'Fatal Love'

Sarvam Sree Krishnaarpanam Astu

A gentle breeze shook the branches of the pink poui tree, ripping apart a few rosey leaves, that flew and made circles in the air. Her eyes caught a few of these leaves that moved high up in the air, suddenly fell low, only to be lifted up again, not as high as the first time, by another gush of wind.

"As if being juggled by one giant, invisible, mischievous boy, who wants to play with it and then throw it away... for the next boy to come, pick it up... only to throw it aside again..." said the girl with the puffy cheeks and curly brown hair, who sat in the balcony of Raul's cafe, and kept watching the floating leaves with her moist, reddened eyes. She wore an ordinary white t-shirt that was covered with lip stick and eyeliner stains and a pair of jeans, that had a little tear along the left knee. Her hair was a mess and black circles were around her moist, severely irritated eyes. "On and on they go, those beautiful yet fragile leaves...Each time flying a little less higher than the previous time. Eventually they will be shredded into pieces by the wind and would end up in the gutter...Just like how these men play with us."

"Por favor, novia (For Goodness sake, girlfriend!)...  let's not be too dramatic about it all, Gabriela..." said her friend, who remained in the chair beside her, blowing on the cup of latte she had in her hand. She was much better dressed compared to Gabriela, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a denim shirt, with the first two buttons opened, revealing her ample bosom. Thin dark purple lipstick covered her naturally seductive lips and a playful shine, glinted along the sides of her eyes. "I mean this is not your first break-up...You will be 30 in a few days' time and you must have already been in what? quatro...cinco relacions (4, 5 relationships)?

"18 Josefina...18 and counting" replied the dull girl, not lifting her eyes off the pink poui tree about fifty feet from the cafe, to its front. The gargantuan spires of the Iglesias De Maria Immaculate (The Church of Immaculate Mary) stood magnificently in the distant background, appearing well above the cluster of Montezuma Cypress trees that covered the entire horizon.

"Dios Mio (My God!)...that's quite a number..." said Josefina, the lean girl, with the black hair and brown eyes, peering deep into her cup of latte trying to avoid seeing her friend while speaking on the precarious topic. "Well that just strengthens the point I'm trying to convey. 18 relationships. You've fallen hard in love, you've fallen out hard-"

"-Thrown out!" interjected Gabriela. "Penosamente!" (Painfully!)

"Yes...yes..." sighed Josefina rolling her eyes, "thrown out...painfully indeed... and yet you've come back from it again. Risen like a phoenix as the cliche goes..."

"Cliche is God's story of making Gabriela fall in love and fall out of it over and over again!" interjected Gabriela again.

"Thrown out" corrected Josefina with a playful smile, casually sipping on her cup of latte, blowing the foam on the rim, gently. "La misma historia que nunca cambia (The same, never changing story!)...But you've come out it several times before. That's what matters! Stronger each time! mas fuerte que antes (Much stronger than ever before). You can come out of it again. You should be better equipped mentally to handle this."

"Maybe I don't want to come out of it this time...I'm tired...my limbs don't want to move...my mind is numb...and my heart aches" said Gabriela sniffing into the already drenched handkerchief in her hand.

"Oh come on, dear...Fijate! (Attention!) We've been on the road for over twelve days now. We've traveled along the sparkling beaches of Cancun. We've driven all the way to visit the historical monuments in Michoacan. We've made a circle around Guadalajara, spending our time in some hip art camps and concerts. We've met some mighty handsome fellas along the way, who certainly made butterflies fly...not just fly but run riots in my gut." winked Josefina, nudging her forlorn friend. "Chicos guapos! (Handsome hunks) Prrrr" purred Josefina, trying to make her friend be excited about something. "Have none of these experiences shifted your mind from your past love?"

"I feel no butterflies anymore. they are long dead...The sorrow I feel in my guts has made it a horrible place for butterflies to live" wailed Gabriela into her handkerchief once again.

"Ayyy pobrecito... (Poor little thing)" said Josefina, placing the cup on the table in front of her and moving closer to her friend, putting her arm around her, trying to console her, a task she had by then become so used to. Her countenance changed from being playful to acting more serious in mere seconds, knowing perfectly well which mood to project and which emotion to hide and when. Countless hours spent watching telenovela had sure helped Josefina in developing this particular, difficult skill.

"I had come to this part of the country having heard that it was one of the best spots for a recluse. I thought a quiet few days in a place less frequented by people, far away from the usual hustle of the big city, would help me get over it...But I don't feel any better. Mierda! Still feeling like shit!" cried Gabriel burying her face into Josefina's chest. "I think we should leave. I don't know what I was thinking. Que Tonto (What a fool!) What good can such a place bring!"

Both their attention temporarily shifted to the road beyond the balcony, when a bronze 1973 Plymouth Valiante came to a screeching halt outside the cafe, causing a mini dust storm to engulf the open balcony. Both women coughed, with Gabriela being more dramatic even in her coughing.

"Gillipolas! (Asshole!)" yelled Josefina in the direction of the car below, as she hugged her friend and patted on her head gently, coughing hard herself.

The door to the old, rusty car flew open and out came a man, wearing a pair of brown loafers, a pair of grey pants, a tweed cuban style fedora hat and a casual cream colored linen shirt, the sleeves to which were rolled up to his forearm, revealing dense ink work on his strong arms that had veins bulging out of it. The buttons on his shirt were let loose, revealing a netted white tank top within and a pair of dog tags, that swung between his chiseled pecs as he strode toward the cafe's front door. He wore dark circular glasses with a silver rim and sported a thin goatee. His strong jawline and thin, sharp sideburns made a whole level of manliness ooze out of him.
 
"Ay ay yaay! Talking about chicos guapos (Handsome Hunks)! The best of the lot might have just come our way" Josefina fanned herself with her long fingers, while eyeing the man intently from the balcony. She suddenly realized that she was distracted from her weeping friend and she turned towards Gabriela to attend to her, when she noticed her sitting with her mouth agape, staring toward the man below the balcony. "Gabriela, querido (darling), you alright there?"

"Mariposas! (Butterflies!) A whole lot of them!" a naughty smile appeared on Gabriela's lips.

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"Disculpeme senor (Excuse me, sir). I'm Andres Amias Perez," the man with the Fedora hat, shook the hands of the old pot bellied coffee connoisseur Raul, who welcomed him to his cafe with a polite smile.

"Bienvenido, Bienvenido senor (Welcome sir) to my humble cafe," said Raul with his gruff voice, and pointed Andres toward an empty chair nearby. He sported a dense moustache that hid much of his lips, and wore a large green apron over his seemingly simple half sleeved shirt and pants. "I'm Raul Ortega! How can I help you? I should let you know that our special Cafe de olla is unlike anything you've ever tasted in any corner of the Latin world."

"I would love to try that for sure," smiled Andres, as Raul moved toward his kitchen counter to prepare the coffee. Andres removed his hat and placed it on the table, revealing his lush curly black hair. He stretched a bit, revealing the bulges and curves along his muscular arm, which made the two girls, ogling at him from behind the staircase, sweat profusely. "Good sir, while you make your coffee, can you enlighten me as to what is unique to or special about this village? You see, I'm quite new to this part of the country and I've heard this is one of the most remotest and quietest parts in the whole of Jalisco."

"Oh for sure, for sure...Es muy pacifico estar aqui (It's very peaceful in here). It is a quiet village indeed, quiet for most part of the year, except for two months every year, where it becomes one of the most densely populated regions in the whole of the country!" said Raul from behind the counter as he prepared the coffee.

Andres countenance changed for a bit, displaying a slight concern, before he forcefully changed it to a smile. "How is that? What happens here for those two months and is it anytime soon?"

"Did you see the church as you drove your way into this village?" asked Raul.

"Of course, one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen! Muy Hermosa! (Very beautiful!) Muy grande! (Very grand!)" said Andres, with a sense of wonder.

"The Iglesias de Maria Immaculate remains open only for two months every year. Once during the Temporada Navida (Christmas season) and once during El Viernes Santo (Good Friday) followed by the Pascua de Resurrecion (Easter). Both seasons draw in pilgrims in thousands. It's June now, therefore off season."

"Is that so? But there doesn't seem to be any hotels or cottages near by. Not even residential blocks. Where do all the people stay?" asked Andres, curious.

"This village is a dying one that will soon become completely uninhabited. Most people have migrated to the town east of the church, about 40 miles away due to severe water shortage in the region. Even the River Lerma runs dry in certain months of the year. Tiempos dificiles (Tough times)! This year things have been better. River Lerma as of now is flowing abundantly. But people can't just move in trusting that, as it can run dry two or three months down the line. You will hardly see another living soul in the vicinity of the church in the off season. A few scattered houses remain here and there. Most visitors put up tents or bring in camper vehicles to stay in during the festive season nearby the church. The area around River Lerma, that runs pretty close to the Iglesias de Maria Immaculate becomes the hotspot for campers to settle. That is about two kilometers south of us."

"Oh bien, bien...very good indeed..." said Andres with a sigh of relief.

"Oh certainly not good for a cafe owner!" laughed Raul, as he filled the cup with coffee and placed a few crackers next to it on a plate. "How can I make a living with not enough people around?"

"Mis disculpas, senor (My apologies, sir)!" corrected Andres, "I meant good because this place appears so serene in the 'off season.' The beautiful greenery all around, the magnificent church in the midst of it and the calming sound of River Lerma flowing nearby. I would find the loss of tranquility to be too unbearable with vehicles and throngs of people moving about during the festive season. Having said that, how do you make your living in this 'dying' village?"

"Muy dificul (Very difficult indeed)!" said Raul, as he placed the coffee and the crackers on the table, in front of Andres. "But about eighty percent of my entire business happens in those two months. The remaining twenty percent I make through passerbys such as yourself. National highways are nearby, as you would know by now. People do halt here during their travels, for refreshments."

"Why haven't you thought of moving to another location? Maybe a nearby town?" asked Andres, as he sipped on his coffee. "By the way, this is really good! Sabor Fuerte! (Strong Flavor) Muy Delicioso! (Delicious!). High quality Cafe de olla."

"Muchas Gracias! (Thank you!) Well, this cafe is my ancestral property. I do have a coffee plantation not far from here. My house is here as well. And not to toot my own horn, but I do make more in those two months of festive season, than I would in a year if I moved to any other town or village nearby."

"Oh that's good to know. Do tell me more about the church and-"

As the two men drifted into a deeper conversation, the two girls remained on the staircase, observing the fine looking gentleman.

"He is very friendly, very polite! He has a tremendous thirst for knowledge and seems like a frequent traveler. Not to forgot, he is super hot!" giggled Josefina.

"And he is mine! Todo Mio (All mine)!" chuckled Gabriela.

"Hey! Injusto! (Unfair)!" retorted Josefina. "Tell me one good reason why he can't be mine?"

Gabriela quickly pulled Josefina's right hand and pointed toward the ring on her finger.

"Because you have a fiance!"

 "Desafortunado! (Unfortunate!) Vida es injusta! (Life is unfair!)" Josefina rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Por favor, sean considerado! (Please be considerate!) I just got out of my 18th failed relationship. I had lost the will and motivation to live on and come out of it. We've been travelling all over the country and seen so many things to help me get out of my depression. Nothing had worked!" said Gabriela, tearing up once again, as dramatic as ever. "But then this man walked in and I sensed something special in him. I regained the zest for life! He made me excited, with his mere presence. I wonder how it would feel like to know him more and maybe go on a date with him. This might be the only way I could forget all my past failed affairs and get back on track in life. So Josefina, ayudame cos esto, por favor! (Help me with this!) Don't be my rival. Be my wingwoman!" Gabriela grabbed Josefina's hands tightly as she stared into her eyes pitifully.

Josefina stared back, pouting her lips and rolling her eyes. She then sighed and gave a hug to her friend. "Well, alright then...Let's get started with your appearance now. You can't go talk to him looking like this, with your make up messed up and with snot dripping down your nose from all the crying. Let's head to the restroom. Those men won't be done talking any time soon, by the look of things!"

Josefina grabbed her large tote bag from a table nearby and the two girls slipped into the restroom. Ten minutes later, Gabriela stepped out appearing totally different. Her hair was better groomed, her dark circles were masked by make up and fake eye lashes were fixed over her eyes. Fresh pink lipstick covered her lips and she wore an elaborate floral gown with a black full arm tops, that accentuated her breasts. Two large rings hung from her ears and she had a tiny piercing above her left eyebrow.

"Tattooed men go well with girls with piercings...At least that's the general belief." said Josefina making last minute adjustments to Gabriela's outfit. "I've done my magic in the limited time I had. Now it's time for you to do yours!"

"Muchas Gracias! (Thank you so much!) Eres la mejor! (You are the best!)" said Gabriela and the two girls gave each other a tight hug.

"Now go talk to him! I'll wait in the balcony after I try to get Raul away from him. Buena suerte! (Good luck!)" said Josefina and walked back toward the staircase. She cleared her throat and then yelled loudly. "Senor Ortega! Can you please come up here? I need your help with something!"

Gabriela winked at her and moved back toward the main hall of the cafe, where Raul was cleaning his counter, as he was speaking to Andres.

"Si Senora! (Yes madam!) Just a minute" yelled Raul back. "Is your friend in some sort of trouble?" He asked, as he saw Gabriela.

"Uhm...I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. But she was earlier trying to move the couch in our room to the balcony, to relax for a while. Maybe she needs the help of a big strong man, such as yourself" said Gabriela, smiling pleasantly towards the elderly Ortega. She walked past the table where Andres was seated and blushed a little on seeing the man's gaze fall on her. She was quick to turn her own gaze away from him and onto the water dispenser closer to Raul's coffee counter.

"This cafe also serves as a lodge?" asked Andres surprised, toward Raul.

"No senor, it's not a proper lodge with multiple rooms. This entire building used to be my parents' house. They started this cafe in the ground floor and still had their modest home in the first floor. I have my own house a few miles from here. Once they passed away, Dios bendiga sus almas (Heaven bless their souls), I started renting the top floor, with the two rooms for travellers who wished to stay for a few days. One room has two beds for visitors to rest, while the other smaller room is used for keeping the luggage safe. I would have offered the room to you, if it were not for these two wonderful girls" said Raul.

Gabriela used this opportunity to face the seated man and gave a charming smile toward him.

"Buenos Dias! (Good day!)" she said nervously.

"Buenos Dias, senora!" replied Andres with a pleasant smile.

"This is the lovely, Miss. Gabriela Martinez" Raul introduced the girl to Andres, who introduced himself back. Both of them shook hands, which made Gabriela blush even more and even shiver a little, when her hand was within his.

"Senor Ortega! Can you please hurry up?" Josefina's voice once again came from the first floor.

"Coming, senora!" cried Raul and then turned toward Andres. "I'll be right back senor. Why don't you two get acquainted and maybe I can fix you all something to eat, when I return back? Will you be here for a little while longer, senor?" asked Raul, hoping to make more business with him in the name of courtesy and hospitality.

"I am not entirely sure, Mr. Ortega. I am just doing a bit of exploring in the region and I haven't yet made any plans" said Andres.

"Then you should stay a little longer. I will be right back and I'll see what kind of service I could provide to you. Va a ser solo un minuto! (It'll be just a minute)" The elderly man hurried upstairs, leaving Gabriela and Andres to be alone with each other.

There were a couple minutes of awkward silence as Andres remained sipping on his coffee cup, while Gabriela kept nervously fiddling with the water dispenser.

"Uhm...So where are you from?" began Gabriela, her voice breaking initially, which she awkwardly corrected, causing a smile to appear on Andres' face. "I mean are you from this part of the country?"

"I'm from the western provinces. I'm just having a road trip across the country... hoping to find back some inspiration in life," said Andres with a nervous grin. "How about you, miss?"

"I'm from Mexico city. I and my friend have been travelling a bit as well. Something along the same lines as you...Trying to find inspiration in life" Gabriela smiled nervously, as she sat on a chair close to Andres, upon his polite gesture towards it.

Conversation flew smoothly and Gabriela's nervousness disappeared swiftly. It was just the way he spoke and the calmness he seemed to exude. He was a natural conversationalist and Gabriela was made to feel at ease, talking more and more with him.

What was supposed to be a one minute break to the first floor, turned out to be over forty five minutes of headache for Raul Ortega, with Josefina complaining and whinging about every little fault in her room. She complained that her cot kept creaking, and forced Raul to tighten it right away. She complained that the water in the bathroom shower wasn't forceful enough and asked him to fix it then and there. She complained that a branch of a cypress tree nearby kept coming into the room through the window and asked him to cut it down at once. She complained of a non-existent mouse in her room and forced Raul to keep searching for it to no avail. 

Every time Raul stepped down from the first floor, Josefina called him back for something else, trying to buy time for her friend with her latest man of interest, alone.

"Senora Josefina! This is not a proper full time lodge. You knew it well, when you took its keys. I do not even have servants or plumbers or electricians dedicated to fix your problems. This place has been provided to you just for a couple days out of courtesy. Whatever I could do, I have done to fix your problems, out of respect and sheer hospitality. Please don't keep complaining to me about this and that" said a visibly upset Raul, whose face was red as a pomegranate, as he walked down the stairs, huffing and puffing, covered in sweat.

"Hospitality? Courtesy? Farsa! (Humbug!) Absurdo! (Nonsense!) We've paid you rent for the few days that we have been allowed to stay. And if you are receiving money, it is a business and not a social service! And when we pay money, we expect quality!" retorted Josefina, as she walked down the stairs after Raul, thinking what else she could do to keep him upstairs.

"But your complaints are absurd! Half the problems are not even problems!" said Raul, looking deeply upset. "Some of the things you've complained about are minor discomforts which could be ignored, if you choose to!"

"Y elijo no hacerlo! (And I choose not to!) The severity of a discomfort differs from person to person. What is minor to you, can be major to me. And I don't think it to be unfair to demand quality for the money we've paid!" said Josefina.

"But, I've provided the best of hospitality that I could!"

"Well your best hasn't be sufficient!"

"Escandolaso! (Outrageous!) I'm sixty eight, Senora Josefina and I just spent the past forty five minutes walking up and down the stairs trying to fix your various problems. Every time I came down a few steps, you called me back again and I patiently came up, without much complaints. I used my own hands to move the heavy couch to the balcony as you requested. I knelt down despite my already inflammed knee caps to fix the creaking cot for you. I stretched up and stood on a flimsy stool to fix your shower. I had to stand on the edge of the window to cut down the tree branch. I did-" Raul went on and on listing down the physical discomforts he had endured to address the young woman's complaints, but Josefina didn't bother to listen anymore.

Both individuals were at the bottom of the staircase by the time this argument was going on. Josefina peeked over Raul's shoulder into the main hall of the cafe and was quite surprised with what she saw. Gabriela and Andres shared a quick, yet passionate kiss. Gabriela then walked away from him and turned toward Josefina. She winked at her, with a joyful smile, showing her thumbs up. Josefina realized that it was her cue.

"And I endured great physical pain to-"

"Hold on Senor Ortega," Josefina abruptly halted Raul's rant. "On second thought, I do realize the tremendous effort you've put in despite your numerous physical problems to make my stay a pleasant one. How ungrateful of me!" Josefina gave the fuming elderly man a hug and a hard peck on his plumpy cheeks. "You are the best, Senor Ortega! Tu eres el hombre! (You are the man!). My sincerest apologies for all the trouble I've caused you!"

"Well...I-uh-I...alright...Gracias!" A surprised and confused Raul didn't know what to say and mumbled and fumbled. Josefina had done her job well, shifting her emotions and expressions instantly as ever. She ran towards Gabriela and the two girls held hands together, murmured and giggled among themselves before moving back up the balcony.

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"Forty five minutes is all that took for you guys to start kissing each other? That was fast! Adelante, Chica! (You go girl!)" laughed Josefina, nudging her friend. "Now tell me the whole story! What is he like? What did you guys speak about? Me intrigas! (I'm intrigued)!"

"Well he is sweet, kind, very easy to speak to and very comforting. And if you didn't notice, extremely hot! All I can say is that he is my dream man!" said Gabriela, dreamily staring at the rosey leaves of the pink poui tree a few feet away from the balcony. "We women are like those rosey leaves! Beautiful yet fragile. Men are like the trunk of the tree. Strong and rugged. We can't stay rooted if we do not have have them holding on to us, as the problems in life try to rip us apart like the winds!"

Josefina rolled her eyes harder than before, but she was more curious to hear about Andres than about Gabriela's poetry.

"What did you guys talk about? Did he find out that you like him? What am I even asking? I just saw you guys kissing!" said Josefina excitedly. "How did you get to that?"

"Well there was this initial awkwardness. I was really nervous, but he was kind and made me comfortable. We introduced ourselves, talked about our background, about our interests, so on, so forth. We talked a lot about our perspectives of life and he seems to be a really deep thinker. We came to realize we had plenty of similar thoughts and feelings. We seemed to agree with each other more than we disagreed. He shares my passion for art, the beach and long road trips, not to mention jazz. We spoke a lot about it all. My heart was beating so fast as we spoke. At one point, I couldn't hold it in and I just told him how comforting, pleasant and wonderful he was, and that I would love to go on a date with him some time, if he was interested in it" said Gabriela blushing.

"You are a brave one! You jumped into it right away! And what did he say?" asked Josefina, shivering in excitement.
 
"I didn't jump into it directly. I built the conversation toward it and then asked him that. As kind and sweet he was with me, he appeared to be a bit discomforted at me asking him out. He confessed that he wasn't in a comfortable state of mind presently to indulge himself in the company of a woman."

"Oh god! No! Please don't tell me he is gay! No no, please" exclaimed Josefina, covering her mouth.

"No, no, geez, no!" said Gabriela, with a smile initially and then with an horrified expression, "But imagine if that were the case. What a loss to the womankind that would have been!"

"Menos mal! (Thank Goodness!) So he vehemently said no?" asked Josefina.

"No, it was more like, he seemed really hesitant to get into a new relationship now. Like me, he too has come out of a bitter relationship I suppose. Pobre Tipo... (Poor Guy...) I tried to enquire more about it, but he was skillful in evading any questions about his exes. He simply said that he still carried the 'baggage' from his past relationship and that he would need a bit more time to 'unload it.'"

"How long do you think he would need to 'unload' his 'baggage'?" asked Josefina rolling her eyes. "I sense this to be a typical 'man excuse.' Todos los hombres son iguales! (All men are the same!) They dread long term relationships and commitment." 

"No, I don't think he is of that type. He does genuinely seem like a wonderful man who is deeply hurt. I sense some disturbance in him. I can't pinpoint what!" said Gabriela. "I did however notice some scratch marks on his chest and a few on his arms. I think he was a victim of domestic abuse. Women could be as sadistic as men, you know..."

"So you guys just kissed and parted ways?" Josefina didn't seem to be interested in any grim past stories. She wanted to know the 'now', the present and the future potential happenings. "On seeing your reaction earlier I thought you guys were now a 'Thing' Que decepcion! (How disappointing!)" sighed Josefina.

"No, he was hesitant initially, but then he asked me if I would be in this village for a while longer. I said I didn't know. He said he didn't know either, but he now hoped to stay for a bit more for my sake. He said he will try his best to unload his 'baggage' from his past relationship in the quietness and the tranquility of this village. If that works out, he would surely go on a date with me," said Gabriela excitedly.

"I don't know how to take that..." said Josefina confused. "That sounds to me like a polite way of rejecting you. I mean come on, how long do you think we can stay here and how long will he be able to stay here? And when do you think he would get done with this 'unloading'? Lots of ifs and buts, for my liking. That never leads to anywhere, does it?"

"I wouldn't say that. I can genuinely see he was smitten by me. Maybe not as much as I was of him. But there was sincerity when he said he would try and get back to me with a yes or no in a day or two," said Gabriela hopefully.

"So that means we are staying here longer? I've been away from home for too long to be honest. Pedro is getting restless without his fiance. And I do have my business to look after...And we've been using up a lot of our savings..." said Josefina.

"Just for two more days. We should have a reply soon. We exchanged our numbers and he said he will text me anytime within the next two days. I'm sure he will. If nothing works out, we'll leave. I'm sure Pedro, your fiance, can handle your business for a little while longer. And when has money been an issue for you? Please stay with me! Por Favor, queridos! (Please dear one!)," Gabriela stared pitifully toward Josefina.

Josefina sighed and nodded. "Fine! If this will make you feel any better, we will. But prepare your mind and heart for the eventuality of him saying a 'no.' Love unrequitted, sometimes accepted, can both be fatal!" warned Josefina.

"I know, I know...But something tells me it will be a 'yes.' The way he kissed me. I can feel the passion in him. I will give him the time he needs to clear his mind. Two days isn't much...And that's two days for me to enjoy in dreams and poetry! And something tells me he wouldn't even take two days to reply to me. I can receive a message from him anytime!" chuckled Gabriela.

The noise of a car engine coming to life interupted their conversation. Both girls peered over the balcony railings and saw Andres in the driver's seat, poking his head and his left hand from the window of the car.

"Lo siento, senor Andres! (I'm sorry, Mr. Andres!) I couldn't spend more time with you to treat you better" said Raul with an apologetic expression.

Josefina was quick to pull herself away from the balcony railing sensing that Mr. Ortega would be infuriated if he saw her, as she had been the one to keep him away from Andres. She hoped that the old man wouldn't bother lifting his head up to spot her in the balcony.

"Senor, You've been really good to me! I'm quite pleased I came here today. And if everything goes well, I will be visiting your cafe again in the coming days" Andres smiled, staring at the balcony, as he said this to Raul, who remained standing outside the main entrance to the cafe, on the ground floor.

Gabriela smiled back and waved. Andres gestured with his left hand that he would text her and gave her a flying kiss.

"oooh la la la" smiled Josefina, nudging her friend, as the car moved away from the cafe. At this very same time, Raul turned on the radio in his counter, that caused the song Fatal Love by Jori King to waft through the entire building.

"I just can't get enough of this fatal love (it's softly killing me)
This fatal love (will be the end of me)
I-I can't shake this one
Oh noOh-oh-oh
I can't shake this one
Oh noOh-oh-oh"

Both girls laughed at each other on hearing the lyrics and walked back into their room, both filled with anticipation, restlessness and anxiety.

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Later...Much later that night, the same bronze 1973 Plymouth Valiante came to a stop near the banks of the River Lerma, that flowed close to the Iglesias de Maria Immaculate. The streets were deserted, no lights were visible in the vicinity, barring the few along the spires of the grand church, which was already shut down for the night. No vehicles moved nearby and no humans ventured at that time of the night.

Crickets chirped. An occassional bat whizzed by. A few rustling noises of dried fallen leaves indicated the movement of vermins. The moonlight and the front lights of the car were the only sources of illumination. Otherwise it was all just a large blanket of darkness.

The front door to the car opened and out stepped the man with the fedora hat, his circular glasses now missing. He looked all around in every direction nervously. When he found himself to be alone, he sighed and leaned on his car. He brought out a cigar from within his shirt and lit it up. Dense smoke emerged from the tip of his cigar, drifting up in the air like a spectre in ascension. He took in a couple hard puffs and let it all out slowly. He then walked to the rear of the car and opened the trunk.

A powerful stench emerged from within, which caused him to take a step back. He wafted the stench with his hand and moved toward a bush nearby. He found a small boulder beyond it, which he carried closer to the trunk of his car. He picked a rope from within the trunk of his car. He tied one end of the rope to the small boulder, while he tied the other end to a large black bag within his trunk. He slowly pulled the bag out of his trunk and allowed it to the land on the ground with a thud.

He then dragged the bag with the boulder tied to it with the rope closer to the banks of the river. He squatted over the bag for a moment, picked up a cross from with his shirt and murmured a silent prayer. He then moved closer to the bag and closed his eyes.

"Of all the women I've been with before, you've tugged at my heart strings the most and offered the most resistance as well" said Andres as he caressed the scratch marks on his chest and arms, hissing at the pain. "May you rest in peace, along with the others...Good bye love!"

He dumped the bag along with the boulder into the Lerma River leading to a loud splash. He then sat at the banks for a few moments, puffed harder on his cigar and watched the ripples from the splash and the few bubbles caused by it slowly disappearing. The boulder had done its job keeping the body bag down as well as preventing it from getting moved by the current.

"This seems to be the perfect spot...Might have to make a visit here quite often..." Andres said to himself and chuckled, coughing on his cigar.

Satisfied with the dumping, he returned back to his car and closed the door. He finished the last of his cigar and put it out into the ash tray which he placed on the dashboard of his car. He then picked up his cell phone and went through his messaging app. He opened the "To" field and selected the name "Gabriela Martinez" from the contacts list. He typed the message "Yes..." and pressed the send option.

"A new start from tomorrow..." sighed Andres and turned the radio on. The song "Starting over Tomorrow" by Hilary Grist played.

The lines "Tomorrow is a chance to start over, start over again.
You are another day older, Soon you'll be through the dark," blared through the speaker of the car, making Andres chuckle, in his own twisted way.

The car slowly moved through the darkness of the night as its driver waited for the morrow to bring a new start...the same way he had hoped the previous seven times he had to visit river banks with bags to dump...

- A. Prashanth Narasimhan