THE CRYSTAL CUP - Chapter Twenty Eight

 THE CRYSTAL CUP

Chapter Twenty Eight

- What's going on, Helena?

- Huh? I didn't understand…

- Look, I know you didn't want to worry our parents... but something is going on with you, is it...

- I still do not understand…

- Lena, I know you from other carnivals… I know that something is worrying you…

- Oh, it's nothing serious...

- The way you are, I doubt it... something very serious is happening to you...

- It's just a dream...

- And since when do dreams make you like this?

- When they are repeated almost every day...

- Is it that bad?

- You can't imagine how much...

The two were silent for some time, and watched the nocturnal landscape that was changing as the bus moved towards its destination. A thousand thoughts surfaced in the minds of the two sisters. Each one thinking about their immediate problem. Helena, who was already getting scared to sleep, Cecília, worried about the direction her life had taken. Ricardo was calm for the time being, but she knew that calm would not last long. She knew him well, and she knew how possessive he was. For now, her lover was new... but it wouldn't be long before he came looking for her again. By the way, that was the reason that made her leave the city, when she decided to separate from her husband. After all, if he had no idea what her fate was, the chances that she would manage to live in peace would increase exponentially...

- You're not as calm as you appear either, are you?

- Do you understand?

-Yes… the tension in her face was present all day…

- Well, you understand...

- I know… but he's with the other one and the daughter… don't you think that's enough?

- It would be… but I know Ricardo is not from today… and I know that things will still go astray… I know they will…

- Yeah, we could form a duo...

- A trio, you mean... because Estela, for sure, is also facing problems...

- And who isn't? Even Mom and Dad...

- Well, at least the two are at peace with each other and with life...

- There is no way to be sure… after all, they are a true sphinx in front of us…

Helena got up from the bench, and was followed by her sister. The bus slowed down until it came to a complete stop. Opened the doors. The two went down...

- Wow, your house is very far from mom, isn't it?

- If you want privacy in your life, you can't live near your parents...

- True… that's why I decided to imitate you and look for a place far away to live…

- Come here… are you really worried about Ricardo?

- Yes… it would be great if he stayed tuned to his lover, but I know it won't be like that…

- Why?

- Lena, I know my ex… and make sure he doesn't consider himself “my ex”…

- But… has he ever…

The two were quiet again. They had arrived at Helena's house. She opened the door and the two entered the room. They sat on the couch, still in silence. Cecilia looked around the room and smiled. Her sister didn't leave a single toothpick out of place. It was a childhood custom to bring everything in the most perfect order. They stayed that way for a few minutes...

- So, Ceci? Have some tea, coffee...?

- Coffee at this time? You want me to stay up all night...

- So that wouldn't be a bad idea...

- Why?

- Look, I know it sounds like a child's thing... but lately I'm scared to even sleep, can you believe it?

- Uh, but what is the cause of this?

- I'm having nightmares night after night...

- You're going to sleep on a full stomach...

- I wish it was. But it's not like that... I'm really kind of...

- Stressed?

- Terrified is the right word. Every time I close my eyes, instead of resting, I feel like I might die…

- Well, everyone is subject to that… we are not immortal, you know…

- That's not what I'm talking about… how could I explain it to you? I don't even understand what's happening to me...

- I know… and you will…?

- Well, I have an appointment with the psychologist tomorrow… I hope it helps…

- And if it doesn't help...?

- I don't know… the thing will be to resort to whatever can alleviate that feeling…. Even macumba terreiro is in use at the moment...

- Girl, who speaks more prejudiced… that way it seems that the solution to all evils is in the sound of the atabaques…

- You know I've always been skeptical about manifestations from the beyond...

- Skeptical, pero no mucho… you always believed in the stories that dad told…

- Of course…

- I know… who was scared when the lights went out? And that's because I was about fourteen years old... It was even funny... me, ten, trying to calm you down, telling you that those monsters didn't exist...

- Do not exaggerate…

- But it's not an exaggeration… look… you simply refused to turn off the lights in our room…

- I…

- You know, I would even say that your skepticism was a way you found to try to overcome your fear of the beyond... if you denied what you didn't know, it simply didn't exist...

- You became a psychologist now?

- No... but you don't need to be a psychologist to understand that...

- Look, I...

- I accept your tea… mate, very sweet, isn't it?

- My tea is not so sweet, so...

- Girl, don't worry… are we going to have this tea or not?

And the two headed to the kitchen, arguing about who was right about the fear… late at night, the two sisters in the bedroom….

- Ceci...

- What it was?

- Is sleeping?..

- In what way? It's calling me every five minutes….

- I…

- Don't worry... I'm kidding you...

- Do you mind if I...

- All right, Helena... you can turn on the light, I don't care...

- It's not that… I wanted to know if I could sleep with you…

- In the same bed?…

- Yes…

- Girl, you're not too big for this, are you?

- Is that…

- All right, all right… fear of the nightmare, isn't it?

- Yes…

- You can come, no problem...

And Helena lay down beside her sister. And almost immediately, she began to sleep, a soft sleep, as she had not been able to do for a long time. Cecilia, with her sister hugging her, wondered if it wouldn't have been better to sleep at her parents' house... but seeing her sister sleeping peacefully in her arms, she ended up regretting her thought. She stroked her sister's hair and ended up falling asleep, too...

Despite the discomfort, Helena rested well… it was the first time in weeks that she hadn't had any kind of bad dreams. She even dreamed of it, but she didn't remember what. What really mattered was that she was as light as she hadn't felt in a long time. Cecilia was still sleeping. Very carefully, so as not to wake her sister, Helena got up and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the two of them. Her psychologist would be after lunch and she had already informed the store that she would not be working that day for health reasons.

Half an hour after Helena got up, Cecília woke up. She was surprised to feel light and rested, after all the bed wasn't that big. She thought she was going to wake up all broken, and yet… the kitchen smelled good of food. She was starving. Which was not normal. On a daily basis, Cecilia ate very frugal meals. And she was almost never hungry, not like the one she was feeling right now. Using a phrase very common in people's mouths, she would eat a whole ox if they offered it to her... She got up, went to the bathroom for morning hygiene, changed her clothes and went to the kitchen to see what her sister was up to... whatever it was, it smelled really good...