No Stars in the Sky by Martha Bátiz

Author:Martha Bátiz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Anansi Press Inc
Published: 2022-04-11T14:48:32+00:00

Fiat voluntas Dei

She exits the car and slams the driver’s door shut. Her knees are shaking as she approaches the café where they have agreed to meet. Trying to be discreet, she steps inside, but is aware that, more than her clothes — a red miniskirt and low-cut blouse, an outfit she chose on purpose — it’s her limp that will catch the other patrons’ attention. It’s better now than it used to be, when people used to stare at her without trying to hide their curiosity or their pity, but she still feels uneasy before entering an unfamiliar place. Especially this one, this place, today.

Her heels click unevenly against the tile floor. Relieved to discover that the café is essentially empty, she heads towards the counter and orders a large, extra-dark coffee, no cream. A black drink to match her mood. Should she have worn black to this meeting? It would show that she’s still in mourning, even after all these years. No. She shakes her head to shoo away the thought like a fly. Black would be read as pious. Red, however, symbolizes self-confidence and bravery, which is what she needs right now.

She takes a seat by the window and puts down her cup. She looks out at the carefree people strolling along the sidewalk, the cars negotiating an intricate choreography in the parking lot, and the sun, indifferent and obscene, crowning a pristine blue sky. He will surely take that as a sign in his favour, but to her it feels like a personal affront. Today should be overcast, rainy. The burnished golden flowers in the planters, the lofty, thickly leaved trees are almost an insult.

She places her purse on her lap, her left arm cradling it tightly. She looks at the clock on the wall. Nine fifty. If he doesn’t arrive on time, she’ll leave. She takes a sip of her coffee to check the temperature. It’s still scalding hot and burns her lips and tongue. But she doesn’t mind. That her pain threshold is higher than average is something she has been aware of for a very long time.

A woman with salt-and-pepper hair emerges from the washroom and takes a seat at the table next to her. Why do people enjoy crowding perfect strangers? she wonders. The only other customer is a young man hunched over on a couch at the back of the café, wearing headphones and typing on his laptop. He looks like he could be roughly her age, in his early twenties, but in contrast to her, his movements are self-assured, his confidence real. A wave of contempt rises and breaks inside her chest. He probably never had to carry his belongings inside a black garbage bag from one home to the next. He probably thinks everyone had a nice, safe upbringing, just like his, coddled in his parents’ embrace, wanting for nothing. That must be why he seems so self-absorbed. The woman next to her unfolds her newspaper noisily, spreading it out as though she were about to perform an autopsy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.