Chapter 7

• Brianna
• The next morning, Briana, was a little distracted. She still had a headache, due to the flying pumpkin that had landed on her.
• She was no longer crying, though, as she had the day before. Rather, she had wanted to move forward, in her vegetable garden.
• At that moment, she was very focused on the process. She wanted to distract herself, no matter what: one of the ways to stop doing that was to work.
• She was arranging the plants, which had not yet emerged even a millimeter from their position.
• Briana knew they were taking a long time, although she didn't know how long. She sighed, feeling the cold wet grass.
• Autumn was beginning to appear, and that meant the return of the night dew and the strange autumn breezes that appeared without warning.
• On that day, it was one of those strange moments: where there was sun, caressing your face, and suddenly, the cold was soaking your bones.
• He didn't know that at that moment, he had to wrap up a little warmer, but he didn't. He wanted to continue finishing his task without interruption.
• He started planting more seeds, of which he had, in a small bag.
• Together after a few minutes, he had already planted several specimens together. This time he had started with tomato seedlings, and in another well he wanted carrot seedlings.
• Although he knew that for the carrot: the soil had to be softer and Esteban had done him that favor.
• An hour later the sun disappeared, giving way to a cold breeze, which made Brianna hug herself.
• She looked around a little confused, noticing that Esteban was nowhere near the place.
• She sighed, she realized that she had worked hard for 2 hours without stopping and for a reason, she knew: she started to feel sick.
• She entered the house, after tidying up and putting away every tool. Looking for the kettle, to make herself some tea.
• A tea while she waited, her throat began to ache and sting.
• She sighed, she knew it hadn't been a good idea to have gone so unsheltered into the garden, when there was a freezing breeze outside. But she ignored it, the consequences were taking their toll.
• Esteban watched her arrive a little confused, she didn't have the same energy as usual, quite the contrary.
• He could see her, a little crestfallen, with her legs a little shaky and holding her neck.
• He approached her side and touched her forehead as a sigh of relief, he didn't feel any temperature and looked at her side.
• “Bri, are you okay?”
• She nodded, though she pointed to her throat.
• He sighed, they knew part that she had surely been sick. He came to her side, and poured her the cup of tea like the one she was making herself.
• She thanked him, began to drink The infusion as to which it was a little hot, although not so much to burn her lips. She sighed, just her eyes savoring the sweet taste.
• She felt, quite comforted.
• Apparently, all that had made her relax. Although she knew deep inside her, that she was surely going to get sick.
• That was happening to her, because of her stubbornness. She should have wrapped up warm, at the right moment; however, she had not done so.
• She closed her eyes tightly the moment she went to sit on the bed. An hour later, she had felt a little weaker than she had. Brianna stroked the softness of the quilt with her fingertips. In places, a few tears could be seen, but in its overall condition, it was very comfortable.
• She was pleased with her strange bed, it wasn't as muddy as the last one, and it wasn't as big either. Despite all the flaws it might have, it was a bed. He had slept with the peace of mind, which he hadn't done in a long time. She had always tried to be the best version of herself, but in this place, she had realized that it was not for herself, but for others.
• In the first instance, she had made every effort to be the best daughter, and if she was in a good university, to graduate with honors.
• At the time she met her old boyfriend, I had wanted to be a good wife. Which had not been appreciated, despite all the romantic efforts she had made with him had not been enough.
• She sighed, she was saddened, for the first time she felt herself. She felt what she could do, that no one would play her.
• With Esteban she felt comfortable, she felt that no one would judge her, as they had done so many times before.
• She also realized another small detail, she had been very sad at the exact moment she had moved away from her parents' life. But most of all from her grandmother, who had protected her life for many years, always warning them of the dangers of life itself.
• As time went by, her grandmother had never been able to protect her completely. Briana realized in this place that the only person she really cared about was her grandmother.
• Too bad it was a little late now, she didn't know when she would be able to return, and what worried her most was that her grandmother would be the only person she cared about.
• She knew that sooner or later she would have to leave that place together with Esteban, he was a very kind person: he always understood her, he had even served her a cup of tea, something her ex had never done in her life.
• She had always prepared her breakfasts, every day before going to work. In the beginning, she brought a cup of coffee every time she went to study.
• He had realized that despite the time, nothing had changed. She would always be a ghost of his life, and he had never appreciated her for what she was really worth.
• Too bad she had realized late in the moment, she had jilted him at the altar. When she had wanted to die.
• She began to realize something very important. Something she had never really realized before. Most people had only seen him as a pretty face. In addition to the university, he was a model for some brands.
• No one ever asked him how he really felt. The moment Esteban did, something in her changed.
• She couldn't help but look at him with flushed cheeks. After almost kissing him.
• She hadn't been able to help herself, thinking about him. She sighed, she didn't want to ruin that nice friendship. However, she was a pretty vulnerable person right now and she knew that any show of affection: it would be her world and she would turn it upside down. After that moment, he knew he had to sooner or later: move on.
• She closed her eyes fiercely, she wanted to erase all those images that visited her. She wanted to forget all the pain they had caused her.
• Maybe if she slept, all those memories would disappear. Even if only for a few hours.
• As she did so, she was enveloped in a tender dream.
• Esteban was standing in a meadow full of flowers. What confused her was the color of the flowers. A deep red stretched down to below her feet. She bent down, feeling the softness of the petals under her fingertips.
• She approached Esteban and for the first time she could speak to him: she opened her mouth, and out came a "hello." She had even missed her own voice together
• “Hello”
• “Hello Bri.”
• “I can talk," she exclaimed happily.
• “I see that," he murmured in amusement.
• “Why the red flowers?”
• “I don't know, you'll find out.”
• Suddenly, she opened her eyes. The light suddenly blinded her.
• She looked around even more confused than she already was.
• She could see Esteban next to her, he had some kind of napkin in his left hand.
• She moved a little confused away from his side.
• He looked at her, the same way. Their eyes met, although Brianna suddenly felt a damp, refreshing cloth on her head.
• That partly relieved her, she hadn't even realized that her head hurt enormously.
• “You're boiling with fever, Brianna. That's why I'm putting some warm water compresses on you. Now I'm going to put you in the shower so you can take a bath, and bring the fever down. To be honest I'm worried, I've been doing this for 2 hours, and it's not coming down. I think we'll have to go to the living room.
• Brianna's vision was distorted and blurred; after she mentioned this to him, the pain returned to her head.
• She felt a twinge, followed by another, which partly terrified her. She began to stroke her temples in confusion. Her head hurt so much, as it had never hurt before. She could not help moaning in pain. She clung, with her short nails on the uncovered sheets.
• Esteban, saw her suffering, in a worried way. A part of him didn't want to see her in that state, but there was nothing to be done about it, he had given her some medicine... to lower the fever and it was just a matter of waiting.
• Esteban was quite worried about Briana's state of health. He had put several cloths of warm water on her forehead as if he was trying to do something about it. But on the contrary, her forehead did not diminish one bit.
• He stayed by her side until her eyes began to slowly close.
• He did not know if it was due to the fact that he had been awake for several hours, or because he had not been able to avoid looking at her.
• There was something about her that wouldn't let him go to sleep. Her eyelashes were so long that they made shadows on her cheeks. She caught his attention, he couldn't help but stop looking at her: not even for a second.
• He caressed her hands with subtlety, he had never touched such soft hands in his life; not even with that woman he had in his past: she had been as delicate as Briana was.
• Brianna was sleeping so peacefully that she probably didn't realize the effect she was having on Esteban.
• Esteban had never been a very detailed person, but at this moment he was memorizing, down to the last mole he had on his bare arms.
• He could see a few freckles, too, dotted across her small face. He had noticed on Briana that she had a very small nose. He was even surprised at the size of her lips, he was wondering how she could eat with such a small mouth.
• He couldn't help but notice, her body so delicate and small.
• Suddenly, as the sun began to peek overhead, she began to stir a little uncomfortably from her position.
• Esteban couldn't help a smile on his straight lips.
• Briana opened her eyes slightly confused, looking around attentively for any strange movements. As soon as she saw Esteban, she relaxed.
• She opened her mouth, just as she had done to him in the dream and tried to speak.
• Though no sound could come out of her throat. She touched her neck somewhat confused, for some strange reason she had thought some word would come out, but inept silence, from her vocal cords made its appearance.