Every Monday the letter arrived at lunchtime, and the uncle read it aloud so that I could find out. At the end there were always a few lines for me, and many little points that were kisses from mom and dad.
But neither last Monday, nor the other, nor the other, was there a letter.
-What will happen to your parents? I don’t know what to think anymore…
Until one day he told me:
-Today we are going to talk to your parents.
-Yeah. Where are they?
-They are where they were; but we will talk on the phone.
-By the office phone? Wow, how good! I thought the phone was only used to notify the milkman, or the store, or to talk to Carreño and tell him that your head hurt all night…
-It is useful for all that and much more… You see; Let’s go talk to your parents, who are almost on the other side of the world…
-Then why haven’t we talked to them before? Hey, uncle, is there a very long, very long thread, and at the other end are mom and dad?
-It must be something like that, but I’m not sure… It’s not something that interests me too much.
After lunch, I did nothing but walk around the guy.
-Why don’t we talk to dad now, isn’t it time?
-It’s still early; Be patient, creature…
The uncle didn’t go out all afternoon and stayed reading the newspaper next to the balcony. In order not to be separated from him, I brought Pirracas, because I am making him a stitched hat that suits him very well, and I have been sewing very formally. Suddenly the uncle looked at the clock, folded the newspaper and stood up.
-It’s about time and we should be in the office, lest we not hear the call.
And the two of us hand in hand, as if we were really going to see mom and dad, we went to the office and there we sat looking at the phone.
-iRrrrrrrr!
The guy picked up the receiver and I saw that his hand was shaking.
-Is it the conference? What do you say? No, sir; This is not a hair salon…
He hung up angrily and walked around with his hands in his pockets, complaining about the annoying idiots who bother others.
-Rrrrrrrrrr!, the phone again.
-Say… Yes, yes; here it is… Is that you, Pablo?
My dad! Because I have never told you that Dad’s name is Pablo… I didn’t know it either until recently, and I even thought his name was just Dad… The guy kept talking:
-We haven’t received any news from you for three weeks… Ah! It’s just that you have been traveling… Understood… Of course… Yes, yes; here is the girl. Celia, come closer, your father is talking…
-What do I do, uncle?
-Put the headset in your ear… Like this… speak, woman; say something…
-Daddy!
-Daughter!
-Where are you?
-At home, and here is mom and Baby… Tell me, are you healthy and happy?
-But which house are you in if we no longer have Serrano’s house?
-Daughter, you’re still so stupid! Here we have another house. Or did you think we lived in the middle of the street? Soon we will all be together… Wait, what is your mother going to talk about?
-Celia, my daughter! Mom said, although she didn’t know her voice well.
-Mommy, beautiful!
Then I heard him crying, and I was so sad that I started crying too.
“Come on,” said the uncle, “stop crying, time is running out and they are going to cut off communication.” How are you, Maria? -he asked mom-. Don’t cry, it’s okay. The girl is fine… She keeps making trouble when I get careless; but in this, you will understand that it has not changed… Come on, girl, talk to your mother.
-Mommy, don’t cry!
-Are you going to school, my daughter?
-No; Since Christmas Eve, when my uncle brought me, I haven’t been back… Now I’m learning other things. I already know how to scrub Basilides, and chop meat for the owl, and I know what the mountain of Madrid is, and that a hat is not a nest…
-What do you say, daughter? Tell the uncle that in today’s letter I tell him to look for a governess, if possible German… Listen, Baby is going to speak now.
-Baby! But does Baby speak?
I heard a little voice telling me:
-Lelia! Baby… a lot…
-Guapín! Are you there? I love you very much too. Do you remember when you ruined the pad? Mother Corazón de Jesús became atrociously angry… Are you walking around like a little person anymore?
He didn’t answer me, and mom spoke again.
-He’s still very small, you know? He is only two years old; but he talks about everything… and he knows you in the portrait and kisses you every day…, I…
-I didn’t hear more… They were gone! And I was very sad…
Before, when I thought they were very far away, I had contented myself with the Monday letters; but now I know that they are at the end of the thread that runs through the ceiling of the hallway… I think that in the office they must be heard talking when no one is there…
Yesterday I was alone at home and I went to see… I couldn’t hear anything in the receiver, other than peeeeee!
I remembered the phone number we had before, and I turned over the numbers… I didn’t know if the first one was five or two… it won’t matter, I guess.
Immediately I heard a voice:
-Say.
-I’m Celia… Is she Baby’s housewife? Let mom get on.
-The lady does not have daughters…
-That’s what you think, silly! Call her. Tell him I’m Celia.
Soon I heard Mom’s footsteps approaching.
-Who is it?
It didn’t sound like his voice; but the other day the same thing happened.
-It’s me, mom… I’m Celia, I’ve been very sad since the day of the conference, because you left without saying goodbye… Besides, the uncle has shown me on the map where you are, and it’s very far away… Tonight my finger hurt; It’s Pirracas who gave me a scratch…, don’t think it’s anything… I no longer take cod liver oil, because I don’t like it… I want you to call me every day, mommy, to find out If you and dad continue to love me…
-How old are you, rich?
-Wow, what a question! Don’t you remember that I’m going to turn ten at the end of the year? The uncle is very good, you know, and he loves me very much, and so does Maimón, and the owl, and Basilides… But I would prefer to be with you… Why are you silent? Don’t be angry, mom… I’m happy to be with my uncle, if you call me every day and send me a kiss… Do you want?
He took a while to answer; It is known that he was thinking about it.
Yes, daughter, I will call you every day; But you have to give me your phone number.
-Don’t know!
-Yes you know. Look on the white disk and you will see it.
I saw it and told him so.
And today he called me!
#Celia #says.. #telephone
