After school I walked around town looking for a good law firm. It was cruel and cynical to say, but when it comes to protecting yourself and staying safe you tend to think very deeply and get a little paranoid, especially when you understand that all those thoughts don't sound so paranoid where you live.
To put you in context, Mexico is a country that has always been in conflict, either with other countries or with its own, it is a place fed up with war and battle, it is relatively young and people do not have the best life for the most part, crime is at full speed and no confidentiality agreement would prevent anyone with a little greed and desire for justice (according to them) from wanting Take away all the money I don't even have yet, so sorry if you think I'm exaggerating, but my faith in humanity is almost nil at this point. Here survives the one who goes unnoticed and the one who has nothing to begin with, if someone looks at you with some wealth believe that they will do everything possible to take it away from you, it is the only law that has prevailed in all kingdoms in all ages and in all places, the law of the strongest.
The only place where I would not be in danger, almost, of being betrayed by my own lawyer is one where they already handle large amounts of money on a daily basis. And there I was, sitting in the lobby of Sanders and Morgan, a leading and trusted corporate law firm for the nation's largest companies, or so said its presentation on its website. I had to search and filter by comments which would be the best option, I just hoped I wouldn't make a mistake.
I put down my phone with its page open while I was taken to a waiting room on the tenth floor of the building, I looked out over the glass wall and the view was incredible, everyone looked like ants from there.
If you are wondering how I managed to be treated as a child in uniform and without an appointment, it was telling just a little of the truth, I inherited a large amount of money and I needed help and advice, so I required a discreet lawyer with great financial experience. What they considered to be a great deal was beyond me.
After a few minutes a woman in office clothes called me and led me to an office as big as my classroom. The man at the desk asked me to sit in a long white armchair, and he sat across from me in a particular one that matched the one I had.
-Nice to meet you, my name is Anderson, how can I help you?
The man told me, his look and lack of last name made it clear to me that he did not respect me as a genuine customer, I did not blame him at all, I mean, I was a teenager in school clothes and frankly I seemed like one more of the offspring, people that the guy in front of my insurance was used to belittling to some degree. But I knew my value, I wasn't looking for recognition or attention, I was looking for someone who could help me without giving me more trouble, and someone who didn't respect me was someone I couldn't trust.
-Nice to meet you, did they tell you anything about the reason why I'm here? – I said putting on my best face of I'm not impressed, but without being rude, just with the right tone and expression to imply that I was there for serious business, my relaxed posture helped me.
-They told me something about it, something about an inheritance, can you tell me how much more or less it is what we are talking about? - He said with a bored face, I could see by his expression that he thought he had only received a few houses from Infonavit and a few hundred thousand, nothing worth spending his time, but anyway, it was only because of my appearance, that would also change when he had the money.
-A couple of tens of millions. – I said and his eyes widened in surprise. Isn't that very lion?
Instantly his expression and attitude changed, they were no longer grossly boring, but his raised eyebrow told me that he didn't quite believe it. And it wasn't a good idea
-I am looking for someone with financial experience who can help me, but I will not say anything more until I sign a contract that I made sure that I and my money will be safe.
His brow furrowed a little, but he stopped and from his desk drawer he took out some legal-size sheets, the contract I supposed, then he left it on the glass table between us next to a pen.
I asked him for a little time to read it and he asked his secretary to bring me a coffee while he returned to his desk as if I wasn't there, continuing with his work I supposed.
It took me almost half an hour, but I managed to read and understand the contract, what I did not understand was explained to me by the lawyer Anderson Fisherman Huerta, of course he had to be a foreigner or the son of one, only they could aspire to such good jobs, anyway, we signed the contract being that he would charge by the hour, a not inconsiderable thousand pesos an hour. I accepted it and when everything was established was that we started the real business.
I explained my situation to him, his eyes widened in surprise when he learned that those tens of millions were actually hundreds. I must admit, I was still somewhat worried about revealing this to anyone, but seeing my uncertainty Attorney Anderson treated me with more empathy, it seems that the amount of money did not cause him greed but a feeling closer to equality, more for status than anything else, I felt weird, as if my money was all that I was, But I assumed that this was how the world worked. Anyway, it didn't matter if it helped to preserve it.
Anderson, that's how he asked me to call him, he told me that it was normal to feel overwhelmed, that he's seen that behavior many times in small entrepreneurs who see their companies jump to greatness and don't know what to do with their money over and over again, for me it was an indirect way of bragging that he was very good or something, but it was no less effective.
I explained to him what I wanted to do but not the reasons behind it, he told me that before I collected the money he would have everything ready, and by everything he meant a judicial letter of emancipation, a special bank account of an international bank for the rich that accepted minors with incredible lawyers, so he said, and a safe way to collect the money without anyone finding out who I was or that I would have that amount.
I questioned how I could get emancipation so easily, wasn't a social worker supposed to assess my situation or something, but he explained to me that for better or worse, often more bad than good, you just had to "donate" enough to a dubious judge or collect a favor to get anything, and luckily for me, Anderson, he had that favor.
We ended the meeting with him giving me his card and me asking for some references from other clients I already had, I know I should have done it before signing the contract, but I had no idea how I could have known whether or not he was a good lawyer, it was a coin toss.
He gave them to me with a small laugh as if daring me to find something wrong and even saying that if they told him something bad or deficient about him everything he did for me from now on would be free.
I feigned relief, but I wouldn't take anything for granted until I checked it, not on such an important matter, and I quickly resolved to call each of those numbers, but not the ones Anderson gave me, but the ones that would appear on the internet, after all the list had companies and numbers for each one.
When the sun came up it was already setting, I was about three hours and a little more in total in that firm, I walked back to my usual route to take public transport, and after a few minutes I saw a very familiar platinum blonde hair.
Just out of curiosity I approached the corner of the street where she left and there she was, I wasn't hiding or anything, she kept walking with her back to me heading to the zócalo. Ultimately, I was also going there to take the bus, so just by coincidence I ended up following her, at a safe distance of course. The distance was gradually shortened, she walked very slowly, she looked at her phone from time to time.
When I got to the zócalo she deviated from my route and I looked at her as I continued on my way, she was not far, I could still see her very well. I sat on the bench waiting for the bus and from there I could see her go into a funeral home.
My eyes widened and then I frowned doubtfully, a worry attacked me suddenly, it was slight, almost imperceptible and uncomfortable, but it was there.
-It's not my problem. – I tried to say to myself while making a conscious effort not to look at the place anymore. – Surely he only attends an acquaintance or runs an errand. – I said to myself.
After trying to convince myself I remembered the slow step and his almost permanently bowed head. A part of me told me very strongly that it was not my problem and not to get involved where they did not call me. But another part told me that he was rich now, and if he really had a problem maybe I could help her, even if it was anonymously, all he needed to know was the details.
My curiosity overcame my self-preservation and I decided to get up and go see if she was okay, I didn't want to intrude, but if a girl went to a funeral home with such a bad face as the one I saw her, surely it wasn't to see a friend.
I stood at the door, or it was more correct to say entrance, it was a large open space where a metal curtain would go. Inside was Ariel and a woman of mature appearance, after 50 perhaps. The woman saw me and made a gesture that at one point she was attending to me, but I was not here for her, but for my classmate.
-We have matching models for couples in the back. - said the woman, her face showed deep empathy for Ariel.
- Matching models? – I thought as I opened my eyes in surprise. I could only see part of her face, but she seemed to shed tears.
I didn't need to listen anymore, I leaned against the entrance outside the premises waiting for her to finish her business. That took half an hour, I was switching from one foot to the other as I watched three of the buses that could have taken me to my parents' house on their respective schedules, and I watched the sun go down and the street lights and businesses come on.
Ariel went out slowly and without energy to the street, looked at me with surprise and then as if he had not wanted to do it.
"Felix, what are you doing here?" - she asked reluctantly.
His appearance was pitiful, he seemed to be wearing the clothes of the day before and his lips were split, his hair was unkempt and his eyes were red and swollen, they had traces that he needed sleep.
-I was waiting for you, do you still have things to do for today? – I said looking at the darkened sky with a calm tone.
- Why you? - she said not knowing what to say and with anger beginning to take her expressions.
"I saw you while I was waiting for my bus," I said pointing to the stop in front, she also turned and then looked back when I continued talking. – I saw you come in here and I heard a little bit of what you talked about when I approached here – I said trying to summarize everything so as not to tire her out.
- What did you hear? – He said looking away with sadness and embarrassment.
"Enough not to want to leave you alone while you return home," I said as I approached her and hugged her to my chest. I didn't know if that was the right thing to do, or if it was what she wanted, but this was what people usually did in these cases, wasn't it?
She trembled a little in surprise, I worried for a moment thinking that maybe she would push me or get upset with me because of the discomfort, but in a few seconds she collapsed in my chest while she hugged me back, her crying was silent and did not last long, it was not the place to do that.
He pulled away from me, leaving my uniform full of snot and tears. I hoped that would have helped, honestly I had no idea what to do in these cases.
I helped her across the street and we both got on the bus side by side. We spent the whole trip to her stop in silence, she avoided looking at me and I didn't force her to do so. When I arrived at her stop I got off with her, and basically accompanied her to her house.
- Do you have siblings? – I asked when she started to look in her bag for what I assumed were her keys while we were still walking, that told me that we were about to arrive.
-No, I am an only child. "She told me, I didn't know whether to get better or not for it, at least I wouldn't have to comfort more than one person and she wouldn't have to take responsibility for someone else."
We arrived at her house, but now what, just leave her here, she still looks like she's going to break down at any moment, I'd like to come in, but I don't have any valid excuses, and telling her I'm worried about her would be more awkward than just walking in without saying anything, but what can I do anyway? I would have continued debating what to do, but without me saying anything she invited me in, just like that, well that also worked.
The table had dishes from a previous meal and the couch was a bit messy, but other than that there was nothing else out of place.
Ariel without thinking twice went and lay down on the sofa, I stood thinking about what the hell I was doing there, but when I heard her sobs I went and sat next to her in the space that was free between her head and the armrest, I caressed her head and her shoulder like a kitten while she let out all her emotions for a long time.
After that, a little more time passed until she composed herself and sat down with a blank stare.
"I'm sorry, I haven't even invited you anything, what would my parents say if they saw me?" - she said with the attempt of a smile that quickly turned into more tears and runny.
I walked around on the couch to stand next to her and hug her once more.
-They would be proud. – I said while rubbing her on her back.
-They didn't have to. They were not supposed to be there. They were supposed to return today. They didn't have to bring me anything, if I hadn't asked them. I was a stupid selfish. If only it hadn't been so superficial. Is it my punishment? Did I provoke it? – she would say, increasing her tone and sobs with each word as she let herself sink into my chest and my embrace.
What I could understand from her screams and babbling, was that her parents had gone on a trip, she asked them for something from a truck stop well known for having a limited edition stuffed animal that was only sold there because it was a tourist place, but to get there, she had to go along the maxi track where the trucks run at full speed, and his father put himself in the blind spot of a truck driver who ended up hitting him, causing him to lose control and crashing into another truck in the same direction that overturned the car where his parents were traveling to end up being thrown by another truck that braked when it saw them but not in time so as not to throw them with all its remaining force.
I looked up looking into the kitchen, there were no pots or anything on.
- When and where can you pick up the bodies? – I asked when she slowed down the volume of her crying, it was heartbreaking, it seemed that she had not had the opportunity to vent. She was a responsible girl, sure she pressured herself to finish the necessary funeral things before allowing herself to break down.
-They told me that from tomorrow I could go whenever I wanted, they gave me instructions to buy them coffins and clothes, and that they could do the whole process. – he said still on my chest, then he moved away a little to continue while wiping away tears and snot with his sleeves. "But I don't know how to go on or what to do, where I should take them when they give them to me, or anything."
She took out a card, it was from the funeral home where I saw her go.
-They told me that here they could help me do the wake and everything until the burial, but I don't know what to do, I don't know how I'm going to pay for everything, I don't even know if they had insurance, and if they did, I have no idea how to collect it. – She said with what seemed to be a new marathon of tears, I stopped her before she could start crying again.
His face, as beautiful as I remembered it, was deformed into an expression that he did not want to see, it was painful.
"Don't worry about that now. – I said taking her hands and looking into her eyes with all the aura of tranquility that I could muster for her. – We will resolve it as the needs arrive. – I said making her look at me with wide eyes.
- Us, you and me? – he said looking at me doubtfully and questioningly, not in a creepy way but rather as if to say Why do you care?
-Yes, I will be supporting you in all this as long as you need it. – I said with my best sincere smile. His expression didn't change much. "Now go take a bath while I make you something for dinner."
I said and she nodded without putting many buts, surely she didn't even have the energy to think about how suspicious all that was, she looked so tired, the lack of sleep didn't let her think well either.
I saw her leave giving me one last doubtful look, I smiled calmly at her, but when I could no longer see her my gaze became serious and dull.
Why was I doing all this? Was I hoping to achieve something? Was it my hormones or my stupidity wanting to solve other people's problems?
I took a deep breath and calmed down, took off my shirt full of cute snot and left only the one I was wearing under my uniform. I decided that it wouldn't hurt to be the Good Samaritan this time, she was a girl who had lost everything in one day, as much as I dislike my parents I don't know what I would do if I lost them.
That made me think, she mentioned in all those babblings that the news had received her yesterday, the same day that I considered the best of my life, for her it had become the worst and most horrible. It made me feel guilty for some reason, even though I knew it had nothing to do with me, it was just things that happened.
I pulled out my phone and the card Anderson had given me, dialed the number, and called.
-Hello, are you still in working hours?, if I'm sorry, a strong issue arose, yes, this is what happened.
I told Anderson about the situation with Ariel while I was preparing some homelets and a pot of rice, according to him, the hours I need it will always be working hours and available, I took it as if he would charge me anyway, I asked him if he could find out if Ariel's parents had life insurance and everything that could be useful in this matter, I gave him the address of the house and he told me that there would be no problem and that he would call me when he had everything ready, I thanked him and hung up.
It felt strange to have this kind of help, I felt like some kind of agent asking the intelligence department for a favor like in the movies. Was this the power of money?