Dense tongues of smoke rose from the cup, imbuing the kitchen with that characteristic aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The teaspoon span once and again, helped by her fingers, while she smiled, thinking of everything that had brought her to that moment. She decided she would have the coffee on the terrace, so she went there. As she walked down the corridor, she saw herself reflected in a mirror and smiled when she saw her tangled hair, completely different from how well-groomed it had been the night before. Sipping the coffee, she continued until she entered the balcony and felt the morning breeze. She sat down on a chair and placed her bare feet on the bottom of the railing.
She reflected on how happy she was. She could not believe that after so many love failures she was going to find happiness with someone like Ramón, totally contrary to the prototype of boys she had dated before. Three years later, and just as it happened the morning after that incredible night, she was wearing her Captain America T-shirt, which was so large that even the shirt collar slipped down to reveal her shoulder. She had an immense affection for the garment, as it led to the first conversation between the two of them on the dance floor. It all started at that moment, so she considered that shirt as magical.
Suddenly, she heard the apartment door open and the characteristic sound of Ramón´s keys being deposit in the ceramic bowl next to the entrance. His footsteps could be heard approaching down the hall, but they stopped a few meters before reaching the terrace. Puzzled, she turned her head to look toward de terrace door expecting to see him appear at any moment. She heard how Ramón took a deep breath and resumed his walk towards the balcony. Estrella´s eyes widened when she saw, in his trembling hands, a gold ring. She dropped the cup of coffee, ran to him to hug him and whispered in his ear:
—You are finally mine, Steve Rogers —and then she kissed Ramón on the lips, winked at him and finally snatched the ring from his hands and went to the terrace running through the corridor, while Ramón hurried behind saying:
—Hey, give it back to me! It´s still mine, I have not made the question yet, shameless! —At the same time that Estrella's guffaw was heard in the background, while she circumvented the table and surrounded the sofa pursued by her future husband.
Translated by
Pepe Gallego Ariadna B.Alonso
Las densas lenguas de humo se elevaban desde la taza, impregnando la cocina de ese aroma tan característico del café recién hecho. La cucharilla giraba una y otra vez impulsada por sus dedos, mientras sonreía pensando en todo lo que le había llevado a ese momento. Decidió que se tomaría el café en la terraza, así que se dispuso a marcharse hacia allí. Al pasar por el pasillo, se vio reflejada en un espejo y sonrió al ver su pelo enmarañado, completamente distinto a lo bien peinado que lo llevaba la noche anterior. Dando un sorbo al café, continuó hasta entrar en el balcón y sentir la brisa mañanera. Se sentó en una silla y colocó sus desnudos pies apoyados en la parte baja de la barandilla. Reflexionó sobre lo feliz que era. No podía creer que tras tantos fracasos amorosos iba a encontrar la felicidad con alguien como Ramón, totalmente contrario al prototipo de los chicos con los que había salido hasta entonces. Tres años después de ese momento, y al igual que ocurriera a la mañana siguiente de aquella increíble noche, volvía a llevar puesta su camiseta del capitán América, que le quedaba tan grande que hasta el cuello de la misma le resbalaba hasta dejar al descubierto su hombro. Le tenía un cariño inmenso a la prenda, pues propició la primera conversación entre ambos en la pista de la disco. Todo comenzó en ese momento, así que consideraba aquella camiseta como mágica.
De pronto, escuchó la puerta del piso abrirse y el característico sonido de las llaves de Ramón depositándose en el cuenco de cerámica junto a la entrada. Se oían sus pasos aproximándose por el pasillo, pero se detuvieron metros antes de llegar. Extrañada, giró la cabeza para mirar hacia la puerta de la terraza esperando verle aparecer de un momento a otro. Oyó cómo Ramón respiraba hondo y retomaba su caminar hacia el balcón. Los ojos de Estrella se agrandaron cuando observó, en las temblorosas manos de él, un anillo dorado. Soltó la taza de café, corrió a su encuentro para abrazarlo y le dijo al oído:
—Por fin eres mío, Steve Rogers— y acto seguido besó a Ramón en los labios, le guiñó un ojo y finalmente le arrebató la sortija de las manos y se marchó de la terraza corriendo por el pasillo, mientras Ramón se apresuraba detrás diciendo:
—¡Eh, devuélmelo! ¡Todavía es mío, aún no te lo he pedido, descarada!— A la vez que las carcajadas de Estrella se escuchaban de fondo, mientras sorteaba la mesa y rodeaba el sofá perseguida por su futuro marido.
Pepe Gallego
They all stopped. In the middle of the dispute, all the robots that were fighting against us, the resistance, stopped and put down their weapons. Unable to understand such behaviour, I tried to find an explanation, a reason of their sudden proceed. But after looking around me, there was just smoke and destruction, nothing that indicates that cessation of hostilities.
Then it was when I saw her on the inner screen of the helmet. An image slightly blurred and confusing due to the movement of the robot that recorded her, but enough to recognize her. She was the cyborg who took care of me, the one I called mom and then I repudiated when I grew up and understood that she was just a machine and not human like me. She was sat next to the large central computer and a cable was protruding from the back of her neck. The head was tilted and motionless, with one of her hands resting on the cheek. I felt a chill at the sight of the laser impact on her chest. It took me awhile to understand what was happening until I noticed that hand on her face, next to her mouth, that gave a hint of a kiss; I observed the little star, the heart and the different tiny pendants that adorned the bracelet that I gifted her when I was a child. I felt the grief scaling my throat and, taking off my helmet, I couldn´t suppress a gasp with tears. It was then when I realized that a mother is the one who takes care of you, who watches over your sleeplessness and sacrifices herself for giving you a present and a future. She´s able to do it even without being flesh and blood, nor did she have a behavioural protocol installed in her system. She only did it because she was my mother, the only one I have ever met and the only one I will always have.
Six months after that event that I remember now, I no longer hear explosions or bullets whistling around me. The war finished. Now I am sitting at the window of the house and the only sounds are the trill of the birds among the trees, and the rhythmic although soft strumming of my hair with the brush, that one that my mom wields with the usual dexterity after having being repaired.
Pepe Gallego (Translated by Ariadna B. Alonso)
Se pararon todos. En mitad de la contienda, todos los robots que combatían contra nosotros, la resistencia, se detuvieron y bajaron sus armas. Incapaz de comprender semejante comportamiento, traté de buscar una explicación, una causa de su repentino proceder. Pero tras otear a mi alrededor solo había humo y destrucción, nada que indicara su repentino cese de las hostilidades.
Fue entonces cuando la vi en la pantalla interior del casco. Una imagen algo borrosa y confusa debido al movimiento del robot que la grababa, pero suficiente para reconocerla. Era la cyborg que me cuidó, aquella a quien llamé mamá y luego repudié cuando crecí, al entender que era una máquina y no un humano como yo. Estaba sentada junto al gran ordenador central y un cable sobresalía de su nuca. La cabeza ladeada e inmóvil, con una de sus manos apoyada en la mejilla. Sentí un escalofrío al ver el impacto de láser en su pecho. Tardé en comprender lo que ocurría hasta que reparé bien en esa mano que se llevaba a la cara. A la altura de su boca, que esbozaba la forma de un beso, observé la estrellita, el corazón y los diferentes colgantes diminutos que adornaban la pulsera que yo le regalé cuando era pequeña. Sentí cómo la congoja escalaba mi garganta y, quitándome el casco, no pude reprimir un grito ahogado entre lágrimas. Fue entonces cuando comprendí que una madre es quien te cuida, quien vela tus desvelos y se sacrifica por darte un presente y futuro. Ella fue capaz de hacerlo aun sin ser de carne y hueso, ni tampoco poseía un protocolo de comportamiento instalado en su sistema. Solo lo hizo porque era mi madre, la única que he conocido y la única que tendré.
Seis meses después de aquel suceso que ahora recuerdo, ya no escucho explosiones ni balas silbando a mí alrededor. La guerra terminó. Ahora me hallo sentada ante la ventana de casa y los únicos sonidos son el trinar de los pájaros entre los árboles, y el rítmico aunque suave rasgueo de mi pelo con el cepillo, ese que mi madre empuña con la destreza habitual tras haber sido reparada.
Pepe Gallego
I tried to avert my eyes off her but I could not, I was hypnotized. Leaning on the railing of the nightclub, she laughed with her friends while she did not lose any detail of what was happening in the rest of the place, especially the dance floor as it stretched before her like a small lake with heads moving under oscillating lights. I was in a more shadowy side because I never danced. Too much I had done with being pushed by my friends, who forced me to dress contrary to my custom, in addition to picking up my long and tangled hair in a ponytail because they said that otherwise the doormen would not let me in.
I also had to wear a jacket that covered my special edition shirt of Captain America!
Once inside, I took off my coat, untied my ponytail and began to realize that everyone was too well-dressed and my outfit was out of place, but at that point nothing mattered because my attention was focus on her. Someone in full euphoria passing by my side dancing to the music, splashed my glasses with the swing of his glass.
After cleaning them, I put them back on and when I looked towards the booth I was petrified when I saw that her eyes were fixed on me. I looked around expecting to see some of her friends or some "handsome" or "hunk" she was looking at, but there were just distracted people dancing.
With some hesitation, I half-closed my eyes at her and there she was, looking at me. And she smiled...A smile that for a few seconds paralyzed me until I, embarrassed, looked down. I could not understand that she was looking at me.
After reflecting a few moments and drinking a sip of my beer, my brain rode at breakneck speed looking for a logical explanation. Why me? I suppose she was looking at me just out of curiosity, maybe I was not fitting in there. And I would not blame her because it was true, I felt misplaced, I was not used to going to those places. I'm from heavy pubs, beer, reading comics, painting miniatures and going to the club for role-playing games. But my lifelong friends, who did not have those hobbies, decided that I would not stay at home that Friday and they practically dragged me to the disco. Yes, I was sure she looked at me for being the "freak" of the place, so I took a deep breath and looked up again but she was gone. I supposed she had gone to the bathroom, so I took another sip of my beer and turned to see what my friends were doing or talking about, but what I found was her face in front of me. Seeing my obvious mental block, she smiled again and my knees trembled before I heard her saying:
—I like your T-shirt.
I opened my mouth to say something, perhaps to say thank you, but I think it was just an unintelligible reedy voice at the time my cheeks were burning at the growing blush. She laughed, showing her pearly teeth this time before taking a sip of her gin and tonic.
Suddenly, the music changed and, with her eyes wide open, she said:
—I love this song! — And grabbing my hand, she dragged me to the dance floor after her stumbling among the people, although I had time to see the drawing of a star shaved in her hair. Being in the middle of the dance floor, she pointed to my T-shirt then, the back of her head and smiling, she asked:
—Well, you know my name yet. What´s yours?
—Steve Rogers—I replied keeping from laughing and she let out a guffaw. I was pleasantly surprised to see I had understood the mention.
It seems like yesterday and three years ago today I danced, who would have thought it, until my feet hurt. Now, seeing this golden circle between my nervous fingers, I just hope that Estrella accepts to keep dancing with me for the rest of my days.
Pepe Gallego Translated by Ariadna B. Alonso
Intentaba apartar mis ojos de ella pero no podía, me tenía hipnotizado. Apoyada en la barandilla del reservado de la discoteca, reía con sus amigas mientras no perdía detalle de cuanto ocurría en el resto del local, especialmente de la pista pues se extendía ante ella como un pequeño lago de cabezas en movimiento bajo oscilantes luces. Yo me hallaba en una parte lateral más en penumbras porque yo nunca bailo. Demasiado había hecho con ir empujado por mis amigos, que me obligaron a vestirme contrario a mí costumbre, además de recoger mi largo y enmarañado pelo en una coleta pues decían que sino no me dejarían entrar los porteros. ¡Tuve hasta que ponerme una chaqueta que tapara mi camiseta de edición especial del capitán América!
Una vez estuve dentro, me despojé del abrigo, desaté mi coleta y comencé a darme cuenta de que todo el mundo iba demasiado arreglado y mi atuendo estaba fuera de lugar, pero llegado a ese punto ya nada me importaba porque mi atención estaba depositada en ella. Alguien en plena euforia pasando junto a mí bailando al son de la música, salpicó mis gafas con el vaivén de su copa. Tras limpiarlas, me las volví a colocar y al mirar hacia el reservado me quedé petrificado al ver que sus ojos se clavaban en mí. Miré a mí alrededor esperando ver a alguna de sus amigas o a algún tipo “guaperas” o “cachas” al que ella estuviera observando, pero solo había gente distraída bailando.
Con cierto reparo, entorné mis ojos hacia ella y allí seguía, mirándome. Y sonrió...Una sonrisa que durante unos segundos me paralizó hasta que avergonzado bajé la vista. No podía comprender que ella me estuviese mirando a mí.
Tras reflexionarlo unos instantes y beber un sorbo de mi cerveza, mi cerebro cabalgó a velocidad vertiginosa buscando una explicación lógica. ¿Por qué yo? Supongo que me observaba por curiosidad, quizás por no encajar allí. Y no se lo reprocharía porque era cierto, me sentía desubicado, yo no iba a esos sitios. Soy de bareto heavy, de cerveza, de leer comics, de pintar miniaturas e irme al club a echar mis partidas de rol. Pero mis amigos de toda la vida, que no albergaban esas aficiones, decidieron que ese viernes no me quedaría en casa y prácticamente me arrastraron hasta la discoteca. Sí, estaba seguro de que me miraba por ser el “rarito” del lugar, así que respiré hondo y alcé mi vista de nuevo pero ella ya no estaba. Supuse que habría ido al baño, así que bebí otro sorbo de mi cerveza y me giré para ver qué hacían o de qué hablaban mis amigos, pero lo que encontré fue su rostro ante mí. Al ver mi evidente bloqueo, ella sonrió de nuevo y me temblaron las rodillas antes de oírle decir:
—Me mola tu camiseta.
Abrí la boca para decir algo, quizás dar las gracias, pero creo que solo salió un pequeño hilo de voz ininteligible mientras sentía cómo me ardían las mejillas ante el creciente rubor. Ella rió enseñando esta vez su nacarada dentadura antes de dar un sorbo a su gin tonic.
De pronto, hubo un cambio de tema musical y, abriendo mucho los ojos, me dijo:
—¡Me encanta esta canción! —Y agarrando mi mano, me arrastró hacia la pista tras ella dando trompicones entre la gente, aunque tuve tiempo de observar el dibujo de una estrella rapado en su pelo. Llegando al centro de la pista señaló mi camiseta, después la parte posterior de su cabeza y preguntó sonriendo:
—Bueno, ya sabes mi nombre…¿Cuál es el tuyo?
—Steve Rogers —contesté aguantando la risa y ella dio una carcajada. Me sorprendí gratamente al ver que había entendido la referencia.
Parece que fue ayer y hoy hace tres años de aquella noche en la que bailé, quién lo iba a decir, hasta que me dolieron los pies. Ahora, observando este círculo de oro entre mis nerviosos dedos, tan solo espero que Estrella acepte seguir bailando conmigo para el resto de mis días.
Pepe Gallego
Dense tongues of smoke rose from the cup, imbuing the kitchen with that characteristic aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The teaspoon span once and again, helped by her fingers, while she smiled, thinking of everything that had brought her to that moment. She decided she would have the coffee on the terrace, so she went there. As she walked down the corridor, she saw herself reflected in a mirror and smiled when she saw her tangled hair, completely different from how well-groomed it had been the night before. Sipping the coffee, she continued until she entered the balcony and felt the morning breeze. She sat down on a chair and placed her bare feet on the bottom of the railing.
