Chapter 5 I got your attention

The meeting was scheduled for nine in the morning; it was eight thirty, and I was waiting for Carolina Méndez to pick me up. I didn't wake up feeling like driving and needed to vent. She had been my friend since college. Her greatest virtue was telling me the truth, even if it was harsh, it was the grounding wire that kept me emotionally balanced.

"You have to be strong, Camila. You have a commitment. He's going to be your husband; don't despair. Your duty was to fight for him."

"And in the meantime, what?" I replied, with tears still in my eyes. "While I'm fighting, he was in Valentina's arms."

Carolina hugged me silently, trying to give me strength.

"It was a bad time you met that man. You weren't like that before. Now you're crying all the time."

"Her sister introduced us."

Lucía, Sebastián's sister, was cheerful, outgoing, always surrounded by friends. It was at one of her parties that she introduced him to Camila. She never suspected that this coincidence would lead to an impossible triangle. For Lucía, Sebastián was a hero, and Camila, a close friend.

"I'm sorry, don't be so upset. We're having a meeting, and you know how our colleagues are. Don't let them make assumptions, take off that sad face. Don't give her any reason to feel like she's won."

"You're right," I admitted, bolting upright in my seat. "Drive faster, we don't want to be late."

"I'm driving with my friend, my friend, the crybaby."

My best medicine was laughter, and Carolina and I understood each other very well. She had the ability to lift me out of my sadness with her jokes.

In the middle of the meeting, I winked at Sebastián. I had resisted, hadn't succumbed to temptation, until that moment, just when Valentina saw me. I guess she'd been watching us all this time; it couldn't have been a coincidence. I kneed Carolina under the door, an unnecessary action because her gaze told me everything. I saw her stare at the director, my rival, who immediately focused on María Fernanda, my direct boss.

Julio, I should have noticed him. That was a man worth it. Although it would be an awkward union, being Valentina's sister-in-law: how and when? The dream was shattered just by thinking I'd have to make such a huge change to fit in.

"What do you think, Dr. Duarte?" It took me by surprise; I had no idea what they were talking about.

"Oh! Excuse me, Dr. Valentina, I wasn't paying attention. You're a witch, that's what you are. You knew it. You only exposed me because you hate me as much as I hate you."

"Don't apologize. Can someone give the young woman a rundown?" "The General Manager asked us for a report on each area: we work as a team, and it should be in the Area Manager's email within 24 hours."

"Thank you, Dr. Sebastián, for paying attention. As the doctor said, we need to make some decisions based on your results. So do your best. Any questions?"

The meeting adjourned, and we left the room. I could feel the stares and comments making an uncomfortable sound, so I went straight to the bathroom, and the chat started:

Sebastián: You look beautiful.

Camila: Yes, of course.

Sebastián: Let's have lunch together.

Camila: The three of us?

Sebastián: You're still in a bad mood, bye. Let me know when it passes."

"Are you stupid or what? You're scaring him away."

"Sometimes I think it's my body telling me to stay away, Carolina. I feel bad, I'm losing him, and that makes me want to treat him badly. It's an involuntary reaction." "What if we go out? Being locked up thinking nonsense isn't good for you."

"It's not a bad idea. Let's do the report together and when we're done, we'll go to dinner."

"You're right, I'm buying your idea. I'm going to turn off my phone. Don't let me turn it on. That device is going to drive me crazy."

***

Sebastián, caught between two worlds, began to give Camila less and less time. Valentina cunningly cornered him with family dinners, social outings, commitments he couldn't refuse.

"My brother texted me, he's coming to pick us up to go to the opening of the new FarmaHoy."

"Today? What a pain, you go."

"You have to go, our parents will be there."

"What if I don't feel like it?"

"I'll tell them."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, just that I'm not going to lie for you."

The horn on my brother Julio's truck was blaring. No matter how much I'd asked it not to, it came home with that deafening noise from the moment I turned the corner.

"Why are you doing this? Mrs. Beatriz complained the last time you visited."

"She's an old lady; everything bothers her."

"Don't be so cruel. She's very good, and she's alone in that huge house."

"So it's the echo, not my truck. And, speaking of other things, where's my brother-in-law?"

"Sebastián trotted down like a jock."

"Brother-in-law! What a great combination." He stood next to Sebastián, checking his outfit from head to toe. "Shall we go?" he said, looking at his watch and raising his right eyebrow.

The neighbor, Doña Beatriz, was a different story. Every morning she bent down to water the lawn just as the arguments broke out through the walls of the house. She said nothing, but observed everything. And every time she saw Valentina leave with red eyes, she muttered to herself:

"That marriage isn't what it seems."

As they got into the vehicle, the neighbor was already at the door, waving her hands in rhythm, and the boys waved goodbye.

"Goodbye, neighbor, get some rest, we're going to be late."

***

The opening of the new branch was a resounding success. Mom cut the ribbon and the priest gave his blessing, pure formalities that were customary in the society where we lived. The store was full of merchandise and equipped with the latest technology; they barely needed staff, since drive-through service was the norm.

Minutes later, the photos were already on social media.

"Do they have to publish everything?" Sebastián complained with an unpleasant grimace.

"There's a social media manager, we're not the ones who upload the material."

"I told you I didn't want to come."

"Then go, you've already tired me out with your rudeness." That truth came out of my mouth without thinking. My husband looked at me in astonishment.

I left him alone and joined the group of women chatting with my mother-in-law on the other side of the establishment. Sebastian didn't take his eyes off me, and I realized it worked.

I got his attention for the first time in our entire marriage.