Trails

Por Alana Saldivar

Alejandra Oliva is a young woman who had recently graduated from her university studies and who is forced to leave her hometown to face the current economic situation of her home.

Upon arriving in a city not far away but unknown to her, she will be welcomed in the bosom of a home where she will be involved in a series of mysterious secrets, which curiously will be linked to her past. She will see how they influence her present and how they could affect her future, and she will have to find the strength to be able to face the adversities that she will have to face.

In this journey, she will encounter love. She will experience mysteries and intrigues. Her life and her family's will be in danger.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 11 nov 2022
• ISBN: 9781662493225

Vista previa del libro

Copyright © 2022 Alana Saldivar

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-6624-9301-0 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-9322-5 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Having walked all day in the lustful sun, having knocked on a number of doors and been rejected in every interview that I went to, I decided to try then a little luck with what I had left as my last resort. Tiredness dominated me, and I wanted all the good vibes in the world so I wouldn’t come home with nothing.

Because of the situation in my home, I was forced to seek employment outside my village, leaving behind all memories and fantasies of my innocent childhood.

It was not the first time I had left my remembered home, but this was the most painful, because this time I went out in front of life, my life and, of course, also to my destiny because of something I was sure, and that was that I was going to find my destiny. Of which we are one more toy; a toy, like wind, is carried with the first gust passing through the city. However, I had my goal well laid out: to help my parents to the best extent possible. Even if that meant sacrificing a part of my life. I didn’t care about that, because they had already sacrificed some of theirs for me. Therefore, I felt indebted, besides the immense love I had for them.

From my childhood, I remembered all the love and care of my mother, as well as some of my father’s blows and contempt since he fell into the brutal and dirty vice of alcohol. That pain was horrible for Mom and me because it was hard to deal with a drunk, even worse when he’s a close relative of yours.

So what do I get out of this? Well, many times, a difficult life, full of expenses and at the same time family traumas. With the way things were going, it was in my best mind that everything would work out so as not to give more headaches to Mom and to help Dad, who was all she had as a family up to that point.

For her part, if it was a matter of care. My mom would never leave me in charge of anyone other than them. Despite the profession to which they engaged—both were primary-school teachers—and moreover, her double work, as she worked in a school as well. My mom never left me in the care of other people. As a mother, housewife, wife, and professional, she was very capable, and she had brought me up in that way too. I felt able to be just like her, but no better.

Part of my childhood and adolescence had elapsed in that town full of natural wealth but of little innocence in its inhabitants, because envy, selfishness, and gossip were evident. Mom didn’t go out, let alone let me walk around, wandering around with some little friend or hanging out, let alone some boyfriend. That is because the few times I allowed myself to leave at the beginning of my playful childhood, I returned frightened and crying, for the villagers always criticized us for two reasons: the first—but not more absurd—was the fact that we were Catholics and they of some sect or religion fresh to the community, and the other was the mysterious thing about my family, because we seemed to have no more family than the four or three of us since Grandma had died. That was why my father had let himself be poisoned by the heart of that silly liquid, of which most people use the courage to forget their sorrows and that destroys family, economy, and tranquility on a general level within a home.

Alcohol was consuming my father as a person, being human and clear, also as a professional. This caused Mom to quit some of the two jobs, my father was being retired because of that. He was not a good example as a teacher to students in a drunken state, and the truth is Mom was trying, if possible, to be the best nurse. Until one decided to leave and in his attempt he hit mom; otherwise, they are hell-bent on seeing people destroyed until they get it.

The situation was committing us to keep my father a little isolated from society. At that moment, it was when he realized he was at the peak of his illness. I cried with my mother and apologized, promising to do what she thought was appropriate.

My father, he went as soon as he could to a rehab center, sponsored by the same church to which we belonged. On the other hand, Mom didn’t seem to have a family. For some reason, it was forbidden for me to speak or ask about it and respect it, although my curiosity was deliberate and sometimes obvious. Despite this, there was no explanation, for it was only an untouchable matter.

My mother didn’t complain about his illness and that, in part, my upbringing would leave us poorer than we actually were.

—Things go through something—she said.

However, I knew well that my medical career was the most expensive even though during the time I started studying, the two worked and everything was more solvent. But then neither she nor I knew Dad drank. Grandma died in the middle of my specialty, and Dad, as a result of that unexpected loss, dropped so low in that vice. However, Mom had the greatest patience for him. She always tried to get him to finish college and that was a matter of time.

I had finally reached my destination, having walked a little through that great city. I stopped in front of an iron gate, painted black and padlocked, where a wall, very high, surrounded the side of the plot. My dad had rung the bell, already twice, and waited impatiently. I was completely overrun by treacherous nerves, which at that time grew more and more. By the time I had decided to play for the third time, there came a lady who rather looked like a very well-groomed young woman. His greeting was kind and short, so I replied in the same tone. After that, he just asked.

—Yes?—he asked in a voice that was soft and delicate.

I sighed deeply before I could give an answer.—I came for the job interview.

—Oh! If it so happens, you’re the first.

I was glad to be the first because I also wanted to make a good impression.

I entered the porch of the house, where before it was the garden, which looked like a small forest with trees and palm trees. The garden surrounded a huge old magnolia tree, which looked beautiful from that angle, on the right side of the house.

—Do you bring your résumé?—he asked, as he settled into a white-painted iron chair.

—Yes—I answered, giving it to him in a blue folder, the files well-sorted.

The house was painted mint green, which made it look simple to the naked eye. There was a set of iron chairs, and in the center was a table. This was part of the porch, and with this were many plants in clay pots, which were dark brown in color.

—My name is Jessy Oliva—she said suddenly.

I watched her well as she looked back at the folder. Her skin was the color of cinnamon, and she looked very smooth. Her hair was semilong, very black and smoothened by beauty treatments or some aesthetic. Her nails were long and decorated and varnished in a pink hue.

Then she stood up and instructed me to follow her. With a jovial tone, she showed me the house, which although small was beautifully decorated with endless luxuries everywhere. It was impressive to see how that simple house held so much luxury and beauty. Simply put, it was a dream house. The walls of the room were painted beige; the room, like all of them, consisted of a set of mint-green furniture, very fashionable; also, the space mentioned had a glass room centered with natural roses placed in a vase.

We passed then through a corridor painted pink, with about two or three paintings on its walls.

—This will be your bedroom—she said at last, opening a lightly painted mahogany-colored door.

In the room, there was a double bed, a dressing table, and a closet. Next to this, there was a bathroom, in which I had left my few belongings. She explained to me what had to be done daily in the house for her.

Then she addressed me. She turned to me and said:

—Very well, Dr. Mary Alejandra Hernández Oliva—she said—. I see that you wear Oliva as your last name, the same as me, only I wear first and you second, which does not surprise me because that surname is very common. There are many Olivas in the country, right?

I nodded and smiled a little. She wore grim clothes, and her feet were covered by very-good-brand sneakers. Her black eyes ran through my body from head to toe. That way, I felt like she was scrutinizing me little by little, but she didn’t say anything and just nodded. Then she sat on some of the living room furniture and beckoned me to sit too.

—As you are well, young, you know, I think you’re perfect for work, because you’re twenty-three, and I’m surprised you already have a specialty, so I think you’re in the right place—she told me—. At first, I wanted you for myself, but I’ll give you another job, and not here. Anyway, I want you to keep living with me because I do need you more as a partner, and maybe we’ll become very good friends because I like you so much.

—I don’t understand—I said, with a very quiet smile. It was actually not explained well.

—Well, the thing is, my plan was for you to stay as an employee of my company, as my nutritionist. But you’re a doctor, and I have some gyms with my sister that you can visit about three times a week to give a nutritional plan to our customers, because I think it will be something innovative here in the city—she told me—. However, I also want you to be here, living with me, because what I was looking for was company. I do not want to live so alone, and you know there is no work here, because I command the help to clean the house once a week, but you would help me in the food so that we eat something healthy because that said, I do not cook. I do not do it well, everything gets burned. So you live with me and work with me and the gym. What do you say?

While she waited for my answer, I for my part felt lucky, so I would accept it without thinking much because though I would accept just the gyms, I had nowhere to stay, and I didn’t want to look for an apartment and then live alone. I didn’t have a hard time having chopped fruit in the fridge and cooking a little, so I answered.

—I accept, I like the idea—I said—. I just think there’s a problem, because I’m trying to get a bachelor’s degree in natural sciences from distance education at Pedagogical University. It’s here, but it’s every fifteen days, on weekends.

—Well, I congratulate you because you seem to like studying, and it’s okay—she said—. No problem, because as you already said, it’s every fifteen days here at the Ceiba, and it’s just weekends. That doesn’t affect us at all.

It was really my luck, or she was being very good to me. But I really liked that. I liked her very much. Apparently, my work had changed in a good direction, and that kept me calmer. At first, however, I thought I’d be just a lady-in-waiting, which in these days is a very rare thing because that lady-in-waiting thing was only given in ancient times, and that’s why I’d left it as one last option.

On the other hand, as a doctor, what they used to ask for was a good experience in some private clinic and in a public clinic, apart from requiring other requirements that I did not meet. So what could I do? I had barely graduated last year, and work was urgent. Mom had already left the second job and needed my help financially to get ahead, now that Dad had already opted for a more radical change.

She continued to show me around the beautiful house, with the faithful conviction that I would be like a companion to whom she rented a room or, well, a friend. She told me more or less what fruits she ate and the days she went to the grocery store. She also told me that he liked to eat healthy and had never had lunch at home.

On the other hand, she mentioned that she had lived alone for a year and that she had not married yet because she had not found the love of her life. Likely, the only visit she received was that of her nephews and from time to time the presence of her older sister. Everyone who said something, he smiled at them in a very friendly way.

Jessy Oliva had liked me very much. The way she received me and the attention she gave me, despite me having been a stranger, impressed me a lot.

There are still kind and confident people in this world, I thought, for she was a living example of the case.

—Do you have any more luggage?—she asked me.

—Yes, in a hotel here—I replied—. Would you let me go for it?

—In fact, yes, I’ll take you, and you don’t treat me—she said—. Tell me, because it’s more casual, and besides, you’re quite a doctor, which makes us more equal.

For my part, I nodded more calmly.

She took me to the hotel where I had stayed only one day, without many words. Then we turned back and lay down for a while. She was visiting her sister’s. I thanked God for that job, which we so needed at home because from now on everything would change for both my family and me. The goal was to take care of this job, and over time, an improvement would then come. I always thought optimistically about everything.

The peace I breathed in that house was pleasant and comforting; however, I kept feeling strange after all I was living in. It was too late. Jessy had come back and retired. For my part, I was dedicated to finishing a task I had from the university, since that weekend it was up to me to attend the last class of