Summary:
ACT I: BRUNO
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Bruno gets some news he didn't expect.
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The theme song for this chapter: Mareado by Camilo
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The buzzing noise on his nightstand wakes Bruno from his sleep. It happens, annoyingly, multiple times. He ignores it, his hand reaching over to touch the other side of the bed, where she should be sleeping, except…
She wasn't.
Bruno immediately jolts awake and the nausea hits. Shit. He drank too much again. He tries to recall anything else but comes up empty. His clothes from the night before are still strewn all over the floor while he stumbles around his apartment, trying to find her, hoping she didn't leave.
But she's gone.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He didn't even get her name.
He had his chance last night, and he blew it. Bruno shuts his eyes, the memories of her body against him vivid behind his eyelids. Every curve he explored, every stroke he thrust, every moan she cried out as they consumed their lust. They fucked hard, ruining his sheets. It was a wild night, and it was perfect.
Until he had to mess up like this.
He shuffles back to his bedroom, dejected. Was it never meant to be, then?
His eyes cast over the phone on his nightstand. It continues to vibrate, over and over and over. Bruno begrudgingly picks it up and winces, contemplating if he should answer. He does. "¿Oye?"
He moves it away from his ear when the person on the other line yells at him. "What the hell, amigo? I've been trying to contact you for a good hour! Are you hungover again, you little shit? Do I need to send you to rehab?"
"Julián," Bruno rubs his temples to ease the throbbing pain that's like a jackhammer to the skull. A warm bowl of Changuas seems so good right now. Maybe a smoke too. He hasn't touched a cigarette in years, but today feels like he'll break his clean streak. "Lo siento. You caught me at a terrible time. Can I call you back?"
On the other side of town, Julián furiously stares at the road ahead. The rush hour traffic is getting on his nerves and he's late for a very important meeting. It doesn't help that his soon-to-be star client is being a prick. "No, you dumb fuck. Get your act together, because you got the part."
"What?" Bruno's voice cracks through Julián's earpiece. He ignores the questioning tone as rolls down his windows to yell profanities at another driver. "Julián, are you…driving right now?"
A loud honk and a screech. "Julián?" Bruno panics when there's no response. "Parce?"
"Yeah, I'm still here." Julián's voice comes through. "I swear some people don't know how to fucking drive…"
"You don't know how to fucking drive, you madman." Relief washes over Bruno, thankful that he did not put his best friend into some accident. Why would he be calling and driving anyway? What kind of news couldn't wait?
Bruno buries himself back into his pillows. It smells just like her and he feels himself hardening at the thought. Fuck this. He immediately stands up and distracts himself by pacing the room to survive this phone call long enough before he caves in. He feels ridiculous being butt-naked, but he's in his apartment and all of the curtains are drawn. At least he wouldn't accidentally give any of his neighbors a free show. "What did you say earlier? I wasn't listening."
A long pause and a sigh on the other end. Oh Dios, dame paciencia. "I swear to God, Bruno, you cannot pull this stunt in front of the director and producer when you meet them," Julián grumbles as he finally reaches his destination, pulling into his parking space. His eyes spot a familiar face waiting for him by his front steps. They wave at him, beaming.
"...wait, did you say, director? Parce, what…?"
Julián waves back as he gets out of his car. The person nods in understanding when he points to his earpiece. "Hey, I got to run. I'll just say this once, okay, because I have things to do today. Listen and listen well. YOU GOT THE PART. You're the new male lead for that casting call you thought you butchered up two weeks ago. Felicidades, Bruno, mi amigo. We've finally got the break you've been waiting for."
…
"I'm so jealous! Felicidades, Brunito!"
Bruno laughs at Pepa's toothy grin. It's a miracle how he was able to keep calm the entire day despite receiving the greatest news he had been hoping to get. Maybe it's because there is something else at the back of his mind, one he would very much not want to think about right now. The bond between the three of them is strong, but Bruno still wants to keep a few secrets to himself.
And also because he'll never hear the end of it from his older sisters if they ever found out about…that.
"Where are you right now?" Julieta grabs the phone away from Pepa. "Are you out celebrating? It sounds so loud where you are…?"
"Me? Oh, uh, yeah, sure?" His eyes scan the place. No dice. Why did he think it would be a good idea to go back to the bar?
A struggle on the other end of the line. "Hey! Pepa!" They're at it again, huh. While his sisters are distracted, Bruno takes the opportunity to mute the call and ambles over to the counter with the intent to ask José, the bartender, some questions.
Amazing he remembered that information but forgot to ask her damn name…
The man smirks when he notices Bruno settling himself at the bar. "Oh, señor! Back again, huh? I'm afraid I can't serve you today, you've been drinking far too often."
"Ah? Lo siento, no, no, no." Bruno brushes off the comment, flustered. "I'm…I'm not here to drink. I mean, unless you just serve regular coffee, then I'm up for that. I'm still…hungover from that cocktail you gave me last night."
"Pretty strong stuff, isn't it?" José regards him with a critical look. Bruno feels himself shrink a little in his seat, but thankfully the man lightens up. "Don't worry, I do sell other drinks for patrons who aren't into alcohol. Give me a second." He disappears into the kitchen, leaving Bruno alone.
The bar is less packed, though, as Julieta noted, still a little loud. There are not many people mingling on the dance floor. No one would be willing to get themselves shit-faced from partying on a Sunday night, especially since tomorrow is another working week. Stupid. Of course, she wouldn't be here today.
Bruno checks his phone. Pepa and Julieta are still bickering in the background, comically throwing hands. As much as he loves his sisters, he still can't wrap his head around the reason why they always have to fight over to talk to him whenever they're together in the same room. Certainly, they can just set it up against something? For all their intelligence, sometimes they don't have the best common sense. Are his sisters treating his life like a telenovela? Life in the city isn't that exciting…is it?
José cocks an eyebrow when he returns with Bruno's order. Bruno coughs when he realizes that the video is still playing. He turns his phone over. It'll be a while. "Sorry, I was talking to my sisters. They're arguing again."
"No judgment," José shrugs as he sets the cup down. "I come from a big family, so I know how maddening that must feel. Except that, and, I'll get straight to the point, señor, I feel like you're not here in my bar to tour them around."
Bruno almost chokes on his sip of coffee. Is the look on his face that obvious?
A beat and a pause.
"I used to work in another industry." José offers when the silence becomes a little awkward. "Human relations. Helped me know what makes my customers tick."
The coffee accidentally went down the wrong pipe and Bruno struggles to clear his throat. His thoughts are threatening to overtake him again and he has to remind himself he's not doing anything suspicious. He decides to introduce himself instead. "Maestro José, por favor llámame Bruno." He wheezes until it settles. "Just Bruno."
"Ha, okay. Mucho gusto, Bruno. Frequent patrons just call me by name, though I like the sound of 'maestro'."
"Then if you don't mind, I'll continue to call you as such. You're one heck of a bartender. I'm very particular with my coffee."
"I thought as much. You're the only customer I have that ever orders Carajillos."
"You have a reputation of sorts." Her voice, clear as day, whispers near his left ear. Bruno quickly whips his head to look behind him, half-expecting her presence. No matter how hard he tries to ignore it, she has been running in his mind the entire time. Damn, he almost got distracted. Bruno sits up a bit straighter, hoping he doesn't look like someone who has lost their mind. If José noticed anything odd about him, he didn't comment on it. "Maestro," Bruno gulps. "To answer your earlier question about me being here…I assume you can guess why, then?"
José lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Guess? More than that. I'll do you one better. I can tell you why you're here. You're looking for La Diosa."
"¿La Diosa? ¿Que?"
"The woman you were with last night."
Bruno's cheeks immediately flush pink. "Do you…by any chance…"
"Have her number? Not really. She's an acquaintance of mine, but we're not that close for me to have it."
"How did you know I was going to ask about…that?" Bruno eyes José suspiciously. For a moment, the man looks uncomfortable, but then his expression changes in a flash before Bruno could even register it. "That was a wild guess."
"Her name then, maybe? I could probably search her socials…"
"Lo siento." José shakes his head. "I only know her by her nickname around these parts. She's…quite secretive."
Dead end. Bruno presses a hand to his forehead. "The world must be fucking with me."
"¿Perdón?"
"Oh, no, don't mind me. Heh." Bruno makes a pained smile. "I was just thinking out loud."
"Might I offer some words of advice, then?"
"Are all bartenders required to?"
"Not really, but I do like making my customers feel welcome. It's good business practice." José nods towards Bruno's upturned phone. "Don't worry so much. The world may seem like a mess at times, but as long as you have family, it'll be fine. Anyway, please do stay as long as you'd like. I have to check on the other guests. Disculpe."
"No hay problema, maestro. Gracias."
José leaves Bruno, who sighs into his near-empty cup. Life seems more complicated than ever. She dances around between imagination and reality, making it near impossible to breathe at the missed opportunity. Maybe he's not as settled into this kind of life as he thought he was.
He checks his phone. There's silence on the other end. "Hello?" Bruno says as he restarts the call again. "Are you both still fighting, or what?"
No more than a minute later Julieta and Pepa's faces appear, glaring at him. "EXCUSE ME," Pepa huffs. "Julieta and I had been waiting for you for like five minutes."
"Felt longer to me. I don't know why you both argue about the camera whenever you're in the same room. You know you could always just prop up the phone somewhere."
Julieta purses her lips. "...we weren't fighting about the phone this time. Pepa had accidentally knocked something over, and…one thing led to another…but that's beside the point! Anyway, about your big break, we're very proud of you. I've got to ask though since you didn't answer me the first time…where are you, and why did you put me and Pepa on mute?"
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Glossary of terms (in order of appearance in-text):
Changuas - a typical hearty breakfast broth of the central Andes region of Colombia. It has a reputation as a hangover cure.
Oh Dios, dame paciencia - Oh God, give me patience
Felicidades - Congratulations
Llámame - Call me
Mucho gusto - Nice to meet you
La Diosa - The goddess
Que - What
Perdón - Pardon
Disculpe - Excuse me
No hay problema - No problem