Chapter XI - Tale 40: Theodore

I walk into the office. Busy, I turn on the computer and sit down. Cassius arrives:

- Hi love, how are you? - He asks smiling, waiting for a hug.

- All right. - I give him a dry answer.

I stand up, greet him with a quick kiss on the cheek, and sit down. She notices my distance and makes a crying face.

He turns around and heads to his room. He turns on the computer to look for airline tickets. Every year, he travels with friends during carnival. A colleague knocks on the door:

- Hi Cassius, can I come in? - she asks smiling.

Without waiting for an answer, she enters with sheets of paper. Cassius quickly finds a soft chair for her. As they talk, he adjusts his collar, and she looks at him smiling. This conversation bothers me...

Feeling jealous, I send him a message: "I noticed that you played with my feelings, I didn't like that. You are not allowed to lay your hand on me. From now on, we are only going to have a professional relationship. You don't need to come and talk about this subject with me."

Dissatisfied with my feelings, I put on headphones and focus on work. He doesn't answer me.

After a few hours, I go to the coffee room, and there she was, leaning on the counter... my boss... Sibyl!

- Hi, Ana! Remember to send me that presentation for the new client.

Approaching her, I answer solicitously:

- I have finished it! I will review it and send it...

- Have you noticed? – she asks, laughing, approaching her face to mine.

- What? - I ask, feeling curious.

- Teodoro glares at you from behind! Didn't you notice? Theodore adores you!

She lets out a laugh, her eyes gleaming sarcastically. I thought her comment was unnecessary.

- No, Sibyl! Never! – I answer in surprise, shrugging.

I had lunch with Theodore every day! I was amazed, as he was a married man, and I never noticed any interest in me.

Cassius and a friend of ours, Alex, arrive. The laughs start... Sibyl throws her body into Cassius'; then she runs her fingers over Alex's arm, tilting her head to the side with a lecherous smile.

I sit at one of the tables to have my coffee:

"Awful behavior for a boss!" - I think indignantly, while blowing the coffee.

- Shall we have lunch? - Sibyl invites them.

- I'm taking my mother to the doctor. Next week I'll be able to ... - Alex apologizes.

- Let's do it! Then I have a meeting with a client. – Cassius accepts, feeling a little discouraged.

- Cassius! The women are saying that you became gay! They hit on you, and you don't do anything! - she speaks loudly and laughs in a scandalous way.

Everyone looks at them. Cassio gets serious and doesn't answer. It's clear that he hated the comment. I go back to my room in silence.

Later, I ask Theodore to have lunch with me:

- I had a dream about you, Ana! - he confesses, blushing.

- Was it good?

- It was cool.

- Tell me!

- We were riding in the gondola, and you rested your head on my chest. Very nice.

- Cool!

- What do you think, Ana?

- I think you expect good things from our friendship. - I answer suspiciously.

- Ah, yes! As friends! Are we colleagues or friends?

- I think friends, we've known each other for a long time. Yes, we're friends.

- You know, Ana, there are people who approach us, they don't get what they want and leave. There are many people like that...

- That's true.

- I'm not like that. - he says, shaking his hand negatively, and continues: - I think you were extremely disappointed with one person...

- Who?!

- I don't want to say it, I'm a professional!

- Now tell me...

- I think you were extremely disappointed with Cassius...

- That's true.

- You worked a lot together, remember? And now, you walked away from him.

- I cut off the friendship. He let me down. I helped him a lot, I didn't expect anything in return, but I didn't expect contempt either.

- Forget it! Now you have a new friend! Me! – he exclaims excitedly, pointing at himself.

Since when is Theodore watching me? So, Sybil was right...

It has been a pretty hot week at the office. Too many meetings and too few decisions. At night, I call my mother to talk:

- You look upset, Ana! What happened?

- I'm estranged from that friend of mine...

- He's looking for another one to replace you, to see if he can get you out of his head. He thought, "since she doesn't want me, I'll stay with someone else".

- Is he mad at me?

- No, because he likes you. God says you have wounded pride. When he goes out with the other one, he keeps thinking about you! That's not what he wants! It's just that he's not willing to give in. He's used to doing what he wants with women! He's a good talker, isn't he?

- Yes.

- He's not ready at all. He thinks you're just like the others. He doesn't see your value. There's no way to replace one person with another. He's not sleeping at night because he's in pain. God is kneading him.

- I'm not gonna ask him to talk to me.

- You're not supposed to call him! God will only allow his approach when he comes with a sincere heart, as long as he wants something serious.

- Mom, I'm going to bed. Bye bye. – I say, feeling sad.

- May God be with you! See you later.

The following day... Cassius arrives with firm steps. He gives me a kiss and walks away. He doesn't look me in the eyes.

- He wants you to recant. You're the one who told me not to come near you. He wants you to run after him! – says an angel.

- I'm not running! That's alright with me! – I think, feeling angry.

And at lunchtime...

- And how is your former friend? – Theodore asks, wrinkling his nose.

- Who?!

- Your former friend... that one! – he explains, making a gesture of withdrawal with his hand.

- Cassius? He's not my former friend. I'm just staying away from him. And how is Andrew? After he was laid off, I never saw him again.

- I met him on Saturday. He's trying to get back on his feet. I told him not to isolate himself so much...

- You are wasting your time.

- He should go to a church, - Theodore comments.

- Agree. I think Andrew's problem is spiritual. He said things that didn't exist and argued with everyone. He changed after he started the relationship with his current husband! – I say, with complete certainty.

- I see that too. He just got worse.

- I think his husband messes with spirits! - I say.

- Of course he does! He is a priest in a spiritist center! – he reveals.

- I was sure! You explained a lot of things!

I remembered the day I was walking around the mall and the angel told me to come home. He showed two men sending evil spirits from a center. God takes care of his children! Even when we don't see it! Thank you, Lord, for your protection, and for this further revelation!

Theodore is silent... he eats a bit more.

- I think I have a crush for someone here in the office. - he confesses.

- Does she know? I can't imagine who this person might be! – I make a fool of myself.

- You don't know yet. I intend to tell him how I feel...

- Theodore, you have a wife! Think of your family! Perhaps your marriage has fallen into routine... why don't you travel with her? Or maybe you could go to a different restaurant? Just the two of you...

- Maybe, but I don't feel like it, you know... I'm kind of tired...

- Think about what you will do! It looks better out there, but it's not! Finding nice people isn't easy! Do you remember the old saying: you only know what you have when you lose it?

He stays thoughtful, not saying anything until lunch is over. We get up and go back to work.

The next day, he sends a message:

- Ana, now I'm sure, I like you!

- I like you as a friend! - I answer quickly.

After that, we continued being friends, and we never mentioned this topic.