Serendipity

By Liliana Del Rosso

Serendipity.

Short stories to be read slowly, which captivate you steadily

Sixteen shorts stories whose only common thread are emotions.

I invite you to flick through these pages to discover the wishes and fears that shake the characters’ hearts. Well-known settings give shelter to complicated love stories, lies and guilt that will only reveal the ghosts on the other side of the mirror. But you will also find the endless love of a mother, or the outbursts of a teenager.

At the end of each story, you’ll be asking for one more page.

I invite you to discover, letter by letter, the hidden story behind each one.

Come on! The characters are waiting for you. Remember, the true value of a story is not in what it’s being told, but in what you live when you read it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781071550298

Book preview

Serendipity

Liliana Del Rosso

––––––––

Translated by Larisa Esteche 

Serendipity

Written By Liliana Del Rosso

Copyright © 2020 Liliana Del Rosso

All rights reserved

Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.

www.babelcube.com

Translated by Larisa Esteche

Babelcube Books and Babelcube are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.

Table of Contents

Chapter I

A Different Friday

Love Chronicles

Last Stop

The Liar

The Way Back

A Story for Miguel

Today is not a Grey Day

An Eternity to Change

Scents

Image

Absence

Fear is Cool

Gut Feeling

Tic, tac

The Key

Biography

Prologue

Hidden under the spell of her letters, I’m another person, I wear a skin that doesn’t hurt, one that allows me to live other lives. Dying a thousand times and being reborn some other times. With just a few words I can climb up the sky or fall into the darkest hell, all or nothing. The best part is that I decide who I want to be.

Chapter I

A Different Friday

"Back then, everything happened in the coffee shop

And if it didn’t happen there, it didn’t exist.

Coffee sharpens intelligence

And revives sociability.

The decadence of coffee implies

The decadence of a whole civilization."

Josep Pla

Today is indeed a complicated day.

The worst thing about this situation is missing the meeting we have every Friday. Besides, in honor of sincerity I must say that this disinfectant smell is killing me. How annoying!

You know, the place where we meet is called Detertulias. It always smells like coffee, though when I look at the old pictures hanging on the walls I feel it smells like smoke. Like Marlboro, for God’s sake! How many packs have I put between my chest and back? I swear I won’t miss next week’s meeting for anything in this world.

I even thought that that Friday—when everything was turned upside down—was horrible. I remember entering the cafe with my usual rapid pace, looking for my table. Three or four seconds later, I realized I would have a complicated Friday. My table was occupied by a very weird-looking couple. I can’t believe it. More than 20 years meeting here, always in the same table. How annoying! I thought.

The manager came to me and said, Mr. Ferran! Good afternoon. How come you're here so early?

Today is Friday, get-together day, I said to her while I took my hat off. As you very well know, we like sitting by the window.

Yes, I’m sorry, your table is taken. Tourists are a bit rude, you know. I’m sure they didn’t see the reserved sign! But I have this table available for you.

The woman, very upset, suggested a spot close to the window and next to some very old rooms full of books that we, the customers, left there to share with other readers. They would probably read them with a good coffee and maybe, some years ago, also with a cigarette.

Don’t worry, I said, It’s alright. That spot is really good.

I was always weak with pretty women. While she was getting the table ready, I told her how much I missed the muted bustle of the guests that would frequently come to the cafe when I was young.

You know, I said, I was one of those lonely readers that stared at the customers in a threatening way when they started raising their voice. I loved it! I've always been a bit grumpy.

The manager was always in a good mood. She smiled, stepped away from the table she just cleaned and said, Today it’s a bit noisier, but we still serve the best coffee in the neighborhood.

Yes, and besides, you have the nicest staff. I finished the conversation with a wink and sat down, waiting for my two friends. Thank you, sweetie.

Bernat arrived after a few minutes–distracted as usual–and walked towards our regular table. I was standing there, trying to call his attention. He couldn’t see me!

Bernat, over here! We have a new location today.

What is this change? We're getting closer and closer to the books! Bernat looked around, trying to find a place to leave his coat. Where is the coat hanger? Right, just next to our old table. Well, I'll leave it here! He left his coat on the back of his chair and, carrying on with his complaints, he continued with his monologue. "I almost didn’t come. I spent the whole week in Galicia and I’m really tired; I got back