Yesterday (Part One - Chapters 5 & 6) (Patreon)

CHAPTER 5

Eva's life was fairly easy, she conceded to herself while stepping into the treadmill. She enjoyed taking care of herself and mind-planning her future, with the reassurance that whatever happened, she would be ok.

Since she was a little girl she had been very aware of her status and that if she was smart and patient enough, she would have a nice and easy life. She had the body, the money and the training to success.

And a plan.

She mentally repeated that litany every morning while training on the treadmill in the gym. That machine always helped her think. She had to go and buy one herself. Or better yet, have Adrian, her boyfriend, buy it for her. Or she could include it on their wedding registry…

––Keep it up, Eva, you look fabulous –– the coach, an Argentinean who had recently been hired at the gym to take over mornings, encouraged her.

“Gosh, where do they get them?”, she wondered as she glanced back at his tight, fibrous body.

Her father had signed her and her sister up on that VIP gym shortly after its opening. It was far from home but it didn't matter, they had a chauffeur for that, besides, she could use the daily stroll, it was a way of making herself go uptown and not live secluded in the family home like her older sister.

She had an appointment with Adrian that afternoon. They had to choose the centerpieces for their wedding banquet, and the catering service they hired had arranged a generous sample selection of hors d'oeuvres for them at the Palace Hotel lounge hall.

She was very excited about her engagement to Adrian. They had met a little over a year ago at the very exclusive annual dinner that foreign embassies in Spain hold in Madrid, and from the first minute she had her eye on him, she made sure he would be hers alone.

Adrian had made a name for himself in the corporate world because of his stock market sting and his instinct for risky investments. He had several companies, a growing fortune, and a future full of landmarks and many travels that would allow her a comfortable freedom to live her life. He didn't have the education or the pedigree of her family, but he was a quick learner and, as his father said, a little new blood would do pretty well to the household.

But before all that she had an appointment with her hairdresser, manicure, pedicure, and lunch with Lola, her best friend.

She always had a hard time finding friends who would keep up with her. That city didn’t have all that she needed, that was crystal clear, but she saw value and some advantage in that knowledge. Given those circumstances, she would always stand out from all that mediocrity.

Her, and her select group of friends, of course.

Lola, Nerea and Pepa, those were her soul mates, her circle. They had known each other since childhood, and had shared nursery school, college, high school and almost university; and now they were competing to get to the altar the prettier and the better.

But she'd be the first, as always. She was the proud leader of that group, and in fact, not having to proclaim it out loud, she knew it had always been so. Eva loved to control situations.

––Pablo, you gays are so lucky –– she told her coach ––no obligations, no commitments, and always surrounded by handsome men.

––You watch too many movies, Eva ––. Pablo replied resignedly but with a smile. He was fed up with all the fancy customers, but they paid him well and at least he wasn't being chased there by hustlers like in his previous job ––. Being gay doesn't make it any easier, believe me. Besides, you yourself are pretty gorgeous, honey.

––Yes, yes... Too bad Adrian doesn't take care of himself like you, I have to bring him here, so you can get him in shape before the wedding.

––Of course, darling –– he said with a sigh.

Lola was late, true to herself. But her beauty session had left her as good as new, and while she waited on the sunny terrace of the restaurant, she took a look at the magazine she had absent-mindedly taken away from the hairdresser's.

She needed ideas for the kitchen of the new house they were planning to buy, and the interior designer they hired was not quite getting what she was looking for. So far all his sketches had seemed very cheesy so, in her usual and somewhat resigned fashion, she decided to anticipate and take the reins.

––Eva, I'm sorry, but traffic was horrible!

Lola threw two kisses in the air towards her and sat down. She was carrying several top brand bags.

––I can see you've been out shopping –– Eva said with a chuckle.

––Yes, I need something for tonight, everything I have is so dull! ––She was like that, needing to wear a new rag all the time. ––Well baby, how are you doing? Do tell –– she asked all smiles –– How are preparations going?

––Ugh, there's so much to do, it's too bad there aren't any good wedding planners in Madrid.

––You have to pitch that to your boyfriend, if someone is able to make it happen here for once, that’s him –– Lola said with a slight shrug of her shoulders as she browsed through the menu.

––Yes, you're right, I'll tell him later.

They ate, gossiped, had a few drinks and then left around half past four in the afternoon. Lola had an appointment with her stylist, and Eva had to meet Adrian at the hotel at five.

But Adrian didn't show up.

Eva called him several times on his cell phone, but it was offline. She cancelled her appointment with the caterers, called the driver and returned home to her parents quite upset.

––He must have had some last-minute meeting ––her mom tried to excuse him with little success.

––He could have warned me –– Eva replied angrily ––Besides, I have already left three messages in his voicemail and he has not gotten back to me yet.

––Eva, honey, if I had to remember the times your father stood me up for work...

––Mom, you better shut up.

––Whatever you want, sweetheart.

Her mother sighed with resignation and left her alone in the living room. She hated it when Adrian would do that to her. That was the second time he stood her up without notice. The first time she forgave him. She later found him so stressed, so distressed when he finally appeared, she took pity on him. After all, he was a businessman.

She had suffered many years of disappointments at home from her own father. Which, out of habit, had become a matter of family jokes. But for a while she had hoped that she would not have to go through the same ordeal with her future husband. She wanted to be special for him, she wanted, deep down, to be able to control that situation too. To feel safe so she can give herself up.

She really loved Adrian, though that was something she kept to herself, for she knew it was her weak spot, and she was not willing to expose herself to inadvertent harm. She wanted to keep him tied up, secure, and just for her. She wanted to be able to choose the right time to unleash her feelings and not lose too much footing in the process.

That's why Adrian's transgressions annoyed her so much. A gray shadow of abandonment loomed over her head when she did not know where he was, and that was a feeling she did not fancy at all.

It was already nine o'clock that night, and Eva began to be really worried. Nobody knew anything about Adrian, not in his office, not at home, and his cell phone was dead.

––I'm sure he's fine, dear. ––Her father had just arrived home and had come upstairs to see her in her room and try to calm her down.

––I know, dad, but it's just so weird.

––You'll see that he shows up.

––He’s going to get it.

At ten o'clock that night, her cell phone rang, it was a landline number from another city.

––Eva.

It was him.

––Adrian! Where are you?

––I'm in Valencia.

CHAPTER 6

I'm in a speeding car, it's dark, the dotted line of the freeway is snaking menacingly towards me.

I glance at my hands, I'm at the wheel, I stumble and the car in front of me honks wildly and blinds me for a few moments.

Get your shit together!

Where am I?

But I can't drive!

A violent flash of lightning blinds me again. Everything is white, really bright.

I'm lying on the ground.

A street, people, fuss.

––What's your name sir? –– An anxious voice is asking me.

I want to reply but words get stuck before they reach my throat, I try to gesticulate but only my eyes obey. I want to stay focused but I barely have the necessary strength to do it, so maybe I'll close my eyes and see if this goes away too…

Where am I?