Chapter 27
That morning, Maite has gone to the store twice, and both times the same thing has happened: she has found Olga spaced out, absorbed, lost in a parallel world while serving customers like a machine. She looks at her with concern and when she finds a gap, she goes out again and grabs her by the arm.
"What are you doing?" Olga asks when Maite pulls her.
"Leave that and take off your apron. You and I are going for breakfast."
"Again?" Olga glances at the clock; it's almost eleven.
"Well, you take whatever you want. I'm a little hungry," Maite argues.
Olga doesn't protest. She's so overwhelmed that she welcomes the chance to get some air before the walls close in on her. They go to one of the nearby cafes where they make churros that drive Maite crazy.
"Okay, what's wrong with you?" she fires as soon as her plate arrives with a cup of hot chocolate.
Olga couldn't resist and has ordered the same.
"Did you talk to your daughter yesterday?" Olga asks.
"No. Why?"
"She called me in the afternoon. She went to talk to her boss to ask for dismissal."
Maite falls silent and grabs a churro before fixing a worried look on Olga.
"Bad move," she opines, "it's too hasty."
"I know, but don't worry. Her boss made her a counter-offer, increasing her salary and making her section head if she stays."
Her mother can't help but smile with pride, but it doesn't last long because seeing Olga suffer isn't pleasant for her.
"Did she accept?"
"She says she's thinking about it," Olga shrugs and leaves the churro she was about to dip in the chocolate on the plate.
"And you're terrified of what she'll decide," Maite concludes.
"I'm really happy for her, Maite, truly," she says with a sigh, and her friend knows she's sincere, "but if she accepts, I can't continue with what we have. I don't want to," she admits, feeling a ball of anxiety rise in her chest. "It's barely been two days since she left, and you have no idea how much I miss her. I don't want this to go any further. I won't be able to bear it, nor do I want to settle for seeing Violeta on weekends."
"What if you go there?" her neighbor proposes, aware of the blow Olga's loss will be for Violeta.
"And what would I do there? I just bought the house, Maite, and finding work isn't that easy. Besides, I like my life here. I know I'm selfish, but I can't spend my days counting the hours until I see her or getting stressed when she arrives because I know our time is limited. That's not the concept of love I have, Maite."
"I understand you," she says and affectionately takes her hand across the table, "I wouldn't want a relationship like that either," she admits with a sigh.
"So what do I do now?" Olga asks, downcast.
"You know I'm not going to interfere, and I told you that unless you do something really bad, you can always count on my friendship, Olga. The only thing I'm going to ask you is not to tell her what you think yet. Let her make a decision on her own, because if you tell her that if she accepts the position she loses you, we both know she'll reject it."
"Don't worry, I would never do that. I don't want her to make such a decision because of me and then blame me for it if things don't work out between us."
Maite smiles, pleased, and squeezes her hand again.
"In any case, Olga, if your relationship ends up breaking because she stays, you know you'll see her again. Violeta will come around here, and probably more frequently just to see you."
"I know, and it will be hard. Who knows, maybe over time I'll swallow my words and settle for seeing her a couple of days a week."
"Well, don't rush yourself either, Olga. Let's let Violeta do what she thinks is right, and based on that, you decide what you need to feel better."
Olga makes a face and smiles gratefully for her support, although she's very clear about it. She doesn't believe in long-distance relationships, at least not for long.