Chapter 324 - The Return of the Churrusco - mdfour
Miguel
We stayed frozen like a photograph for what seemed like a long minute; we were catatonic beings. The darkness returned.
"How is he?" Roland asked, holding Alfredo's gaze.
"He just mumbled, they must have given him a sedative, it's the normal procedure, but he's out of the coma now and will be awake for about half an hour."
He confirmed, and we all watched the boss walk to his room and lock himself in. Simón and I exchanged glances.
"Is that it?" Rino asked. "A whole year waiting and he doesn't rush to see him?"
"Rino," Simón spoke. "Do you want to know what the Boss is doing?"
I handed the remote to Rata, who turned on the TV. From his laptop, he found Roland's room and showed the image. We witnessed an act of humble gratitude that even moved me. The boss of bosses had knelt.
"Every day, no matter what, between five and six in the morning, wherever he is, he pays his offering."
I don't know if everyone felt the same, but my chest tightened. I knew he prayed, but I didn't know he kneeled.
"Roland has had everything. He understood long ago that the one above doesn't seek anything material; He just wants you to understand and realize that He exists. The first time he offered, it was something he had never touched and was pure to him. Now, all he had left was his pride." I looked at the guys.
"The boss of bosses, who doesn't hesitate to skin anyone he wants, gave up his pride in exchange for his friend's return. That was the pact he made." Rata turned up the volume.
"I've been kneeling for over a minute and I don't know what to say to you, Lord God. The word 'Thank you' feels so short in the face of another proof of your greatness. I can only see you as a gentleman at this moment. You fulfilled your part, and I hope I fulfilled mine too. I even feel like crying, I don't know if that's normal. You returned Verónica to me, filled the void in my soul from the absence and belief that my mother abandoned me, and now you return our friend. Thank you! You know me, words of praise don't come easily, but you understand when I say 'Thank you.' I hope the new project is what you were looking for. Make me an instrument of yours. If I am to be the weapon on earth against those beings more demonic than I am, I'll do it.
Now, help us against our women. As soon as they find out we gave them cow bone ashes, they'll cut off all our services, and on top of that, Shirly will castrate us, and Inés will beat us to a pulp. Keep helping me, keep helping this demon to see if someday he gets his wings back, but before restoring me, return the souls to my friends. They were just doing what I asked. This is the longest conversation we've had..."
Rata turned off the TV. When we looked at each other, I didn't know what I felt in my chest; it was the same sensation or maybe more intense than when I confessed to Roland and Simón in the cabin about the atrocity I committed against my Little One. The truth is, I haven't felt those out-of-control moments again, though I can't claim victory yet.
"Does he kneel every day?" Kevin asked, and Rata nodded.
"I don't believe in God that way," Rino said. "Not with that kind of faith."
"The truth is, once our women find out, they'll side with Shirly," I said.
"What brought Churrusco back was Roland's motivational talk," Arnold said, and we looked at him.
"Talk?"
"In a few words, he told him that if he didn't wake up, another guy would get between his woman's legs," he said. We looked at each other for a few seconds and then burst out laughing.
"If that was the cure, we would have made up a boyfriend for him a long time ago," Cereza exclaimed, laughing, looking redder than usual.
"I see your friend's awakening has you all euphoric," the doctor intervened, and we stopped laughing. "I don't want to be the bearer of not-so-good news," Roland came out of his room.
"What's going on, doctor?"
"He is calm, conscious, he can't speak very well yet, his motor skills, I dare say without prior tests, are null. It's like he's a baby again."
"Are you telling us we need to teach him everything again?" It was the boss speaking.
"The brain is complex. Let's hope he assimilates being awake. You can see him, he wants to talk, but he hasn't yet coordinated his vocal cords, and that seems to have frustrated him. For now, communicate with signs. It's a miracle he came back in this state. I was coming to tell you to disconnect him."
"Believe it or not, the one above can do everything," the boss replied. "Now I admire him even more. So, can we see him?"
......
Gustavo
I'm holding back my urge to cry because I'm a man, but the truth is, this situation is tearing me apart inside. Hundreds of dead behind me, and with the new project, many more will surely join them.
But seeing the boss, a man capable of killing in the worst way, kneel before God, setting aside his pride, such a simple act, but given how proud he was, that image was too powerful.
Once again, he becomes, in my eyes, the most respectable man. To top it off, we now see him fighting back tears, though he's going to lose that battle. Aníbal was desperate to speak, but he can't.
"Calm down, brother. Shirly is fine, your son is a strong, beautiful boy, and so far, she's not seeing anyone else, so you're still the only one."
He just nodded. Churrusco's gestures were like he had some kind of paralysis, making stammering movements with his twisted mouth, drooling a bit. Roland cleaned him as if he were one of his children.
"Aníbal." The black man looked at him. "You saved my life, brother."
The boss's voice broke, and we all clenched our teeth to avoid crying. The newly awakened man made a gesture, his twisted hands gathering strength to move, bringing them to his chest and then to Roland's. That gesture disarmed the boss.
He hugged him, trying to hide his tears, but there are moments that surpass the nonsense about men not crying.
"Thank you, brother."
More than one of us looked away to avoid shedding tears, but it was useless. Churrusco made a strange gesture, as if to say we should stop crying. It won't be easy to communicate; we need to find a way.
The great satisfaction was that we were complete again. Looking at Arnold, it was evident he had cried too. Everything will change from now on. Each of us approached and hugged him. He looked exhausted. I was the last to hug him, his gaze was the same.
"You'll stay with us for many years, Aníbal."
He made a gesture of understanding me, closing his eyes practically in my arms. The doctor examined him.
"It was too much effort for today." Rino gave him an injection in the IV. "Boss."
"Alfredo." The tone was one of don't call me that unless we're in a different setting.
"Can I stay at your house for a while while Aníbal..."
"You're welcome. Just tell me what I need to do to help him become who he was."
"Much will depend on him. We need to teach him to write, speak, eat, walk. Maybe his mind is clear, he recognized all of us, but his brain is disconnected from his body. With great effort, he's managed to move his arms."
"Study the case, and tell me which specialists I need to hire to treat him, and how we can help."
"Roland." I intervened, we were all still in the room.
"Tell me, Gustavo."
"Shirly can't see him like this, and I don't think he wants his wife to see him this way."
"I think the same," said Simón, who had remained silent.
"This recovery won't be easy," said Kevin. Alfredo shook his head.
"If things go well, we're talking about a long year."
"Aníbal will live here. It's the most convenient and safest option," said Simón. I looked at Miguel and nodded.
"How long will he sleep?" asked Roland.