Chapter 7 Strangely Familiar

• 3 and a half years ago ....
• It had been 6 months since the incident with that man, Mrs. Consuelo, the woman who in just a few months became like my mother who gave me shelter and help, advised me to go visit that man in the hospital, but I did not feel it was right, he was not a relative of mine I was a simple stranger, so with the simple fact of knowing that he survived I was satisfied although deep down I kept thinking if he was really okay.
• It was time to leave work, I took my things and left the place with the intention of going home, when a strange voice called me behind my back.
• - Valeria Palacios...- there was no doubt that it was calling me, after all it said my full name.
• I turned to see the stranger, the surprise on my face was so great when I realized who it was, it was the man I managed to save by giving him first aid.
• A man already somewhat older but full of energy and strength, he was smiling happily when he saw me, I could not help but do it too, even though we were two strangers I could tell that the atmosphere was so nice, it was as if we already knew each other for so long.
• - I hope I'm not a bother and forgive my boldness, my name is Uriel Carraga, do you have time to eat...? I want to thank you for what you did for me.
• - Of course...
• I approached him with a big smile and we both left together talking as if we were old friends who met again.
• .....
• After that day Mr. Uriel invited me to lunch every day after work, in a short time we created such a strong bond of friendship, in him I saw the grandfather I never knew, the father I would have liked to have.
• After two months the trust we had in each other was total, he knew every aspect of my life and I knew every aspect of his, we both had had a lonely life despite being surrounded by many people.
• He gave me the greatest opportunity of my life, to work in the main of his companies, a construction company of high prestige, my performance as an architect was eminent, those in my department were convinced of it, but in other departments began to see rumors of a love affair between him and me, and that my merits were attributed to that.
• For Uriel that was unacceptable, he was very upset when he found out, mostly because I was almost nothing to resign, I could not with the looks of others, for me it was always easier to duck my head and run away, but he took care of shutting mouths announcing me as his granddaughter, he lied creating a fictitious story but quite convincing with that the rumors stopped.
• It could be said that they were the most beautiful and happy months of my life, Consuelo and Mr. Uriel came into my life as guardian angels, becoming the closest thing I had to a family, but after 3 months the problems started.
• Mr. Uriel began to become delicate in his health, problems in his heart, the bullet impacts of that incident left sequels, some respiratory problems and details in his heart, after all I did not save him from death, I helped him to mock it winning him more time and that was something he was aware of and always told me; I did not understand how he talked about death with total tranquility.
• - I am very grateful to you little Val, I don't know when death will come for me again but when the time comes I am ready, in these months I have been happier and more alive than in my whole life.
• - Don't say that Abu, what would I do without you?
• - Live small and be very happy because I want to... but let's not talk about this because I know you have the heart of a chicken, it's late I'll call a car to wait for you outside and take you home, say hello to Consuelo.
• - See you tomorrow Abu.
• We were in his office, I stood up and went around the desk to give him a resounding kiss on his wrinkled cheek, he started laughing amused. We did not have the same blood but for me he was really my grandfather and I was his granddaughter, he repeatedly offered me to go live at his house with Consuelo, but she did not want to leave home and I did not want to leave her alone, so he respected our decision and did not insist more, he only said that if we changed our minds the offer still stood.
• I went down the elevator hugging some folders on my chest while I sent a message to Consuelo that I was going home, when the doors opened on the top floor I went out without looking ahead and collided with someone causing my folders and that person's to fall to the floor.
• - Oh, I'm sorry, I was careless, I didn't look! I quickly bent down to try to fix the mess we had made, now we had to see which were mine and his.
• - Don't worry, I was distracted too...
• That voice... I raised my face and I met those honey colored eyes that I would never forget... it was Jair, my impossible love from college, since I graduated I never heard from him, we were both studying the same career, but he never looked at me...
• I ducked my head feeling more nervous than usual, in a clumsy way I started to try to grab my things, I wanted to run away.
• - You are Valeria Palacios, right? We studied together at the university, we were in the same class, do you remember?
• How could I forget... But he reminded me of me?! I couldn't help but look at him in surprise as we each took our things and stood up.
• - Yes, it's me... Do you remember me?
• I felt so foolish for my question that I couldn't hide my hopeful voice, he smiled broadly, making my heart go crazy and pounding my chest with ecstasy.
• - How could I forget you...
• His look almost made my legs melt, he was even more handsome than I remembered, he looked so attractive with his dark suit and tie, I smiled at him, like an idiot in love, at that moment I realized that I had not stopped liking him even a little bit in the course of that time without seeing him, or knowing about him.
• The detail and my biggest problem was that I had such big emotional voids that I was not able to see beyond what my desires longed for, I was naive.