Red heels

'What's wrong, Cote?' Pablo ask me with his accustomed smile. 'You seem paler than usual.'

I don't know how to answer that. Our weekly lunch uses to be a moment of distraction in the middle of the routine, but this time I'll break the laughter with something he'll find annoying. Pablo has always been there to take care of me, he was the first questioning my decision to leave the folks place to live on my own. After all this years of friendship I must be honest with him, I trust he'll hear and understand me.

'Teddy bear,' I say with a serious tone, 'something happened to me last night.'

'Where did you go, lusty girl?' he replies roguishly. 'Please, you can save the details for yourself.'

'No, it's not that... I need you to hear me in complete calm...'

'Did someone hurt you?' he interrumps worried. I've always envy the honesty of his face, capable to let you know when it's best to get off his way. 'Maria Jose, answer me!'

'Pablo, cool down and listen.'

I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I ben over the table and blow his nose, a gesture able to confuse him since we were kids and gives me enough time to order my ideas. After having a sip of water I can start telling him, waiting that the nerves won't take me while I do it.

'Pablo, last night something happen... but I want you to understand that it's over. Now I want you to stay sit and hear me while I tell you because I need your sympathy, not your heroism.' That's the word that drives him mad, but even though he tries the words can't escape from his mouth.

'Yesterday I had to work late, because I was on a deadline and my work was on risk. Only near midnight I was leaving the parking lot of the building to drive home, and I was so tired that when I got there I didn't even look back to see if the gate was closed.' While I tell him the story I relize that I made a mistake. 'I got off the car and walk without thinking to the elevator, hoping that it would be in the first floor to get as soon as possible to fall over the bed.

'I know yo have had days when the time you spend in the bloody elevator seems to last forever. Not even the satisfaction of finishing the work and it wasn't lame could rose my mood, so I started playing with the keys to relax,' I tell him, repiting the gesture of the previous evening with a fork. 'I didn't even want to look around me when I entered the apartment, because I left in a hurry in the morning so it was messy. I went straight to the bathroom in my room to throw my face under the sink.

'Without thinking I would have to order today I threw my clothes beside the bed, put the pjs and fell between the sheets hoping I would fell asleep a.s.a.p. It must had passed near an hour when I woke up because of a noise, and though my body kept telling me I shall go back to sleep I got up to watch from the door.' I take a breathe before going ahead with the story. 'I closed the door again trying not to make any noise. There was a man inside the apartment, searching the other rooms. My only reaction was to lock the door and walk away from it... there wasn't any way to let the doorman know what was happening nor calling anyone, because the phone is by the main door.

'I couldn't stay stupefied forever, so I walk to the balcony to see if I could ask for help, but there's not much traffic at that hour on my street.' I start crying when I remember the desperation of last night. 'Teddy bear, I couldn't call you to go help me. Finally I search in my room's floor for a way to let the nightwatch of the building I was in trouble, because my balcony is only a few floors over the main entrance. The first thing I found were my shoes, I left them beside the bed when I got to my room. I threw one of them hoping mr. Richards would be in the door, but nothing happened.

'I wait a few seconds and threw the second one. This time I was more lucky, because mr. Richards got up to see why there were raining shoes. The minute he saw me I started to make some gestures to let him know what was going on, but even when I saw him running towards the building I didn't feel safe until a police car parked on the sidewalk and three cops got off it.

'I had no recolection of the time. I only heard the voice of mr. Richards behind my bedroom's door, but I didn't get up until two police men took a boy to the car. When I opened the door the other cop was waiting, talking very fast about "procedures", "testify", "caught in the act". Luckily mr. Richards was with him to calm me down.

'After they left I closed the door the best I could. Mr. Richards told me he would send someone to fix it first thing in the morning, because the kid forced it to enter. I couldn't go back to sleep, I didn't want to call anyone and worry them and filled my house with questions I couldn't answer.'

I stare at Pablo, waiting for a word of support. However, he remains in silence, with a expression on his face that prepares me to an "I told you so". While he makes some gestures to the waiter to ask for the check -without even looking at me- the words come back to his mouth.

'Cote, I don't want you to argue this,' he says in a casual tone. 'You are coming to my apartment tonight.'

'But...'

'But nothing. I'll pick you up when the minute I leave the office. I'll take one of the trucks of work to take all of your things, because you're coming to live with me.'

So, without any more words he goes giving a cold goodbye kiss.