Leonard was driving in his car, the starry night accompanied the married couple to the reunion meeting of fellow generation 80s. Leonard felt ants in his stomach at the thought of seeing his classmates again. Maddy said, "Don't worry, honey, everything will be fine, we're just going to have fun."
"I know, I know," he repeated nervously and with a slight tremor in his hands that moved to the black leather-wrapped steering wheel. "I don't know how you convinced me to come, I never attend these horrible meetings."
"Calm down love, it will be nice to see the mates after so long and hear about their lives, I was wondering what will become of Rosie's life." Maddy put her hand to her chin as she tried to imagine her best friend's life.
"Please don't go through with this torture, the last thing I want to do is talk about life with my old friends." A sigh of disenchantment burst from Leonard's lips. "I was the most handsome and popular in high school, many thought I would go far, if they only knew I was just another employee in the pile."
"Love, you have a good life, secure job, a family that loves you, house, car. You don't need any more." Maddy brought her arm up to the incipient bald spot that was already showing and caressed Leonard trying to comfort him.
"No, many thought he would be a successful athlete, as he was very talented." This time Leonard's sigh came out laden with memories of a time that will never return.
The traffic light changed to red and a silent pause filled the car. The fragrance of raspberries wafted into the spouses' nostrils, bringing some calm to Leonard's tortured mind. The light was change to green and Maddy was beckon him forward, snapping the man out of his hypnotic trance.
"Love, You're putting too much spin on it, if you want to go back it's better to leave it at that and get on with our lives." Maddy asserted her authority in the face of the man's decisional confusion.
"No, no... I'm fine, sweetheart, we're close now, no need to keep the vipers waiting, hehehe." Nervous laughter was glimpsed on Leonard's face.
"It's okay, love, but remember we're going to have fun and share some time with the ex-partners." Maddy's warning was not long in coming.
Leonard started the car and on the horizon, bathed by the yellowish light of the street, the imposing building could be seen, which seemed to attract the husband and wife to its interior with a strange and mystical force.
The man, somewhat disenchanted at not being able to escape his destiny, got out of the vehicle and looked carefully at the front of the grayish building with very rough lines. The appearance of the building disenchanted Leonard even more, then a naughty kiss from Maddy brought him back to reality.
The husband and wife took each other by the hand and departed calmly, but with a steady gait and no delays. They entered the institute's theater, a friendly face with an old age peeking through the gray hair that decorated her hair, welcoming the attendees to the big event.
After entering, they found a psychedelic atmosphere, the colored lights danced on their faces, while the music exalted their ears with the old melodies. The musical notes were memories of youthful experiences. The whole atmosphere was made for the attendees to get into party mode.
A waiter approached the couple offering a provocative cocktail that incited to be drunk, Maddy and Leonard took a glass each. They began to walk around the theater, but many of those faces were unfamiliar.
"Gee, love, there doesn't seem to be a single acquaintance," Leonard said with a sigh of relief and then took a sip of the cocktail.
When the glass was at Leonard's lips, a shrill voice greeted loudly and Leonard spit out his drink as he heard the person who owned that familiar voice.
"Maddy, Leonard, good to see you guys, hehehe." A hug accompanied the friendly prose.
"Rosie, Rosie Sukerly?" asked Maddy and her eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets.
"It's me, girl, your best friend, am I too changed?" Rosie asked the woman quizzically.
"Sorry, Rosie, I didn't recognize you, how nice to see you again." An unstoppable emotion surged inside Maddy who was surrendering herself to the ecstasy of the happiness of that moment.
The women left chatting happily, while Leonard remained with glass in hand, half-drunk. After a moment he heard a voice say, "Hello, Leonard, good to see you."
Leonard looked up in surprise. "Harry Winckle, my old friend, good to see you again." An awkward expression came across his face. "What do you tell me, my friend."
"Not much, I came to this meeting now that I have time, my innumerable real estate businesses squeeze me, besides traveling all over the world getting to know cultures and beautiful places, hehehe!" The soft laughter denoted an implied finesse. "And what do you tell me about your life?" The awkward question had arrived.
Leonard began an internal struggle between lying or telling the truth. "Good for you, buddy, I'm so happy for you." After that sentence it was time to answer the awkward question. "I'm running a big bank and I've also traveled in many countries. I loved Frankfurt." Leonard looked for a not-so-popular city to avoid further questions.
"Seriously I was there, a month ago, tell me where you went." Harry opened his eyes to the maximum of their sockets waiting for Leonard's answer.
"Look, look... I went... to that... place." Sweat was running down Leonard's forehead and his tongue was tangling, as Harry looked at him intently. "I went... To that place... Which is calleddd..."
At that instant Maddy was storming out, "Let's get out of here, Leonard!" The red in Maddy's face glowed in the colored lights. "Everyone here is a liar, Rosie told me she was a successful sales executive and I found out from the gossipy Ligia Rustemberg, that she was just a fortune house looking for married men to take their money and so I found out a lot of liars who made up success stories to seek praise." He was pause for breath and then looked at Harry. "And this one's just a deadbeat, he even had an affair with Ligia and left her because she didn't have any money. You disgust me sir, excuse me."
Maddy took Leonard by the hand and they sped off. Once in the car, she asked him, "So what were you talking to that nincompoop Harry Winckle about?". Maddy's fire-spitting eyes stared at Leonard waiting for an answer.
"Nothing, nothing, love, we were just talking soccer, you know man stuff, hehehe." Leonard started the car and they drove away from that place where the false colored lights illuminated the night just for that moment.
"I don't want to be in a meeting like this again, love." Maddy said as she leaned against Leonard's shoulder.
"I told you, love. Hehehehe."
"Shut up!"
Sources of the cover image Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Edited by Rincón Poético.
Text authored by:
Camilo Torres
DRA
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