Return To Be Mine

UNFAITHFUL

ESTEFANÍA

A package arrived early in the morning. I had received it myself, as Juventina had gone to rest after replacing me the previous night. I felt guilty because the poor woman would have to replace me that night so that I could attend the event. She didn't mind helping me.

She always told me that she wished she had had the courage to follow her dreams when she was young, regardless of what her husband thought. A man she ended up fleeing from when she came to the city, as he was abusive and all she did was disappear from his side.

Joshua had sent me the package with one of his assistants who helped him with his business and errands.

I went up to my room, and upon opening the box, I found a beautiful golden dress by Oscar de la Renta. Inside there was a handwritten note from him.

"Put on this dress, I don't want you to arrive in your granny's grey clothes."

How could I tell him that this "grey" outfit, as he called it, was the result of letting his sister do my wardrobe shopping? I sighed. At least I was relieved to know that this time he had chosen the dress because of how beautiful it was. If it had been my sister-in-law, she would have picked the most hideous dress in the world for me, or even show up with a dinosaur costume for me, and that would have been prettier than the last purchases she had brought me on Joshua's orders.

I saw myself in the mirror with my golden dress, with its asymmetrical cut and a one-shoulder Greek style. My hair up and my discreet, yet elegant makeup, gave me the appearance of a high society lady. I wasn't, or at least I didn't feel like one since I married Joshua.

I had to inject myself to cut the symptoms of the flu, fortunately the medicine had taken effect and I woke up with minimal discomfort. I was certain that at least I would have the energy to deal with him during the event.

Jaime was an accomplice of Juventina and mine. Before Joshua's driver came to pick me up, I went to see Jaime. The driver who was more at the disposal of the housekeeper and some employees than of me, at my husband's orders, was my accomplice.

“Mrs., you look beautiful.” The old man smiled at me.

“Jaime. Call me by my name, please.” I smiled at him.

“Fanny.” He smiled at me. I smiled back at him.

“Could you take Juventina with Mrs. Adela?” I took some cash out of my handbag. “And please take her to dinner. Don't tell her that I gave you money. She's capable of going hungry and not having dinner while she takes care of the lady. Please.” I stopped his hand before he protested that he would pay for the dinner. “It's the least I can do for helping me all this time.”

I said goodbye to Jaime just in time, as Joshua's driver had arrived to pick me up. I let out a sigh before getting in the car. I was a bundle of nerves, even though I had done this countless times over the past two years, seeing him and pretending something that had died still made my skin crawl.

Smiling and holding onto his arm, talking to women about how wonderful my husband was made me the liar of the decade, if that award ever existed. I often imagined funny situations to cope with the constant heaviness in my stomach caused by his indifference. At least I had something to laugh or entertain myself with.

When I arrived at the party, my husband was already there. He had sent me a series of instructions to justify our arrival separately. The driver helped me out of the car. I put on my coat to protect myself from the cold and walked into the event venue. It was a party celebrating the anniversary of one of his most important clients and their company.

As I entered, I looked around for my husband, but I couldn't spot him at first glance. I called him on the phone, but he didn't answer because of the music playing accompanied by the muffled voices of conversations in the air. I greeted people with my eyes, nodding my head to everyone who crossed my path and recognized me.

In the end, I ended up wandering around the entire party to finally find Joshua. I was about to approach him, but I stopped when I saw a woman approaching him.

At first, he didn't pay any attention to her until he looked up from his glass, which was on the bar, instantly smiled, and saw the woman next to him. He whispered something in her ear and they hugged each other.

It seemed like an intimate moment. I didn't want to accept that I felt discomfort coursing through my veins and triggering the jealousy that still plagued me when I saw him with someone else.

I sighed resignedly. I turned around and took it as a sign that I didn't have to deal with him that night. Screw him. I grabbed a glass of champagne and continued on my way.

“Fanny, what a thrill to see you here!” I heard my friend Josué's voice, as he had run to meet me.

“Josué!” We greeted each other with a huge hug, one that told us that it was just the two of us against the world.

“How are you? Oh, it drives me crazy that I can't visit you.” My friend stomped his foot on the ground in protest of not being able to receive visitors, again, at Joshua's orders.

“I know, but it's not like we haven't seen each other at the university.” I shrugged.

“Isn't your annoying husband nearby?”

“No. I think he's quite busy.” He saw the look on my face as if I had smelled something bad. Josué twisted his mouth as he imagined what it could be.

“Screw him, friend. It's good that he's busy because I want to introduce you to someone. I know will make you excited to see him, because of the person he is.” He took me by the hand and dragged me to the other side of the room.

We made our way through the guests who were immersed in their conversations.

“Josué, wait.” I can't be going back and forth without being seen with Joshua.

My friend didn't say anything. He continued moving through the crowd until he dragged me to an island of canapés, a place a bit away from the sea of guests.

“Josué, it's so good to see you here!” the man greeted excitedly.

I stood there with my mouth open when I saw that the man in a white tuxedo turned around to greet Josué. To hell with Joshua, I didn't care about anything at that moment except for thanking the miracle before my eyes.

“Professor, this is my friend Estefanía, who I was talking to you about.” Josué introduced me. I took a step forward to greet him with all the nerves in the world.

“Estefanía, Josué has been speaking very highly of you. Marcelino Montes de Oca.” Holy mother. I was in front of one of the most important doctors in the country.

“I... I know who you are. I admire your work very much.” I smiled excitedly to meet such an eminent figure in medicine.

I glanced sideways and saw that Josué had noticed the situation and was on his way to approach the doctor.

I was praying to heaven, the universe, and all the saints that ever existed, that Joshua hadn't heard the doctor's offer about my professional internships.

“What were you doing with that man, Estefanía?” Joshua grabbed my arm to turn me around roughly once the doctor left. He had fury in his eyes, and I had the terror of not knowing if he had discovered me chasing my dream.