The Love of An Invisible

[ Carmen Stevens’ Vision ]

From far away, I can already see my target, elegant as always, black heels, dressed in her tight black pencil skirt and white long-sleeved shirt, with her hair caught in a high ponytail. I walk briskly to Juliana’s desk, her eyes fixed on the computer, and I guess she is organizing her husband’s agenda.

“Good morning!” I greet her, smiling in a friendly way.

“Good morning!” she gets up and gives me two kisses, one on each side of my cheek.

I have known her since I was a teenager, we went to high school together and to college too. I can’t say that we are best friends. Her family has always been conservative and traditional, resulting in her also being so, and besides, she is extremely demanding, even with herself. Juliana is very perfectionist, and so is her husband. My family has always been more liberal, and despite our different ideas, we got along super well, and facing the unknown with an acquaintance always seemed to be easier.

“I see you woke up in a good mood today,” she sits back in her chair.

“Yes, I had good news last night when I came home,” I commented as I leaned on the counter.

The smile on my face is certainly huge. I always thought my son was too shy. I never pushed him, but since he will be fifteen, I imagined and longed for the day he would introduce me to his girlfriend. Well, that day hasn’t come yet, but with a little help, it won’t be even longer.

“Finding out who my son is in love with,” I say, smiling.

“How wonderful, and who is the lucky girl? Is she from the same school as him?”

“Yes, they study together, and she is one year younger than him, and the most surprising thing is that we know her,” I say and let out a mischievous smile. My smile gets even bigger when I see the confusion in Mrs. Millenis’ eyes. I hold myself to keep from laughing and then I immediately say, “Aya Millenis.”

Juliana’s surprised expression made me laugh. No one would ever imagine such a thing. Surely she never thought that Aya could get a boyfriend before her older sister, even more, she who always travels a lot.

“Wow, I… How?” she is stunned.

“You don’t have to be like that, don’t you think my son is enough for your daughter?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“No, no… It’s not that, it would be an honor to have your son as a son-in-law. I just never expected…” she stops talking quickly.

“I have always wanted my son to introduce his girlfriends. They are not dating yet, Iuri has not yet confessed to Aya. I want to help him,” I speak and bite my lower lip in expectation.

“What do you intend to do?” she asks me attentively. It seems that she also wants them to be together.

“I want to arrange a dinner, and find a way to leave them alone. I think they will understand each other. What do you think?”

“A great idea, when is this dinner?”

“How about tomorrow night?” I suggest hopefully, and hope she will accept.

“All right,” she says, smiling as well, “Marked then, tomorrow at seventeen o’clock?”

“Yes.”

I kiss her goodbye with two kisses and go back to the big mirrored metal box, better known as the elevator, and to be more specific, the private elevator, where only my husband and I have access.

Gustam and I met at a meeting. I was working for an adversarial company, but one night, when the two businessmen decided to meet to see if a partnership would be possible in one of the most expensive restaurants in all of Manhattan, that’s when we looked at each other and from there a story emerged. The partnership was not established; neither of them wanted to give anything away, and so they continue to this day as rivals.

After six months of seeing each other, I resigned from the other company and started to work as a secretary for the sexy Mr. Stevens, the arrogant businessman with a firm wrist. This is how his rivals described him, but after meeting him in person, I drew my own conclusions. And I found myself hopelessly in love.

One of the most special days of my life happened during the New Year’s celebration; we traveled to Brazil. It was exactly at midnight on the dot, on the beach of Taipu de Fora – Peninsula de Maraú, located in the state of Bahia, dressed in his shorts and white shirt, kneeling on the sand, holding in his hands a little black velvet box, containing a beautiful solitaire. I remember as if it had happened yesterday; my heart seemed as if it would jump out of my chest. The scenery was perfect, the fireworks illuminating the whole sky, and from the mouth of my beloved, a marriage proposal was made. That night I couldn’t control the tears; the happiness was so great that I couldn’t express it in words. After frantically saying so many yes’s, I kissed my fiancé.

Three months later we got married in a small church, with only our closest friends. Juliana was already married to Mr. Millenis, my husband’s best friend, and Cristine was already in her mother’s womb. Two years later, I had my little Iuri, and one year later my friend had the chubby little Aya.

The children did not grow up together; Juliana and I live in different neighborhoods, and our private lives only coincide at work hours. But even so, my happiness did not diminish one bit. She had her family, and I had mine.

My birth was complicated, and because of this, I cannot have other children, but I am extremely happy that I was able to give birth to my angel. And now he is loving, and I couldn’t be happier. I am sure that Aya is a girl worthy of my son.

The elevator doors open, the sound of my looseness on the polished floor announces my entrance. My desk is in front of the president’s office, which in this case is my husband. Although I don’t need to work, I never gave up my independence. I receive my salary and help Gustam with the house expenses. I have my principles, and I don’t give them up.

I sit at my desk and turn on the computer, take the address book and start to organize it. Today is going to be a stressful day, lots of meetings.

[ Vision of Iuri Stevens ]

“Here,” George looks at me and picks up the bowl of popcorn.

This Saturday I gave up anime to watch a series that my best friend is a big fan of: The Mandalorian.

Sure, here’s the revised text in American English with double quotation marks to separate the dialogues:

“Thanks, man,” he takes the soda from my hand and starts to drink.

I’m not a big fan of series; there are very few I’ve ever watched. I really like anime and movies; they really make me travel. I also like to read manga.

“Are you going to the dance next Saturday?” I ask and drink some of my soda.

“Yes, I think it will be great,” he says with his mouth full of popcorn.

During all these years of friendship, George always comes to the dances, even if he doesn’t have a date. I would like to have a little of his confidence. He, like me, has suffered a lot of bullying, and to this day has not managed to lose weight. But unlike me, he does not stop himself from going to places just because unpleasant people will also be there.

“I think I will go this time too,” I say and start to chew the popcorn I was holding.

“Really?” I look at him, and he has his eyes wide open. “It will be great!”

“I hope so,” I say, and we go back to paying attention to the series.

We watched all twelve episodes. I have to admit that it was an interesting series to watch. We laughed a lot, and baby Yoda, who we now know is called Grogu, is very cute.

It’s eighteen thirty, George’s parents have already come to pick him up. We say goodbye, and I go straight to the bathroom in my room, take a warm shower, and put on my sleeping clothes: my green pajama pants and my gray jacket with anime print. Now it’s time for my anime!

“Son?” I hear my mother’s voice from behind the door.

“Yes?” She enters my room, and I have already selected the anime.

“Tomorrow the Millenis family is coming to have dinner with us.”

“Okay,” I say, and she leaves the room, closing the door.

A few years ago, whenever she said this, I felt my heart beat fast. The expectation of seeing Aya without her uniform was too great. However, she never came, and I stopped getting excited about these dinners.

Damn it! I didn’t want to think about her; I was having such a good day. I shake my head and go back to paying attention to the anime. I’m already on episode twenty-two, only three more to go before the end of the first season of Kimetsu no Yaiba.

(Juliana Millenis’ vision)

“What’s for dinner?” I ask, seeing Cristina in the kitchen.

“Lasagna, I saw the recipe today on the internet and decided to try,” she says smiling.

“From the smell of it, it must be delicious.”

My oldest daughter makes me so proud. She is perfect. On the other hand, the youngest seems to like to see me disappointed.

I leave the kitchen and go to my room upstairs. Francis is already lying in bed reading another one of his novelist books. I get closer, and I feel the mattress sinking with my weight.

“The son of the Stevens family is in love with Aya,” I say, and he immediately stops reading the book.

“Are you serious? How do you know that?” he asks with frowning eyebrows.

“Yes, Carmen told me this morning at the company, and she also invited us for dinner tomorrow night. She wants them to be alone so that the boy can propose.”

“This will be great! This way we will have ties that are bigger than just good friendships with them.”

“Yes,” I say, smiling.

“Go and talk to her.”

“I’m going right now.”

I get up from bed and leave the room. Aya’s room is at the beginning of the corridor. I get there and open the door, and as usual, she is watching anime.

“Aya,” I call her attention. “Tomorrow we are having dinner at the Stevens’ house. I want you to behave and be nice to their son. I want them to get along, do you understand?”

She stares at me for a few seconds, and this is breaking my patience.

“Why do I have to go?” this question annoys me.

“Because to find out that their heir is in love with you.”

I see her eyes widen in surprise.

“I don’t even know who he is.”

“Never mind, don’t disappoint me again,” I say and leave the room.