Ashes in the Heart (Editing)

Temptations and Tempters

When you find yourself on the edge of a precipice, you usually think about various things, especially about how your life was over the years, you think about your family, your friends and even someone special. That is where you stop to think about the next step you are going to take, you can take a false step and fall to death ipso facto or you can risk going back and facing your storms. In my case, both options were always bad for me, perhaps with the false step option I would not have regretted it as much as with the decision I made that day.

It was very hot that morning, but I was in a very good mood, I had watched the sunrise, I greeted my friendly neighbor completely naked while she had a cup of coffee and feasted my memory on what had happened a day before. Many might think the worst of me being naked in front of my maid, however, with Rita it was different, she had been the daughter of our former maid and she was part of our family. I couldn't look at her with different eyes, like a brother looks at her sister, that was Rita and me. She didn't seem to mind my nudity because if anyone knew me very well it was her, even down to what she did when she wasn't around.

My clothes were ready and she told me that it was almost time for me to leave, I thanked her for putting her on the bed and I went to get dressed.

I was very anxious to get to the store, I was curious to see how my extraordinary constellation would react when she saw me, I know I could easily intimidate her, but I liked that too.

While in the store I noticed her absence and that worried me, she was not used to being late at work and even less on a Saturday, those were the days when she sold the most. I took care of serving customers so as not to create mental movies, customers entered and devoured all the merchandise in each store, they were thirsty for purchases and they released money like water. It was at that moment that I realized that I needed an assistant at least for the weekends.

The hours kept passing and Amy still hadn't arrived, Mike was somewhat nervous and crazy with so many customers inside his store, it looked like a cage full of lions thirsty to buy. He used to look away from her on some occasions in the direction of the main entrance of the mall to make sure that one of the people who entered was her. When the clock struck 10, the customers began to clear up a bit because it was very close to lunch time, many used to leave hours before to reserve a table in the food court, on days like this it was very difficult to find a good place. When I thought, she wouldn't come to work anymore, she came in all hunched over with shaky legs, she was in a hurry and looked with terrified eyes at Mike's place. I took a deep breath knowing that she was fine.

A customer diverted all my attention with a technical service and I couldn't find out more about what was happening, although knowing Mike I knew I wouldn't say anything bad to him, that man was better than Wine. I focused my attention on finding the fault in the cell phone and that took me a long time, when I finally solved the problem and the client left satisfied, they were no longer in the same place. Mike had gone back to the checkout and Amy wasn't with them, I was wondering what had become of her so I continued to stare at the store while answering a local call.

— Say. — I answered.

— Mr. Sebastián, we are logistics.

— Yes, ¿how can I help you?

— His stock has arrived and we need you to sign some papers.

— Of course. I'll be there in 2 minutes.

I hung up while I took my keys, activated the security alarm and closed the store to go to the ground floor of the mall, I needed that merchandise for these days, especially with all those hungry customers. When I got out of the elevator I walked to the loading and shipping room and greeted my old supplier, he used to be a good friend of my family and my father had placed his trust in a good person. We spoke little and exact topics so as not to take up too much time, I signed the usual documents and went back to the mall, thinking about all the shelves that I would have to fill when the boxes were brought to the store, I had ordered some new products that came from China and some other boxes than usual. I went out to the first floor and walked in the direction of my store fixing my attention on my cell phone, with days as hectic as these I wouldn't have much time to accommodate so much and a few extra hands wouldn't hurt me, it would be a quick and neat job.