Casualmente, hoy, 10 de diciembre, llegó a casa de Rosalía una visita inesperada, en el momento en que sus amigas se despedían de ella.

La mujer se presentó:

—Hola, Rosalía. Soy Teresa. Usted no me conoce, pero yo sí.

Rosalía le respondió:

—Disculpe, pero no hablo con desconocidos.

—Es importante, señora. Solo deme cinco minutos, por favor. Lo que le vengo a contarle es difícil para mí; y sé que también lo será para usted.

—Hable ya, por favor, me tiene angustiada.

Elena se raspó la garganta:

—Ahahahahaha. Vengo a decirle que José Roberto no está muerto; y que en estos dos años que se fue de aquí; él vivió conmigo.

—Señora, no le acepataré ni a usted ni a nadie que ofenda la memoria de mi marido; y mucho menos hoy que está cumpliendo dos años de fallecido. Por favor, váyase de mi casa, y no vuelva más. Dígame: ¿quién la mandó?

—Cálmese, Rosalía, por favor, a mí no me mandó nadie. Vine, precisamente, porque hoy 10 de diciembre, José Roberto también me dejó por otra mujer que vivía en cerca del vecindario donde vivíamos. Esta vez no fingió su muerte, sino que me dejó esta nota:

Teresa, sigo lidiando con este hechizo que me hace abandonar a las mujeres cada dos años, todos los 10 de diciembre. Es una fuerza superior a mí. Lamento causarte dolor como ya se lo causé a Rosalía. Búscala y cuéntale que estoy embrujado. Apóyense, y perdónenme.

Rosalía reconoció la letra de José Roberto. La nota estaba acompañada de una foto donde estaba al lado de Teresa, con la misma mirada de hoguera con la que la miraba a ella.

Rosalía se sintió sin fuerzas para mantenerse en pie, y en medio de la rabia y el dolor le dijo a Teresa:

—Váyase, por favor. Yo seguiré viviendo con mi duelo. Y me niego a aceptar lo que usted me dice. Por acá no regrese nunca más, porque los muertos merecen respeto.

Gracias por la lectura

_{La imagen que he utilizado es del pintor italinao Silvestro Lega (1826-1895). La obra se llama La visita (1868).}

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Today, December 10th, marked two years since José Roberto's death. Ever since Rosalía learned of his disappearance in the Darien jungle, she hasn't stopped reproaching herself for having insisted he go to the United States to improve their little house.

The memory of the day he left resurfaced every December 10th. Silence filled the corners of the house, and loneliness pierced her bones at night, precisely at bedtime.

Everything around her reminded her of José Roberto: his tools, his CDs, his laptop, his books...

At first, Rosalía cried torrentially, constantly. Now her tears were silent, unexpected drizzles that drained her will to live.

Their wedding photo sat on the living room shelf. There, José Roberto gazed at it with eyes sparkling with passion.

In the afternoons, Rosalía's childhood friends would visit her and try to encourage her to come out of her seclusion. But she refused, because two years was too short a time to end her grief.

Coincidentally, today, December 10th, an unexpected visitor arrived at Rosalía's house just as her friends were saying goodbye.

The woman introduced herself:

—Hello, Rosalía. I'm Teresa. You don't know me, but I know you.

Rosalía replied:

—Excuse me, but I don't talk to strangers.

—It's important, ma'am. Just give me five minutes, please. What I'm about to tell you is difficult for me; and I know it will be for you too.

—Please speak now, you're making me anxious.

Elena cleared her throat:

—Hahahahaha. I've come to tell you that José Roberto isn't dead; and that in these two years since he left here, he lived with me.

"Madam, I will not tolerate you or anyone else offending my husband's memory; much less today, the second anniversary of his death. Please leave my house and never return. Tell me: who sent you?"

"Calm down, Rosalía, please. No one sent me. I came precisely because today, December 10th, José Roberto also left me for another woman who lived near our neighborhood. This time he didn't fake his death, but left me this note:

"Teresa, I'm still dealing with this spell that makes me abandon women every two years, every December 10th. It's a force beyond my control. I'm sorry for causing you pain, as I already caused Rosalía. Find her and tell her I'm under a spell. Support each other, and forgive me."

Rosalía recognized José Roberto's handwriting. The note was accompanied by a photo of her next to Teresa, with the same fiery gaze she had given her.

Rosalía felt too weak to stand, and in the midst of rage and pain, she said to Teresa:

"Please go. I will continue to live with my grief. And I refuse to accept what you tell me. Don't ever come back here, because the dead deserve respect."

Thank you for reading

_{The image I used is by the Italian painter Silvestro Lega (1826-1895). The work is called The Visit (1868).}