We already called my mother. She's going to be here any minute, we'll be able to see from a distance when her car pulls up.

Here we are once again, standing where our little journey began, at the entrance of a forgotten little town with a unique route to the place.

Houses that feel lonely, and a pharmacy among them all, giving some life to a gray whole. I took the opportunity to say goodbye to that girl who works there. When I saw her, her face lit up. I didn't have to tell her anything, as if she had known everything, as if she had known my decision. Perhaps she saw in my face the same face she caught a glimpse of when she looked in the mirror, many years ago.

I can only tell her thank you and hug her, and promise her that I will pay for that pill.

Now all that remains is to wait for my mother. There are many things I want to tell her, a lot to talk about, many apologies, many explanations. I want to hear about her, I want to tell her about me.

There is anxiety, David and I share it on our faces, but I am sure she will understand... if she hasn't already been suspecting.

Looking back I realize many things, so many signs that I missed. My vision seems clearer, the colors look more vivid. Even the gray of the town doesn't seem so bad to me anymore.

Everything also looks much more frightening, much more complex.

The forest is forever, the sky is forever.

There are no easy answers, no guide to tell you what to do. There is no one to promise you a reward at the end of the road. There is nothing that assures you of karmic retribution, do good and receive good, do bad and be punished. But I accept this challenge, I face it with all that I have, with all that I will have in the future, with all that I was, am and will be.

David and I are not alone. We are accompanied by our two lovers that come to say goodbye. A car comes into view on the horizon. It is her at last.

The four of us embrace. How nice to have them here, to feel their heat.

“So you two live near the neighborhood, huh?”—I take the opportunity to say to them very quietly, in the most sighing voice I can muster— “You'd better come by our house often.”

“It's true, my dad and Sharon's mom.... my mom, they both work, so we have the house to ourselves all the time,” David helps me tempt them further.

Ismael and Raquel suddenly tense up and turn red.

“How wicked! They leave us with all the heat,” says Raquel.

“Raquel, my blonde friend, we're going to have to watch our backs in this heat, just the two of us for now, seeing that these two beasts are leaving us,” says Ismael.

“It's going to be a pleasure to battle by your side, cutie,” replies Raquel.

“The pleasure is mine, baby,” replies Ismael.

Ah, but we won't have much time because of the university. Yes, in the end I decided to study something. What is it? I don't have the slightest idea, but what I have is a university nearby, I'll think of something.

Suddenly we see Sharon emerge from the forest, the other Sharon, nun-Sharon, Sor-I-don't-know-what. Her figure more composed, but her veil a bit out of place, allowing me to see her hair for the first time.

She limps a little, my gaze stops on her injured foot. Now that I remember, I saw her doing that when she went to assist me at the pond.

Following my gaze, she says

“Nothing to worry about or blame yourself for, just a little sprained ankle.”

Uh, we'd better leave it at that.

She comes over to us and gives us, David and me, a hug.

“Take care of yourselves, you two.”

I don't sense any reproach in that voice. It must be the sincerest thing Sharon has ever said to us, apart from her confession. Her expression is serene, though somewhat melancholic, I can tell because it's the same expression I'm wearing at the moment.

I don't know if she can do it, being such an important part of her life... but I have already made up my mind.

“Good luck, Sharon,”—I say. I can't find other words. — “Really… just… good luck”.

She doesn't get mad that I call her that. She gives me a smile. My mother's car is such a short distance away that she turns on her parking lights at the side of the road.

The odyssey is over. Or not. Only another one begins, maybe prettier, maybe uglier, maybe calmer, maybe more intense.

The heat can be never calmed, it never ends, because when it does, life ends with it. The end of heat is to take one's last breath, it is the abandonment of the self, it is the death of love, not for another, but for oneself, whatever love may be.

We say our last goodbyes with everyone to head for mom's car. They are not a "goodbye", they are a "see you later", a sweet moment of separation that helps build tension, desire, longing, heat.

Our feet, our bodies are on their way to our destination.

And then...

...I hear Sharon's whisper, the headmistress whisper.

I'm the only one who does, as if the world is allowing me to catch this instant of intimacy, as if the wind is blowing in the opposite direction just this once to bring me her words, a slip of the tongue, an intimate moment, a thought out loud said by accident.

“Uh, my foot is really hurting a lot…”

I can see in her face the tender blush, like that of a young girl in love. I can see in her eyes... yes, I can see in her eyes....

The heat.

Finally, I hear her say,

“I... should go to the pharmacy.”