Chapter 7: The alumni meeting (Act 1)

That hot afternoon in Coral City, a white sport car was driving through the streets towards the facilities of the educational campus "Middle School # 13", where an emotional alumni meeting was being held that same day. Occupying the driver's seat, we find Dr. Aaron Santiago, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, an extremely remarkable man inside and outside the medical field, but with a calm ego, and simple character (yes, very much in spite of the sport car).

Heading towards his destination, without haste, Dr. Santiago goes with plenty of time to be punctual, something that he is not very used to when it comes to attending society meetings, but, this time, this man tries to take great care of all the details, because on this particular day he carries with an important burden, the commemorative speech of the alumni meeting which was written by his best friend, Dr. Ángel San Miguel, to be recited on behalf of his absence. As the road continues, the radio of the white sport car picks up a station:

- Meteorologist: That's right, citizens of Coral City, today a cloudy sky awaits us, with high probabilities of heavy rain, so get your umbrellas out of the cupboards, because the sky… It will be falling on our heads!

Aaron Santiago looks up quickly to verify what the meteorologist said, instead encountering a clear sky and a dazzling sun brimming with light, so, disgusted, he decides to switch to another radio station:

- Reporter: We are just outside the Gallagher tower, home of the famous film director, Kris Leminghton, whose lifeless body was found early today, next to the corpse of another victim, a woman known as (...) ¡BzzZzzBbZzz! (...)

The reporter's transmission is suddenly interrupted by the sound of static, being completely silenced.

- Aaron Santiago (upset): But what the hell with these stations? (…) Anyway, it's not that the life of the show business affects mine at all.

Turning off his radio equipment, Aaron Santiago proceeds to play his own music from his cell phone, easing his spirit, beginning to tap the steering wheel with his fingers following the rhythm of the song.

After a while and a few streets traveling, the car reaches its destination, stopping right in front of Middle School # 13. Aaron Santiago gets out of the vehicle calmly, adjusting the folds of his jacket, making sure to meticulously store in one of his pockets the envelope containing the speech that his friend Ángel San Miguel entrusted to him. Thus, with the objective in mind, Aaron Santiago directs his steps towards the school, stopping just at the entrance door:

- Aaron Santiago (says to himself with annoyance): Well, here we are again. Coral City's "renowned" High School # 13 (…) has been a while. Being here is so (* sighs *) overwhelming and annoying. Seriously (* shakes head *), the things some of us do for our friends.

Aaron Santiago, after releasing frustration and taking a little courage through his lonely complaints, he resumes his steps crossing the entrance of the enclosure, entering it. Once inside, our character approaches to ask a janitor who was resting on a bench (relatively a young man, apparently recently hired, since he did not recognize him) where he had to go to get to the alumni meeting, who kindly showed him the way. So, thanking the janitor for the information, Aaron Santiago walks away, following his path.

The school itself was not very large or very showy: it consisted of a few small buildings of two floors each, almost entirely white, with some cobblestone details on the sides, as well as wooden doors and windows; likewise, many flowering trees were located throughout the site, especially near the cafeteria and sports fields; as far as possible, the place had its "charm." Although the above described could be a cause for nostalgia for some, Aaron Santiago continued his march without stopping to observe in detail the generational contrasts, he was simply not interested in being there at all, being determined only to carry out his assignment and retire as quickly as possible, after all, regardless of the fact that particular site did not hold a place in his heart, he has never liked such gatherings.

Arriving down the hall to the celebration room, Aaron Santiago looms. A couple of women who had come to the reception to smoke and talk outside the noise of the conviviality, observe our character walking from the distance towards the place where they are, so, dazzled by his person, almost by reflex they begin to preen and whisper and wonder about the identity of that man so "elegant" and "of good bearing." Aaron Santiago, without paying much attention to them, passes these women, merely greeting them verbally out of cordiality, accompanied with a brief disinterested gesture, to which they blush, returning the greeting a bit disorderly and embarrassed.

Leaving those women completely aside, Aaron Santiago arrives at the reception of the room where the alumni meeting was held, approaching the receptionist, who carries with him an attendance book with the names of all the guests. As soon as Aaron Santiago approaches, the receptionist welcomes him:

- Receptionist: Good afternoon, sir.

- Aaron Santiago: Good afternoon.

- Receptionist: Would you mind if you gave me your name for your record? Please.

- Aaron Santiago: Of course. They must have announced my arrival as Dr. Santiago.

The women who had not stopped looking at Aaron Santiago with concern for a while, were attentive to the conversation, ecstatic to identify the stranger as a doctor, capturing even more their attention for our man. Despite the fact that those lustful women sought to be the first to approach this "prey" so "appetizing", it is suddenly when from inside the room where the meeting was held, the voice of an old woman emphasizes the name of our character:

- Old woman (enthusiastic): So, Dr. Santiago, huh?

Aaron Santiago slowly turns to the person who calls him, hiding his annoyance at the possibility of having been recognized by some unwelcome inopportune, however, on the contrary, his expression quickly changes to a sincere smile when he meets his former teacher, a smiling woman with silver hair and short stature who approaches to greet him with a warm hug, brief, but emotional:

- Aaron Santiago: Professor Margarita Cuellar! Long time without seeing you!

- Margarita Cuellar: How happy it is to see you, my son! But just look at how much you've grown!

- Aaron Santiago: I guess at some point we all do.

- Margarita Cuellar: Well, if Dr. Aaron Santiago says so, I think I still have hope.

- Aaron Santiago: What things do you say, professor, Ha-ha-ha!

While that emotional reunion unfolded between an exchange of laughter, the women who stalked Aaron Santiago gossip among themselves:

- Woman # 1: Did you hear that ?! She said he is a doctor!

- Woman # 2: Surely he has money to spare. Could it be that he wants to give me some? Or maybe a little money?

- Woman # 1: Girl, don't be vulgar!

- Woman # 2: Are you going to tell me that you wouldn't like it?

- Woman # 1: Well, I'm not going to deny it, but don't give yourself up so easily Hi-hi-hi!

- Woman # 2: This Dr. Aaron Santiago is so attractive!

- Women # 1 and # 2 (thoughtful): Wait a minute (…) Aaron Santiago? (…) That misaligned and lonely weirdo! It can't be that it's him! Is this really Aaron Santiago?!

Both women, shocked at their discovery, toss the drinks into their hands, and they stumble onto their backs into a bush behind them. Hearing the noise, Aaron Santiago and Professor Cuellar turn in the direction of the bush to see what was happening, however, it was large enough to hide both women inside, therefore, not noticing anything strange in sight, both decide to ignore it and continuing the talk:

- Aaron Santiago: Are you still teaching your history cathedras, professor?

- Margarita Cuellar: Cathedras? Ha-ha-ha (…) But what things do you say. No, I haven't been teaching history classes for a long time. Now I am the director of this institution.

- Aaron Santiago: Congratulations, professor! You really deserve it. You are a wonderful person who always did your job with dedication and determination, and for that I admire you. A pity for the new generations who will not know the cathedras of the marvelous and unique professor Cuellar.

- Margarita Cuellar: You really are very kind with your words, Aaron. You may not believe me, but sometimes I really miss teaching. Seeing those generations grow up and surprise me with their own evolution (…) it just fills me with joy.

- Aaron Santiago: I believe you, professor. If this feeling really fills you up so much, maybe you should consider taking it up again sometime.

- Margarita Cuellar (smiles at Aaron's words): Maybe you're right, my son.

In the middle of the conversation, the receptionist approaches Aaron Santiago again:

- Receptionist: Sorry for the interruption. Gentleman, I don't think your name is on the guest list. Would you like me to call the supervisor?

- Aaron Santiago (ashamed): No, no (…) Forgive me. You don't need to call your supervisor. In fact, you're right, I'm not properly a guest, so I'm not on the list. You see, I come to give a few words on behalf of a friend of mine, Ángel San Miguel, he sure is on the list.

- Receptionist (corroborating his list): Ángel San Miguel? (…) Of course, here is his name, and below, everything is written down. Sorry for the inconvenience, we were waiting for you, Dr. Santiago. Please, come in.

- Aaron Santiago: Don't apologize. I appreciate it a lot.

Ending the conversation with the receptionist, Professor Cuellar immediately returns:

- Margarita Cuellar: So you still get along with the good Angel San Miguel. You guys always hung out at recesses, I remember that well. A very diligent boy in class. He is fine? What happened to him?

- Aaron Santiago: Yes. Actually, we remain best friends. We also studied medicine together and, at the moment, we work at the General Hospital.

- Margarita Cuellar (amazed): Really?! Wonderful! And you are both doctors! That make me so proud of you.

- Aaron Santiago: Thank you, professor. I really appreciate it.

- Margarita Cuellar: And what exactly do you do? Because I have carried my health checks in that place for years, and I have never seen you.

- Aaron Santiago: And I am glad to hear that, because it means that you have never needed our services. Ángel is dedicated to emergency medicine, while I work in the surgery area, I am a plastic surgeon.

- Margarita Cuellar: Wow! I did not know that the General Hospital had plastic surgery service.

- Aaron Santiago: It doesn't. I'm hired as a general surgeon.

- Margarita Cuellar: Wouldn't it be more economical for you to have your private business

- Aaron Santiago: Oh yeah, actually, I do. But I don't know, I think it's a counterweight to ambition. You know, kind of community service or something similar.

- Margarita Cuellar: Ha-ha (...) You don't have to be ashamed of your goodness, Aaron. Seriously, you have matured. That boy who assured me that he did not like humanity, now he is dedicated to saving lives. This is truly (...) splendid!

- Aaron Santiago (blushing, and trying to hide it): Yes (…) Something like that.

- Margarita Cuellar: Anyway. And why couldn't Angel join us today?

- Aaron Santiago: Well (…) he said something about a real emergency for emergency physicians, but he is fine.

- Margarita Cuellar: Ha-ha (…) Well, I think it makes sense.

- Aaron Santiago: The same I said.

- Margarita Cuellar: Send my regards when you see him, please.

- Aaron Santiago: Of course, professor.

Between the conversation with Aaron Santiago, Professor Cuellar manages to hear the music and voices from inside the room where the alumni meeting was taking place, to which, despite enjoying the conversation with her old student, she considers that it is time to say goodbye:

- Margarita Cuellar: Well, I would not like to delay you any longer in your activities. It seems to me that most of the guests have already arrived, so, I don't know if you would like me to take you to the podium right now so that you can deliver the speech that Ángel entrusted to you, or maybe you would like to go first to socialize a little.

- Aaron Santiago (hastily interrupts the professor): No. I think it's phenomenal! Let's give that speech at once. Guests must be eager to hear the eloquent words of our friend Ángel, and I would not like to waste a second of their precious time. So (...) let's go!

- Margarita Cuellar: Eh (...) sure.

Professor Cuellar takes Aaron Santiago into the room where the event was taking place, guiding him to the stage where he would give Angel's speech. Meanwhile, Professor Cuellar inside of her couldn't avoid feeling the happiness that the current situation caused her, thinking to herself:

- Margarita Cuellar (thinking out): Aaron (…) Ha-ha-ha! (…) Physically you are a new man, but deep inside you are the same reserved boy as always. In a way, I'm glad to know that you haven't changed at all.

---> To be continue... (/°u°)/