This is my entry for The Ink Well Prompt #133: This week's prompt is: taste.
"You have a despicable habit," Yaneth spat with a sneer of distaste on her face.
"What can I tell you? I've been doing it since I was born," Erick defended.
"You can't help but share a coffee with me, can you?" he added drawing a grin
The afternoon was cool, a small breeze made the summer heat tolerable and sharing a cup of coffee with Erick in that small establishment in Salamanca was priceless.
It had been a long time since they had done so. Yaneth never thought she would miss that habit so much. Having gotten a good paying job in another city was a good thing she thanked the universe for, she had everything she had wanted thanks to him, but even so, Erick was absolutely right, sharing a coffee with him was liberating and necessary.
Finally, the waiter brought a couple of cups filled with his delicious elixir. A perfect combination of milk and coffee, garnished with a layer of tenderly sweetened foam, which made Janeth's mouth water.
Neither short nor lazy, she hurried to enjoy her drink, a small sip that activated her taste buds and the nostalgic memory of her peculiar company. Erick, immune to what was going on, watched a couple walking hand in hand down the street.
"I'm sorry you got divorced," Janeth blurted out, licking her foam mustache.
"Who would have thought my peculiar taste would ruin everything?" commented Erick.
"I never thought Tiana would be so shallow," he added.
"There are professionals who deal with those kinds of fetishes," Janeth replied as she dunked a cookie in her steaming drink.
"I was always faithful, respectful, understanding, a great companion," Erick atoned
"Mmhmm" muttered Janeth, still juggling her cookie.
Suddenly a fly landed on the rim of Erick's cup. He fixed his gaze on it and bit his lips. She gave him a sidelong glance.
"Don't even think about it," she blurted out as she puckered her lips as she saw that her cookie had broken in half and it was slowly, hopelessly, soaking wet in coffee.
"What?" replied Erick with surprised innocence.
"Play the victim, I know damn well what you were going to do."
"I can't help it, it's in my nature."
Janeth rolled her eyes
"Everyone has a vice, some smoke, some drink," Erick continued "What do you think is the downside of having married someone who used to be a toad?"
Janeth burst into laughter.
"You're disgusting," Janeth repeated as she rubbed tears from the corners of her eyes.
"You could move to Mexico, there are places there where it's normal to eat insects," Janeth recommended letting out a mischievous giggle as she dug into her drink with a teaspoon in search of the sunken remains of her cookie.
Erick was thoughtful for a moment and then suddenly, he nodded as if someone had opened his eyes
"No!" suddenly cried Janeth
"Who am I going to drink my coffee with?" she added, pouting.
They both laughed and continued chatting pleasantly as the afternoon slipped away into orange shades.
See you next time...
Esta es mi entrada para The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #133: El tema de esta semana es: Gusto/saborear.
"Tienes un hábito despreciable", escupió Yaneth con una mueca de desagrado en su rostro.
"¿Qué te puedo decir? Lo hago desde que nací", defendió Erick
"Pero no puedes evitar compartir un café conmigo", agregó dibujando una sonrisa
La tarde estaba fresca, una pequeña brisa hacía tolerable el calor del verano y compartir una taza de café con Erick en ese pequeño establecimiento en Salamanca era invaluable.
Hacía tiempo que no lo hacían. Yaneth jamás pensó que extrañaría tanto esa costumbre. El haber conseguido un buen empleo remunerativo en otra ciudad era una suerte que agradecía mucho al universo, tenía todo lo que había deseado gracias a él, pero aún así, Erick tenía toda la razón, compartir un café con él era liberador y necesario.
Por fin, el mesero trajo un par de tazas repletas con su delicioso elixir. Una combinación perfecta entre leche y café, adornada con una capa de espuma tiernamente endulzada, que hacía agua la boca de Yaneth.
Ni corta ni perezosa, se apresuró a disfrutar de su bebida, un pequeño sorbo que activó sus papilas gustativas y el recuerdo nostálgico de su peculiar compañía. Erick inmune a lo que sucedía, miraba a una pareja que caminaba agarrada de las manos por la calle.
"Lamento que te hayas divorciado", soltó Yaneth lamiendo su bigote de espuma.
"¿Quién iba a pensar que mi peculiar gusto arruinaría todo?" Comentó Erick
"Jamás pensé que Tiana fuera tan superficial", agregó
"Hay profesionales que tratan ese tipo de fetiches", respondió Yaneth mientras remojaba una galleta en su bebida humeante.
"Siempre fui fiel, respetuoso, comprensible, una gran compañía", expuso Erick
"Mmjmm" murmuró Yaneth aún malabaréando con su galleta.
De pronto una mosca se posó en el borde la taza de Erick. Este fijó su mirada en ella y mordió sus labios. Yaneth lo miró de soslayo.
"Ni siquiera lo pienses", soltó mientras arrugaba sus labios al ver que su galleta se había partido a la mitad y ésta se hundía lentamente, sin remedio, empapada en café.
"¿Qué?" Respondió Erick con sorpresiva inocencia
"Hazte la víctima, sé muy bien lo que ibas a hacer"
"No puedo evitarlo, está en mi naturaleza."
Yaneth puso sus ojos en blanco
"Todos tienen un vicio, unos fuman, otros beben," continuó Erick "¿Cuál crees que es la desventaja de haberse casado con alguien que solía ser un sapo?"
Yaneth explotó en una carcajada
"Eres repugnante", repitió Yaneth mientras restregaba las lágrimas de la comisura de sus ojos.
"Podrías mudarte a México, allá hay sitios donde es normal comer insectos", recomendó Yaneth soltando una risita pícara mientras escarbaba su bebida con una cucharilla en busca de los restos hundidos de su galleta.
Erick quedó pensativo por un instante y de repente, asintió como si alguien le hubiera abierto los ojos
"¡No!", gritó Yaneth
"¿Con quién voy a tomar mi café?" agregó soltando un puchero
Ambos rieron y continuaron charlando amenamente mientras la tarde se escurría entre tonalidades naranjas.
Hasta la próxima.