going to buy the cradle.
crib. And she never thought of leaving it.
Alice quietly took a cigarette out of a box. She showed it to him
open. Al took one silently.
She took out the lighter and offered him a light.
Al noticed that her fingers, holding the cigarette, trembled perceptibly.
perceptibly.
-I'm sorry, Alice.
-I'm sorry, Alice.
-The relatives picked him up and buried him in the family vault.
Another silence.
-I don't know that family, but I know a little more about them. It's a wealthy
family, but a normal one. They live like so many others. They have a cement business.
They have two other sons, who are engineers, and they work with their father. The only sister is married to an embassy attaché.
sister is married to an embassy attaché. They live in Latin America....
The fact that Daniel was away for days at a time was not too surprising either. They are
liberal enough to accept their children's way of life, no matter how strange it may be.
they may be. What they are unaware of is his existence. If Daniel lived his own way and had no
connection to the cement business, it was assumed that tomorrow he would have his own separate life.
he would have his own separate life.
He was catching on.
And it hurt.
At least, in a way, it restored her peace to think and know that Daniel had not left her alone.
had not left her alone.
-I have outside connections. I didn't mention you at all, but I can get close to that family.
I can get close to that family.
She raised her face sharply.
A hard expression seemed to cross her.
-Do you expect Daniel's parents to take care of my son?
Her voice was vibrating.
Alfredo was a little shaken.
-If you wanted it that way....
-Of course not.
After a pause, he asked:
-What will you do in the future?
-What I am doing.
-But Daniel's parents... they can help you.
-I don't need it. I'm just comforted by the fact that Daniel didn't run away.
escaped. If he's dead... I'm sorry to hear it. I'd rather that than consider him an
ungrateful.
Alfredo stood up.
-Well,- he said, -I have done my duty... I hope you will continue to come to my office periodically.
I hope you will continue to come to my office periodically.
-Of course.
-You don't want advice, do you?
She was quick. Almost abrupt.
-No.
- Writer
