Chapter 26
"Are you sure about what you're going to do?" Teresa asks while they eat.
Violeta has shared all the details of her story with Olga, including her feelings and the emptiness inside her since she said goodbye at her mother's house yesterday.
"It's only been a day since I last saw her, but it feels like years."
"I understand that, Violeta, and I support you, but it's a big decision. What if you end up getting tired of working at the bakery? Remember, you said you hated it as a teenager."
"As a teenager, I wanted to try other things and not have my life limited to staying in the village helping my parents at the bakery. I've studied the career I wanted and had the chance to practice it."
"In this crappy place," Teresa laughs, pointing at the building. "I don't blame you for wanting to leave."
"These days at the bakery have been wonderful, Tere. And when I won the Three Kings' cake contest," Violeta pauses with a proud smile, "I know it's a small prize that doesn't mean much, but I felt more proud than when we finish a project here. Besides, although I haven't told my mom, I enjoyed preparing the recipe so much, especially while thinking about how to change it and add my personal touch."
"Damn, are you going to turn into a pastry chef now?"
They both laugh, amused.
"Well, let's go back. Hernán will see me in his office now."
"Poor idiot, he's not expecting the bombshell you're about to drop," Teresa gloats. "I just hope they don't pair me with an incompetent partner. Then I might lose it and have to ask your mom for a job," she jokes.
"Come in, Violeta. How was your vacation?" her boss asks when she arrives at the office.
She sits down and doesn't even answer, knowing he doesn't care and is just being polite.
"I'm here to request voluntary termination."
Hernán looks at her with wide eyes, genuinely surprised.
"Termination? You're leaving?" he asks stupidly.
"Yes."
For the next ten minutes, her boss bombards her with questions, asking if she's going to the competition because he can't believe Violeta wants to leave the company to sell buns at her family's bakery. As she begins to explain that she's tired of not feeling valued in the company, Hernán Carro opens a drawer, takes out a blank sheet, writes something on it, signs it, and extends it to Violeta.
"15% salary increase and I'll make you section head," he says suddenly. "There you have it in writing and signed by me. If you agree to stay, I'll talk to Human Resources tomorrow to apply the increase to your paycheck immediately."
Violeta looks at the paper in her hands, knowing that this time it's serious, and although it comes late, for a moment she can't help feeling puffed up like a peacock. She's done it; it's been enough to tell him she's leaving to get what she's been craving for a long time and knows she's earned.
"What do you say?" her boss asks impatiently.
"I need to think about it."
Violeta leaves the office in a daze. She entered with a fixed idea and didn't expect Hernán to change her options. She reaches her desk but walks past it and sits with Teresa.
"What did he say?"
Violeta shows her the paper Hernán gave her, and her colleague smiles and gives her a hug, although she's unable to react.
"What are you going to do?" Teresa asks her.
"Damn, I don't know," Violeta laments, feeling very confused. "For now, I'm going home and calling Olga. I have to tell her."
Just as seeing Violeta's name on her phone makes her heart race and fills her chest with a current of ants, what she tells her falls on her like a bucket of cold water.
"I'm happy for you, Violeta. You deserve it," she says sincerely, trying not to let the knot in her throat strangle her completely and prevent her from continuing to talk to her.
Violeta appreciates the congratulations but also feels a certain disappointment when she hears it. Deep down, she hoped Olga would tell her not to accept, although she understands why she doesn't. She wouldn't ask her to give up everything to be with her either. Still, her attitude confuses her and makes her doubt whether Violeta really likes her enough or if it has just been a casual fling, that Christmas adventure they've talked about so much and that's going to end just like the holidays are.
"Yes, it's what I've always wanted," she finally answers in a tone that's too dry.
"You told him you're staying, I guess."
"I said I have to think about it."
"Of course."
The conversation becomes so tense and uncomfortable that Olga lies, saying she has to leave, and they say goodbye in a manner that's too cold and dry.