Love?

-Don't mind your own business, Secundina.

-She won't let me concentrate on my work.

-What, made-up nursing notes? -At least I'm not a nurse's aide.

At least I'm not a quack, it's been ringing all night.

-No, I won't. -No, I won't.

-I didn't think you were such a coward," she snatches his cell phone. Doctor Makris' cell phone.

-Who are you? Put him on.

- Good evening, at the moment the Doctor cannot see you, he is in the operating room.

-What kind of surgery is it? I've been calling all night.

-I don't know, they called him to go to support, he left the phone at the nurses' station. - A grunt is heard, she likes that, she frowns when she stops listening to the grunt. Any message you want to leave?

-It's five in the morning mmm...mmm...mmm...it's Saturday mmm...mmm- speaking to himself-. By the way, who are you?

- Dr. Makris' co-worker.

-And your name is? I demand to know

-A bastard! If you tell me who you are, I'll tell you who I am.

-I'm not playing games. Say who you are. - She hangs up on him, the owner of the cell phone turns pale.

-Ma! Not even my dad, let alone this guy Who was that guy?

-Someone who shouldn't be calling, at least not at this hour - the cell phone rings again.

-Funeral home “we want them dead”.

Tell Darío he has twelve hours to come or I'm coming for him. He hangs up again.

You have twelve hours to go with him, who are you messing with?

-You've hung up on Elián twice.

It's your quarrels, not mine, besides he's rude - a WhatsApp message comes in - Shall I read it or will you read it?

Please -she opens the message, gives him the cell phone.

-You must really be up to your ass with this guy, he wrote in another language.

She twists her lips, picks up her cell phone- “Tomorrow night at home or I'll come get you”- she reads aloud.

- Tell him you can't go, tomorrow is the meeting, we have everything ready, it's going to be at your house.

-That's right -she quickly reads the answer-. Ready! Let him wait for me.

-I knew you weren't that much of a cu....

-Whoa, laugh.

Coward, hahaha! I wouldn't be able to call you asshole!

Listen to me! - pulls her to him, hugs her by the neck -you said it, you're bad.

Hey, let's go out on the street.

We're not boyfriends - they both shout.

We're about to say six o'clock, we're going to give the last round and the medicines, so pull back Dario, let's get to work.

-The boss has already spoken, I'll wait for you girls tomorrow night, don't take the toxics. - He's going to his office.

Did you and him never do anything at all?

-No, never. Chio, he and I are friends, for the rest I have Fernando.

Secundina goes to her father's house to pick up her daughter, she goes straight to take a bath, her daughter is already awake and prepares breakfast for her, they both have breakfast together, she thanks her father and they go to her house, the two of them talk, she tells him that they are going to a get-together at night, her colleagues already knew that she always took her.

Evening arrives, and they get ready to go to Darío's house in the Loma Linda neighborhood. On the way, they stop by to buy refreshments, especially for the youngest. When they arrive, the children of other friends of different ages are there. Emilia joins them, and they organize to play. The adults start chatting, grilling meat, making salsas, playing band music, and getting out the beers. And so the get-together begins. It's time to serve. The children are called first, and they are given dinner, followed by the adults. Everything is quiet. Suddenly, the dogs in the neighboring houses start barking. A howl is heard, and as if by magic, the dogs fall silent.

"Isn't that weird?"

"Right."

"Crazy."

"Turn up the music."

"I'm going!"

"No, I'm going, I'm going, I'm going," Secundina says hurriedly. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay, friend."

She turns up the volume on the speaker, rushes to the bathroom, and enters, locking her door. She was calmly doing her own thing. She leaves the bathroom, goes to the backyard, and makes a forced entrance to the living room. She's humming the song that's playing at that moment. She's about to leave, stops, and turns back abruptly. She blinks several times when she sees a tall, unfriendly man standing there. The man looks at her angrily, stares at her, approaches intimidatingly, and goes to grab her arm, but Secundina throws a punch straight to her face. She runs off with Darío. The newcomer's black eyes turn yellow. She puts her right hand to the spot where she hit him, smiles sideways, and starts walking.