CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25

JUANES CASANOSSA

JUANES OPENED HIS EYES and the darkness slowly changed into such different shapes, everything seemed more like a dream than reality.

Suddenly, a face lost in the past was smiling at him.

Enrico?

— So, sleeping beauty — said Juane's younger brother, smiling — how do you feel?

Juane's head felt like it was going to explode.

— I'd say I've had better days… what are you doing here?

— I'm fine too, thanks for asking...

— Fuck you... where is our mother?

— Okay, you must be at church, you know how fanatical she is, especially when they call us talking about you, you're a lot of work, man.

— It's a good thing she's a fanatic, otherwise she'd be dead by now.

Enrico smiled.

— Yeah, I think you've got a beautiful guardian angel, getting shot in the head and staying sober like nothing happened isn't for everyone.

— I don't think so... where is Silvia?

— Who is Sylvia?

Juanes changed the subject.

— Can you turn on the television? How long was I unconscious?

— Five months.

Juanes was going to show some reaction to that, but his head was throbbing like a bell being tolled.

— I don't believe...

Enrico took the remote control and turned on the television, he was having some ceremony, but a scene shocked Juanes a lot, Silvia was hugging Victor waving to people, she looked so happy...

It's not the same Silvia he knew, something was wrong...

Three weeks after coming out of the coma, Juanes was released to return home.

Her apartment seemed so empty at that moment, even though she was reunited with her mother after so long, nothing else seemed to make sense without Silvia's presence.

After six months, Juanes went back to work, but his life was completely empty, there was a hole the size of the world that Silvia had left, it was impossible not to feel his presence in that room, every time he opened the door to the room was the image of Silvia naked smoking a cigarette he saw.

Seeing his brother again after so many years didn't bring as much joy as he imagined, after all, seeing Enrico a man brought back memories of Puerto Rico, when he abandoned them to try to stop his father from doing one more shit in his life.

WILLIAN JOHNSON ENTERED the restaurant and sat at the counter.

— Please — he said to Juanes — a whiskey with plenty of ice.

Juanes served the drink.

— Do you know who I am? — William said unpretentiously.

— To be honest, sir, I've never seen uglier in all my life.

William laughed at the joke.

— I like you, you're the first person to make a joke of me and come out alive, as I owe you one for saving me, I'd say we're even.

— Save your life? — It just might be crazy...

William smiled.

— Aren't you missing a kidney by any chance?

Juanes swallowed dry that saliva and broke the glass in his hand.

— Don't worry, your Rim is in good hands, I came here to talk about business.

— I don't do business with someone who steals from me.

— I didn't steal anything, I paid for it, in case you haven't received your share yet, I can take care of it personally, but I want to talk about Silvia Reys, I believe you're interested in knowing how she is...

— Must be better than if you were by my side.

— My son brainwashed her, the idiot is in love with her, I believe if we made a little effort, she would remember you, so she would leave my son alone.

— She's a whore, she'll do anything for money.

— I'll teach you something, son, a woman will do anything for money, they all have a price, but when she loves someone, she can move worlds, that's her case, I don't know what she saw in you, maybe for other men, including my son, she really is a prostitute, but not with regard to you...

— What do you gain by plotting against your own son?

— He's an ungrateful son, he needs a lesson, but let's just say I enjoy challenges and dangerous games.

William lit a cigarette.

— Sorry, sir — said the manager kindly, 'but you can't smoke in here.

— Who would stop me?

— I kindly ask you to smoke outside.

Willian motioned for Juanes to accompany him.

Arriving outside the restaurant, William said:

— So, you're going to save your lover's life?

— How would you do that?

— I have a plan, but you'll have to do exactly what I tell you.

THE PARTY WAS GOING THROUGH WELL, there were several celebrities, even the senator of the moment, candidate for the presidency of the United States of America, Jennie H. Wilkinson was present. Juanes learned that she was David's sister and that brought back good memories of several years...

How long had it been since that night? Almost thirty years...

They went by so fast that Juanes didn't even realize he was almost fifty years old...

Everything was going the way William had planned, the right people were there, including Silvia Reys...

Silvia was in a circle of friends talking and laughing, for Juanes that was the perfect image of paradise, it didn't even seem like five years had passed since that day.

Juanes was holding the tray and served everyone in the circle of friends and Silvia looked strangely and said:

— I think I've seen him somewhere...

Juane's heart raced.

— Yes ma'am.

— Of course you know each other — interrupted Victor gently — Mr. Juanes Casanossa is a bankrupt film director and now he's in this life, isn't he, Mr. Casanossa?

— Of course, Mr. Victor.

— So you know something of my past, sir...

— Casanossa — Juanes completed — but I don't know much — he looked at Victor who was looking forward to the challenge.

— What a wonderful thing, all these years looking for an answer, someone who knew anything…

— It's really a unique opportunity, dear, but at the moment Mr. Casanossa is working, he couldn't help you much, how about if we invite him another day?

— The other day — she was indignant — no... of course not, I'll pay his day of service if that's the case, but I want to know something about my past...

— Sorry, Mister Victor, I'll be back later, but...

— Calm down, my dear... — Victor hugged him and whispered in his ear — anything about our past and I'll kill you today, do you hear, you miserable?

Victor smiled and clapped Juanes on the back as if they had been friends forever.

The three went to the balcony and Juanes noticed that William and Senator Wilkinson were talking on the other side. William bowed, lifting a glass in his hand. Juanes nodded and turned his attention to Silvia.

— Tell me everything — she said eagerly.

— Actually, there's not much to talk about, we met in a park, I thought you were very beautiful and I invited you to participate in one of our hospital films...

— What is the name of the film?

— Now you caught me in short pants… — he pretended to think for a moment — I think it was a vital point, if I'm not mistaken.

— Vital point? Who would be in a movie with a name like that?

The three laughed.

— The hard thing to believe — Victor said — is that it was in this movie that our friend here ended up going bankrupt.

Juanes nodded.

— I lost everything I had most value, friends, wife, money...

— Almost lost his life — Victor added grimly.

— Yea...

JUANES WAS CHANGING when Victor appeared.

— I can imagine who brought you here, you bastard.

— You're crazy…how can you do this to her?

— Do what? Give her the world?

— Don't...take the world from her...

— Well... since you're so keen.

Victor snapped his fingers and then several people grabbed him.

— If you scream, you'll die right now.

JUANES OPENED HIS EYES and everything looked like an immense void...

Where am I? Who am I?

Juanes opened his eyes and saw that he was in a hospital room.

— At last he woke up — said the doctor.

— What... what happened?

— You had a terrible accident, I'm sorry.

Juanes tried to get up on the bed, but he couldn't.

— I'm sorry to tell you, sir, but we had to amputate your legs...

Juanes felt despair take over him.

— Stop joking around, doctor, I can still feel my legs.

— This sensation is called a phantom limb, it is completely normal in people who have just lost a limb.

— Can I speak to someone in my family?

— I'm afraid not, sir, you've been here for eight weeks and we haven't been able to get in touch with anyone in your family, not least because the world is in real chaos.

— Chaos? What happened?

— Some terrorist group dropped atomic and chemical bombs all over the world, it is estimated that at least half of the people in the world we know have died.

— But...

— I'm sorry, I don't think I can be of much help.

THREE MONTHS LATER, Juanes was released from the hospital, trapped in a wheelchair forever. He felt like the most useless person in the world.

Everywhere he looked, Juanes saw the absolute destruction, bodies were still scattered everywhere, it was even difficult to guide his wheelchair through all that wreckage...

— Liked the surprise?

Victor's voice brought Juanes back to reality.

— Why did you do that?

— We are creating a new world where the weak have no place, and you are a weakling.

Juanes nodded.

— Your brother is fine — Victor assured her.

— My brother, what happened to him?

— He's running away from his father-in-law, but my father is protecting him, he has a lot of potential, he challenged one of the most powerful men in the world and he's doing well, he's completely different from you.

— My brother was always a retard.

— But he's not in a wheelchair about to be killed.

— What will happen to Silvia?

— She's regained some consciousness...

— Then...

— Yes, she remembered you, so I put her back in a sanatorium, one of the few left...

Juanes looked thoughtful.

— Good luck with her, she's no use to me anymore.

IT TOOK JUANES two weeks to find her, and the scene was anything but exciting to behold.

Silvia came close to Juanes and lightly touched his face.

— What have they done to you, my dear?

Juanes hugged her.

— I hope it's not too late for us...

— It will never be...

The building exploded...