a trail together with other coworkers. He also talked about reading the classics, business movements in the stock market, and about a dog he had when he was a kid, named Toby! Marta hid her yawns while she waited for the conversation to become more personal. But on Lolo's side there was no intention to get close, to get more intimate than at work. "He doesn't dare because it's been only a few days after my mother's death, but he will for sure in our next date", Sonia thought. There was no other date. In fact, Lolo was getting distanced at work, and a few months later Sonia learned from a coworker that he was dating another woman. An old friend from childhood. "Surely she remembers Toby", Sonia thought.
******
In her living room, by the window, she remember that time, amazed to realize that more than three years have passed ever since. On that saturday afternoon, she was browsing, indolent, some photos from her vacation in Prague. He had done that trip -with part of the money that Marta lefther-, trying to shake off her failure with Lolo. It was in early autumn, on an organized tour. And while traveling alone, she joined soon two other girls. She thought she was having a good time. They went on tours together, laughed and took all those photos. They even went on a night adventure, and one of her friends left with a guy. "Those were the silliest holiday. I could have used that money for something more fruitfull", Sonia thought as she closed the album. She hadn't wanted to know anymore about those girls, even though they tryed to keep in touch for a while. It gave her some creeps remembering her return to the work, when she talked about the wonders of Prague in a huddle where Lolo was not invited. Those exclusion attempts were useless. A few weeks later Lolo moved to the new offices, and she never heard from him anymore. Actually, she hardly had though about him in more than two years. Who was in her mind was Jaime, and he was the reason that Saturday she was eyeing those photos. Suddenly, like angry, Sonia put the thick album in her lap and reopened it several pages later. Her life condensed in those images. The open smile framed in a graying beard, and Jaime's protective embrace around her shoulders. The photos trembled. Sonia lifted the album from her jittery legs and breathed deeply. "This happens to me for quiting smoking at the wrong time". Two months can be very much, or very little, it depends on how you look at it. The emergency pack awaited hidden in a drawer. She resisted. Sonia had met Jaime at the supermarket. He was a mature man, twelve years older than her. A gentleman; protective and affectionate. They both started going gorcery shopping the same day at the same time to meet as if by chance. Divorced, with two kids overseas, executive. About all this, only the latter proved to be true. Sonia left him as she knew. It wasn't enough for Sonia, to forgive him, the fact that Jaime was confesing it to declare his love and explain that he would leave his family to be with her. "Yes, I have a lighter in the kitchen." Sonia stood up and in a few moments returned with a pack of snuff and the lighter. She put them on the table and, after looking at them for a moment, said "no". The trip to Florence, the getaway weekends to those romantic hotels. "No," said Sonia again. The sincerity of the tears that she had never seen before, or the memory of the fatherly attitude that she had longed so much, were not enough to change her mind. "No". Only a few minutes ago Jaime had called her imploring an opportunity. Sonia left the phone ringing, and later heard the voicemail. "No". The streets were empty and silent, like confused in that hour that is neither evening nor night, and where the streetlights and neon signs haven't awakened yet to signal the begining of dinners and bars bustles. Sonia looked again at the pack. "No," she murmured. Gifts and flowers meant nothing compared to her deception. The backlighting from several thin
******
In her living room, by the window, she remember that time, amazed to realize that more than three years have passed ever since. On that saturday afternoon, she was browsing, indolent, some photos from her vacation in Prague. He had done that trip -with part of the money that Marta lefther-, trying to shake off her failure with Lolo. It was in early autumn, on an organized tour. And while traveling alone, she joined soon two other girls. She thought she was having a good time. They went on tours together, laughed and took all those photos. They even went on a night adventure, and one of her friends left with a guy. "Those were the silliest holiday. I could have used that money for something more fruitfull", Sonia thought as she closed the album. She hadn't wanted to know anymore about those girls, even though they tryed to keep in touch for a while. It gave her some creeps remembering her return to the work, when she talked about the wonders of Prague in a huddle where Lolo was not invited. Those exclusion attempts were useless. A few weeks later Lolo moved to the new offices, and she never heard from him anymore. Actually, she hardly had though about him in more than two years. Who was in her mind was Jaime, and he was the reason that Saturday she was eyeing those photos. Suddenly, like angry, Sonia put the thick album in her lap and reopened it several pages later. Her life condensed in those images. The open smile framed in a graying beard, and Jaime's protective embrace around her shoulders. The photos trembled. Sonia lifted the album from her jittery legs and breathed deeply. "This happens to me for quiting smoking at the wrong time". Two months can be very much, or very little, it depends on how you look at it. The emergency pack awaited hidden in a drawer. She resisted. Sonia had met Jaime at the supermarket. He was a mature man, twelve years older than her. A gentleman; protective and affectionate. They both started going gorcery shopping the same day at the same time to meet as if by chance. Divorced, with two kids overseas, executive. About all this, only the latter proved to be true. Sonia left him as she knew. It wasn't enough for Sonia, to forgive him, the fact that Jaime was confesing it to declare his love and explain that he would leave his family to be with her. "Yes, I have a lighter in the kitchen." Sonia stood up and in a few moments returned with a pack of snuff and the lighter. She put them on the table and, after looking at them for a moment, said "no". The trip to Florence, the getaway weekends to those romantic hotels. "No," said Sonia again. The sincerity of the tears that she had never seen before, or the memory of the fatherly attitude that she had longed so much, were not enough to change her mind. "No". Only a few minutes ago Jaime had called her imploring an opportunity. Sonia left the phone ringing, and later heard the voicemail. "No". The streets were empty and silent, like confused in that hour that is neither evening nor night, and where the streetlights and neon signs haven't awakened yet to signal the begining of dinners and bars bustles. Sonia looked again at the pack. "No," she murmured. Gifts and flowers meant nothing compared to her deception. The backlighting from several thin
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