THE CRYSTAL CUP - Chapter Thirty Five

 THE CRYSTAL CUP

Chapter Thirty Five

Ten o'clock in the morning. Sunday. A car stopped at the gate of Cecília's house. The driver sounded the horn, Cecília got out to see who it was... she almost couldn't believe it when she saw that it was her older sister who had come to visit her. And by car... what was this news now? Well, that would find out later. She tried to open the gate and welcomed her sister. They had a lot to talk about. And Cecília had some ideas... Helena couldn't have arrived at a better time...

- Lost in the world, girl?

- No... I just decided to give myself a few days of rest...

-AND....?

- And today my laziness ends... so I decided to visit my favorite little sister...

The two laughed. And they entered the kitchen, which served as a living room and whatever else was needed...

- Do you know that I was just thinking about you?

- Why? Something happened?

- Yes and no... can I ask you something?

- Of course, uh... just ask...

- Would you mind if I went to live with you, in your house, for a while?

- I don't understand, Ceci...

- Well... the answer is simple... it's yes or no...

- You hadn't decided to live here in the countryside?

- Yes, but... honestly... I'm already tired of here.... the place is very quiet...

- I understand...

- And I have to take advantage now, that my experience contract is expiring...

- Know...

- And then? Can I live with you for a while or not?

- You can, of course... but... what about Ricardo?

- What have?

- Hey... you hadn't run away from him?

- One hour we have to stop running...

- I know... and when do you want to go?

- How about tomorrow morning? You sleep here, we go to the store, I tell my managers... I give the real estate agent the key to the house... and then we leave...

- So easy?...

- Yes... my agreement with Real Estate is that I would only stay in the house if I had the experience in the store...

- But you're the one breaking the contract...

- Yes... but the Real Estate Company doesn't need to know about that...

- Okay... You're going to my house, then...

Cecília hugged her sister effusively. She was very happy that her sister accepted her into her home. But that was expected... after all, the two always got along well. After lunch they went for a walk around the city. They sat down on the bench in the church square and began to catch up... at six o'clock, when the bells began to toll, they entered the nave, so that their prayers could be sent directly to the Creator. Not that they really believed that... but it was something automatic, like when they were children and went every Sunday to attend mass and take communion.

Before going to sleep, Cecília tried to pack the things she was going to take the next day. She would only take her clothes, like when she first came to town. The few pieces of furniture she had acquired in the time she had taken up residence there, she would leave in the house... it would be compensation for leaving the property before the end of the lease.

Finally, the day dawned.... Cecília prepared a good cup of coffee for the two of them, baked some cheese bread. And they began to devour their morning meal, for the day would be long...

Around two o'clock the sisters were already on the road. They were talking animatedly. Cecília made plans for her new life in her homeland. Yes, she couldn't get used to the peace and tranquility reigning in the city she had chosen to live in... and she told herself that if she didn't get out of there as soon as possible, she would end up going crazy... well, she was crazy. he already was, according to his family. After all, she hadn't seemed too sure of her wits lately. Well, she made a new decision and now it was just moving forward with it... and everything would work out... her biggest concern was, without a doubt, her ex-husband. But she would work around that too. She wasn't going to stop living because of someone as scoundrel as he was. In any case, lucky for her, her ex was living with someone else... and they were sleeping in HER bed! Therefore, she need not fear any more…how would she put it…bold action on his part. And, with that comforting thought, she continued her journey with her sister...

Around eight o'clock Helena finally parked her vehicle in the garage of her house. The two sisters disembarked, Cecilia took her things inside, then helped her sister sort out the souvenirs she had brought for the family. Even she was given a treat. When her sister passed through her city, it was to deliver her chosen gift...

Helena called her mother...

- Mom, I just got here...

- You can't guess who's next to me right now....

- Wow, mom...

- But I...

- All right, all right... bless you, mom....

- And now... can I talk...?

- Can you hear me now...?

- Yes, mother, I know... well, I brought Cecília back...

- As? When was that?

- Yeah... things are going to get a little complicated...

Helena finally hung up. She looked seriously at her sister and tried to release the cats from the bag....

- Ceci, your ex and that girl broke up...

- I didn't need anything else...

- There's always something missing, girl... something's always missing.

- Well, as long as he doesn't know I'm back, I can rest easy...

- Let's hope he takes time to find out.

Mario and Janete were worried about the news they received from Helena... but just when Ricardo separated from his current wife... the ideal thing was that he took some time to find out that his ex was back in town...

- What will we do, Mario?

- And what can we do? The thing is to touch the boat and see what happens...

- You know he'll come after Ceci...

- Maybe not... suddenly...

- He still likes Ceci...

- He likes?...

- You know he's crazy about her... in a wrong way, but yeah...

-I know... I think Ceci got a sore to scratch when she married him...

- Well, that's life, isn't it? And how could she have known he would be… like this?

- In my opinion, the best thing she did was leave that piece of shit... and disappear from the map... after all, if he had no idea where she could be, he wouldn't have been able to go after her, would he?

- So you think she should...

-Of course not... but that she was much better away from here... without a doubt, she was.

- Didn't you miss her?

-Of course... but a thousand times I miss my daughter and know that she is happy, than her being on our side and unhappy...

- I prefer it that way too... but...

- But...?

- Don't you think that...

- Oh, no, Jane... it's not like there isn't...

- But I haven't said anything yet...

- But I know what you were going to say...

- You can read minds now...

- You don't need to be a telepath to know what you were going to say... it's written on your forehead...

- What is written on my forehead?

- That you think our daughter has to go back to her husband's side...

- And this is not correct?

- I think you're crazy...

- Why? The two got married... the separation of a couple is a mortal sin...

- Where is that a sin, woman? It's a sin for the two to be together, fighting like cats and dogs...

- I do not agree! Marriage is a sacrament! It cannot and must not be broken by either one.

-It seems... it means that, because she is married in the Church, our daughter has to stay beside that... that...

- Remember the vows? "Till death do us part"...

- I prefer my daughter alive and healthy, woman... I don't think you're right in the head, no...

At that moment the door opened and Estela entered the room ... she only heard the end of the sentence that her father had uttered ....

- Who doesn't get it right in the head, daddy?

- Your mother... she thinks Ceci should go back to live with Ricardo...

- Jeez, mom... is that a thing to say? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy...

- So you think I'm wrong...

Janete went to the kitchens, upset because no one shared her opinion... and Mario tried to question the youngest...

- Where are you coming from, ladies?

- From Jairo's house...

- But he's working, isn't he?

- Yes, but I went to visit your parents... did you know that your Jeremias is already much better? You can even take a few steps...

- This is very good... and Jairo?

- He's still at both jobs...

- I don't know how he's holding up...

- Me neither, dad... he really is killing himself for the family...

- I see you're appreciating him now...

- Yes... I know he's sacrificing himself...

- Did you talk these days?

- Yes, yesterday morning, when I went to mass...

- You went...

- Why the surprise?

- Nothing, no... well, at least you're getting out of that room more...

- I know I was very immature... but I promise I'll change...

- May the angels say amen....