The icy wind that blew through all the cracks and holes produced a howl that made the inhabitants of the old guesthouse hair stand on end. Those who were still there, because this house was now their home, endured the last days of winter with patience. Perhaps they would never see the snow fall again, and this could be their last spring in their lives.
The dining room was still in semi-darkness. The faint light of dusk was coming through the windows. Juanita, in the company of her sister Magdalena, was preparing the table for dinner. Between the two of them, they were over 150 years old, but their vitality was still felt in that place.
"Hurry up, sister, the guests should be arriving soon". Juanita was lighting the dining room lamp and arranging the silverware and napkins.
Magdalena, an almost obese woman with gray hair that curled in two manes on her head, answered her. "Juanita, it looks like we are going to receive royalty, ha, ha, ha, and the González, the López, Mrs. Alba and her sister Sofia are not even close in their dreams"
"You know what upsets me when you say that? All the people here are honorable and deserve to be treated well. As my mother used to say, Carmen's Inn is a place of good taste and careful attention".
Juanita, a tall, slender woman, her hair still shiny black with just a few gray hairs, wore a beige dress that reached below her knees and made her look very elegant.
She placed the glasses neatly to one side of the cutlery. The china, light blue with a gold rim, was as old as the house.
All the guests arrived punctually at 7 pm, dinner time, and sat down to eat, a vegetable soup, some meat rolls and custard for dessert.
While outside, the wind was blowing stronger and stronger, several knocks were heard on the wooden front door.
"Who could it be at this hour? Are we waiting for someone, Magdalena?"
"No, no one".
The guests looked at each other. There was something strange about the knocking at the door.
Pedro, the old cook, like everything else in that house, came out of the kitchen still wearing his apron.
"Who could it be? Shall I open the door"
"Be careful, Pedro, look through the hole first before opening the door". Juanita's voice trembled a little.
As Pedro walked towards the door, the knocking was heard again, this time louder.
Knock, knock, knock
Pedro looked out. "I don't see anyone. Maybe it's the children disturbing us".
"At this hour and with this cold weather? I don't think so!" Magdalena got up from the table and went to the door, swaying her hips from side to side, while the others waited seated at the table.
Again the knocking, insistent.
"Open up, Pedro, and we'll see who's in such a hurry"
An icy wind blew Peter and Magdalena back. There was no one there, only the dark night. But something happened inside the house.
"Close the door, Pedro! we're going to freeze. I felt something come in, it brushed my leg". Magdalena was afraid.
Mrs. Alba and her sister crossed themselves, Mr. Gonzalez, in his deafness, did not understand what was happening, and his wife tried to explain with signs. Mr. and Mrs. Lopez kept quiet, finishing their dinner.
"Well, nothing happened. Come on, Pedro, help me pour some chamomile tea to calm my nerves".
At 9 pm, silence and darkness reigned in the house. Everything had been picked up and washed, and the guests were in their rooms.
Magdalena had laid down on her bed and grabbed the book on the bedside table to read. She became sleepy and turned off the lamp. And as she did so, she noticed two green eyes staring at her from the combing machine. Something was there in the background.
The scream that came from her throat woke up all the inhabitants of the house, except Mr. Gonzalez, who continued sleeping peacefully.
Juanita was the first to arrive in the room, Pedro and the sisters followed to see Magdalena with her eyes wild-eyed, staring from the bed towards a fixed point.
"There he was, and I saw his eyes" They were green and shining" The sisters made the sign of the cross again.
"Peter closes the door. Whatever was in here couldn't get out"
And looking under the bed, they found it, curled up in the corner. A ball of black hair that meowed and snored.
"It's a cat. Rather, I think it's a cat and she's giving birth. The poor thing was looking for a warm place. She must have come in when the door opened"
"I told you, Juanita". Magdalena, now calmer, tried to bend her body down to see the cat.
"What do we do now, Mrs. Juanita? We have to find a box to put her in"
"Let's leave her alone. She knows what to do. I'll put a blanket under the bed. I'll stay here and take care of her"
"All right, Magdalena, let's take care of her and her children".
"We want to take care of her too". The sisters were excited about the cat that was going to give birth.
The cat, whom they named Wind because the people in the house believed it was the wind that had knocked on the door, stayed in the house with her three kittens.
This surprise, that brought them the first day of spring, made the inhabitants of the Carmen Inn happy, especially Juanita and Magdalena.
Now they live not only with memories, but with three cats, who not only broke the blue crockery, filled the furniture and the beds where they sleep with hair and destroyed the flowers that Pedro grew in the garden, but also broke the routine, with their mischief and cuddles and gave them all one more reason to live.
Versión en Español
El viento helado que se metía por todas las rendijas y agujeros producía un aullido que ponía los pelos de punta a los habitantes de la vieja casa de huéspedes. Los que allí aún permanecían, porque esta casa era ahora su hogar, soportaban los últimos días del invierno, con paciencia. Quizás no volvieran a ver caer la nieve y esta podría ser su última primavera en sus vidas.
El comedor estaba todavía en penumbra. La débil luz del atardecer entraba por los ventanales. Juanita, en compañía de su hermana Magdalena, preparaba la mesa para la cena. Entre las dos sumaban más de 150 años, pero su vitalidad aún se sentía en ese lugar.
—¡Apúrate, hermana!, mira que los huéspedes ya deben estar por llegar.— Juanita encendía la lámpara del comedor y arreglaba los cubiertos y las servilletas.
Magdalena, una mujer casi obesa de cabellera cana que enrollaba en dos crinejas sobre su cabeza, le respondió.
—Juanita, parece que fuéramos a recibir a la realeza, ja, ja, ja, y los González, los López, la Sra. Alba y su hermana Sofía no son parecidos ni en sus sueños.
—¿Sabes qué me disgusta cuando dices eso? Todas las personas que están acá son honorables y merecen un buen trato. Como decía mi mamá, la posada Carmen es un lugar de buen gusto y atención esmerada
Juanita, una mujer alta y delgada, con su cabellera que aún mantenía un color negro brillante con apenas algunas canas, llevaba un vestido de color beige que le llega por debajo de las rodillas y la hace ver muy elegante. Coloca las copas ordenadamente a un lado de los cubiertos. La vajilla, de color azul claro con un borde dorado, era tan antigua como la casa.
Todos los huéspedes llegaron puntuales a las 7 pm, hora de la cena, y se sentaron a comer, una sopa de vegetales, unos rollos de carne y natilla de postre.
Mientras afuera el viento soplaba cada vez más fuerte, se escucharon varios toques en la puerta de madera de la entrada.
—¿Quién será a esta hora? ¿Estamos esperando a alguien, Magdalena?
—¡No!, a nadie
Los huéspedes se miraron entre ellos. Se sentía algo extraño en aquellos golpes a la puerta.
Pedro, el viejo cocinero, como todo en aquella casa, salió de la cocina todavía con el delantal puesto.
—¿Quién será? Voy a abrir
—Ten cuidado, Pedro, mira primero por el agujero antes de abrir. —La voz de Juanita tembló un poco.
Mientras Pedro caminaba hacia la puerta, se escucharon de nuevo los golpes, esta vez más fuertes.
'Toc' 'toc' 'toc'
Pedro se asomó por el agujero.
—No veo a nadie. A lo mejor son los niños molestando.
—¿A esta hora y con ese frío que está haciendo? ¡No creo! —Magdalena se paró de la mesa y se fue hasta la puerta, moviendo sus caderas de un lado a otro, mientras los demás esperaban sentados en la mesa.
De nuevo los golpes, insistentes.
—Abre, Pedro, y veremos quién es el que está tan apurado.
Un viento helado hizo retroceder a Pedro y a Magdalena. Allí no había nadie, solo la oscura noche. Pero algo pasó al interior de la casa.
—¡Cierra la puerta, Pedro, nos vamos a congelar!. Sentí que algo entró, me rozó la pierna. —Magdalena tenia miedo.
La Sra. Alba y su hermana se persignaron, el señor González, en su sordera, no entendía lo que pasaba y su esposa trataba de explicarle con señas. El señor y la señora López se mantenían callados terminando su cena.
—Bueno, no ha pasado nada. Vamos, Pedro, ayúdame a servir un té de manzanilla para calmar los nervios.
A las 9 pm el silencio y la oscuridad reinaban en la casa. Todo había sido recogido y lavado y los huéspedes estaban en sus habitaciones.
Magdalena se había recostado en su cama y agarró el libro que tenía sobre la mesita para leer. Le dio sueño y apagó la lámpara. Y al hacerlo, se dio cuenta de que dos ojos verdes la miraban fijamente desde la peinadora. Algo estaba allí en el fondo.
El grito que salió de su garganta despertó a todos los habitantes de la casa, menos al señor González que siguió durmiendo plácidamente.
Juanita fue la primera en llegar a la habitación, Pedro y las hermanas le siguieron para ver a Magdalena con los ojos desorbitados, mirando fijamente desde la cama hacia un punto fijo.
—Allí estaba, yo le vi los ojos. Eran verdes y brillaban. —Las hermanas volvieron a hacer la señal de la cruz.
—Pedro cierra la puerta. Lo que sea que estaba aquí no ha podido salir. —Dijo Juanita con voz fuerte.
Y buscando debajo de la cama, lo encontraron, acurrucado en la esquina. Una bola de pelos negros que maullaba roncamente.
—Es un gato. Mejor dicho, creo que es una gata y está pariendo. La pobrecilla estaba buscando un lugar cálido. Debió haber entrado cuando se abrió la puerta.
—Te lo dije, Juanita. —Magdalena, ya más calmada, trataba de agachar su cuerpo para ver a la gata.
—¿Y ahora qué hacemos, Sra. Juanita? Hay que buscar una caja para meterla.
—Vamos a dejarla tranquila. Ella sabe lo que tiene que hacer. Voy a poner una manta debajo de la cama. Yo me quedo acá cuidándola.
—Está bien, Magdalena, vamos a cuidarla a ella y a sus hijos.
—¡Nosotros también queremos cuidarla! —Las hermanas estaban emocionadas por la gata que iba a parir.
La gata, a quien pusieron de nombre Viento porque las personas de la casa creían que había sido el viento el que había tocado la puerta, se quedó en la casa con sus tres gatitos.
Esta sorpresa que les trajo el primer día de primavera, hizo felices a los habitantes de la posada Carmen y en especial a Juanita y Magdalena.
Ahora no solo viven de los recuerdos, sino con cuatro gatos, que no solo rompieron la vajilla azul, llenaron de pelos los muebles y las camas donde duermen y destrozaron las flores que Pedro cultivaba en el jardin, sino que también rompieron la rutina en la vida de todos ellos, con sus travesuras y mimos.
La traducción al inglés lo realicé en www.deepl.com
Wow, what a scare I got. I really thought it was the bad bug that had gotten in. I never imagined it was a sweet kitten.
I loved your comment @gertu. Your were surprised like the characters in the story 🤭
A hug and thank you very much 🌸
Yes, I think I was scared as were the characters, I congratulate you for your plot, excellent.
Very good story... it sounded a bit spooky and turned out to be the opposite. I loved it.
Saludos, @popurri.
Thank you very much dear @nanixxx. I'm glad you liked it. A hug and happy night ✨️
I support @popurri . What a surprise spring visit it was . For the expected not yet arrived and the unexpected took underneath that corner space. Well plotted and Crafted story.
Good exposition.
Greetings.
How nice your comment. Thank you very much @oyebolu.
Regards
What a plot!. Your stories are great to read. Nice one.
Thank you very much dear @marriot5464.
Regards and happy night
Such a beautiful transition from fear to warmth! The kittens brought more than just mischief they brought new life and joy. Loved this!"
Thank you so much @joyyy for reading and commenting on my story
Regards ✨️
Heartfelt thanks for your support
Regards 🌷
A very beautiful story told, I honestly thought it was something horrorful but thank goodness for the adorable cats.
Hello @edith-4angelseu
Thank you very much for your comment. She was just a cute kitten
Happy night
A nice story, it seemed to have some horror with the suspense you generated and then the twist at the end that was very pleasant to read and very tender in the end despite the mischief of the newcomers.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Happy day.
Thank you very much friend @rincopoetico7 for commenting my story. Yes that was the effect I wanted to have and I really like cats.
Happy and blessed night to you ✨️
This is awesome. I was waiting for that line that would scare me off my bed as I was lying down reading this story. Behold, the concluding part of the story rather melt my heart. The poor cat got trustworthy friends in her time of need. ❤️
How nice your comment @lightpen. I loved it! That was the effect I wanted and I'm glad you liked it.
Greetings and happy night ✨️
You have trapped me. I imagined rivers of blood among the boarding house guests. 😲
Good story and very well told. 🌼
I really appreciate your comment @leopard0 and I'm glad.
Regards ☺️
Your story took me on an imaginary trip
I love how you switched from fear to warmth
It’s a great skill