BETWEEN THE FOUR FINES OF DESIRE

Paulo André

- Paulo André, you're late, am I going to have to give you a watch as a gift or tell the president to give you a fine for every minute you're late? - There are days when nothing goes right in your life, obviously today is not my day, after an incredible party yesterday, I wake up late for training and I run into none other than my coach who is apparently furious.

- I know I'm wrong, I've always liked parties and partying, but the moment it starts to interfere with my professional life I need to control it, I'm a little calmer with the charges because it's the end of the season.

- Go warm up for training, the guys are already there waiting for the goalkeeper to start, come on kid. - As soon as he says it, I run out to warm up.

During the week we always focus on training and physical preparation, I started my career late when I was 18, so I always had to make up for lost time. The training is very hard and tiring, but nothing I'm not used to. I walk down the corridor of the training center towards the parking lot, and I see Anderson coming towards me.

- P.A, today there's a party at Elias's house, are you coming? - I'm usually the party guy and I don't turn one down.

- I'm in brother, but I won't stay late, tomorrow there's training - I say following my path. At the C.T gate I see several fans waiting for us and I decide to stop the car.

- P.A please take a picture with me? - a fan asks, and I go to him.

- Calm down guys, I'll take a picture with everyone. - I say laughing, I love these moments of contact with our fans.

- P.A, P.A, - I see a boy calling me, he must be six or seven years old, I bend down to talk to him.

- What's your name? - I ask the little boy in front of me.

- 'My name is Pietro, my dad is a big fan of yours, but let me tell you a secret in your ear? - I laugh at him nodding

- I prefer the Riviera, but you are my favorite player. - He rushes to say and I laugh, so the boy supports the rival team, but he is my fan.

- Pietro, I promise to keep your secret, if you continue to be my fan, let's take a picture? - I ask the little one who nods.

After spending some time there between photos and autographs, I finally leave. At home I throw myself on the couch and go to feed my addiction to series on Netflix, while I rotate the entire catalog looking for something. I feel my stomach growl, I need to hire someone to cook, living alone has its bad sides, I always end up ordering something from Ifood, Doctor Ana, the team's nutritionist, would be furious to know that. Still looking at the catalog I see a documentary about Daniel Ribeiro, the guy is a legend, plays in Europe since he was very young and won everything a player can want, four times the best in the world is not for anyone, the guy deserves the respect he has, for a second I am interested in watching the documentary and knowing more about him, as soon as I play the documentary the intercom rings and I get up to see who it is.

- Mr. Paulo, sorry to bother you, but there is someone at the gate making a scandal wanting to talk to you. - Manuel tells me

- Manuel, if it's a fan, tell him I don't see anyone here at home, tell him to go to the C.T. I'll be happy to see him and take pictures. - I say a little annoyed, it never happened that a fan came to my house, but there can always be a first time.

- Mr. Paulo, she is saying that she is not a fan, she said she was your mother. - As soon as I hear Manuel say that word I stop for a few seconds, what the fuck is this mother, I don't have a mother.

- Manuel, I'm coming to the gate to hold this crazy woman, I want to see what this bullshit is. - I say and I don't even wait to hear Manuel's answer, I take the first car I see and head towards the condo's entrance, as soon as I arrive I come across her, much older than I remembered, it is clear to see the marks of time stamped on her face, what happened for this woman to be looking for me after so many years?

- Hi, son - are the first words she speaks as soon as I get out of the car.

- Son? Who is your son? I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't know him. - Every word is loaded with hurt, how dare she show up here like this and call me son.

- I know you have your grievances with me, Paulo André, but I am still your mother and you have to respect me. - I stare in disbelief, not believing what I hear, is this woman crazy?

- Mother? - I shout in disbelief. - What kind of mother are you? You are not, and you will never be my fucking mother, I want you to get out of my face and money you came looking for is not it? But let me tell you something, you won't get any of me - I say furiously, not being able to control the anger I feel.

- Mr. Manuel, get this woman out of here, I don't know her and if she refuses to leave call the police. - I say getting in the car and accelerating, for a second it seems that my lungs close and the air does not come, I leave with the car on the highway, driving calms me down a little and I can breathe normally again, minutes later I realize that I am in front of Hector's house, it is an automatic thing is always for him that I run at times like this. I knock on Hector's door, I know he will be scared to see me here unannounced and in the middle of the night, but where else would I go? As soon as he opens the door and sees me, I can see the confusion he's feeling.

- "Hector," I say with a lump in my throat from trying to hold back the tears, "I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to go. - I say feeling my face being stared at by tears. I see Hector approach and open his arms to hug me.

- Calm down my son, you did the right thing to come, this is your home too, let's get in and out of the door.

- Have you received a better offer? We can talk if that's the case. - Of course he would think so.

- No sir, I receive diamond proposals, but the case is not money, I decided to return home, I've been out of my country for 10 years, I feel it's time to go home - I decided to tell the truth bluntly. - The most correct thing would be for me to say this in a meeting with all the club staff, but I didn't want to take you by surprise - I'm sad to hear about your decision Dan.

- "I'm sad to hear about your decision Danyel, you are our best athlete, you are doing very well in the championship, you won four consecutive times as best in the world, are you sure about this decision?". - he asks me, and I can feel from his voice how upset he is about it.

- 'Yes sir, I thought about all that before I made my decision, but it's really already made. - Leaving is also difficult for me, I thought and rethought it many times, I put everything on a scale before deciding.

- All right my boy, I thank you for letting me know the situation before talking to the team, I want you tomorrow morning at the training center for a meeting. - I already imagined that this would be his attitude.

- Okay sir, thank you, see you tomorrow. As soon as I hang up the phone I breathe a sigh of relief, I imagine that tomorrow will be a complicated day, they will not accept my departure so easily, and I bet that a new millionaire proposal will be in front of me early tomorrow morning.

As soon as I leave my office I bump into my manager Renato and Luciana, strange to see the two together in my room since Renato is not a fan of the woman next to him.

- Did you come together? - I ask them both.

- No, I found her entering the gate. - Renato is the first to speak up, I nod my head turning around and facing the woman in front of me.

- 'Haven't I already said that I don't want you to come to my house uninvited? - I say a little harshly, since we slept together a few days ago she makes my life hell.

- Dany, I missed you, you didn't call me anymore. - she says all honeyed and I wonder how I could stay with this woman, I must be very bad indeed.

- If I didn't call you Luciana, maybe it's because I don't want to talk to you, I thought the message would be obvious, but I see it's not - I say irritated, I'm not the arrogant type who likes to humiliate anyone, but this woman has irritated me in the last few days, she is the famous maria chuteira, she has already taken the whole team, but she tries to give the blow to some idiot, too bad I was stupid enough to go to her bed, I look at Renato who has that stupid smile of "I warned you" on his face.

- Do me the favor of leaving at my house, and Renato please accompany me to my office we have important business to talk about - I say turning around and walking to my living room].