English
Is it possible to miss someone who is still by your side? She had searched for an explanation for that empty feeling inside her chest, and that was the only one that could describe what she felt, as if she were going through the mourning that comes after losing a loved one. The problem was that she saw this person every day; they talked on the phone often enough to be considered an obsession because there wasn't a moment where they weren't keeping in touch in some way, be it a quick message during the lunch break at work, a call on her way home, a video call before going to bed... at least that's how it was before Mr. Perfect Smile appeared to ruin everything beautiful in her life.
For the first time in years, she sent a message to her boss telling her that she couldn't go to work because she was sick. She felt kind of bad for lying to her, but maybe she wasn't really doing it, as her body was screaming for her to stay in bed all day doing nothing. She had to force herself to get up to make herself at least a cup of coffee for breakfast, shuffling back and forth. As she gave the liquid a few minutes to cool, she just watched the rain through the window, enjoying its gentle tapping against the glass. Just as she was about to try to take the first sip, her cell phone began to ring with a melody she recognized perfectly, telling her that she was being called. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed it with her available hand and answered.
“How are you feeling, honey?” The tone of concern was evident.
“Uh... fine.”
“No, you are not well. Rebecca called me and told me you were going to miss work today because you were sick. You've never missed work, not even when you broke your leg.”
“Don't overreact, Margaret. And Rebecca needs to stop calling you about these things.”
“There's a reason I'm supposed to be your emergency contact, Greta. Hurry up and open the door; I'm here.”
“You're where?”
Two knocks from the entrance answered her.
She was so stunned by that sudden arrival that when Margaret came in with bags and headed straight for the kitchen while she kept talking, she didn't understand a word she was saying. She didn't seem to notice, concentrating on starting to cook, so she took the opportunity to sit on the living room furniture, admiring the way she moved so gracefully without even trying. A fleeting thought came to her mind before she could help it—the great possibility that moments like that would never be repeated—something that caused a pang in her chest. Tears gathered in her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat that she held back because she knew she would cry if she was careless, but it was no use; in less than a couple of minutes, a sob escaped her lips, alerting Margaret to what was happening.
“Why are you crying?” Margaret asked in a whisper, moving closer to Greta until she sat down next to her to hold her hand.
“I miss you.”
“I'm here. I'm here.”
“Are you?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“How long has it been since we've had a movie night? When was the last time we had a video call while making breakfast to keep each other company?”
“Greta, Greta, wait a second because I don't understand anything.”
“It's not the same, Margaret; since you started dating Hector, we just haven't done anything we used to do.”
“We talk every day and see each other several times a week, Greta. Forgive me if I have neglected our friendship, but I promise you that Hector had nothing to do with it.”
Greta let out an unfunny laugh, detaching herself from Margaret to wipe away the tears that were running down her cheeks. From one moment to the next, she got up from the furniture, starting to walk around the room with no fixed direction in an attempt to sort out the mess in her mind because she wanted to say so much that in the end she didn't know where to start or if she should even do it. She had repressed herself so much that the very idea of finally releasing all that was hidden deep inside her terrified her because she knew she would cross a line that marked a point of no return. In a show of frustration, she brought both hands to her face, scrunching them up as she let out a whimper to resume her erratic steps but with greater speed, until finally Margaret grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at her.
“You're worrying me.”
“Since you met him, we haven't stopped drifting apart.” She said, annoyed.
“The one who started to drift apart was you; since I went on that date a few weeks ago, you've been different.”
“Why do you want to talk to me so much? You have a boyfriend now.”
“God, Greta, you're making this more complicated.”
“I know!” She exclaimed, grabbing her face again with both hands between complaints.
“Talk to me; if you don't tell me what's going on, we can't work it out.”
“I can't.”
“Yes, you can. Remember that no matter what happens, we will always have each other, it was a promise.”
“You won't want to know anything about me when I tell you... I will definitely lose you; that's why I prefer to miss you as we are, even though having you by my side won't be the same as before.” She whispered between tears without looking away from her face. “I miss the person who showed up at the door of my house without warning on a Friday night to stay all weekend even if we have nothing to do; I miss that person who always wants to go to sleep hugging me because she says she sleeps better that way; I miss the person who tells me every day that she loves me and wants us to be together forever; I miss the person with whom I imagined having my happy ending. That illusion that it would be you and me against the world was shattered when you met Hector, and now I know it's impossible.”
The thunderous sound of thunder made Greta scream and jump in fear into Margaret's arms, who wrapped her in a protective gesture. She could smell the sweet scent coming from the perfume she was wearing, so unconsciously, with the tip of her nose, she began to run along her neck until she ended up with her face hidden there, as if that was her natural place. The warmth of those strong arms holding her was what she needed to calm down. Her breathing returned to normal little by little as the seconds passed, giving way to a silence where the only thing that could be heard was the rain in the background. She didn't know how much time had passed before Margaret's hands gently rested on her cheeks, her thumbs moving in circles as if she were caressing something precious.
“I don't want you to miss me anymore.” She murmured.
“What?”
“Greta, a few days ago I told Hector that we couldn't go out anymore.”
“But you told me you liked him so much.”
“I thought it would be enough, but every time I was with him, I missed you. Every time we were together, I kept thinking about you. I missed your laugh, your voice, your hair, your hands, your sense of humor, and your company. It wasn't the same, and it will never be the same. I realized that only you have managed to make my heart feel like it was at home." She smiled at her. “I miss you every morning when I wake up and you're not there. That's why every Friday night, it's impossible for me to resist the urge to come and spend the weekend with you because I want to be by your side as much as possible. I don't want to miss you anymore, and I don't want you to miss me either. If you want, we can try. No more excuses.”
Margaret opened her mouth to continue talking, but Greta didn't let her, stealing what would become the first of many kisses.
Español
¿Es posible extrañar a alguien que todavía se encuentra a tu lado? Había buscado alguna explicación a esa sensación de vacío dentro de su pecho y esa era la única que conseguía describir lo que sentía, como si estuviese atravesando por el duelo que viene después de haber perdido a un ser querido. El problema estaba en que veía a esa persona cada día, hablaban por teléfono con frecuencia suficiente para ser considerado una obsesión pues no había momento donde no estuviesen manteniendo el contacto de alguna manera, sea un mensaje rápido durante el descanso del almuerzo en el trabajo, una llamada cuando iba de regreso a casa, una videollamada antes de acostarse a dormir… al menos así era, antes de que apareciera Don Sonrisa Perfecta para arruinar todo lo bonito que tenía en la vida.
Por primera vez en años le había enviado un mensaje a su jefa diciéndole que no podría ir al trabajo porque se encontraba enferma, se sentía algo mal por mentirle pero quizá en realidad no lo estaba haciendo, pues su cuerpo pedía a gritos que se quedara en la cama durante todo el día sin hacer nada. Tuvo que obligarse a levantarse para hacerse por lo menos una taza de café como desayuno, arrastrando los pies de ida y vuelta. Mientras le daba unos cuantos minutos al líquido para que se enfriara, se limitó a mirar la lluvia por la ventana, disfrutando de su suave golpeteo contra el vidrio. Justo cuando se disponía a intentar dar el primer sorbo, su celular comenzó a sonar con una melodía que reconocía a la perfección, indicándole que la estaban llamando. Respirando profundo, lo tomó con su mano disponible y contestó.
— ¿Cómo te sientes, cariño? —El tono de preocupación era evidente.
— Eh… bien.
— No, no estás bien. Rebeca me llamó y me dijo que ibas a faltar hoy al trabajo porque estás enferma. Tú nunca has faltado al trabajo, ni siquiera cuando te rompiste la pierna.
— No seas exagerada, Margaret. Y Rebeca debe dejar de llamarte por estas cosas.
— Por algo se supone que soy tu contacto de emergencia, Greta. Apúrate y ábreme que ya llegué.
— ¿Llegaste a dónde?
Dos golpes provenientes de la entrada le respondieron.
Estaba tan aturdida por aquella repentina llegada que cuando Margaret entró con bolsas dirigiéndose directamente a la cocina mientras no paraba de hablar, no entendió nada de lo que le estaba diciendo. Esta no pareció darse cuenta, concentrada empezar a cocinar, por lo que aprovechó para sentarse en el mueble de la sala, admirando la manera en que se movía con tanta gracia sin siquiera intentarlo. Un pensamiento fugaz llegó a su mente antes de que pudiera evitarlo, esa gran posibilidad de que momentos como ese nunca se repitieran, algo que le provocó una puntada en el pecho. Las lágrimas se acumularon en sus ojos y se le formó un nudo en la garganta que contuvo porque sabía que lloraría si se descuidaba pero fui inútil, en menos de un par de minutos un sollozo salió de sus labios, alertando a Margaret de lo que estaba pasando.
— ¿Por qué estás llorando? —Preguntó Margaret en un murmullo, acercándose a Greta hasta sentarse a su lado para tomarla de la mano.
— Te extraño.
— ¿Qué? Estoy aquí.
— ¿Lo estás?
— ¿Qué se supone que significa eso?
— ¿Hace cuánto que no tenemos una noche de películas? ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que hicimos una videollamada preparando el desayuno para hacernos compañía?
— Greta, Greta, espera un segundo porque no entiendo nada.
— No es lo mismo, Margaret, desde que comenzaste a salir con Héctor simplemente no hemos hecho nada de lo que solíamos hacer.
— Hablamos todos los días y nos vemos varias veces a la semana, Greta. Perdóname si he descuidado nuestra amistad, pero te prometo que Héctor no tiene nada que ver.
Greta soltó una risa sin gracia, desprendiéndose de Margaret para limpiarse las lágrimas que recorrían sus mejillas. De un momento a otro se levantó del mueble, comenzando a caminar por la habitación sin ningún rumbo fijo en un intento por ordenar el desastre en su mente, pues quería decir tanto que al final no sabía por dónde comenzar ni si debería hacerlo siquiera, se había reprimido tanto que la sola idea de finalmente liberar todo eso que se escondía en lo más profundo de su ser le aterraba, porque sabía que cruzaría una línea que marcaba un punto de no retorno. En una muestra de frustración se llevó ambas manos hacia el rostro, estrujándoselo al tiempo que soltaba un quejido para retomar sus erráticos pasos pero con mayor rapidez hasta que finalmente Margaret la agarró por los hombros, obligándola a mirarla.
— Me estás preocupando.
— Desde que lo conociste no hemos parado de distanciarnos. —Dijo molesta.
— La que comenzó a distanciarse fuiste tú, desde que fui a esa cita hace unas semanas has estado diferente.
— ¿Para qué quieres hablar tanto conmigo? Ahora tienes novio.
— Dios, Greta, estás haciendo esto más complicado.
— ¡Lo sé! —Exclamó, volviendo a tomarte el rostro con ambas manos entre quejas.
— Habla conmigo, si no me dices qué es lo que pasa no podremos resolverlo.
— No puedo.
— Sí puedes, recuerda que pase lo que pase siempre nos tendremos la una a la otra, nos lo prometimos.
— No querrás saber nada de mí cuando te lo diga… te voy a perder definitivamente, por eso prefiero extrañarte así como estamos, aun teniéndote a mi lado a pesar de que no va a ser lo mismo, que nosotras no seamos las mismas de antes. —Susurró entre llantos sin dejar de mirarle a la cara— Extraño a la persona que se aparecía en la puerta de mi casa sin avisar un viernes por la noche para quedarse todo el fin de semana así no tengamos nada que hacer, extraño a esa persona que siempre quiere dormir abrazándome porque dice que así duerme mejor, extraño a la persona que me dice todos los días que me ama y quiere que estemos juntas para siempre, extraño a la persona con la que me imaginaba teniendo mi final feliz. Esa ilusión de que seríamos tú y yo contra el mundo nada más se rompió cuando conociste a Héctor, ahora sé que es imposible.
El estruendoso sonido de un trueno hizo que Greta pegara un grito y brincara asustada a los brazos de Margaret, quien la envolvió en un gesto protector. Podía percibir el aroma dulce proveniente del perfume que usaba, por lo que inconscientemente con la punta de su nariz comenzó a recorrerle el cuello hasta terminar con su rostro escondido allí, como si ese fuese su lugar natural. La calidez de aquellos brazos fuertes que la sostenían era lo que necesitaba para calmarse, su respiración volviendo a la normalidad poco a poco con el paso de los segundos, dándole paso a un silencio donde lo único que se escuchaba era la lluvia de fondo. No sabía cuánto tiempo había pasado antes de que con delicadeza las manos de Margaret se posaran en sus mejillas, moviendo los pulgares en círculos cual si estuviese acariciando algo preciado.
— No quiero que me extrañes más. —Murmuró.
— ¿Qué?
— Greta, hace unos días le dije a Héctor que no podíamos seguir saliendo.
— Pero me dijiste que te gustaba demasiado.
— Pensé que sería suficiente, pero cada vez que estaba con él… te extrañaba a ti. Cada vez que estábamos juntos no paraba de pensar en ti, extrañaba tu risa, tu voz, tu cabello, tus manos, tu sentido del humor, tu compañía, no era lo mismo, nunca será igual, me di cuenta de que solamente tú has conseguido hacer sentir a mi corazón como si estuviese en casa. —Le sonrió— Te extraño cada mañana cuando despierto y no estás, por eso es que cada viernes por la noche me es imposible aguantarme las ganas de venir a pasar el fin de semana contigo, porque quiero estar a tu lado tanto como sea posible. No quiero seguir extrañándote, ni tampoco que me extrañes a mí, si tú quieres podemos intentarlo, no más excusas.
Margaret abrió la boca para seguir hablando, pero Greta no la dejó, robándole lo que se convertiría en el primero de muchos besos.
What a charming story, @gabrieladifazio. It really is possible to miss someone who has not gone far away, if the connection has changed, and there is envy or jealousy, or even true love creating havoc for the participants. The story has a beautiful ending. Thank you for joining the "I miss you" prompt, and for reading and commenting on the work of other community members.
It is always a pleasure for me to participate in these dynamics, I wanted to look for a less apparent interpretation to the phrase that at first makes you think of physical distance, but could also be understood as emotional distance.
Wow, wow, I could really feel the build up to that final moment. It was unexpected,but from the way she was talking it was quite obvious she felt they were more than friends. Interesting story
!PIZZA
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it, I've been kicking this little idea around since the theme came out, I personally love it when characters go from friendship to romance.
Hehe, epic part.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@b0s(3/5) tipped @gabrieladifazio
"You never missed work even when you broke your legs" lol, that part got me
This is such an interesting read, I must say
I love it when friendship turns into romance,the love is always real
When a workaholic calls in sick you know there's a real problem...
Thank you so much!
The story is exactly what is happening in my life right now, between my friend and I.
Close but I could feel the gap between us, although not romantically. I have tried to close it up but it seems the distance is so much that it can not be closed.
For some reason, we are drifting apart but the worst part is I don't know whose fault it is.
Nice story, I loved the ending part, although I wasn't expecting the intimate part between both friends.
It's too bad you're going through something like this! Sometimes it's hard, it works for me to remember that each person is different and sometimes it's just a matter of time to remember that each person is different and sometimes it's just a matter of time to remember that each person is different.
A beautiful story about love, the one that traps us and seduces us and makes us suffer. I really liked the way you went about it and the ending, although it surprised me a little, I think I had an intuition about it.
Regards @gabrieladifazio
Greetings, @gabrieladifazio !
Your story has been selected to be part of The Ink Well's 124rd Magazine. Thank you for your presence in the community.
https://peakd.com/@theinkwell/the-ink-well-highlights-magazine-124