With your heart beginning to race, you dart a look at Jorge, wondering if he is also hearing that elusive crying but even the creaking of your chair – as you shuffle in your seat – spreads as a deafening scream in comparison, suddenly making it clear that indeed, your mind is playing tricks on you again…
But why would it imagine such a thing so vividly? Sure, your senses have been all over the place for the past few days, but, have you truly lost the ability to discern the real from the imaginative already???
As a fit of indecision and self-doubt begins storming within your mind, Jorge notices your disquiet and – after a short, defeated sight – reveals, with a sad tone:
- I… Think we haven’t been completely honest with you, Orion…
A “What?” or “Come again?” would have been expected to leave your mouth as a reaction, but the growing feelings of dread and curiosity flooding your head just translate into an apprehensive stare right towards Jorge’s eyes. Who, takes a moment to look back if Thaís is already returning or not and then begins:
- What we told you about Pindorama is true… But not the whole truth. In addition to having a lot of culture and regions, infelizmente, there’s a lot of corruption there, too…
- … For the past few years, two provinces have been monopolizing the politics of the whole country, helping only their interests and ignoring anything related to the rest. Among them, the most involved people are the owners of mines from one of the provinces and the richest farmers from the other... A very impot individual of that second group is none other than Thaís’ father…
He makes a small pause, letting you absorb all that has been said thus far but – along with a million questions spawning in your head the more you try to process all of this – prudence manifests within your head, suggesting to just hear all that Jorge has to say before reaching any conclusions.
With your silence seeming to be a request for more information, Jorge drinks a large sip from his mug of ale in a “the worst part is yet to come” manner. Proceeding soon after:
- Thaís never liked this “Política do Ouro e Couro”, as some people called it. And was collecting evidences to expose the whole scheme to the public. I was helping her too, but, only a few months ago, when we were this close to bringing it all to light, her father and some of the others involved found us out and we were forced to leave the country, under the threat of death…
Jorge sips his drink again, barely trying to hide his sorrow:
- … Felizmente, an old friend of Thaís, from her time at college, gave us this tavern and helped us a lot in getting settled in… Ever since then, life has been good, really. It’s just that… The way how things happened back at home and the fact we can’t go back unless a revolution or something like that happens, that’s… That’s a wound that will take a long time to heal, especially for my wife.
As much as you remain robbed of any memories from your homeland or how you came to be in such – supposedly – far away land, your heart can not help but empathise with Thaís’ and Jorge’s story. Yet, still too overloaded with information and questions, the words your brain can muster, pale in comparison to your feelings:
- Umm… I-It’s good to see that at least, after all of that, you still remain together…
- Bom… That’s what love is, right? Haha. When you love and care about someone, you stay with them no matter how hard the times might become.
As if all the sadness and tragedy from their story became yesterday’s talk, the warmth and sheer happiness with which Jorge replies to your comment is simply admirable. So much so, that it stirs something inside your chest, but before your mind can even identify what that is, Thaís makes her way back. Cheerfully noting as she brings quite a large tray of sweets:
- I hope you’re not too full yet, Orion… This is only the first serving~.
With her crossing the final stretch before reaching the table, Jorge whispers your way:
- Orion… If you could pretend that I haven’t told you anything about our past, I would be very thankful. The Nameless knows she has had enough of this conversation already.
You simply nod then, trying to not act suspicious before Thaís’ eyes as she reaches the table. However, after placing the tray in the centre and then sitting back beside her husband, her eyes dart a scrutinising look at both of you as her voice takes a playful tone:
- Hmm… What where you two gossiping about, hein?
- Nothing really, just that the only thing sweeter than your desserts are you, amor!
Jorge’s loving words flow like a declaration as they are followed by him wrapping an arm around her shoulders affectionately and then landing a kiss on her cheek. Trying to mask quite the happy smile, Thaís scrutinises the table and then the room as if looking for something and, then, shoots him yet another playful look, inquiring:
- Ok amor, what did you break this time?
A fit of laughter escapes your lungs shily as Jorge desperately – yet, also quite playfully – tries to convince Thaís’ that nothing was broken, all whilst she extends her teasing just a little further.
The love and affection these two share is admirable and you cannot help but feel enthralled by the – now – cheerful atmosphere. Yet, an unexpectedly and strange sensation of familiarity also takes a hold of your heart. Almost as if you have also been in such a lovely relationship before, with someone that meant the world to you, with the woman from your dreams… With Irene.
That is it! You finally managed to remember her name. Even if without much proof – or even context – yet, you are certain that she is your wife! Which means… The baby she carried in her arms in your first dream, that must be your son. You are a father then! But wait… What happened then? Where are they now?
- … Th-The nightmare…
No, no, NO! That could not have been real, it MUST NOT!... But then, why did it seem so vivid? Were you truly cursed?!
- Orion? Orion?!
- …Are you alright?
Thaís’ voice pulls you out of the dark road of thoughts, causing you to stutter, lost:
- Wha-What?
- You just whispered something, what was it? Are you remembering your past?
The emotions in Jorge’s voice go from deeply worried to excited as the real world fades back into existence around you, but your lips are quick to omit the truth whilst pointing to the largest dessert tray:
- Umm… Umm… May I?
As if they instantly perceived that you are trying to hide something from them – and yourself, especially – Jorge and Thaís simply trade concerned looks silently until, trying her best to mask said worried with a tame smile, Thaís replies in a sweet yet melancholic tone:
- Go ahead.
Though a nightmare rarely represents reality in a reliably manner and “That was just a nightmare!”, you refuse to think of it any longer, for your heart suspect- knows! That a far too cruel and real truth floats on its surface.
Fortunately enough, as soon as you bite one of those exotic chocolate-balls that you grabbed from the one of the desserts trays, all and whichever thoughts that troubled your mind are immediately replaced by a rush of pleasure as your taste buds delight in a tsunami of sweetness and edible happiness, immediately drowning in what you can only describe as a state of gourmet ecstasy.
Shortly after the thematic meal, you find yourself already comfortably nested under the sheets and convers on your bed, watching the snow fall gently outside the window and still pondering about your earlier epiphany as well as how Jorge’s and Thaís’ relationship stirred something within your heart: Weather it is because your emotions are growing livelier each day, or due to some of the returning memories, what Jorge said earlier resonates loudly with the solitude you have been feeling:
- “Bom… That’s what love is, right? Haha. When you love and care about someone, you stay with them no matter how hard the times might become.”
An unfamiliar itch near your eyes makes itself known as the memory of Jorge’s words ends, provoking you to instinctively run your fingers over it. But in doing so, your gelid fingertips are quickly met with the salty warmth of tears.
- T-Tears… ?
You accidentally
verbalise your thoughts, pulling back your hand and then watching the sorrow
filled fluid refract the faint moonlight bleeding through the window above.
That is when, a sudden loss of energy strikes your whole body, forcing both
your arms and legs to curl closer to your chest and your eyes to shut tightly,
leaving you crying and alone amidst the cold silence of the night.
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