Chapter 2 2.Hard Resistance

The end of that meeting was like some kind of fairy tale. Hand in hand, laughter, songs sung in duet in the middle of the street, a quick dance. They had no direction, walking along the wide sidewalk of that great avenue.

"I think I better go home now!" She said.

"Where did you leave your car?" Aron asked.

"I don't drive anymore, I prefer the freedom to do what I want and then I use an app to call a car to take me home."

"I'll take you then!"

"Aron, it wouldn't be a good thing to come home with you, not now. You have my number, don't you?" Liberty asked him.

"I have no idea," Aron replied, not really remembering if he had her contact.

" I won't pass you, I'm sure you'll be able to find out, " she replied smiling and giving an air of mystery. She came very close to him, grabbed his hair by the back of his neck, placed her other hand on his face, placed a soft kiss on his cheek and said goodbye.

Aron thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, arriving home, but fell into a heavy sleep.

He dreamed of Liberty and the dream was the full complement of the night they had. It wasn't a sexual dream, it was sensual, passionate, with feeling. He had never dreamed of anyone like that.

He woke up in the morning to a ringing call.

"Son, I'll stop by to pick you up, we need to discuss how we're going to finish off the Fenders. I need your help. We have to find every possible bad thing about them." Gregore, Aron's father, spoke as soon as he answered, in his desperate way of talking at a distance.

"Dad, I would never do that. You know I don't agree with what they're doing!" Aron argued, but was not heard.

"I'll be here in five minutes."

Gregore was the kind of person who preferred to pretend he didn't hear the things that went against what he was saying. In fact, he only did that with those he knew had less power than he did.

There wasn't even time for Aron to get ready and his father was already in his room.

"I told Philip not to let you in like that." Aron spoke to his father, referring to his secretary, who was actually more of a kind of governess in his house.

"He's not crazy to make me wait. Let's get down to business. I know that you have contacts with the band people and that they, with the right encouragement, can tell stories about Fact. We need everything. Maybe even some bad ones from his sister." Aron hated his father's behavior but never faced it. That moment was a watershed.

"I always respected you, even at the height of your madness, but now you'll listen to me! Don't you dare speak of Liberty! In fact, I shouldn't even be making all this fuss. He arrives! My brother deserves rest!"

"Do you have the courage to raise your voice to me, defending that bitch sister of his? Don't tell me you're eating her?" Aron slapped his father across the face, as an impulse, almost as a reactionary move.

Gregore spun around with a punch to his son's nose, knocking him down and making his blood spurt away.

"Listen here, you! Do you think you can slap your father in the face? For believe that if you want to turn against me or against what I believe is best for our family, I will do everything in my power to protect you from yourself. Including breaking your nose so you can learn." He shrugged and left, not saying anything else. Aron never imagined his father would do that.

"Aron, what happened? My God!" Philip entered the room and saw the boy lying on the floor, unable to get up, half dizzy, bleeding profusely.

"It was nothing, Philip," Aron replied, falling again as he rose.

"It seems, it's destroyed there! I'll get ice! You guys are crazy, that's right!" Philip ran away and soon returned with an ice pack. He sat Aron down, holding him in his arms and putting the ice on his nose.

"Maybe it would be good to call a doctor, looks like he got you pretty good. There may be some trauma to the head there!" Philip suggested, but Aron immediately asked him to forget about it, that he was already better.

Philip put him to bed and brought him breakfast.

" Don't get used to it! I just brought you something to eat so you don't pass out!"

Aron thanked him and didn't even say anything but a thank-you, almost muttering.

After eating, he went back to sleep.

Liberty woke up early.

Unlike Aron, she thought about him for a few moments, was excited about the night before, but her mind had some mechanisms that somehow prevented her from creating expectations. She slept little and had no dreams, at least she didn't remember having. She did social work in the morning, helping at a children's cancer hospital.

In the afternoon she taught piano lessons and rehearsed with the orchestra she was part of. The youngest woman ever to be a pianist in an orchestra of that size, despite not earning much, she was very proud of what she did and loved it.

Her parents weren't wealthy, despite the fact that they didn't experience difficulties and life improved a lot after their brother's success. Fact loved her and valued everything she did. He took musical inspiration from her, to whom he dedicated much of his fame.

Between classes, she decided to write to her mother:

"Hi Mom, how are you? I hope you've thought better of the deal regarding the estate!"

"Hi daughter, it's ok, I hope you're alright too! We're not here, unfortunately. I told your father to ask for half, to propose this, but he believes that the moment he proposes this, the bastard Gregore will automatically ask for more, change their terms again. He doesn't think it's fair. They have so much and they haven't even acknowledged that their work was fifty-fifty."

Her parents were right, but there comes a time when the reason should no longer be considered.

"Mom, I had a date with Aron, nothing happened, but we're involved and I think something could happen. I needed you to know!"

"Honey, the only thing I can advise you on this is: Stay away from him, don't get involved, while there's still time!"

She didn't get to answer her mother. She got a message from Aron:

"I found your number! Can we see each other again tonight?"

Liberty wanted to play hard to get, but she saw no reason to go against what she wanted.

"Yes. I think I know a quiet place, I'll send you the location and time."

Liberty smiled, finished writing, and went back to strumming the piano keys while she awaited the arrival of her student.