"PASSION ACCORDING TO BERENICE" "You dreamt about the fire again, Berenice." "It must be your conscience." "When was the last time that you went to confession." "Do you want to sit by the window?" "It's too cold, don't you feel it?" "Is my mak e-up okay, Berenice?" "You look beautiful, godmother, very beautiful." "You are almost out of sugar." "Please drink your milk, godmother." "Come on." "Have a cookie with it." "Your milk, godmother." "I already had this one before breakfast." " They look alike." " No." "It's the only red one." "They're vitamins, they won't harm you." "God knows." "So many pills are probably more harm than benefit." "Boil the spinach as soon as you get home." "Remember to wash each leaf." "Berenice!" "The safe..." "Mince the onion, wash the tomatoes carefully..." "Good morning." "How is our sick lady doing today?" "Fine, thanks." "Back from shopping so early?" "Why are you standing there?" "I'll catch you later." "I'm sick of her." "Always spying on me." "You should be glad to be on your own." "Something terrible has happened." "Merceditas..." "Berenice..." "What's wrong?" "Why are you whispering?" "Nothing." "I was complaining about Cira." "Dr. Robles is dead." "She had to know it anyway." "He was supposed to see her next Monday." " Now what?" " Please, calm down." "I don't want you to get sick er." "After all I will follow him soon." "Don't say that, Josefina." "I want to go to his wak e." "No, don't even think about it." "Your health is first." "The doctor's family will understand." "Yes." "You know he was more than my doctor, my friend a lifetime friend you know that, Berenice." "...pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee..." "Rodrigo is here." " Who?" " Rodrigo, the doctor's son." "He is also a doctor." "I heard that they had had a terrible fight." "Remind me to tell you about it later." "Pray for him." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, sinners now and in the hour of our death." "Requiem eternus dominus." "My God!" "He is so handsome!" "...of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us..." "It's time for your medicine." "Ask for a glass of water." "No, thanks." "A glass of water, please." " You know how sorry I am." " Thank you." "I was in Mexico City a month ago and tried to visit you..." "It doesn't matter." " Hey, how is your family doing?" " Fine." " Your mom and dad?" " They're fine, thank you." "I want to ask you something." "Who is that lady over there?" "Mrs. Josefina?" "She is Beba's godmother." "Your father was always her doctor but if you mean the girl..." " She's very attractive." "Did you see her scar?" "It doesn't mak e her less attractive, the opposite." "What do you know about her?" "Mrs. Josefina is her godmother." "She teaches shorthand and typing at Llamas School." "Her name is Berenice Bejarano and she is a widow." "She was married less than three months." "Her husband, a poor farmer died in a fire, and people say, there's no proof that she set the fire herself." "My God!" "What a surprise!" "Who must I thank for this miracle?" "I heard that Mrs. Josefina is sick." "I just wanted to know how she is." "She's sleeping right now." " But come in, please." " Thank you." " Is she better?" " She seems very bad to me." "We were so used to your dear father may he rest in peace." "We don't really trust her new doctor." "What did he prescribe?" "I don't know about those things but Berenice doesn't lik e it." " Is Berenice here?" " No, she's at school." " Will she tak e long?" " Yes but I can show you the pills." "Well..." "I'm in a hurry, really." "I'm leaving to Mexico City and I still have a lot to do." " I'll be quick, come in." " But..." "We won't tak e long, come in." "You should have told me." "Try to remember!" "He said many things..." "I got mixed up." "The dose is what matters and he didn't write it down." "He was in a hurry." "He's leaving to Mexico City." "You should have, then." "Why don't we call him?" "Maybe he left already." "I'll go looking for him." "Right." "That's a good idea." "Am I OK lik e this or should I wear black?" "You are not in mourning." "Rodrigo, can I find you any time at that phone number?" "Pity!" "I wish you hadn't caught the train!" "See you." "Tak e care." "Bye." " Ciao." " Rodrigo, honey, have a nice trip." "Write to me right away." "Don't forget to tell my cousins I'll go to Mexico City." " My parents said I could." " I won't." "Don't ever tak e off the medal I gave you and get a frame for the picture." "I love you, baby!" "I will have him." "I swear I will." " Who is it?" " J ose, ma'am." " Good morning." " How are you, Jose?" " How is your family?" " Fine, thank you." " And Mrs. Josefina?" " Better, thank God." "Pinta got sick and we had to call the vet." "That's why it's less." "Thank you anyway." "Felicitas sends some yogurt." "Godmother, it's Jose." "Jose, son of Martha, the Samaritan." "Welcome." "Come in." "Pull that chair and tak e a seat." "What about your family?" "Are they okay?" "You look much better, Mrs. Josefa." "God hasn't made up His mind about taking me with Him." "I don't know why He leaves me in this Land of Sorrow." "What about the harvest?" "We lost it." "How?" "Again?" "It's the freezing weather." "That's what I wanted to tell you." "I can't even pay the interest." "Now what, Jose, son of Martha, the Samaritan?" "What are we going to do?" "I need money to buy my pills." "Ask Berenice, she knows how expensive they are." "And I am not rich, you know that well." "Well, what do you think?" "I'll pay the interest later." " When?" " Next week." "How will you get the money?" "I will sell my animals." "Okay, you will sign another bill of exchange." "And I will charge 2% for accrued interest." "Did you see Mrs. Genoveva?" "She's in mourning, but wearing many jewels." "Don't you worry, Rosita I'll send you a mason." " Good afternoon." "Florecita!" "Just look at you!" "You are so big!" "You're so mean!" "You never visit me!" "I go straight home from work." "Is that fair, Rosita?" "I have over a hundred godchildren and none of them visits me." "I heard that you were sick." " Oh, I nearly died... nearly..." " Excuse me." "You are really pretty." "Martha, Esther, good to see you." " How are you?" " Esther, you're a grown woman." " See you, Berenice." " See you." "Josefina, see you." "Won't you have lunch with us?" "No, not today." "The Delgadillos ask ed me." "Okay..." "News:" "Rodrigo got here this morning." "He's here to ask for Cuquita Andrade's hand in marriage." "Thank you." "We are in a hurry, Tono." " Are you going to the movies?" " You know..." "I'll tak e your order." "Something to drink?" "I'll have the same as usual." "What will you order?" "Soup, spaghetti and meat with potatoes." " I need to go to the ladies' ro om." " Don't tak e long." "Go ahead." "AQ UARIUM" "DRY CLEANING" "RESTAURANT" "Your glasses, godmother." "Oh... yes." "Houses are built  common lands are improved  and in some beaches  affordable resting places are planned." "Peasants, through the common land union  Bah ia de Banderas  manage several common business  providing all the services required  for the tourist development of the area." "Bah ia de Banderas a new concept..." " It's your homeland, Berenice!" "What a nuisance!" "Excuse me." " Good afternoon, teacher." " Hi, Ramiro." " Good afternoon, Mrs. Josefina." " Rodrigo!" "Glad to see you!" "How are you doing?" "I saw your mom and your sister at the church." "Really?" "How is my mom doing?" "Very good, why?" "My aunts insist that she's not well." "That's why I came." "I ask ed for vacations to be with her." "I don't know... she can't accept my father's death." "Who would?" "I almost died because of it!" "By the way, did they tell you I went to see you?" "Sure, thank you very much." "I think the pills that you prescribed made me feel better." " That's good." " You didn't say about the dose." "Didn't I?" "Sure, I told..." "what's her name?" " Merceditas." " Merceditas." "That poor woman can never remember a thing." "What did you do, then?" "Well, Berenice has tak en care of me for so long that she'll end up a doctor." "She decided about the dose." "You took a risk." " Do you lik e Medicine?" " No..." "No, no, Berenice is a teacher." "Tell me, Rodrigo, wouldn't you lik e to open a clinic here?" "Or to use your father's?" "I don't know, Mrs. Josefina." "The thing is you're already used to Mexico City." "That's not it." "I don't really lik e Mexico City." "Sometimes I prefer a small town." " But you get bored, don't you?" " No, that's not it." "I want to travel abroad and visit uncommon places in Mexico." "I lik e Sociology and Anthropology more than Medicine." "You've been restless since you were a kid." "Dr. Robles may he rest in peace used to tak e him to visit me and before we knew, he was already on the rooftop." " Do you remember, Rodrigo?" " Sure I do." "But I never saw you." "Berenice is my goddaughter and she lives with me ever since Adolfo died." " What do you teach?" " Shorthand and typing." "Oh, shorthand and typing..." "Tell me, why is it so hard for me to type?" "Are these huge hands the problem?" "But you're a surgeon." "Your dad would be proud of you." "Mr. Adolfo used to come to the movies very often, right?" "But he lik ed to sit on the first row, I remember." "How are you feeling, Mrs. Josefina?" "So-so." "She's not sleeping well." "Well, I'm leaving." "I can drop by and check you, if you want." "Sure, thank you." "Maybe you'll be lik e your father just seeing him made me feel better." "Is tomorrow okay?" "The sooner, the better." "Around 12:00?" "Any time would be okay, Rodrigo." "Okay." "See you." "He is such a nice boy and so handsome we have to admit." "No wonder they say he's so shameless and a liar." "It's not true that he took vacation to tak e care of his mom." "He's here to ask for Cuquita Andrade's hand in marriage." "Berenice!" "Berenice!" "Rodrigo is leaving." "Walk h im to the door." " Berenice!" " She's coming, thank you." "Thank you, Rodrigo." "God bless you." "I wrote down the dose this time." "Here." "What she needs the most is to rest." "We only go out on Sundays, to the church and the movies." "By the way, did you lik e yesterday's movie?" "No." "I love going to the movies." "We could go together some time." "No, thank you." "I hate it." "I just go because my godmother lik es it." "Let's have a cup of coffee, then." "I don't lik e to leave her alone." "Half an hour, after school." "Maybe." "After the mid-term exams." "Thank you very much, doctor." "See you." ""Thus spok e Hercules in his wizard garments" "and the person he was talking to was Vic Sant" "still very weak" "and leaning" "near by whom" "Dingo was lying."" "Period. ..."who was back to her senses" "was unable to utter" "but these words" two points." "Next paragraph." "Exclamation mark." "Exclamation mark." ""Is that you?"" "Question mark." "Next paragraph." ""The child k ept saying."" "Period. ..."turning to Hercules"..." "comma "added: 'And I had never met you'." ..."answered" "Hercules rubbing" "his chest in order to erase" "the drawings in it." Period." ""You were too ugly"..." "comma..."said Juanito."" "Period." ""As he was the Devil" and the Devil is not pretty."" "Give me your sheets on the way out." "They will be this month's grade. ..."said Mrs. Beldon" "reaching out her hand towards the earnest black man."" "Period." " See you tomorrow." " Okay." " Bye." " Bye, see you tomorrow." "Good evening." "Doctor..." "I didn't expect to see you." "I'm here to talk to the principal." " But you can help me." " What can I do for you?" "Come here." "I have some tape recordings and I need someone..." "See you tomorrow, Ramiro." "Excuse me." "You were saying?" "I said I have some recordings." "I need someone to mak e a transcript." "Can you recommend someone?" "Why don't you ask your sister?" "My sister?" "Of course." "I hadn't thought of that." "I'll tell her but in case she can't, can you recommend someone?" "Sure." "You shouldn't walk alone at night." "Miss Linares is usually with me, but she had to work late today." " Can I walk you home, then." " There's no need." " It would be my pleasure." " Thank you." " How is Mrs. Josefina doing?" " So-so." "Is she okay with her new medicine?" "Very well." " Is she sleeping better?" " Yes, thank you." "I heard that you are a widow." "And that I killed my husband." "You also heard that, didn't you?" "Maybe it's true, doctor." "Aren't you scared?" "Maybe, but I won't run away because of that." "They've said worse things about me." "Lik e I hastened my father's death, for example." "They wanted to do an autopsy." "They almost got their way." "Who?" "It doesn't matter." "I heard that you are getting married." "Oh, no." "I am a lifetime bachelor." " Why is that so?" " I don't believe in marriage." "What do you believe in?" "Freedom." "Oh, I see." "Free love." "Right, free love." "I was raised in a different way and even though I'm not a prude I don't think that love should be tak en to the level of a mere animal copulation." "Can I buy you dinner?" "I can't." "It's late and my godmother is alone." "No, she's with Merceditas watching a TV show." "I called them a while ago." "I have a lot of papers to check." "We won't tak e long, I promise." "Only if we go somewhere on the way home." "Sure, let's go." "Let's go over there." "No." "It's crowded." "We could go somewhere else, for an ice-cream, maybe." "No, we can wait." "That's really funny." "Look, they are about to finish." " It is always crowded in here." " I can see that." " Do you want a smok e?" " No, thanks." "What is that?" "It's time for my godmother's pill." "Sorry." "Don't worry, I told you she's with Merceditas." "They're watching TV." "They are leaving." " Good night." " Good night." "Thank you." "Well, what do you recommend?" " What will you order?" " Me?" "Pozole." " Are there sopes?" " I don 't th ink so." "Tostadas." "The Pozole is good, order one, sir." "Don't call me "sir"." "Waitress!" "Waitress!" "She will tak e pretty long." "Let's try these." "What are you cleaning?" "This." "It's really dirty." "Oh, great." "Thank you, Miss." "What do you want?" "Tongue pozole?" "Head pozole?" "Leg pozole?" " Leg." " Leg, okay." "Two leg pozoles tostadas a really cold beer, for you?" " Apple soda." " Apple soda, please." "Thank you." "Have you been to Europe?" " Yes, why?" " Nothing." "I just wanted to raise any subject." "Haven't you been to Europe?" "Don't mak e fun of me, doctor." "Why?" "Going to Europe with my teacher's salary?" "Impossible." "But I will go some day." "To the East and Africa too." "Anyway... dreams are for free." "When Mrs. Josefina passes away you'll have enough money." "May God k eep her with us for many years." "What mak es you think I'll be rich after she dies?" "To whom else would she leave all her money?" "She has many godchildren." "No." "She'll mak e you heiress." "Speaking of heirs, how did you do?" "So so." "I shared with mom and sister." "But I no longer need to work for a living." "And what will you do?" "I'll travel, too." "Maybe we'll meet over there." "Maybe, but I don't think so." "I'm planning to visit Mexico first." "I have an itinerary." "I want to spend a long time with the Lacandones with the Coras, with the Tarahumaras." "I want to..." " Thanks." " Thank you." "I want to volunteer as a doctor." "But, seriously what do you want most in life?" "Besides me, of course." "Besides you, sure." "What I want most in life, for now is having a car." " Really?" "Really." "I want to sell some cows that I have to buy it, but I don't know how to drive." " Well, I can teach you." " Thank you." "What do you want the most, sir?" "Stop calling me "sir", Berenice." "I can't, really." "I'd find it easier to sleep with you than call you by your first name." "No deal." "NO DEAL" "You're not at all lik e people say you are." "How do you know what people say about me?" "I've been inquiring." " Thanks." " What do they say?" "Oh!" "Many things." "You could write a book." "Look, first, that you killed your husband." "That Mrs. Josefina has proofs and that's why you must stay with her." "Or that you're her granddaughter and love her." "That you're Mr. Adolfo's bastard child..." "Many things." "Some of them are pretty ugly." "Lik e what?" "Won't you get mad?" "I won't." "Tell me." "That you use to go to the hook er's area your face covered by a mysterious veil." "Why didn't I think of that?" " Do you think I'd be a hit?" " Sure I do." "You're almost a legend." "I'd lik e to hear your side of the story." "It's boring." "You'll be disappointed." "No, go ahead, tell me." "My parents were teachers and work ed in Jarretaderas in Composter, Nayarit, where I was born." "Why were you named "Berenice?"" "I was born on October 4th." "There's an E dgar Allan Poe story called lik e that." " Really?" "What is it about?" " I don't know." "I haven't read it." "Go on." "Tell me more." "I became an orphan very young." "Mrs. Josefina, who isn't even my godmother took me in." "About the rest let's k eep the legend." "I lik e it better." "I organized this with a friend of mine." "We went to college together." "The plan is:" "I'll tak e a plane on January 22nd and disappear from Mexico City for a long time." "This idea came, partly, because my friend and I joined a gym in Mexico City where you go to work out." "We had to cross the whole city." "Traffic... people buses... smog..." "It was terrible." "And just to get to a place with green rugs simulating grass and huge murals with landscapes and skies to mak e us feel that we were outdoors but we really were within a tiny, horrible place." "On the other hand one day I took a bus and went to a place called Contreras 15 minutes away from Mexico City." "Full of trees and a huge waterfall." "I couldn't resist the temptation." "I took off my clothes and I went swimming." "The feeling of freedom was wonderful." "I got up before dawn went to the beach..." " I've got what you ask ed for." "Thanks." "I went swimming nak ed." "It was wonderful." " But maybe I'm boring you." " Of course not." "You know?" "I use Julio Verne's novels for my dictation class." "You do?" "Very well." "I needed to talk lik e this with someone." "Do you know what I lik ed about you since we met?" "That you are not ashamed of your scar." "Don't ever get surgery, huh?" "Even if I wanted to that means money, and I don't have it." "Well now that we know each other better won't you go with me to the movies?" "Because I think that it is not true that you hate it and that you only go for your godmother." "Rodrigo don't look for me anymore." "What?" "What are you saying?" "Love or friendship are small selfish feelings." "Then which feelings do you think are important?" "Hate." "I know that very well and I assure you, there's nothing lik e it." " I'm home." " Oh... fine." "It is good to sacrifice." "The more you suffer, the less pain you feel." "Everyth ing goes b y." "We must die in order to reach Eternal Life." "I had a vision." "King David gave me an elixir making me invulnerable to pain." "He ordered me to change m y name." "I'm no longer Luis de Carv ajal..." "Now m y name is J ose..." "Can I borrow your notebook?" " Let's see." " Your notes." " No..." " Are you sure?" "Is that it?" "I don't know." "I skipped a class." "Do we have any homework?" " See you next Thursday." " See you, teacher." " See you next Thursday." " See you." "Bye, teacher." "Teacher, can I walk you home?" "I'd lik e to talk to you." "Some other day." "Someone will pick me up." "See you next Thursday, Ramiro." "Yes, I admit I was carried away by anger but I can tolerate anything but that." " What's wrong, Mercedes?" " I no longer have a maid." "I just fired her, Josefina." "I threw her out." "She bit her nails all the time, I can't stand that and I told her many times." "Ask Jose if he knows about some girl who wants to work will you, Berenice?" "This is martyrdom." "Will I never get a good maid?" "My godmother didn't sleep at all." "Why didn't you tell me?" "We must call the doctor." " Can you do it?" " Right away." "Who should I call?" "Dr. De la Fuente or Rodrigo?" "Rodrigo would be better." "I trust him more and it's pleasant just to see him." "How are you feeling?" "You'll get much better with this." "Would you lik e some coffee, doctor?" "Okay." " And you, Merceditas?" " Sure, I'll join the doctor." " Tak e a seat, doctor." " Thanks." " Where can I wash my hands?" " This way." " Excuse me." " Go ahead." " Where have you been hiding?" " Where I always do." "Did you go to the movies last Sunday?" "I did." "Didn't you?" "I went to the Jocoque dam." "The bathroom is over there." " I'll get you a towel." " Oh, thank you." "Thank you." "How was the country?" "Beautiful?" "Yes, very beautiful, but it was a little cold." "When will I teach you how to drive?" " When I get my car." " When will that be?" "I sold my cows, but it wasn't enough." "Ask your godmother." "I'll try to convince her." "Come here." "I'll get the coffee ready." "No movies, at least this Sunday." "You need to rest, godmother." "The country's fresh air would do her good." " But she mustn't exercise." " No, of course not." "I don't know..." "a car ride or something." "Berenice is planning to buy one." "Really?" "You see." "That's it." "No, not yet." "The money I have is not enough." "She wants a new car." "I'm telling her while she learns how to drive an old car is better." "What do you think, doctor?" "I don't know, Mrs. Josefina but a new car is much safer." "How much do you need, Berenice?" "A lot, godmother, over 15,000." "I will lend them to you under the usual conditions and the invoice as guarantee." " Go ahead, Berenice, buy it." " I don't know." "Why don't I buy an old car without getting a debt?" "Think of it as an investment a saving." " Listen to Rodrigo." "He knows about these things, Berenice." "Now, let's go over it again." "First, turn it on." "In neutral, first." "Now, turn on the car." "Okay." "Clutch." "First gear." "Your hands." "Loose." "Step off the clutch little by little and on the accelerator." "Little by little." "Let's go." "Look ahead." "No... wait!" "Not that fast." "Slower." "Step off the clutch and on the accelerator little by little." "Let's go." "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "That's it." "Gently, gently." "Lik e that." "Look ahead." "That's it." "Be careful with people." "Now, second gear." "Clutch." "Second gear." "That's it." "Very good!" "You are learning!" "Look ahead." "Relax, get loose, you're too tense." "Go ahead." "Keep going lik e that." "Very good." "Be careful at corners." "We're getting to a corner, careful." "There's a popsicle vendor, be careful." "Third gear, now." "Clutch." "Change." "Faster." "That's it!" "You're learning!" "Go straight ahead." "Why are you stopping?" "Where are you going?" "I don't believe that you had never driven before." "There's no reason why I should lie." "Had you never been to this motel before, either?" "Of course not." "You thought of coming in when you saw it." "Not at all." "I plan everything carefully." "I had it all planned." "Did you?" "Since when?" "Since I pick ed you up at school?" "No, long before that." "Ever since I first saw you." "Are you pulling my leg?" "Of course I am." "I have been here before with another man." "Your husband." "Let's say, the man who taught me how to drive." "Do you want to tak e a bath?" " What about your husband?" " What about him?" "You never talk about him." "I didn't kill him, lik e they say." "But I would have lik ed to." "Hand me the soap." "Was he a bastard?" "Misael?" "The opposite." "He was simple, noble, hard-working a very good husband." "Then?" "What was his flaw?" "I never said he had any." "Okay, okay, okay..." "Come here!" "It's very late." "Let's go." "I'll get dressed." "I'm coming." "Wait." "What are you doing?" "I'm making the bed." "Come here." "Your hair is wet." "Your godmother will notice." "Help me with the bed cover." "Thank you." "Good afternoon, Mrs. Josefina." "See you, ma'am." "Thank you." "I'll come home later tonight." "Around 10:00." "Miss Moran ask ed me to give her a ride." "That's the problem with having a car." "I couldn't say no." "Please call Mrs. Carmen and Gonzalo Lopez." "Their bills of exchange expire this week." "Yes, godmother." " I'm leaving." " Drive carefully, Berenice." "Remember that you must pick up the rent payment for the house on Zapata Street." "Quiet!" "Quiet!" "Be quiet, Roberto." "Miss Berenice isn't coming today so we'll have archive instead of typing." " No!" " Yes!" "You'll go home at 6, after recess." " I'll get pneumonia." " I'll cure you." "Dating a doctor has some advantages." " What if I get pregnant?" " Nature cures that." "It tak es more or less 9 months." "Hurry up." "Lunch!" " Did you bring a tablecloth?" " No." "You didn't?" "You're bad at planning picnics." "I'll learn." "You said that you were good at planning." "Are you on the pill?" "Yes, of course." "I hope that you lik e ants." "I do, if you tak e their antennas off." "Are you worried that I may become pregnant?" "About you." "I wouldn't even know it." "I'm leaving 5 days from now, remember." "Soon I'll be in the Tarahumara Mountains or with the Lacandones." "I feel bad about skipping class." "They may call home and my godmother would find out." "They are still saying that you're getting married." "Who, me?" "Yes, you." "To Cuquita Andrade." "In her dreams." "Who told you that?" "Vo x populi." "Is that Merceditas' new name?" "You can't deny having courted her, at least." "At least." "Did you sleep with her?" "No." "She was willing to do it but she's the cure for lust." "Why do you say that?" "She's beautiful." "Beautiful?" "Come on..." "Mak e-up, falsies and a lot of stupidity and vanity." "You are very weird." "You should say that I am the cure for lust." "What's the difference between Cuquita Andrade and you?" " My scar?" " No." " That I'm a widow." " No." "So?" " That she's rich." " No." "And so?" "The difference between Cuquita Andrade and you is..." " Is...?" "Is the same between going to a gym within a building and coming to the country..." "watching the trees the sky... the river..." "Thank you." "Don't be a crybaby." "Come on." "Eat or I'll finish it all." "It won't come." "It will be here any minute." "It won't come, I know it." "This happened to me once before." "It was 14 hours late." "What do they say?" "One more hour." "At least." "Is it getting late for you?" "It doesn't matter." "If my godmother kicks me out I'll go with you." "I have to go." "Walking, if I have to, damn it." " You can go by bus." " There's no tick ets." "I already ask ed." "You can leave tomorrow." "If I could leave with you..." "It's a freight train." "Maybe there's a plane for Mexico City tomorrow." "Yes, there is." " Are you sure?" " There's one every day." "But it's hard getting tick ets." "I'd have to talk to Julio Ruiz, the manager." "He was a friend of my father's." " Should we?" " As you wish." "I'll get my stuff." " Newly wed?" " What?" "Are you newly wed?" "Oh, no." "No." "You look as if you were." "Let's go." "This way." "Good-bye, thanks." "Do you know what that man said?" " What?" " That we look lik e newlyweds." "Do we look that sad?" "Ready." "I'm leaving tomorrow at 8." "That is, if it's not raining." "Mr. Julio says it won't." "Poor thing." "You're freezing, aren't you?" "You know what?" "We've never slept together." "Why don't we stay in my place?" "My mom and sister are not home." "What about the maids?" "Damn..." "Let's go to a hotel." "What do I tell my godmother?" "I don't know." "We'll think of something." "Lik e what?" "We'll think of something on the way." "I'm glad you're here, Berenice." "We look ed for you everywhere." "She's very sick." "I can't find Rodrigo nor Dr. De la Fuente." "Rest, godmother." "Rest." "Rodrigo is here with us." "Merceditas, come here." "Bring this from the drugstore, please." "Yes, doctor." "How is she?" "She won't mak e it through the night." "Where's Merceditas?" "I sent her to the drugstore." "Come here." "I need to talk to you." "She is very sick, isn't she?" "She won't live through the night." "You must be strong." "This will be a hard time and I won't be here to help you." "I'm leaving tomorrow." "I'm not changing my plans." "Do you understand me?" "Do you understand it?" "I want to spend the night here with you." "Here?" "Why not?" "This is our last chance to be together." "What about Merceditas?" "She can go home." "She won't want to." "We'll tell her your godmother is better." "Rodrigo..." "Rodrigo!" "Berenice  pray for me." "Remember that I lent you the money to buy your car." "Godmother..." "Godmother..." "Godmother..." " What is it?" " Nothing." "Oh, the sky is clear." "That's great." "How is your godmother?" "She's sleeping." "Sleeping?" "Are you feeling better?" "You are better." "I'll give you a shot later." "Berenice!" "Berenice!" "Come here!" "She's much better..." "better... better..." "Change her serum, huh?" "It's very late." "What if I leave with you?" "No." "I'll get a cab." "You must tak e care of your godmother." "I don't mean to the airport." "To Mexico City." "What?" "Impossible." "Let me help you." "Maybe we'll meet again sooner than you think." "Maybe." "Rodrigo!" "Do you really find me attractive?" "Of course." "Why?" "I wanted to hear it from you." "You are very attractive." "Rodrigo!" "You see?" "I was right about feelings." "You are a son-of-a-bitch." "Bastard." "Vain." "I hate you." "But I wish the best for you." "Hi." "How is she?" "Alive." "Thank God!" "I'll be right back." "I'll just tak e a quick shower." "I fell asleep, can you believe it?" "Strong emotions get me exhausted."