Once away from the reception, I zigzag through the corridors, observing the flow of nurses that increases as time drags. Penelope is fighting kicks and slaps with a vending machine on the first floor, and she doesn’t realize that I’m by her side until she fights around and bumps into me.

“Do you think this ridiculous machine stole five dollars from me? “She pushes back one of the loose strands of her hair, and with the other hand recovers from the bag a metallic canteen where she always keeps her Whisky. “How can I baptize my soda if I don’t have a soda?”

The machine plays a high-pitched sound when she kicks it again. The panel lights up, but nothing falls through the opening. Snorted, Penelope throws her head back and pours a generous amount of the liquid into her hands. The burning smell of the drink suddenly makes me dizzy.

“This seems to be the night of problems,” I grumble, laying my head on the pilaster next to it.

Penelope studies me with a lying look and returns the canteen to the bag.

“Wait, I need to know which of the problems you are referring to… Would it be the thing with Dean? “I wave and close my eyes. “I think the first thing you should do is hire a butcher, tell him to cut that sausage that Dean has between his legs, and sell it to that ordinary one, whose name you don’t even know and I’m not interested in finding out.”

I smile. “And what do I do with my family?”

“You can tell them to take care of their own lives.”

“After making them set up the dream wedding for me?”

I open my eyes and find Penelope staring at the machine. A wrinkle forms between her eyebrows as she focuses on the task of facing the object. Maybe you’re trying to recover the money lost with the strength of your mind.

“First, I was the one who set up your dream wedding. Second, your family doesn’t like you. Third, for a wedding to happen, you usually need a groom.”

“I could marry myself.”

“It’s still a good option.” She doesn’t see me rolling my eyes, she’s busy stapling the glass of the machine. “Do you want to know? Who needs a ridiculous soda? Not me, for sure. I hope this ridiculous thing explodes the next time someone tries to eat one of these ridiculous snacks. buuuut… “Forging tranquility with a deep sigh, she turns on her heels, moves her hair to her back, and stares at me with determination. “If marriage is so important to your stupid family, why don’t you look for another man, ask him to marry, and get married?”

“Simple, isn’t it?” I say, ironic. “How can I find a fiancé out of nowhere, Pen? The marriage happens in less than four weeks, and all my relatives already believe that there has never been any man. If only they believed that I am a lesbian and that I invented this situation for fear of prejudice. But, no! Even if they don’t think I’m capable, and I hate that they think I’m not capable of something… I can’t lie for a long time and telling the truth at this point in the championship will only make everything worse! “I catch my breath with a strong arch. “I don’t know what to do…”

“You’ll find a solution, my friend.”

“I’m not going to” I cry, feeling more fragile than ever. “This time I have no way out. The more time passes, the worse things get. Maybe it’s a punishment, you know? Things go wrong like that. It’s a punishment for my cowardice.”

“You’re doing that thing again…” she points out, impassive. “Breathe deeply, Suzy. No one dies for being betrayed, and surely a forced marriage would only end in tragedy.”

I move away from the pilaster.

“But guilt kills!”

“It doesn’t kill, no. And you’re not doing that because you feel guilty.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No, it’s not. You just said you hate not being able to do something. Marriage has become a game for you and a must for your family. And that’s wrong, Suzy! Marriage is a serious thing, it doesn’t matter if there is a paper where you can sign to break the bond. The votes are forever, and I’m sure you couldn’t bear to marry Dean because he was always an idiot, and sexist, and deep down you knew that. A passing betrayal doesn’t even come close to a completely sad life. You don’t deserve that, my friend.”

My dramatic sniffy echoes shamefully.

“I don’t want to be a failure.”

“You are not!” Penelope holds my forearms, shaking me lightly. “There’s a habit of getting into trouble, but I’m usually the problem in people’s lives, so our friendship is complimentary. But, Suzy, we both know that you lived inside a box all this time. You never had a real life, and if you married Dean, you would miss every opportunity to be happy. Not because marriage deprives someone of what they want to do, but simply because he is not the right guy. And thank heavens that he betrayed you tonight and proved that he was a retard. You may want to get married to regain ties with your family, but don’t forget what marriage is for you!”

My smile is genuine, but as soon as it disappears from my face.

“I know that. The point is that I’m still a bride having the worst night of your life and without any chance to get rid of this mess.”

“I give up trying to put judgment in your head.” Penelope walks away with a drunken smile playing on her lips. “If you intend to take this false marriage story forward, at least you need to find someone who does not limit you, but who is also not a human ice cube. Why don’t you try to hire a model? Money is not a problem for you.”

“And where will I find a model who accepts to play the role of the perfect groom? Remembering that the package includes a dozen white doves, a very demanding family, and a bride with serious anxiety problems.”

“You don’t have to fall in love with the model, nor does he fall in love with you, Suzy… Just offer the money, make your intentions very clear, and that’s it. Perfect wedding. Satisfied family. Open and healthy relationship. Although a little insane, it’s even more viable than the weird relationship you and Dean had.”

I consider your words carefully, aware of a small shiver that kisses my spine.

“Do you think it can work?”

“In the movies, it works. “She shrugs her shoulders. “Thinking on the bright side, at least the current problem is almost solved. All we have to do is… wait, okay? I’ll think of something better later, I promise.”

As the hours go by and dawn divides the world into gradient tones, I desperately try to keep the feeling of anguish as far away as possible from my chest, however, the soft overcoat that I remain carrying in my arms seems to mock my naivety with all the blood of the unknown drying in dark spots. My eyes burn from sleep and my body heats up from the pain in my muscles, even though I made an improvised bed with the seats in the waiting room, I’m still exhausted.

In the following hours, I spend my time taking turns looking at the limit of the horizon through the extensive waiting room window, and keeping my attention on time. It’s six forty-five when I decide to return to the reception to find out if Penelope has any news.

Blindly proving the corridors I go through, I have just left a text message to my secretary about the shareholders’ meeting that should take place in less than two days, alerting her to any unforeseen events regarding the documents that need to reach my hands before the meeting takes place. Despite the physical exhaustion, I do not allow myself the luxury of leaving all the work in the hands of my inexperienced temporary secretary, because even though my Saturday is reserved to analyze contracts and reports, having an employee in training requires all my patience.

Having a break in my chaos to focus a few minutes on my work prepares me to face the reception again, where the void is filled by nurses, police officers, and doctors who circulate hastily. My heart accelerates, and the nervousness makes me think that it is a great coincidence that the men of the law are precisely in this hospital, when Penelope assured me that if they were to take the victims of the attack somewhere, they would not even remember the hospital furthest from the city center. Too much coincidence…