The Turning Point

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR- EMPTY

William

Thom was in my office, standing in front of me. His face red and shining with drops of sweat that ran down his skin, his fists clenched. I had never seen him so furious in all these years.

"Sit down!" I said.

"I don't want to sit down, hombre. I just want you to explain what happened."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Tell me why you treated her that way and what the hell is going on between you two."

"Who told you this?"

"Coley told me."

I frowned.

"I need to control his tongue better. I don't pay him to make trouble."

"Are you going to answer me or not?"

"There's nothing between us. And, to be clear, I would never raise my hand against a woman."

"I know that. But that wasn't my question. I want to know why you acted that way."

I rubbed my hands through my hair, frustrated, trying to find an answer that made sense even to me.

"I don't know. I just know I feel irritated around her. Her voice irritates me, the way she talks, her hair, the way she walks... everything about her drives me crazy."

Thom let out a short, humorless laugh.

"Your irritation has another name."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying you don't know how to deal with what you feel. You're irritated because she shakes that barrier you've built around yourself. Because you're in love with her and can't accept it."

That was so absurd that I couldn't contain the sarcasm.

"Where do you get these things, Thom? Are you reading romance novels now? Watching Mexican soap operas?"

I've never heard such nonsense. I'm not in love with her. I can have any woman I want.

"And none of them warm your bed on lonely nights," he replied, dryly. "That's sad, Will."

"Why? I like my life this way. Besides, what's so special about her that you think I'd lose my mind over her? It's ridiculous."

Thom watched me in silence for a few seconds. Then he walked to the door, calmly put on his hat, and before leaving, turned his face slightly so I could hear him clearly.

"You know what she has, Will? She has a will to live. It's the same will I saw in Martin. Don't destroy that in her."

When he left, I stood there, in the middle of the huge room. Despite being surrounded by employees and the constant sound of farm activities, the place seemed incredibly empty. Or maybe the emptiness was me.

In the days that followed, Calvin barely spoke to me. When he did, it was only out of obligation, bringing information about the farm or the employees. Even so, something in his posture was different. Eva was also distant. She didn't bother to ask if I had eaten, nor did she greet me with her usual warm good morning.

I was restless. Uncomfortable.

My mother's words, "lose to value," echoed in my head. It was what she said to my father every time he hit me. Calvin and Eva had no obligation to take care of me after Wallace brought me here, but they did.

Damn it! How hard it was to admit I was being an idiot.

I walked to the stable and found Calvin brushing Diamond's fur. I stopped beside him, sliding my hand over the horse.

"Bill is interested in one of the horses," I commented.

"That's good," he replied, without looking at me.

"I'd like you to take him to the west area stable to show him the quarter horses."

"Sure, boss."

"Boss?" The word bothered me. He wasn't my employee, not really.

"After that, we need to stock the warehouses. The truck should arrive in an hour," I continued.

"Uh-huh."

I sighed, knowing I needed to speak, but couldn't find the words.

"Look, you know I'm not good at this..."

"I don't understand what the boss is trying to say."

"Don't call me that," I muttered, annoyed.

"Then I'm sorry, William."

"Calvin, please stop!"

He finally stopped and looked at me.

"Stop what?"

I let out a breath, defeated.

"All right... I was an imbecile. Forgive me."

Calvin went back to work, brushing the horse in silence. After a few seconds, he replied calmly:

"You don't need to apologize."

"Yes, I do."

"Then you're forgiven."

"Aren't you going to give me a lecture?"

He smiled wryly, tiredly.

"Would you listen?"

"No," I thought. I was silent.

"All these years, I've tried to make you see something good in your life, Will. I've tried to show you the man you've become. And I feel like I've failed."

"Calvin..."

"Stop and listen!" he interrupted me, firmly. "Your grandfather loved you very much. Before he died, he asked me to continue taking care of you. But it's not because of that promise that I do this. It's because, from the day I saw you, a little boy, looking at the cakes in the bakery window, hungry, I knew I had to do something."

He paused, as if carefully choosing his words.

"Eva and I never had children. Not her fault, but mine. I felt like a failure. When Wilson did what he did, I knew I had to do something for you. Not because you were a project, but because I needed to be useful. Because you brought joy to Eva. And because, somehow, you became a son to us."

His words hit me like a punch, but I couldn't answer. I just put my hand on his shoulder, trying to find the words that seemed stuck somewhere.

"You didn't fail," I managed to say, with difficulty.

Calvin smiled, but it was a sad smile. Then I took my hand off his shoulder and left. I needed to breathe.

Hombre: Man