Читать книгу Jaime´s Secret - Vera Stefania - Страница 2

Thomas grew up hearing his grandfather say <<forget does not exist at all, time only takes care of deceiving the mind with an unreal oblivion>>. He was really always curious to know the sadness of his old man, it wasn’t something that upset his grandmother because the old man always smiled to make her happy as he had promised when they got married, however Thomas every night watched him from the balcony looking up at the sky as asking to see something or someone, even long before seeing him sick.

It’s morning, the veteran frigate captain Jaime Robles is in very delicate health and is being treated by Doctor Vélez, something is not right with his heart. Apparently, life in the city has deteriorated his condition, so he advises a different environment for his recovery.

Jaime chooses to go to his hometown after forty years of service in the naval force aboard a small plane with his wife and grandson. Everyone is delighted with the idea of changing atmosphere for a few days.

As the plane lands, Jaime observes the drastic change of the landscape, but his gaze is focused on a special place worn down by the passing of the years but still retaining some vegetation. Perplexed he begins to have memories of his childhood and youth and imagines a slender young woman walking around with her arms stretched out and smiling on several fresh leaves. Suddenly he hears the voice of his grandson questioning his condition. The old man reacts and remains silent for a moment, then nods slowly with a small smile from his wrinkled lips.

The plane lands in the middle of the garden, goes down and heads to Jaime’s old house. They open the door, unpack and start dusting. While his wife cleans the kitchen and his grandson goes to get medicine, Jaime goes to his room, searches through his old things and finds a cardboard under the bed. He sits down, opens it and is stunned to see what is inside, His trembling hand reached in until he took out a small box with two rings based on very fine branches with details of small dry leaves around and an ancient photograph in which he found himself with a beautiful young woman with a gentle look. The old man can’t stand the sadness and let out a sob.

Suddenly, Thomas opens the door and is stunned for a moment and sits next to his grandfather, ready to discover the pain in Jaime’s eyes, asks him to tell him about his past. The elderly man agrees to the request, places the photo on his chest, lies down, closes his eyes and begins to narrate the life of the young woman.