Chapter 7 #7
I arrived home after eight in the evening.
I took a shower, had dinner, and went to bed early.
Obviously, it wasn’t easy for me to fall asleep; I was too distressed and ended up crying and cursing myself for having allowed the situation to reach this point.
I shouldn’t have entered into this relationship knowing that he was a person incapable of loving me, incapable of bonding and connecting emotionally, which meant that what we had would never go beyond desire and sexual attraction, something so fragile that it would break irreparably with just one argument.
What we had would always be something superficial, and it was clear that when I rebelled against his authoritarian rules, he left and everything ended as quickly as it had begun.
I don't know what time I finally fell asleep, but I was sure I had barely closed my eyes because when I woke up to the sound of the alarm the next day, my body was begging for more hours of sleep.
I got up like a robot and went to the kitchen to make myself a strong coffee. While the revitalizing brew was preparing, I took a quick shower to help wake myself up. That day I had a meeting at ten to present some financial reports and I needed to be fully alert.
After the caffeine did its job, I managed to leave home with a better appearance and quite lucid.
The day at the office was very hectic. I had several meetings and barely had time to eat something or think about my personal life.
That night I had the exhibition that Baco had invited me to and, even though I was exhausted and my spirits were low, I planned to accompany him and enjoy a nice moment with my friend.
I still hadn’t heard from Hermes, and at this point, I thought we wouldn’t speak to each other again.
It seemed ironic that in one of our last conversations we had been considering living together, and a short while later he had left, ending everything.
I tried to console myself by thinking that perhaps this was for the best, perhaps it was good to disappear from his world to save my own.
When I arrived at my apartment, I got ready for the painting exhibition.
I was going to do my best to distract myself and have fun.
For the occasion, I chose a scarlet midi dress with a plunging neckline, thin straps, and a delicate lace hem, paired with black stilettos.
I styled my hair swept to one side in a cascade of waves and did my makeup with smoky eyes and dark pink lipstick.
Baco picked me up at eight because the exhibition was starting half an hour later.
He was wearing an elegant dark blue suit with a white shirt and no tie.
“Hello, gorgeous. How elegant!” he exclaimed.
“Thank you, flatterer. Shall we go?”
“Let’s enjoy tonight, I’m in the mood for a good time,” he said, smiling.
“I always am,” I said, also smiling.
When we were in the car, Baco brought up the subject of his brother.
“Tell me what’s happened with Hermes. He barely speaks to me, and only about work-related matters, and he spends all day locked in his office. I think he only speaks to his secretary and only when absolutely necessary. I guess he’s really pissed off.”
“He doesn’t speak to me at all. We haven’t had any contact since he left my place the day of the argument.”
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, surprised.
“No, but I suppose it’s for the best. I don’t want you to feel guilty because if he made such a drastic decision over something so trivial, it’s because he didn’t really value ‘that’ thing we had,” I stated, remembering the way he had referred to our relationship.
“I’m sure he’ll reconsider. My brother is a blockhead, but it’s obvious he has strong feelings for you and he won’t be stupid enough to lose you.”
I exhaled with resignation. I didn’t want to hear those words because I didn’t want to get my hopes up for something that I was sure wouldn’t happen.
“I’d prefer not to talk about Hermes anymore, really. I can’t cling to what can’t be, and although you want to make me believe otherwise, I assure you that what we had had no future. Can we change the subject?”
“He’s more of an idiot than I thought if he loses you because of his stupid pride,” he stated.
“Tell me about the exhibition, and I also want to know how you’re doing with your paintings.”
Baco looked at me with resignation and began to tell me about the two artists exhibiting that day and then went on to tell me about his new painting. When he described the latter, he did it with such emotion and passion that I began to imagine how he transformed the canvas into a masterpiece.
The art gallery where the temporary exhibition was being held was bright and colorful.
We were greeted with a welcome drink and given the catalog.
We began to tour the place, and I could confirm the passion that Baco felt for this art.
We stopped at each painting to admire it and exchange opinions, but my friend observed everything with such meticulousness that each one took us a good amount of time.
Each painting had a label with its number and the title of the work.
One of them particularly caught my attention, and I was admiring it for a long time, so much so that my friend continued on and left me there.
In the painting, you could see a woman from behind, standing on the banks of a river observing the landscape.
The painting was beautiful, but it conveyed a lot of sadness to me.
That woman transmitted pain; you couldn’t see her face, but her pose spoke of dejection, she seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
I don’t know how long I was observing it, completely absorbed, but it wasn’t until Baco returned and pointed it out that I realized some tears were running down my face.
“Delfi, why are you crying? Is something wrong?” he asked, concerned.
“Am I crying?” I said, wiping away the tears.
“I swear I hadn’t noticed. It’s just that this painting is wonderful, but I was struck by the sadness it conveys.
Don’t ask me why, but I feel the need to enter the painting and hug that woman to give her comfort and ease her sorrow. Don’t you feel something similar?”
“Honestly, I don’t. I agree that the work is wonderful, but it doesn’t convey sadness to me; it conveys peace. You’re very sensitive, and I think these days you’re more sensitive than ever,” he said, looking at me with a certain pity in his eyes.
“You might be right,” I affirmed. “But how can it be that we appreciate different things? I assure you that I only feel her sadness.”
“Art is like that, it fosters emotional reactions in people who enjoy it, the artist seeks to generate that.”
“I believe you because you’re a great artist and you also manage to generate all kinds of emotions with your paintings,” I affirmed.
“And you are a great friend and my number one fan,” he said, putting an arm around my shoulders and smiling.
We spent several hours at the gallery, eating some appetizers served by waiters circulating through the venue and drinking a couple of glasses of white wine.
Baco introduced me to several acquaintances, including the artists, and we spent a long time talking with them.
Afterward, we went to a restaurant for dinner; even though we had eaten some appetizers, my friend said he was ravenously hungry.
We went to a restaurant near the gallery.
Baco ordered “Hake in green sauce with roasted vegetables” and I ordered “Mushroom risotto with crispy parmesan.”
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to upset you, but when we were at the gallery, I thought I saw Hermes.
When he noticed I was looking at him, he slipped away and I lost sight of him.
I looked for him, but I didn’t see him again.
Actually, I’m not sure it was him, it was probably someone who looked similar,” he said, making a gesture with his hand to downplay his comment.
“Why would your brother go to that exhibition? Could he have been invited?” I asked, although I was sure Hermes wouldn’t go to those types of events.
“I doubt it, but you were there, and in that case, my brother is unpredictable.”
“Baco, you have quite an imagination. Your brother didn’t even know which exhibition we were going to, did he?”
“I didn’t say anything, but it’s not very difficult to find out. I don’t think there are many exhibitions in the city right now.”
“Still, I don’t see why he would be there. What interest would he have in being in the same place as us when he’s not even speaking to us? Don’t you see it doesn’t make any sense?”
“There’s no one more blind than the one who refuses to see,” he stated, looking at me seriously.
“Why do you say that? You know I’m not saying this because I won’t accept what you’re telling me. I’m saying it because it’s obvious your brother isn’t that interested in me.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” he said thoughtfully.
“Tomorrow we have a business dinner that we’re both invited to.
We were going to go together, but it’s clear that won’t happen.
I’m thinking of making up some excuse and not attending.
I don’t feel like being in the same place as him and acting like we don’t know each other, because let me tell you, I suspect that’s what’s going to happen. ”
“He’s so stubborn that you might be right, but I wouldn’t miss it. Show him that you can go on with your life; something has to make him come to his senses.”
“I don’t think I have the option of not going because the client is one of the most important ones, and it wouldn’t look good to snub them.”
“Put on your best outfit and rub in his face how well you’re doing.”
“Do I look good?”
“A bit downcast, but you’re beautiful and you shine wherever you go.”
“You say that because you’re my friend and my number one fan,” I said, repeating what he always said to me.