THE CRYSTAL CUP Chapter Fifty Six

 THE CRYSTAL CUP

Chapter Fifty Six

In recent days Cecília felt on the edge of a precipice. She had always been centered, rational... but her situation with her ex was driving her crazy. The worst part is that she couldn't even ask for a protective measure, since Ricardo hadn't made any kind of threat so far...

Her state of mind was reflected in her professional performance. For some time her supervisor had noticed her irritable, nervous... always on the verge of exploding, although she tried to control herself as much as possible. But she could feel her tension... so much so that, after pondering the matter long and hard, her immediate boss called her into her office...

- Cecilia, how long have you been working with us?

- About three months, ma'am...

- Right... actually, today makes eighty-five days... in five days you'll complete your trial period...

- Yes...

- I will ask you a question...

- Can...

- Do you like working here?

- Of course... it's the best job I've ever had...

- Okay... on my part, you are more than approved... but...

- But..?

- Is there something bothering you...

- It's nothing to do with the service, ma'am...

- I know... but if you can't solve this, it will end up interfering with your professional performance...

- This means...

- It means that I will speak frankly... for me, I would stay with you in my group, but...

- But...?

- But I follow orders... and the board decided not to renew your contract...

- I understand...

- It's like I said... I think you're an excellent professional...

- But still, you're going to fire me...

- Unfortunately...

Cecília was silent, thinking about everything that was happening... one more little thing to put on her ex's account... after all, it was thanks to him that she had not been approved for her new job...

- Ceci, you have to relax...

- Relax, how, Helena? When I think everything is fine...

- I understand you, sister... but, let's face it... lately you're a lonely pile...

- But... look at this... I did my job with great zeal, with great care...

- I know... and, from what you said, your former boss recognized that...

- And what's the use of recognizing it, if in the end you ended up dismissing me?

- Little sister, I know you and I know how hot you are... did you fight with someone in the office?

- No... I mean... I had a little argument with a colleague last week... but it was nothing that serious, like...

- Okay... in your probationary period you argue with a colleague at the office, and you think it's no big deal...

- And it really wasn't...

- Want me to give you some advice? Since you're unemployed, you're going to spend a few days in the countryside... maybe the mountain air will make you feel lighter...

- I think you're right... anyway, I would have to make a decision, really...

- So... destiny ended up deciding for you...

And the two took the pans they were handling in the kitchen, where they had prepared their dinner... rice, beans, a steak each, a tomato salad... They tasted their dinner in silence, each one lost in their own thoughts . After finishing the meal, they gathered the dishes and pots and went to the sink to wash them... they continued in silence. Helena looked at her sister...

- What is it, Lena?

- I was thinking... I think that, for you, things are going in a satisfactory way...

- As?...

- Think about it... you were wondering whether or not you were going to leave the city...

- Yes but...

- Well, at least now you can decide to go or not, without having to give up anything...

- I don't know why, but I think you're taking one of my face...

- No, seriously... suddenly some time out of town is all you need...

- I don't know... I'd rather be employed...

- But it's not... remember... either you put on the glove and don't wear the ring, or you wear the ring and don't put on the glove...

- There you go with Cecilia again...

- See how cool? Even her name is the same as yours...

And so the two were talking and playing, until the time came for sleep to catch them... Helena was tired, so she fell asleep quickly... Cecília was already more worried about the direction her life was taking... and that it made her stay awake longer. But sleep always wins, doesn't it? And, without even realizing it, she also ended up in Morpheus' arms...

Cecília felt strange... it was as if she were not the one walking through that place... but she was walking, with firm steps... in her daydream, she saw herself dressed as a cowgirl, ranchero pants, long boots, long-sleeved, a scarf around your neck, a hat... and even a belt? Not so far from where she was, a bay horse was peacefully grazing... And it was towards her that she was heading. When the animal saw her, she came towards him, at a slow pace. Automatically she drew the guns from their holsters, checked the chambers…the guns were loaded…and put them away again. She mounted the animal and set off at a slow trot, as she was in no hurry... the landscape brought him a certain peace of mind... he was heading towards the mountains that projected in front of him. At a certain moment, she braked her mount, dismounted and began to examine the ground, as if she were looking for something... internally, she found her attitude strange... after all, she didn't even like cowboy movies that much... and there there she was, in full character... and looking for clues in the middle of the vegetation... at a given moment she seemed to have found something. She smiled. She looked in all directions, mounted again, but this time galloped off ... after some time she saw a silhouette in the distance. She urged her mount to go faster, as she intended to catch up with whoever was ahead of her. When the person she was chasing noticed her approach, she tried to hurry her mount, until she disappeared near a wall that appeared near the mountains that approached. She stopped dead in her tracks... dismounted and began to slip through the undergrowth, keeping an eye out for where her game had disappeared. She noticed a glow between the stones, pulled out her rifle and ... woke up! She sat up in bed, laughing at the dream she'd just had... manhunter? There was nothing left to dream about...