Blind
-I thought Ryder was finished. Laura blocks the lower part of the entrance with her foot.
-I have one day left. I answer, jumping over his leg and then caressing Muttley's head, who is attentively planning how to avoid his owner and escape to the street.
-Not the cap! I'm sure it will be deducted from my salary as if it were new.
Muttley feigns deafness. He waits for a distraction to take the loot to bed. Loves to hide it under his plush blanket.
-If he breaks it, you pay for it," he pointed to his mother. I don't want to say goodbye to my job with a stain on my record.
-And how many have you lost?
-Here's the mother defending her little criminal son. Let me do the math-I squeeze my fingertips. Two. The day of the storm, one. With the little old lady pushing the vegetable cart, two. The dance on the Gran Via, three. Maybe it was three.
-Dance?
-You should see him. That kid is a dead ringer for Michael Jackson.
Laura shakes her head before losing herself in the kitchen.
-When do you start at the agency? -Karina comes out of the bathroom with wet hands.
-Monday I start training.
-Training?
-Blake will be in charge of showing me around the agency and showing me his movement.
-His movement, of course.
Karina sits at the table with a smile on her face.
-That's good news," Laura approaches with a tray of stew and roasted vegetables that stirs passions.
-Will you marry me? -I ask, sniffing the food. Muttley decides to imitate me.
-I would if it weren't for the fact that you're already taken. And with a surplus of candidates.
-Candidates? -Pillada?
-Don't come with airs of innocence, we know each other. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about.
-Do I know?
Karina accepts the tray of juicy veal madrile?a.
-On the left side and with all the points in his favor we have the enigmatic Blake. Laura's hands cover her lips, betboxing the crowd. Not even Muttley can match her as a clown.
-And on the right side we find the impeccable Raul. Karina imitates the sound of a stale sports announcer while Laura jumps like a boxer about to step into the ring.
-Did you see how he looked at her? -Laura directs the question to Karina who claps her hands enthusiastically.
-He was there to invest his money, it is normal that he did not lose his word. I add aioli sauce to the potatoes. A combination that should win the golden fork at patatasardientes.com.
-And I suck my thumb. Not at all. I was gawking at you.
-And Blake about to jump out of the cockpit to hang him," Karina completes the plate with a roasted asparagus while laughing. By the way, have you watered the fern yet?
-What? -No! We don't...
-Sofi, don't stutter so much, we know each other very well.
-Can you see me that much?
-Not as much as him, but yes. Laura uncorked the wine and began to pour the glasses. So was there or wasn't there mandanga?
-Are you really my friends? -The two looked at each other intrigued as if a stork had fallen from the sky in the middle of the room.
-That's why we asked. What else do we friends do? He looks like a fireman's hose," Karina could no longer contain her laughter.
-Did he tie you to the chair Christian Grey style?
-I see him more as one of those who throws himself on the bed and leaves you like a little piece of paper," Karina keeps laughing. Come on, baby, tell us. Was it a hard sack or one of those with a playful flash drive?
-I don't know your flash drive yet. I bury my head in the salad after answering.
-Still! That means there was some of the other stuff. Count it!
-There's not much to tell," they both chew in complete silence. Or maybe there is, I don't know, I'm a mess. He says he likes me, but he'd rather wait.
-Waiting for what? -Karina takes a short sip of wine.
-She says she wants me convinced. That he likes me, but that he needs more. He says he wants to see me...
-Does he want to see you? -Both stretch their necks.
-In love with him. He wants me to forget Rubén and everyone. He says he wants to be the last.
-Karina screams. Laura fans herself with the napkin.
-I'm dying!
-He is a divine.
They sigh with exaggerated puffs of air to the sky.
-I'm a mess.
-Are you stupid?! You've got one hell of a boy with a crush on you. Baby! You've got the winning number. You love it and he loves you. I'm dying of love -Laura simulates a Victorian romance protagonist fainting.
-To be more precise, it is a "requited" love. Karina answers while she vents with the napkin to the fainting woman.
-They noticed that too," I say, nibbling on a carrot as I remember my statement on the last radio show. I'm a mess.
-Baby, we and all the blind people in Madrid realized it.
-Karina shows me her hands in a praying position. I don't find her apology very convincing.
-What do I do? We don't know each other that well. What if it ends up being a fiasco?
-What if the world ends tomorrow? What if aliens attack us? -Karina mocks my intelligence.
-What if the Vikings invade Madrid?
-Vikings? -Karina and I looked at Laura with surprise.
-What? Everyone has the right to imagine what they want.
I shake my head before popping a piece of bread in my mouth.
-Sofi, you have to jump into the pool and swim. Karina resumes her voice-over.
-I was never afraid to swim.
-No, your thing is always more related to the abandonment thing. Baby, Ruben was an asshole you should have cut off a long time ago. And as for your mother, we don't know anything about her. Maybe she was forced to leave you with your grandmother, or who knows, life has too many nooks and crannies to know them all. The important thing is that you are great, beautiful, intelligent and you deserve the best.
Karina applauds Laura's words and then adds.
-We're with you. From today we are Team Blake . I stuff a huge piece of meat in and chew it as best I can. Sofi, it's been two years since you've come and gone with that bastard Ruben. That idiot deserves to go to the world of the forgotten and make way for a new eggplant," he says, poking one from the vegetable platter while winking at me.
-We slept together from time to time, but it hasn't meant anything to me for a long time.
-Then go get Blake," Karina says, biting into a Padrón bell pepper, one of which she assures herself that some are hot and some are not. -She shouts before downing her glass of water and pouring herself a second one.
- You should throw yourself on his bed.
-Yes, take advantage of when he's asleep and get inside. Laura completes Karina's crazy idea.
-Or better yet, prepare a romantic dinner, stain his shirt with sauce, unbutton the first button and mmm.
The doorbell starts ringing so many times that we fear a fire is breaking out in the building.
-Come in, Mr. Eager. Muttley jumps like crazy when he sees Anthony through the door.
-Is there anything left? I tried to get rid of the gym secretary, but it was impossible. The woman is desperate," he says as he swings his lout's head from side to side. What am I interrupting?
Anthony sits next to me and thanks Karina for refilling his wine glass.
-Nothing important. We were talking about the lies Sofia must tell to sneak into Blake's bed.
-High. -Lift! -. I hit him with the palm of my hand on his back.
-I think I've missed quite a bit. The puffy cheeks barely allow him to speak.
-They are exaggerating. You know them.
-Sofi and Blake have been eating each other's mouths. Laura blurts out without anesthesia.
-That's nothing new.
-You too?
-Cari, "totally and madly reciprocated". Anthony reaches out to pick up the meat platter. We saw that until...
-The blind of Madrid! -The two clowns answer. Anthony raises his glass in a toast to them.
-The problem is that Blake doesn't want sex.
-How?
-He told our Sofi that for now, no churro dipping.
-He's gay. Anthony shoves in a huge piece of meat and starts chewing on it.
-He's not gay," I feel obliged to defend him. He says he doesn't want to be one more. He wants to see me in love with him.
-Ummm, very nice. It's gay.
-You are insufferable.
Anthony smiles at me.
-I'm kidding. Let's see, I'm not one of those guys. I know sensitive guys who are looking for more than just sex. You see, there are the ugly ones, the lame ones and... the gay ones.
The three of us throw paper napkins at her while she covers her face with her arms.
-Don't make fun, we are facing a terribly serious problem.
-Really? -Anthony replies to Laura with a big shake of his head, "Getting Sofi into Blake's bed is not a problem. What's weird is that it didn't happen. You only have to look at him to see how caught up he is. Funny thing for a guy like him.
-What do you mean, a guy like him? -The girls are as interested as I am.
-Sofi, Blake is not the type to have problems with girls. At the agency, they sigh as they watch him walk by.
The thought of so much competition makes me feel like an insignificant gnat with a desire to be swatted by someone else.
-But he said he likes her, why would he lie to her?
-I didn't say that. I'm just saying it's weird to see him so caught when....
-When? What do you know? -Laura points at him with her fork.
-Nothing," he says, swallowing.
-Karina also threatens him. She is more forceful and uses the knife. Muttley, frightened by so many weapons, positions himself next to his playmate.
-I don't know anything. I swear I don't. It's just that...
-What? -All three of us spoke at the same time.
-All this talk about his interest in living with her, or the agency job, or the radio. And now this thing about being in love, doesn't that seem too strange?
-What do you mean by strange? I studied journalism. I think I'm very capable of handling the agency's public and commercial relations. Besides, I'm going to have a training course.
-Cari, it's not that," he holds my hand tightly, "you know that I trust you like no other. I myself did the impossible to get you into the agency, I'm just saying.... Nothing. I don't know what I'm saying.
-You're jealous because someone better looking than you has come along.
-Anthony raises his glass to Karina.
-Do you think he's lying? -My voice trembles.
-No. I think he likes you madly.
-That's great. Sofi deserves a crazy and passionate love.
Anthony does not answer.
The four of us continued our dinner and toasted until the closed night found us sprawled on the couch.
We say goodbye and I take advantage of the solitude of the portal to ask my friend.
-Up, before, it seemed to me that you don't quite trust me. Anthony, please, if you know something I don't, now is the time to tell.
-I swear I don't know anything," he says, holding my hands in his, "it's just that I'm very different. You know me. For me, sex comes first, sex comes second, and third, goodbye, good riddance.
-Do you think he's a lying fool?
-I think it's a lot less silly. Honey, as long as I live no one will ever hurt you, you know that?
-I know.
-Then do what the girls say. Surrender to your feelings. You deserve to be loved with your heart," Anthony hugs me tenderly. Besides, if he dares to hurt you, I'll cut his balls off.
-You don't like something. And you don't tell me.
-Sofi, I don't want...
-What is it?
-I don't want you to fall into the arms of another wretch like Ruben, that's all.
-And what else?
Anthony moves from side to side. It's not because of the cold. The night is spring-like and he never feels cold. He's like a walking hot water bottle.
-When I saw him so excited about you, I asked a few questions. And you know I love you," I nod through my teeth, biting my tongue to keep from crying. His voice doesn't sound optimistic. Apparently he's had several affairs. None of them for more than one night. They say he took models to his bed that he never knew or even cared about by name.
-How do they know so much? He lives in Baltimore.
-Young, handsome and managerial. They're dying to get into his bed. Email gossip flies.
-Do you think I'm a game?
-I only ask you not to give him your heart. Not yet.
-I have to go. It's late.
-I'll give you a ride.
-I prefer to walk.
-Sofi...
-I'm fine.
I leave without giving you time to reply. My heart is heavy with tears. I'm going to be abandoned before they take me to bed. A record in the list of fools.