The Turning Point

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO - A SURPRISE

Heloyse

The fair was an organized chaos, with colorful stalls offering a bit of everything. The sweet smell of fresh fruits mixed with the exotic spices that filled the air, while laughter and conversations intertwined with the sound of live music. There was something enchanting about those busy streets, the local craft stalls, the state-of-the-art appliances on display, and even the children running among the adults, dragging their parents to the candy stalls. The hustle and bustle of the people, the vibe of the place, everything seemed inviting and welcoming.
While I was looking at the new espresso machine, fascinated by the options, Ashley was somewhere busy with the culinary experiments. Every piece of food she tasted was a small adventure, and she indulged in every bite as if it were the last.
I laughed at her excitement, at how she was dazzled by the artisanal cheese stalls and the mouthwatering sweets.
After a while, my phone rang. It was her.
"Sorry, friend, but I met a cutie right here near the spice stalls. I think I'll be a little late."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. He's paying for his purchase. Wow... If you could see his butt..."
"You're a flirt," I said, laughing. "And did he like you?"
"Of course! I'm irresistible! He even asked for my phone number."
"And what's his name?"
"Oh my God, he's coming. See you later!" She hung up.
The smile on my face was inevitable. Ashley never changed, and even with all her liveliness, she always ended up falling for the wrong guys. It was hard for her to find something serious. She attracted attention, no doubt, but most men were interested in her appearance and not in the deep woman she really was. And that frustrated her. When she started to fall in love, she always revealed her dream of building a family, and, as always, they got scared.
Half an hour later, Ashley appeared, with that mischievous smile that gave her away.
"Does that smile have anything to do with the cutie from the spice stall?"
"You got it. Oh, I still can't believe it. I did something crazy."
"What did you do?" I asked, with a hint of fear in my voice.
"We were talking about the foods we like the most, and we started talking about drinks. When we stopped at the beer stalls, we started trying some. I drank a little clumsily and he ran his thumb over my lips, then put his finger in his mouth."
"That sounds like something very bold."
"Certainly! But I was much bolder."
"How?"
"I said, 'That was very hot.' He gave a crooked smile, with a dimple, and I... I swear I tried to behave, but it was in vain. I stole a kiss from him."
"You didn't do that, Ashley!"
"Oh, you know I did! And, if you want to know, I don't regret it!"
"Ashley, you're older than me, you're not a teenager. You shouldn't behave like that."
"I'm sorry, Mom, but my seventeen-year-old mind will never go away," she said, rolling her eyes.
"I think..."
"Lisy, I know I'm not a young woman anymore, but I still have that youthful vigor in me. I know I sometimes exaggerate, but it's my way. I need to be more mischievous and not fall for the fairy tale they offer me... But sometimes, I want to feel like a girl meeting her Prince Charming. I'm getting older and I've never met one."
I took her hand and smiled.
"I love you, you're crazy. One day I'll be the godmother at your wedding and I'll hear your children call me aunt."
"Poor kids, my children don't deserve that torment."
I laughed and kissed her cheek.
"You may be crazy, but you're my best friend."
"I'm the only one you've ever had," she rolled her eyes and smiled.
"And after you kissed him, what did he do?"
"The cheeky one returned the kiss. And what a kiss! I knew we should come to this fair. That announcement fell from the sky."
"Well, and where is the guy?"
"He's coming. He went to leave the purchases in his car. In the meantime, shall we have an ice cream?"
After getting our ice creams, we sat on a bench a little away. She sent a message to let him know where we were.
"Look, Lisy, here he comes."
I turned around and, the moment I saw him, everything around me went into slow motion. The shock was so great that I was paralyzed. He, with that charming smile, with a look that seemed so innocent. And, as if fate were laughing at me, he seemed as surprised as I was.
"Lisy?"
"Johnson? What are you doing here?"
He looked at me with that surprised air, the same one I was probably displaying. He stopped in front of me, with a confused expression, but, at the same time, a sparkle in his eyes.
"I always come to these fairs. And you?"
"I came to buy an espresso machine and... well, see what's new in the coffee trade..."
We were silent for a moment, and then I looked at Ashley. Her mouth was open, her eyes fixed on him, and her expression was pure surprise.
"You're Johnson? That Johnson?"
"Depends on which Johnson you're talking about."
To my surprise, Ashley approached Johnson and punched him in the face. I screamed, putting my hand over my mouth, not believing what I had just seen. The scene seemed like a nightmare.
"What the hell was that?" he asked, putting his hand to his nose, where the punch had landed.
"You imbecile! If you hadn't opened your big mouth to talk nonsense, my friend's cowboy wouldn't have become aggressive, she wouldn't have lost the baby, and now, they would be together."
"Ashley, please..."
"Wait, Lisy... I'm going to kick him in the balls until his voice gets high-pitched."
Johnson, now in defense mode, stepped back, putting his hands up as a shield, protecting his most sensitive parts. I held Ashley tightly, asking her to calm down, while some people started to stop and look at us.
"Ashley, please. Johnson has already apologized, and although he provoked Will, deep down, he's not bad. Besides, it was also my fault. He made a mistake in the provocation, Will shouldn't have become aggressive, and I... I shouldn't have gone behind Will's back. I've explained it a thousand times. My idiocy was the cause of the accident. We all have a share of the blame, but none of us can change what happened."
She gradually calmed down and I let her go. She looked at him, then turned to me. Her expression was a mix of anger and confusion.
"I kissed a man who is or was in love with my best friend. A man who is a perfect jerk. I don't know how to deal with this... Sorry!" she said, trying to smile weakly, before walking away and leaning against my car, which was a few meters away.
Johnson approached me, still with a guilty look. He knew how complicated the situation was.
"I regret everything, Lisy. I'm still ashamed of the jerk I was."
"That's in the past. What worries me now is her. She's my best friend and I won't accept anyone hurting her." I faced him. "Are you interested in her?"
"I... I don't know... I'm staying in town until tomorrow and I was thinking of asking her out. But..." he ran his hand over his nose and grimaced in pain "my nose is in danger."
"So what now?"
"I still want to go out with her."
"Johnson, this is weird..."
"I don't feel anything for you anymore, Lisy, other than regret for ruining what you had."
I nodded, a little worried about the situation.
"I'm very sorry. I carry this remorse in my soul. Because of me, you and O'Connor broke up. He loved you very much."
"Loved?"
The word caught me by surprise. Sadness enveloped me when he used the past tense to refer to Will.
"Is he okay?"
"I don't know. I had gone to his farm to apologize for everything I caused. There was a commotion there. An employee said that William had drunk too much and broken almost everything inside the house. Then, he tried to drive the truck and ended up hitting a tree on the farm."
"My God!" I put my hand to my chest, trying to control my breathing.
"What happened next?"
"He was taken to the hospital. He almost had an alcohol coma. I went to the hospital days later. I apologized for the things I said about his childhood, but he didn't say anything. He didn't even want to look at me, not even a glance. He just stood there, staring at nothing. After that, I never saw him again. There was the problem with the blizzard, and I heard that he helped some farmers. He also provided machines to remove the snow that accumulated on the streets. Besides, during these two years, he has distanced himself from everyone. They say he does his job on the farm as if nothing had happened. Others say that his intention was to leave with the truck and kill himself. Who knows? William is not the same, from what I've been told."
I bit my trembling lips and tears began to fall.
"Do you still love him?"
"Talking about him makes me suffer. Regardless of what I feel, it hurts to know that he was unwell."
He agreed and then looked to where Ashley was.
"Can I talk to Ashley? Of course, if it's not weird..."
"Go ahead! Ask her out, but, Johnson, don't hurt her."
He smiled slightly and went to her. I, on the other hand, was still trying to process everything that had happened.
Months later, they continued to keep in touch. And months later, I was still walking on autopilot, trying to understand what direction my life would take from there.

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