20 Short stories
[Unattainable memories]
I've made it.
I finally made it.
They said I couldn't.
They said I was crazy.
But against all odds I finally did it, I reinvented the cappuccino machine!
The espresso machine was somewhat easier to achieve, it was enough to make hot water pass under high pressure over compressed coffee pods, and now thanks to the ease of drinking a good quality coffee prepared very quickly, coffee is becoming more popular, but still not fully accepted by the group of women who preferred sweeter drinks, but now that I have managed to perfect the cappuccino machine, I will give the final blow to those people who prefer to drink that muddy water.
I contemplated my work and marveled, lots of foam, cinnamon, caramel and chocolate striped on top, yes it will definitely be a resounding success.
I enjoyed my cappuccino while I wondered, why my obsession with coffee? I know a lot about coffee that is obviously something from my original life, plus I feel strangely comfortable serving coffee to other people.
Sip after sip a faint memory came to me.
We had a coffee shop, I used to help my parents after school, and I also remember people used to say that I smelled like coffee.
As fast as it came so fast it was gone, these kind of memories of my original life come to me from time to time, but they are always gone before I can conjure up a genuine memory, I never remember my parents face or even their voice, but still I'm sure they loved me, I wonder what they are doing and how they must have taken my death.
Well, it's not worth regretting, however it may have been, I have to move on, my parents didn't raise a girl who gets depressed easily.
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[Aisha and Johan]
(Aisha) sorry but you lost again.
(Johan) grr one more game.
Since they both arrived, Johan and Aisha have been playing chess leaving me out.
Technically I am his first friend, and he comes to play with me, but every time he comes, Aisha, my fiancée is here, so he tends to fight with her to gain my attention, Aisha is not the cloying type, but she enjoys teasing Johan too much so she plays along.
(Aisha) Johan this is your 7th loss of the day, I think that makes a total of 121 to 0.
(Johan) grrr one more game.
(Aisha) ah I'm tired and it's getting boring, Leo I think I'll retire early today.
(Leonora) it's ok Aisha, I'll walk you back home.
(Johan) Okay, go on, anyway me and Leon are having a sleepover today.
(Leonora) When did I say that?
(Aisha) Oh really? then I will send a message to my house to let me stay over tonight.
(Leonora) There is not going to be any sleepover.
(Johan) No, you can't, girls can't get involved in men's business.
(Leonora) Is anybody listening to me?
(Aisha) Oh and why not? I remind you that me and Leo are engaged, that made us closer than just friends.
(Johan) grr you damn woman, I haven't accepted you as Leo's wife.
(Aisha) oh, I don't remember that we would need your approval.
(Leonora) I acquired the power to be invisible without realizing it?
At that moment Eris enters the room.
(Eris) Johan, honey, it's time to go home.
(Johan) Mom!
At that Johan went to his mother, and I was able to talk alone with Aisha.
(Aisha) That boy is so adorable, teasing him is so much fun.
I started to think about what I would do with my new powers, but Aisha started pulling my arm.
(Aisha) hmm Leo?
(Leonora) ah excuse me are you talking to me? ho.... I thought I had finally acquired special powers.
(Aisha) haha you always say funny things Leo.
At that moment Eris and Johan approached us.
(Eris) oh honey, you didn't tell me you were having a sleepover today.
(Leonora) Because I'm not going to-
(Eris) I think it's a fantastic idea, Johan I give you my permission to stay up late tonight.
(Johan) Really?! Thanks mom!
(Leonora) I activated my invisibility again without realizing it?
(Aisha) Well then, I'll send a message to my house to let them know that I'll stay up late tonight, if you'll excuse me.
(Leonora) No, seriously, I'm not going to have a sleepover tonight.
(Irma) young master, I have already prepared everything so that you can attend to your guests at the sleepover tonight.
You too Irma? oh shit.
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[Johan's determination]
(Luztukru) excellent, very good, good footwork, keep it up.
I was training with Luztukru, well I've already trained with him in past lives, and I've already learned everything he has to teach me, so I don't really need someone to train me, but having a practice partner is always good.
(Luztukru) Excellent as always my young apprentice, let's take a little break.
(Leonora) Well, thank you Luztukru.
We sat down and drank some juice that Irma brought us, I was quite relaxed until I heard a voice in the distance.
(Johan) Leon! I'm here.
I sighed deeply before answering.
(Leonora) I heard you.
Johan came running up to where we were and Eris came behind.
(Johan) waaa what are you doing?
(Leonora) I'm training....
(Luztukru) oh my young knight, I and my noble apprentice find ourselves, walking the noble path of the path of the sword, a path full of nobility, honor and tradition.
(Johan) waaa! Leon, you are learning to use a sword, how great, hey mom, I want to learn too.
Eris's face became sad and she answered him.
(Eris) oh I'm so sorry honey, but I already told you that your talents are not oriented to fencing, when we find something that you are good at, I promise you that you will be the best.
(Johan) well...
Johan's expression became sad, Eris is one of those despicable people who see effort without talent a waste.
(Luztukru) oh my beautiful lady, with all due respect, what is this nonsense about talent, my young knight, if you train with me I promise you that even the greatest knights of the kingdom will not be able to do anything against you.
(Johan) waaa really? mommy mommy can I?
(Eris) Johan, sweetie, I don't think that....
(Johan) Mommy please....
Johan made puppy dog eyes, and a loving mother like Eris, had 0 defense against that kind of attacks.
(Eris) it's ok, a few lessons won't do you any harm.
(Johan) Yes! please teacher teach me.
(Luztukru) No problem my young knight, after finishing the lessons of my apprentice number one, with a great joy, I will lead you to the noble path of the sword, and together we will go through the dangerous...
(Leonora) Luztukru, we can finish my lesson for today, you can dedicate the rest of the afternoon to teach Johan.
Anything to keep him busy.
(Luztukru) As I ordered, my young apprentice, young Johan, accompany me to pick a practice sword, this will serve you as a guide on the path we are about to enter.
The two of them left and I was left alone with Eris, well Irma was not far away, since I don't trust her at all.
(Eris) a nice character, I didn't know you had those tastes honey.
I decided to ignore her and continue taking my game.
(Eris) You know honey, I have noticed that you are quite talented, you always seem to be ahead of your master.
(Leonora) I would appreciate it if you would stop spying on me, Irma is losing her patience.
(Eris) oh honey, I only care about you, and I'm afraid that your talent will be wasted if you don't have a proper teacher, if you wish I could teach you, so we could spend more time together.
(Leonora) I refuse.
Johan and Luztukru returned soon after and began to train, every few strokes Luztukru corrected Johan's posture and continued.
(Eris) Leonora, can I ask you a favor?
She only used my name when she was serious, so I answered her.
(Leonora) It depends on what you ask me.
(Eris) could you ask your teacher to not give Johan false hopes, he has no talent for this and it would break my heart to see him struggle and not improve.
(Leonora) If he tries hard he can improve.
(Eris) there is a limit to how far you can go without talent, if you reach it you will find that you can no longer advance, and that you have wasted time that you could have invested in something you are good at.
(Leonora) I believe that effort will always beat talent.
(Eris) You are a prodigy Leonora, you don't know what it's like to be born without talent.
You don't have the slightest idea Eris.
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[One night as the head maid]
(Irma) Good night young master.
(Leonora) Good night Irma, you should go to rest too.
(Irma) thank you young master, I will keep that in mind.
I left my mistress Leonora's room and continued supervising the work of the mansion, although I personally chose and trained the staff, they, unlike me, can still make mistakes.
At night there are few who continue to work, generally only the house guards and those with work they could not complete during the day.
I walked through the mansion from side to side checking that a good job was done cleaning, I ran my fingers along the shelves looking for dust, hmm not a single speck, the cleaning maids learned their lesson well, I continued my tour, kitchen, impeccable, pantry, not a gram of flour missing.
Hmm everything seemed to be in order, I was about to go to the room of my young mistress. The simple fact of being in the same place as her, makes my heart at peace, I really can't understand how I could spend so many years of my life away from my mistress Leonora.
It was then when I felt the presence of that despicable woman, her destination seems to be the window of my mistress' room, but I intercepted her.
(Irma) What are you trying to do by breaking into my master's room at night?
(Eris) Oh Irma dear, I was just passing by and I thought of visiting little Leonora.
(Irma) You... If it weren't for my master's order to do nothing against you.... leave this property.
(Eris) oh but Irma dear, I want to see little Leonora asleep, I'm sure she must look adorable.
(Irma) I have told you to leave before I change my mind.
That woman paused for a moment to think, but in the end she turned around and looked like she was going to leave.
(Eris) Well anyway, I'm sure my little ones are much more adorable than your mistress, but I'll retire for tonight.
(Irma) You... What nonsense did you just said? there is no one more adorable than my young mistress while she sleeps.
(Eris) I don't know honey, I wanted to come and check it out because I thought it would be possible, but if you're not going to let me see her.
(Irma) I will let you see her just so you can confirm that obvious fact.
(Eris) Hehe I knew it would work.
(Irma) What did you say?
(Eris) Nothing honey, let's go see Leonora.
As we entered the room, my mistress was sleeping soundly, she was sleeping on her side hiding half of her face where she had her mark.
(Eris) yes she is definitely very adorable, I'm not sure if she's up to the level of my little ones, but I give her quite a few points.
(Irma) that's just because my mistress wants to look like a boy, if she didn't have the Lazaruz mark, and went back to wearing the dresses she wore at Croiss mansion, there would be no competition.
(Eris) hmm maybe, anyway she is very tender, she almost doesn't seem to be a ruthless killer.
(Irma) my mistress only defends herself, she never throws the first stone.
(Eris) Anyway, Irma dear, why do you follow her? Someone like you could work anywhere, and serving Leonora must be too much work.
(Irma) I follow my mistress because I decided to.
(Eris) When?
(Irma) From the moment I came into this world.
(Eris) That man, he told me something similar, that he had sworn loyalty to Leonora in another life, tell me Irma who is Leonora?
(Irma) the person to whom I have decided to dedicate my life.
(Eris) hmm I don't think I can get anything more out of you.
(Irma) if that's all, leave, you've seen what you wanted to see.
That woman finally left, but I stayed a moment longer in my mistress's room, if I had another life I would definitely dedicate it to her again.
