The end of dreams

25

"I'll have some rum. One icy rum for me, please" said Michelle to the waiter.

"But aren't you a teetotaller?" asked Silvia in a low voice while feeling amused.

"A double rum for me too!" ordered Silvia at that point, trying to imitate her friend.

Their common intention was clear: they wanted to get drunk. One of the two boys standing at the counter turned round suddenly.

"Michelle!"

The girls looked at each other in amazement. They had just run across Mark again, by an unbelievable coincidence, in that little bar in front of the hospital.

"Come on, come clean with me about it, you are following me..." said Mark ironically while playing the latin lover.

Michelle's complexion turned rubicund in a flash.

"Mark, what a nice surprise... what are you doing here?" asked she, incredulous.

"I had planned to go to the clinic but... just look at the queue..." he pointed to the hundreds of people who were still waiting before the gates.

"But tell me about you! What are you two doing here? Weren't you in a hotel downtown?"

"Hi, may I make your acquaintance? " a warm voice made a debut from behind Mark.

"Please, forgive my cousin, he's a real bumpkin..." went on Carlos while pushing Mark aside and approaching the girls with determination. "I didn't know you had such pretty friends in Cuba."

"Nice to meet you!" Silvia introduced herself hastily; she considered that unexpected encounter a miracle.

Carlos was indeed a sort of Che's living copy.

"Encantado..." replied the young man while kissing her hand. "May I ask you por what unhappy reason you know this sluggish cousin of mine?" asked Carlos in a cunning-looking attitude.

"They are school-mates of mine" answered Mark while trying to re-emerge from the corner he had ended up to.

"It's true, they made you study... but seemingly that didn't produce great results..." retorted Carlos in amusement.

"On the contrary, he used to be the best student in our class..." Michelle chimed in. She reached out her hand to Carlos and she went on pleading Mark's cause.

"He used to be the cutest guy of the entire school too... Unfortunately he did not use to notice me then..." she added while shooting them a mischievous glance.

"You, stupid cousin! Don't tell me you made this lovely chica suffer or I'll kill you!"

"I've only waited for her to grow up a little" replied Mark likewise mischievous. "And I must admit she's really grown into a beautiful lady..."

Meantime Silvia had been struck speechless by Carlos' exuberance.

"You're going to be my guests, if you don't have other commitments" said Carlos while he was indicating his gorgeous blue automobile.

"Our guests" Mark stressed that indispensable detail.

Silvia looked at Michelle, imploringly.

"If you insist that way..." replied Michelle in a more and more sensual tone.

She would say good-bye to her life in an unforgettable way.

Michelle would not shrink back from anything that day. She had nothing more to lose, anyway.