She run Away

Leonora passes a circle of reporters talking to Vanessa, one of the most successful digital influencer in Mozambique, who laughs happily at something the reporters says. Leonora begins to see some familiar faces and this makes any traces of anxiety she was feeling vanish.

"Is everything okay?" Grace asks as she sees her daughter sitting next to her. She looks around the table and greets everyone else.

"Yes, Mother." Leonora can say that she is extremely nervous, but the worst thing is having to pretend that everything is fine and under control. And her mother could see right through her. 

"Mom, is it okay if I leave now. I'm not feeling well." Leonora says, with pleading eyes. Her parents looks at each other, but luckily for Leonora, every parents has gone through that and they know really well how unfinished businesses look like. That's why Leonora's mom thought it was good to leave them alone and try to fix what is broken.

"It's okay, I know you must be tired. We're going to talk about it tomorrow ." Grace says, and Leonora knows that it will be about the reason she's leaving.

"I will see you in the morning." Leonora says kissing her parent's cheeks. Leonora leaves the Hall towards the exit and slowly. She doesn't see when, the ladies and James approaches the table.

"Isn't that Leonora?" Nadia asks her auntie as they sit on the table. 

"Yes, and she couldn't stay until you guys get here. We didn't tell her that you would show up. We wanted it to be surprise, but Patricio got to her before you did." Grace says.

"Actually, we saw them together, but we didn't want to interrupt. I thought they were having fun." Jimmy says, grabbing a garlic bread from the table. 

15 minutes ago, Nadia and Jimmy arrived at the Hall and they walked around searching for the table they would be sitting, but Jimmy wanted a drink so they went to the bar. Nadia got a mimosa and Jimmy got a bottle of Heineken. As they're about to make their way to their table, they spot Leonora 10 inch away from them.

"Well, look at that. They don't even seems to hate each other." Nadia commented.

"For me, it looks like they're having a good time. Should we go say 'Hello' to them?" Jamed asks. 

"No, let's go. We should join the others. They must think we will not show up." Nádia says as they're about to walk towards the table, Nadia's favourite music starts playing and she stops walking. 

"What's wrong?" James asks concerned. The long dress in dark blue tone and strapless, outlines her waist and highlights her voluminous breasts. The makeup marks her eyes a lot, and her hair falls in perfect curls and at the same time bleary. The earrings and necklace did not attract much attention, unlike the 12 inches shoes showing she is wearing.

"No, come let's dance;" Nadia says pulling her husband to the middle of the room. Just then, Marcella arrives with Zadie and the both goes straight to the bathroom. 

"Love, I need to go to the bathroom." Nádia says.

"All right, I'll do an old friend a favor." James answers, Nadia laughs.

"Don't you dare, let them be. I'll be right back." She kisses her husband and leave. As Nadia walks towards to the the bathroom, Marcella and Zadie were on their way out, not aware that Nadia is on her way there as well and that Leonora is busy talking to Zadie''s brother.

"Let's find Leonora. I want to see the surprise on her face when she see us. After all she thinks we wouldn't come to this fundraise." Zadie says.

"You think I would miss free food, drink and on top of that see a bunch of hot guys because of a guy who isn't sure about me? Never!" Marcella grabs her friends hand and she leads the way, but then they hears someone calling them. 

"Marcella, Zadie!" The ladies turns around and see James walking over to them. Marcella's dress is red and bold, the dress opens when she walks and shows off most of her legs and the v-neck makes her breasts bigger. Her red lipstick makes her lips bigger and the quick makeup of a light foam on her eyes and a little foundation on her face, she did looked wonderful. Her hair is down with a bright red stone pin on the side and on her feet Marcella wears 8 inch heels.

"Are you ready to meet our long lost friend?" Zadie asks as they walked further away from the toilet, Marcella follows her lead. Marcella looks at Zadie, who is so beautiful with her emerald green dress - which is long and tight to the body, and for accessories she wears an silver necklace and earrings that highlights even more the blue-gray color of her eyes, on her feet Zadie wears black 8 inch heels and just like Marcella, her makeup is light.

"Hello, ladies." He said, then greet them with a kiss on the cheeks. "You look stunning." He complimented them.

"Well, when don't we look stunning?" Marcella asks, James chuckles. "Where did you leave your wife? You're not thinking cheating on her, right?." Zadie hits Marcella on the shoulder. 

"I'm actually about to ask if you didn't cross path. She is in the toilet as well." James says.

"No, we didn't see her. Maybe she got there after we left." Zadie replies.

"Who are you looking for?" Nadia asks as she approaches James who is now with her friends, a huge smile on her reddened face.

"Hi, red shoe girl!" Marcella says, giving her a hug and Zadie does the same.

"She's beautiful, isn't he?" Nadia asks, lifting one of her feet to reveal her 10 inches heels.

"It is huge!" Marcella put her hands over her mouth, as if in surprise. "Oh my God! I'm incensed at how you can wear these gigantic and still walk like you're floating... If I use that, I'm walking like a paw." She adds.

"Then don't use..." Nadia says smiling at her. "My friend, you don't have to. I do." Marcella is much taller than Nadia. Leonora got a bit lucky, thanks to her father. But Marcella is pretty tall. Nadia is 4'5 taller. Marcella must be 5'0 taller. That's tall, isn't it? They continue talking for a while, sipping a glass of bubbly that a waiter had been passing by serving on a tray.

"I've already had about three of these," Zadie says, laughing. "In a little while I'm going to the kitchen to ask about the brand, so I can buy it for our next meeting. It's good." 

"You crazy. Don't forget that places like these our boss like to be at. So see if you don't get drunk and strip-tease over tables with some hot waiter." Marcella warns her.

"Good for me that I'm my own boss...but my parents must be around too and my boring brother won't let that happen." Zadie says, pointing to one of the waiters who quickly passes several tables. The man is very dark and handsome. Curly hair falling down the back of her neck and a tattoo showing on one of her arms. A real walking sexual fantasy.

"Speaking of your brother, Patrick is there next to the bar with Leonora. Jimmy has a huge desire to get in the way." Nadia informs.

"Seriously, are we going say hello them?" Marcella asks.

"Are you crazy? Of course not. No one leaves here. Let's go to the table we're already quite late." Zadie says authoritative. I hope my brother got to talk Leonora about what we talked a few days ago.

"No, she's leaving. Should we go after her now?" Marcella asks as Jimmy watches Patrick looking at Leonora in fascination and at that moment he knows that things will change if not for better, it will be for worse.

"I think we should wait a little, after all it's not like she's going to leave her folks here. She will never do that and I think she needs a minute or two." James says and the ladies agree. 

"I don't think it's a good idea for them to work together," Martin says, after Nadia tells them what happened before they came to the table. 

"It's not father, but Leonora is a grown up woman and she will be brilliant. I guess they can be professional. I mean, let's see what this will bring." Nadia says, hoping her cousin-sister will handle working with Patricio. 

"I've to agree with Nadia, Martin. It's time for them to show that they have grow up and they can be professional. You're worried with your daughter well being, and I'm worried with my son too. But they will be under my watches. If If sense some trouble and their past getting into their work, I will fire both of them." John Andrade, Patrick's father says.

One hour later, Patrick finds Lúcio and tells him that he's leaving. He didn't feel like staying at the party anymore and he knows for a fact that Anita is waiting for him to get back. Earlier in the afternoon, Patrick asked her if she didn't want to go to the Event, but Anita rejected him saying she didn't feel like going and Patrick didn't force. 

When he gets home, he goes to greet his girlfriend and heads straight for the bathroom, needing a moment to himself to process everything that happened at the event. As the warm water fell gently over Patrick's body, a haze of memories invades his mind, making him relive a time when he was genuinely happy alongside his her. He closes his eyes, allowing the memories to flow like a peaceful river.

When Leonora's image appeared before him, Patrick felt a wave of nostalgia and longing. She always knew how to light up his life with her bright smile and unconditional love. Crystal clear laughter echoed in his ears as a comforting warmth took hold of her heart.

Patrick found himself returning to a vacation on an island paradise, where happiness danced in the air. Their families decided to go to the beach house and the two got away with their friends, Leonora and Patrick explored the white sand beach, hands clasped and hearts eager for adventure.

"Patrick, look! The sea is so amazing!" Exclaimed Leonora, enchanted by the blue immensity in front of her.

"It's wonderful, but it's not as impressive as your beauty. You are the ocean of my deepest dreams," Patrick replied, his gaze filled with devotion. And so, they lay on the sand, exchanging words of love and building silent promises of a shared future.

He grabs the bottle of shampoo and pours it over his head starting to lather up, the sound of the water from the present mixed with the sound of waves crashing on the beach in his memory.

Patrick looked at Leonora, whose eyes glowed a mesmerizing shade of green. This time it's the trip they went comping with friends.

Sitting in a camping tent under the starry sky, they shared secrets, hopes and dreams. He remembered every laugh, every tight hug and every moment he felt Leonora next to her.

"Patrick, you are my safe haven, the calm in the midst of the storm. I love you so much," Leonora confessed, her voice full of emotion.

"And I love you, Leon. More than words can say," Patrick said, sealing his words with a passionate kiss.

His memory was like a slow-motion film that portrayed moments of romantic sparks and shared tenderness. Once again, in another past, Patrick found himself dancing with Leonora in a candlelit garden at her 21th years birthday, their hands tightly clasped.

"Patrick, I'm the luckiest girl to have you in my life. I'll be yours forever," Leonora whispered in his ear, her smile radiating happiness. They danced that night as if time didn't exist, their hearts beating in perfect sync.

In the present, Patrick opens his eyes and feels tears join the drops of water, a mixture of sadness and gratitude. That trip down memory lane reminds him that moments of happiness may be fleeting, but memories are precious treasures that endure. Leonora is no longer by his side, but the love they shared would never be erased. Patrick notices in that moment, he would never love Anita the way he loved Leonora. Not in the same way.

When he got out of the shower, Patrick takes a deep breath, feeling strengthened by the memories that revived his soul. He dries himself off, and puts on some comfortable pajamas. He walks to the bedroom where his girlfriend is already lying on the bed, playing with her cell phone.

Anita is really great company, she's an intelligent woman, from a good family, she'll make a great wife. Patrick has already bought the ring to ask her to marry him, but now he doesn't think that It's ideal to ask Anita to marry him just because they have been dating for two years, or his subconscious who isn't sure if this is what he wants. At least after his encounter with Leonora.

When his relationship with Leonora ended in silence, he was single, but not alone. Avoiding at all costs to get involved in the relationship department. He went out with many women, enjoyed long evenings, but deep down he suffered in secret for the woman he loved so much and tried to find her in empty nights. 

"Is everything alright?" She asks leaving the phone on the nightstand.

"Yes, everything okay." Patricio lies. Seeing Leonora today was a horror. After so many years she still provokes intense sensations in him.

"Did everything go well at the fundraiser?" She asks not believing him. "How was your day?" Anita insists, trying to get anything from him other done okay.

"It was exhausting, but now I'm here with you, everything feels better."

"I'm glad you're here. Are we going to cuddle tonight?"

"Of course." They hug and snuggle in bed, seeking comfort and security in each other's arms. Patrick believes that together they will face whatever obstacles life can throw at them. The night promises to be peaceful and full of love next to the person who he chose to be by his side.

Oh, boy, that's far from what he thinks.