After 35 minutes of training, as I walked out the door, a man walked in who, if you saw him for the first time, the first thing you thought was, "Fantastic"

His arms are like logs, and his muscles like rocks. If you add to that his stern look, it certainly seems intimidating. But I always wonder how those thin legs are able to support their weight. Also, since his chest is quite broad, it's obvious that he suffers to relieve the itching of his back.

“Noah, the mountain”

“Fuck you”

“How are you?”

“Much better than you, look at these muscles”

“Yes, yes, I see them”

“Really?.... you’re leaving already?”

“yes, I have an engagement now.... by the way I heard that antony is waiting for you”

“just a fool looking for a beating”

“sure, I’m sorry I won’t stay to see the show, but I’m in a hurry, have fun”

“....You bet on my defeat, didn’t you?”

“I always bet on the safe”

“You son of a bitch, you’re going to lose your money”

It was already 10:10, there was plenty of time for a decent breakfast and as the park where the meeting will take place is right in front of the gym, I will be able to get there on time.

With that in mind, my next destination is the coffee shop I visit every time I come to work out, and since I usually have the fridge so full of food, it's already become a recurring stop.

Spanish tortilla, toast with jam and cheese plus a soursop juice were a perfect complement to those apples.

By the time I finished breakfast, there were only three minutes left until 10:30. Unfortunately, I was not going to have time to ease the digestion of food with a break, but those three minutes were more than enough to cross the street and avoid being late.

The park is not very big, so it was easy to see the tumult of people sitting on the floor next to the very flashy red van

As I am not in a hurry, I walk slowly, giving my stomach time to digest breakfast.

To my bad luck, a girl waves at me. She is the one responsible for me not being able to enjoy my day off and, apparently, not content with that, she doesn't plan to let me digest my breakfast calmly either.

with striking red hair, her name is Carolina, a very energetic co-worker who was approaching my position with hurried steps, different from mine, which are slow and heavy.

"I thought you weren't coming"

"Good morning, I'm fine, thank you for caring and taking the trouble to ask and to answer your negative regarding my presence I wouldn't miss it, I mean, they even woke me up for me to confirm my presence."

"Sorry, we need extra hands, come on adoni is about to finish his talk."

“I hope there will at least be snacks”

Her smile was a clear confirmation that she should not expect anything.

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*sigh* "Why do I even bother asking, right?"

Without another word, she dragged me by the hand like a child to sit down and listen to what they were saying, and when the talk was over, it was clear to me why they needed extra hands.

Although it was not very clear to me, I think we will go through the street giving supplies to the homeless and at the same time rescuing stray animals. But of course, since the only means of transportation they have is the van and it is full of supplies, all of us who are helping will have to walk, or at least that's what I understood since I only heard the end.

In any case, since we are going in groups, I will ask what I should do.

Time passed faster than I had anticipated, supplies ran out rather quickly and contrary to what I initially thought, we didn't manage to catch many animals either, many ran away when they saw us and the few we did catch were because they were lured by the feed.

It was about four hours of this work, but the sun, the heat and the numbness of the feet of so much walking made it quite exhausting, although I must admit that if you have that slight feeling of accomplished labor. Although nothing has changed, at least some people and animals will have a full stomach today. I also hope that the animals we have rescued today will have a good home in the future.

I don't dare to adopt a pet because as a child I had a puppy that I loved very much and he died. And even after all the years that have passed, I still blame myself for his death and that creates a shadow, a trauma that prevents me from having a pet again.

“Funny right?”

"I think we have different concepts of fun"

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it over time."

"Why would I get used to it?"

"Forget it.... Did you talk to your mother?"

"Yes, I talked to her"

"So, what happened?"

“Nothing, I don’t have any grudge against her, I guess she would have her reasons and it’s okay, I mean.......

I had a good childhood, love and I never lacked anything, I have no complaints or questions, besides I think it’s a little late to try to play the role of mother, for my part I have already buried my mother and I don’t think I can play the role of son”

I don't remember my father and my mother was an old woman who raised me without any blood ties, gave me everything I needed and enough love not to miss my parents.

Even though I was an infant, I never thought she was my real mother. I mean, I’m not very smart, but when I was 10, she turned 72, and yes, I was a kid, but I wasn’t stupid.

Although I always called her mother, I sincerely believed that she was the mother of one of my parents, that is, my grandmother.

When she confessed to me that we didn't have any blood ties, it was a big surprise and a big blow to my 15-year-old self. I obviously asked her about my background or if she knew who my parents were, but her answer was that she didn't know, I just showed up at her door.

I asked her several questions, such as what condition she found me in, but as she always does when she doesn't want to talk about something, her answers were very evasive. So I think there's more to it, but if she thought it wasn't worth it for her to know, she must have had her reasons and I trusted my mother.

My mother would never do anything that would harm me, that's clear to me, so knowing my origin didn't affect our mother-son relationship, on the contrary it made me love that woman more who without any obligation did everything she could to raise me.

For as long as I can remember, it was always just her and me, she never told me about her family and in fact the times I asked her about it she always avoided the subject. So eventually I stopped asking questions that might make her uncomfortable and when I was 17 she died leaving me completely alone.

That was when I needed emotional support the most, and if any of my parents had shown up at that time, maybe my attitude would be different now. After all I was a young man about to enter adulthood and that his only family had died. I didn't need their financial help, my mother had left me enough money to live a couple of years quietly, I just wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere.

But contrary to my young hopes, no one showed up and I had to get through that stage alone........ Of course, it wasn't like I was going to die either, but I wish I'd had someone with me at that time.

Until two weeks ago, when Vera, my supposed mother, appeared out of nowhere with her daughter Mila. All her words can be summed up in a vague apology and the desire to make up for lost time.

"...... Are you really okay?"

"yes, I'm fine"

“.....”

"Besides, I don't understand why she's approaching now if her lack of interest is evident."

"What does your sister say?"

"She seems to be the one who has the most interest in us being a family and even invited me to a family dinner tomorrow."

"I think you should go, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to intrude into your life and make decisions for you, but you could give them a chance or at least your sister who is not to blame for the decisions Vera made in the past, especially if she's trying so hard, don't you think?"

".... I suppose so, my mother always said, -follow the flow of the river and you can reach the sea-, so we'll see what happens tomorrow..... but tell me how do you do this so often and still have so much energy?"

"hihihi I told you, you’ll get used to it over time"