It was a white winter afternoon, sitting in the middle of an immense and dim room next to the fireplace, a lady with completely white hair, holding in her right hand a steaming and aromatic cup of coffee, while her gaze was lost in the sound of burning coal. The room around her was filled with priceless pieces by different renowned artists, that was her favorite place in the house, where Grandma Mystique spent hours locked up contemplating each one of her pieces.
She was a lady obsessed with art, among all her collection she had a very valuable decorative art object that had been inherited from generation to generation in her family. It was a delicate sculpture inlaid with gold, known as "the sad memory of the sound of loneliness". Which she treasured like no other.
Violeta, his eldest daughter, had married at an early age, only had one phone call at seedtime to tell him that she would not be able to travel for Christmas Eve.
Patricia had two twin daughters, Paula and Emma, both of whom were almost of legal age.
Paula was tall, with emerald eyes, a profiled nose, with hair that reached her waist in blue-black, completely straight, with an introverted personality, while Emma had the same characteristics for being her identical twin, she just did not like to be compared or confused with her sister Paula, and to look different she kept her hair painted scarlet red and completely curly, being completely extroverted.
Since the twins were little, every time they visited their grandmother, they could not help but marvel at the relic of the grandmother, Emma always asked her grandmother to tell her the story that brought with her such a beautiful and sad piece of art, she would lie on the lap of her sweet grandmother to listen to the story always with the same excitement of the first time they were told, while Paula just sat in a secluded corner of the room to imagine what it would be like to own it.
They knew that both her aunt Violet and her mother Charlote longed to keep grandma's most valuable piece, they only talked about how much was left for grandma to go to the other world.
One Friday night after 11 pm, they all received an unexpected call, it was Ernes the lawyer and personal friend of Grandma Mystique, who informed them that they were invited to spend a few days at Grandma Mystique's house, who was not feeling well, and wanted to make clear her will herself before leaving.
On the other side of each horn was only heard, it was time for that old woman to do what she had to do many years ago, and they hung up.
The next morning the first to arrive was Patricia with the twins, they were received as always by the faithful Inés, she took them to their rooms, they settled in and went downstairs to eat, Patricia did not stop talking on her cell phone, as did Emma, while Paula ate with her eyes lost in the window. Soon after, their aunt Charlotte arrived, who immediately ordered Inés to serve them food and a glass of the best wine they had in the kitchen.
They all ate, talked, laughed and spent hours at it until the bottle of wine was finished, and none of them had noticed the absence of Grandma Mystique. Until Ernes appeared through the main door of the dining room, and gave them a small bow of welcome.
Mystique on the other hand was in her office, in her armchair by the fireplace, she told Agnes to excuse her to her daughters and granddaughters, to tell them that she was indisposed, that she would see them on Sunday at lunchtime.
When Inés left the room, Ernes came in and locked himself in a long chat with Mística to adjust details for the following day.
In the morning when everyone was already seated at the table, even Mr. Ernes, Mística entered and took her place at the table, Charlotte and Patricia had not even noticed since their eyes were immersed in their phones, as well as Emma, the one who jumped with emotion and ran out to give her a kiss and a hug was her tender granddaughter Paula.
When Charlotte noticed that Grandma was already seated, she said:
Hi mom!
¿Where is Inés, does she think we don't eat?
While Patricia said, you are absolutely right, I don't know how my mother still has her working here, with so much inefficiency, and shouted, "Faster, woman, I'm starving!.
Mystique finished her meal and headed for the office.
As they all passed into the living room, they were amazed at the wonderful collection that was there, it was the first time since they had arrived that Mística had seen them put down their phones. As they looked at the fireplace, Charllote and Paula burst out laughing and said, what a hideous thing that is, it must be Ines' because it is just as ugly and disheveled as she is, and Charllote, Patricia and Emma burst out laughing loudly and mockingly, while Paula looked at them in disbelief and embarrassed by such an embarrassing moment.
Mystique began to walk very softly around the room, until she passed by each one of them and explained that, in reality, she did not feel bad.
She asked Charlotte and Patricia if they remembered the names of the three main things that she always repeated to them when they were little?
Both women looked at each other and puckered their shoulders.
Emma jumped up to speak, but only said:
My mom doesn't even remember sometimes that she has two daughters, maybe if you ask her the name of the wine she likes best she will answer it.
Paula, on the other hand, was extremely quiet and her face was red.
But she said to him without anyone expecting it, The three most important values that you have been trying to teach all of us in this room since we were little are Kindness, Honesty and Empathy.
CORRECT Paula.
said the grandmother, something that none of the three except for you have learned, much less practiced in this house and in this family before nor these two days that you have been here, I have heard nothing but talk about everyone, laugh at the pain and the needs of others, you have only been concerned with your vanities and desires, you were not even able to approach my room to see me after so many years that we have been away.
That woman whose name is Ines, the only one who has accompanied me in every special moment of my life, the only one who has been with me in my illnesses, in my joys, in every moment is Ines, my dear Ines.
You who since you entered this house have done nothing but talk and pull on the phone, and I who am your mother, I have not received a single call from you, except one day before Christmas Eve to tell me that you will not be able to come, or to leave me a message that you need money.
Well, let me tell you three things, the first is that the only one who is saved in this room of all of you is my dear Paula, who has always been my sweet girl, and for her I have prepared a plan for her life and studies, which Ernes will show her when she comes of age.
The second is that everything you see here in this room, with the exception of the piece above the fireplace, will be sold and donated to the homes for the homeless and to the poorest schools.
Charlotte's, Patricia's and Emma's faces were completely expressionless and tears began to well up in their eyes at such news.
And finally, that ugly piece that you named when you entered this room, is for my dear Ines. Who all these years has accompanied me in my days of sadness, pain and loneliness, and little by little won my heart, in a selfless way, which I want to inform that is her adoptive sister absolute owner of this house and new owner of the family heirloom ¨The sad memory of the sound of loneliness¨ when I die. Without more to say, I thank you to leave, the only one who can always come whenever she wants will be my little Paula, to tell her children the story of the relic that she likes so much to hear as a child and to admire.
photo of my authorship.