THE CRYSTAL CUP - Chapter Seventeen

 THE CRYSTAL CUP

Chapter Seventeen

- So… is it really over?

- Yes, Ricardo… there is no turning back…

- But why? You know I love you…

- Sincerely? I don't think so…

- Cecilia...

- Look, those who love someone try to do everything for their love... they don't go out there, looking for someone else...

- But I…

- Did you really think I would never find out about the other one?

- It's not what you're thinking… I…

- Look, I think the best thing for both of us is for each one to go their own way. Our marriage hasn't been going well for a long time...

- Cecilia, I...

- You know, Ricardo… I loved you very much. But let's face it... lately all we've been doing is fighting. And that won't do us any good. So I think it's best that we end our affair while there's still a little respect between us... because you know... if we keep going down this road, even that respect will be gone... and then... God only knows what can happen in our life…

Ricardo drank some of the soda that was in front of him. Head down, thoughtful. He wanted to say something that would erase everything that had happened lately, but he didn't know what to say. He lifted his face and looked his wife in the eye. And he saw in these the determination to move forward in their decision.

- Cecilia, I think...

- Look, let's be frank… apart from a signed paper saying that we are married, nothing really connects us anymore. You're absent from my life… you arrive late every day, disappear on weekends, we rarely see each other… we're not getting along at all anymore! Everything between us is a reason for discord, for fighting! And we have already reached the stage of physical aggression. If we don't act now, who can say what will happen to us in the future?

- I love you, Cecilia! You are the love of my life!

Cecilia did not answer. She just looked at her companion and shook her head slightly, demonstrating that she disagreed with his words. She drank the rest of her strawberry juice from her glass, looked at her watch, got up…

- Sorry, it's time for my bus, it already pulled up on the platform. I can't lose him, because I have to work this afternoon... (actually, she had bought a ticket to Campinas, as she didn't want him to know where she was going, really. From there, she would take another bus bound for Cataguazes... no she knew if there was a direct bus from Campinas to Cataguazes, but that didn't matter. What really mattered was that Ricardo had no idea what his final destination would be. She went down the stairs towards the boarding gate. Ricardo accompanied her. was going to enter the gate, Ricardo asked…

- I won't even have a farewell kiss?

She stopped, looked him in the face, again. On tiptoe, she rose and kissed him on the cheek, a sisterly kiss.

- Will I see you again?

- Only time will tell. I really do not know…. Good luck to you!

And she turned her back on him, handed her ticket to the driver and got into the vehicle. Ricardo still called her one more time, but she didn't answer. She looked for her seat, she would be at the back of the bus, again. Ricardo tried to follow, with his eyes, his wife's walk inside the collective, but he was unsuccessful. He resigned himself to standing there, waiting for the car to pull away from the platform and gain the exit gate. He still remained there for some time, even after the car had left. He went upstairs, sat down on one of the benches, and was silent, thoughtful. He stayed there, lost, not knowing exactly what he would do with his life. Well, at least one problem was already solved. The delegate accepted Cecília's explanations about what had happened, and no further suspicion fell on him. Now it was time to move the boat forward. Since his union with Cecília had come to an end, the best thing to do would be to talk to Roseli and take her over officially. But the way things were between the two of them, he wasn't sure that would eventually happen. Damn, his life had been turned upside down in the last few days. He lost his wife, his mistresses were reassessing whether it was worth continuing their affair with him and, at least for the time being, he was forbidden to see his daughter… could things get a little better now? Because honestly, if it got even a little bit worse, he wouldn't know how to get out of the hole he found himself in...

He finally got up and walked to the Metro platform. It was time to move on. And so he did...

It was two in the afternoon. Roseli must have been close to the end of her shift. He decided that the best thing would be to meet her at work and have a serious talk. After all, he had to take action in the face of recent events. And decide at once what they would do with their lives.

- Wow, this is becoming routine, isn't it?

- Hey, we have to talk...

- I already told you… first, you have to resolve your situation…

- But it's already settled. Today Cecília showed up, we went to the police station, we clarified everything… there is no more pending issue on the case.

- Serious?

- Yes… she decided to break up with me. Even she moved out of town. She got a new job in Campinas, and she's going to live there...

- In Campinas? It's not too far…

- I know… can you believe she was there all this time? And here I was, crazy not knowing where she had hidden...

- And now?..

- Well, I'll let her family know where she is… after that, I don't know what could happen…

- And do you know her address? Where are you going to work? Where are you living?

- No, she didn't mean...

- Aha… so you asked, right?

- Hey, if I were you, wouldn't I ask?

Roseli was surprised. She then replied...

- Yes of course! It would be weird if you didn't ask...

The two were silent for a few moments. Ricardo was the first to speak…

- I think you must be hungry, right?

- I had lunch... but yes, I'm hungry, yes...

- Well… then let's eat something while we talk a little.

- And what would we talk about?

- And what else would it be about? About the two of us, of course...

- It is clear…

And they walked down the street towards the main avenue, where there were several snack bars. They ended up going into Ragazzo, which was one of Roseli's favorite places… they went in, chose a table, and placed their order. Ricardo still hadn't eaten anything since the morning, such was the tension he had experienced in the last few days. Now he was finally going to breathe easy. And Roseli was hungry, because her work was heavy and spent a lot of energy. Ricardo ordered a steak parmigiana, Roseli ordered a ravioli. To drink, the two opted for a strawberry juice... he didn't say anything to Roseli, but when the glasses of juice arrived, he remembered Cecília... after all, it was the juice that she drank, when they said goodbye at the Bus Station in Barra Funda. If Rose only imagined it, she would certainly get up from the table at once and strode towards the door. But luckily, she didn't even dream about it. As they waited for their dishes to arrive, they started talking about the last few days. From time to time Rose would ask him a few questions and look at him to gauge her reactions. She was sizing up her mate. She needed to know how reliable he would be from now on. It is clear that he understood his partner's intentions, and he answered very carefully the questions asked by her. He was walking on eggshells, but he didn't want Roseli to see his discomfort at being interrogated like that. What he really wanted was for them to resolve the couple's situation once and for all... or they would be together at once, or they would separate right then and there. What he couldn't do was stay in the rain and water of the last few days...

The dishes arrived, they paused in their conversation and began to eat. They slowly savored their meal, enjoying every mouthful they brought to their mouths. Roseli would close her eyes, thus increasing the sensation of pleasure with each mouthful she ate of her Ravioli... and Ricardo was delighted with his steak...

They finally finished their meal. They didn't want dessert. Ricardo paid, the two left towards the bus stop. They resumed their conversation, this time in a more conciliatory tone.

They sat together this time. They hugged while talking about what they would do from then on. Ricardo asked if she didn't want to move in with him… since she paid rent, it would be good for her, as it would be one less expense… she got a little thoughtful, but at first she thought it was a good idea. She just didn't express that thought.

The bus sped through the city, and in no time they reached their destination. No two drives were as fast as they were on that day. They finally arrived at Roseli's house, just in time for the van from the nursery to deliver little Letícia. When the baby saw her father, she was euphoric, giving her little arms so that he could pick her up. He snuggled her in his arms, and the little one stayed there, enraptured with the presence of the one she loved so much. They entered the house. Ricardo stayed in the living room with the little one, while Roseli went to take a shower and change. She was tired, as the day had been particularly demanding. They had to make a big delivery of clothes to a hotel, and due to the quantity, they almost couldn't handle it. The problem is that if they were unable to meet the agreed time in the contract, the company would have to pay a very heavy fine, and could even lose the customer. Which wouldn't be very good, since he was one of the laundry's biggest customers... but service problems were with the service... at home, he had other things to worry about...

- When are you going back to work?

- On Saturday… and I won’t be off for at least three months… it was the agreement I made with Alberto…

- Wow, but it won't be too hard, will it?

- A little… but at least I won't have any deduction from my salary… he will consider these days that I missed as a leave…

- Even so… Three months without a break is very tiring… even more so in your work… if you are distracted even for a second…

- Yeah, I know... but I was the one who made the mistake... it's time to pay the bill...

- You said you would be promoted...

- Yes, Alberto will put me to train with the articulated… then my salary will improve a lot…

- But you are already licensed for these vehicles, right?

- Yes, but it's one thing to train at the Driving School, it's another to face the avenues on a daily basis. You know these cars don't just go down the aisle. There is papaya with sugar. Only they're going to put me on a neighborhood line... so, you've seen it, right?

- Yeah, you're going to need a lot of luck...

- Rose, changing the subject a little… my house is very big, bigger than yours… and it's my own, I don't pay rent, unlike you…

- AND…

- And I insist again… come live with me there…

- But the house is not yours alone… what if Cecília decides to come back?

- It's a joke, isn't it?

- Why?

- Because my marriage really ended...

- And you're sad...

- Look, it's been four years together... it would be strange if I didn't feel this separation at all...

- I know... but, so what, how do I look?

- I didn't understand…

- If she comes back...

- Roh, she won't come back...

- Okay, but what if she changes her mind and decides to come back to you?

- Rose, even if she came back today… I'm choosing you as my fighting partner…

- I know… the fact that she kicked you in the ass doesn't count, does it?

- Look, my relationship with her fell apart… there's no going back.

- How can I trust that? It's her house, too...

- We made an agreement… I'm going to check with a real estate agency how much the rent for my house would be. And I will deposit for her, every month, half of that amount…

- And she accepted that?

-Accepted... she said she no longer wants to live in São Paulo...

- Yes, but… if they sold the house, with the money raised she could buy a nice house in the countryside… in her place, that’s what I would do…

- I'm glad it's not you who's separating from me...

- Well… shall we wait a bit? Let me think about it... I don't want to regret it later...

- Look, I promise you...

- You can't promise me anything... it's good for us to make one thing very clear... I'm not Cecília...

- I know it…

- Well, then… it's not just me who should think about this union of ours… you'd better weigh the pros and cons well…

- Leticia slept...

-Poor thing... she didn't even take her bottle...

- Do I put her in her crib?

- Yes… then I’ll change her clothes… let the girl rest for a while…