16. THE ANSWER
Sofia received the SMS from Nina's father while eating breakfast, but did not show it to her.
“I expected this answer,” she thought, “perfect emotional blackmail! Why do parents not understand their children and have to be strangers who understand them? Nina is deeply hurt, and that same pain drives her to create. Until she unburdens all that pain and transforms it into songs, it is useless trying to return to being a normal person, capable of reasoning what to do or not to do. Nina needs time and freedom, and the last thing she needs now is emotional blackmail! ”
She turned off the phone and commented with them:
“Another friend who invites me to have tea with her. Everyone thinks that because I am a widow, I have to be depressed. Well, immature people, if you have collected all your things, we can go now. Silvia, you and the twins, will stay here, because we don't all fit in the car, but Quico will come with us. Because he wants to see the animals, he likes them so much! Right, Quico?”
“Yes, Mommy!”
They loaded the backpacks and guitars into the car and headed inland along a narrow road lined with young orange trees bearing their first juicy, still green, and small fruit. The road climbed a hillside until the summit gave access to an extensive valley and large orange groves protected from saltpeter by the sea breeze. They crossed the valley and again went up a hill higher than the previous one, which gave access to an uneven plateau, and from there could be seen numerous farmhouses, surrounded by orange trees.
”We are arriving,” said Sofia. “No one here will bother you, Nina, you will be able to compose all those beautiful songs that you have promised us.”
They left the paved road and entered a road where only a single vehicle could circulate. A few meters further on, two large, slender hounds came out onto the road, surrounding the vehicle, barking loudly. But when they recognized the car, they stopped barking for a few moments to approach the window, from where Sofia was trying to calm them down.
“Don't make so many scandals! With these two magnificent hounds, you are well protected. No one enters here without their permission!”
The dogs returned to their loud barking as they followed the car to the esplanade that opened in front of the farmhouse. Some poultry pecked and dug insistently on the ground. Two cats slept lazily lying on an enormous table. Next to the door, they awaited Sofia and her companions, the couple in charge of the farm's care.
“I didn't tell you,” Sofia told them, “they are Romanians, but she speaks our language very well. She will cook for you but don't be afraid; Romanian cuisine is as tasty as ours.”
“Hello, Oana,” Sofia greeted the woman, who was drying her hands on her apron, “I bring you the guests I told you about on the phone. How is everything around here?”
“Easy, as always, ma'am. We are happy to see you and your guests! Oh, and little Quico has come too!”
“He wants to see the animals.”
“Yes, I want to see bunnies!” Said the child, getting out of the car. “Where are the bunnies?”
The woman exchanged a significant look with Sofia and commented in a low voice:
“There are no bunnies. They've all gone to the pot, but we can't tell Quico that.”
“Honey, the bunnies have grown older and gone to the fields, with other friends of hers,” said the mother to the little boy. “So, there are no more bunnies.”
The little one looked ashamed, but seeing the two cats on the enormous table, he forgot about the rabbits and became interested in the cats.”
Nina and Nano got out of the car and stared in amazement at the orange groves surrounding the farmhouse in all directions. On the north side, the plantation ascended a smooth hillside, with young trees perfectly aligned, because it had been recently cut and planted.
“You know, Nano, I have always wanted to live in the countryside, surrounded by nature and not asphalt, as it surrounds us in cities. This couple is fortunate to live in such a place.”
Sofia approached her and asked, although she already knew the answer from her expression.
“Well, Nina, what do you think of the site? Can you get inspired here?”
“It's like a dream!” She replied without hiding her amazement.
The Romanian woman served refreshments on the table where the two cats did not seem to abandon their rest, and they hardly changed places on the table to make room for the guests, who gathered around her.
“Oana, these young people are Nina and Nano, two talented musicians, and I want them to spend a few days in the house.”
“I will be delighted that they are with us, they will keep us company” and addressing them, she said:
“Welcome to this house, ask me what you need. Do you like Romanian cuisine? If you don't like it, I prepared local style food for you, which I have already learned to cook many local dishes. If you need something from the city, my husband goes down on market days, and he can bring them.”
“You will occupy separate rooms,” said Sofia, addressing them and emphasizing this decision. “I know that Nano is a wise young man and you, Nina, too, but it is better to avoid temptations because the meat is weak. I hope you understand what would happen to me if Nina became pregnant while running and at home. I know you will behave like two responsible people, and we will have nothing to regret. Agree?”
Nina and Nano nodded energetically.
“Well, now I have to go back and prepare something to eat for this battalion of hungry people who are my children. Come on, Quico, get in the car, your brothers will miss us.”
The mother and son got into the car and returned to the city. The two Greyhounds followed them for a few meters but returned when they crossed their territory limits.
“I expected this answer,” she thought, “perfect emotional blackmail! Why do parents not understand their children and have to be strangers who understand them? Nina is deeply hurt, and that same pain drives her to create. Until she unburdens all that pain and transforms it into songs, it is useless trying to return to being a normal person, capable of reasoning what to do or not to do. Nina needs time and freedom, and the last thing she needs now is emotional blackmail! ”
She turned off the phone and commented with them:
“Another friend who invites me to have tea with her. Everyone thinks that because I am a widow, I have to be depressed. Well, immature people, if you have collected all your things, we can go now. Silvia, you and the twins, will stay here, because we don't all fit in the car, but Quico will come with us. Because he wants to see the animals, he likes them so much! Right, Quico?”
“Yes, Mommy!”
They loaded the backpacks and guitars into the car and headed inland along a narrow road lined with young orange trees bearing their first juicy, still green, and small fruit. The road climbed a hillside until the summit gave access to an extensive valley and large orange groves protected from saltpeter by the sea breeze. They crossed the valley and again went up a hill higher than the previous one, which gave access to an uneven plateau, and from there could be seen numerous farmhouses, surrounded by orange trees.
”We are arriving,” said Sofia. “No one here will bother you, Nina, you will be able to compose all those beautiful songs that you have promised us.”
They left the paved road and entered a road where only a single vehicle could circulate. A few meters further on, two large, slender hounds came out onto the road, surrounding the vehicle, barking loudly. But when they recognized the car, they stopped barking for a few moments to approach the window, from where Sofia was trying to calm them down.
“Don't make so many scandals! With these two magnificent hounds, you are well protected. No one enters here without their permission!”
The dogs returned to their loud barking as they followed the car to the esplanade that opened in front of the farmhouse. Some poultry pecked and dug insistently on the ground. Two cats slept lazily lying on an enormous table. Next to the door, they awaited Sofia and her companions, the couple in charge of the farm's care.
“I didn't tell you,” Sofia told them, “they are Romanians, but she speaks our language very well. She will cook for you but don't be afraid; Romanian cuisine is as tasty as ours.”
“Hello, Oana,” Sofia greeted the woman, who was drying her hands on her apron, “I bring you the guests I told you about on the phone. How is everything around here?”
“Easy, as always, ma'am. We are happy to see you and your guests! Oh, and little Quico has come too!”
“He wants to see the animals.”
“Yes, I want to see bunnies!” Said the child, getting out of the car. “Where are the bunnies?”
The woman exchanged a significant look with Sofia and commented in a low voice:
“There are no bunnies. They've all gone to the pot, but we can't tell Quico that.”
“Honey, the bunnies have grown older and gone to the fields, with other friends of hers,” said the mother to the little boy. “So, there are no more bunnies.”
The little one looked ashamed, but seeing the two cats on the enormous table, he forgot about the rabbits and became interested in the cats.”
Nina and Nano got out of the car and stared in amazement at the orange groves surrounding the farmhouse in all directions. On the north side, the plantation ascended a smooth hillside, with young trees perfectly aligned, because it had been recently cut and planted.
“You know, Nano, I have always wanted to live in the countryside, surrounded by nature and not asphalt, as it surrounds us in cities. This couple is fortunate to live in such a place.”
Sofia approached her and asked, although she already knew the answer from her expression.
“Well, Nina, what do you think of the site? Can you get inspired here?”
“It's like a dream!” She replied without hiding her amazement.
The Romanian woman served refreshments on the table where the two cats did not seem to abandon their rest, and they hardly changed places on the table to make room for the guests, who gathered around her.
“Oana, these young people are Nina and Nano, two talented musicians, and I want them to spend a few days in the house.”
“I will be delighted that they are with us, they will keep us company” and addressing them, she said:
“Welcome to this house, ask me what you need. Do you like Romanian cuisine? If you don't like it, I prepared local style food for you, which I have already learned to cook many local dishes. If you need something from the city, my husband goes down on market days, and he can bring them.”
“You will occupy separate rooms,” said Sofia, addressing them and emphasizing this decision. “I know that Nano is a wise young man and you, Nina, too, but it is better to avoid temptations because the meat is weak. I hope you understand what would happen to me if Nina became pregnant while running and at home. I know you will behave like two responsible people, and we will have nothing to regret. Agree?”
Nina and Nano nodded energetically.
“Well, now I have to go back and prepare something to eat for this battalion of hungry people who are my children. Come on, Quico, get in the car, your brothers will miss us.”
The mother and son got into the car and returned to the city. The two Greyhounds followed them for a few meters but returned when they crossed their territory limits.
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