Skidding on the curves of your heart

Messages from Patri, November 2025

“Patri G.

Hey, how are you today?

I know it's not an easy day.

Talk to me if you want.

Patri G.

Mapi, buddy, at least say

hello or are you okay?

Patri G.

I should have taken

that flight and being with you.

The club let me go.

Patri G.

I know you don't want to hear it,

but I'm sorry. It's a day

how the fuck are you?

Patri G.

You forced me to call you or

to send the police

to check you out. Dear would do it.

She knows how to do it”

-Do you mind if I join you for a while? It's still early.

-Go ahead-Mapi whispers and throws a small branch into the fire while Ingrid sits on one of the cushions in front of her.

And Mapi raises her gaze and inevitably looks at her as much as she can and shouldn't. The fire is reflected in the green glasses and in the beautiful face and it's like getting drunk on her. And being drunk is not something Mapi usually does or that she likes.

-Is this how you imagined you would spend your holidays or the whole summer? -the Spanish woman asks.

-No, but… I think that at some point I lost sight of enjoying the simple things.

-Do you work a lot?

-Yes, something like that. I like my job, no matter how boring it may sound to some people. I like projects and those that take up all my time-Ingrid sighs-but now I have the most important thing in mind.

-Did your sister's illness put things into perspective for you?

Ingrid nods her head affirmatively without taking her eyes off her.

-And you? I bet you didn't think your vacation would be like this either.

-Not really, but I'm not complaining.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, I'm sure-Mapi answers-everything I've done these past few months is something I usually do, you know? You guys haven't diverted me much from my path, and I like being with your nephews. They're very good and I understand a little the frustration of having someone sick and not fully understanding them.

-You don't even mind the questions they ask you?

Mapi shrugs.

-It would be strange if they weren't curious, don't you think? It's a little different when I train twenty people and I have to satisfy the curiosity of twenty people, and that's why I try to keep them from seeing the marks. But don't worry, it didn't bother me.

-Thanks for softening the story, I know you did. Scars like that aren't from something that didn't hurt or heal quickly.

-It wasn't.

Mapi feels a little uncomfortable because she set some limits with Ingrid and is about to ignore them all to tell things that she usually prefers to keep to herself.

-When I was at the peak of my career, I tore the meniscus in my left leg in training. I suppose it would be disastrous for either leg, but I'm left-handed and... –Mapi takes a breath and avoids looking at the black-haired-and I felt like I wouldn't be able to play the same again. I did everything to recover well, I followed everything to the letter, I worked hard in rehabilitation and in six months I was playing again. Returning to the field was...it was everything. And then, not even two months had passed, and in an important and intense match I was giving it my all. I don't know if I wanted to prove to myself or to show the fans that I was returning to my best level, but I didn't judge a play well and made a bad move. There I also tore the cruciate ligament in my left leg too.

Mapi plays with a branch in her hands and watches the flames that are losing intensity. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Ingrid watching her and is grateful that she doesn't say anything, she couldn't tolerate pity or something equally unpleasant.

-It was horrible. Between the two injuries I was out for more than a year and I was never able to recover properly in any way.

-I guess the pain wasn't just physical, right? -Ingrid finally whispers as if she understood.

-No, the mind is shit in that sense, and I was going through personal things... it was the worst time of my life, everything was bad-Mapi raises her head and her eyes meet-when I came back from the ligament injury it was with a terrible fear of hurting myself again, of not recovering my level and being thrown out, of the fans booing me if I couldn't block an opponent. I think at some point I thought that I deserved everything that was happening to me, that it was some kind of payment for everything I did wrong in my life. And well, I made the decision to retire before I fell any lower; I didn't enjoy playing anymore and I preferred to quit.

Ingrid wonders what else there is, what else Mapi is keeping quiet about. She said a lot, too much in fact for someone so reserved, but still the feeling persists that she is hiding part of the story. And she is no one to ask her so she bites her tongue and leaves it.

-I'm sure you don't want me to say this, but I'm really sorry. It was your job and your career, and it can't have been easy-Ingrid says firmly-but are you better now?

-I am-the Spanish woman confirms without giving any further indication that she wants to add anything else.

Inevitably, Ingrid's gaze is drawn to the two large whitish scars that crisscross Mapi's knee. Why does she suddenly want to reach out and run her fingertips over them? What purpose would she have in doing that? She swallows and looks away, pushing aside that foolish desire.

The fire slowly dies and the two of them remain silent, stealing a few glances at each other, but mostly Mapi is lost in thought and Ingrid is completely intrigued. And although it should be an awkward situation to be so silent after what was said, it isn't.

Mapi is shocked. She should be ashamed of what she said, but she isn't. Ingrid doesn't judge her, she knows it. Ingrid seems to be a good listener, but she no longer wants to say things she might regret later.

To begin with, she shouldn't even have told the story of her hardships and complications when there are more important things. Hers is nothing out of the ordinary, she is alive, she lives well, she breathes every day.

Then, little by little, she feels her self-disgust begins to increase.

-Good night, Ingrid-she stands up a little abruptly and slightly scares the Norwegian woman lost in her thoughts.

-Good evening, Maria.

She quickly disappears into the tent, although she would have preferred to return home and put a good distance between them.

There is barely a bit of light outside, but it hasn't dawned yet. Ingrid assumes it's too early. She hadn't slept well all-night thinking about so many things, and sleeping is difficult at that time of day. She also thinks she heard Mapi outside. A first-class early riser.

Maybe she's lighting the fire again and she can get a cup of coffee. Or maybe she's gone all the way to her house, in which case Ingrid can go outside and wait for her to return.

What she doesn't expect to find when she leaves the tent, and her eyes get used to the low light outside-not that the store has been very bright-is Mapi bathing in the river.

Ingrid is grateful that Mapi is almost entirely submerged in one of the deepest parts, because she is human and the growing desire at some point will be hard to ignore, but at that moment she barely does. However, she can't stop watching how she enjoys herself and seems to be at complete peace, she has such an intense magnetism that Ingrid can't stop staring at her and maybe her mouth goes dry. But then she slowly comes out of the water and Ingrid is completely drooling. Oh, Holy God! And she's swearing, thinking so many dirty thoughts, but the Spanish girl is simply... dazzling. Their eyes meet again as they always do and Mapi leans back in a reflex movement as if she didn't expect her to be there. And staring at her so ardently.

Ingrid doesn't care if Mapi thinks she's a total slut, but she runs her gaze over every part of her body, from the arms to her shoulders, the neck, her chest and her prominent collarbones, and a torso so toned with abs that invite her to sin for days on end. Her entire body is an invitation to sin. Her legs are so strong and muscular, what would it feel like to be squeezed by them and submerged...?

She shakes the head and swallows all the saliva that has accumulated in her mouth. The tickling in the sensitive parts of her body is going to haunt her all that day, and the next. And probably the day after that too.

It is quite possible that not only her face but also her neck and part of her chest are red. She feels the intense heat surrounding her and gathering in the familiar place.

She can't read Mapi's expression, and if she noticed and it bothers her, she can pretend to apologize. Say 'I'm sorry for violating you with my gaze' when she really doesn't mean it.

Will another trip to Oslo help relieve her pain?

-God Morgen-Mapi greets casually, squeezing the hair to get rid of excess water-I didn't think you were such an early riser.

-Yeah, I…-her voice comes out more like a croak and she clears her throat-didn't sleep much.

-The shops can be quite uncomfortable-Mapi admits, and she may be doing it on purpose, being indifferent and it's better that way-I suppose a coffee would help, wouldn't it?

Ingrid nods, not trusting her voice.

-I'll change and make the fire.

If Mapi thought her radar was off, that was easily fixed by the not-so-subtle scrutiny Ingrid gave her as she emerged from the water. The intense hunger she sensed in that gaze was like feeling an electric shock, and it's been so long since she's felt this desire that she doesn't know what to do with it.

Nothing. That's what she has to do. Push it aside like she has been doing, let it be until it goes away, repress everything, don't feed it so Ingrid doesn't feel like there's any chance of... anything.

When he comes out, Ingrid already has a half-decent fire going and is smirking.

-I bet you didn't trust my abilities.

-I never doubted.

-Well, then, tea? -she asks.

Much later the children wake up. Mapi looks for eggs and bread for breakfast; and they start the day with inexhaustible energy, playing with a ball, getting into the water, taking a short excursion through the forest.

At all times, both Ingrid and Mapi are aware of the tension surrounding them, which is just between the two of them, and they avoid looking at each other too much, talking to each other, and much less accidentally touching each other for any reason, like when Oscar asked for water and they both took the bottle at the same time and pulled their hands away as soon as they touched.

After midday, the little ones want another swim in the river. Mapi gently refuses but Ingrid says it will be the last dip of the day and slowly takes off her clothes revealing a bathing suit underneath.

Is she playing with her? Mapi wants to know, or is he not doing it on purpose? She clears her throat a lot and lets her dirty mind work.

Mapi puts on her sunglasses and looks everywhere except at the brunette entering the water, all long and slender limbs, looking like a model in a commercial, and not even models could look that good.

Selfishly, she regrets a little having let Gudrun into her life, and therefore Frida and Oscar, who led her irremediably to Ingrid. It's not that they are part of her life, her life is only her, but they are at a point where they are part of something that has to do with herself, and she is no longer liking it. She refuses.

Mapi shakes the head and heads off to take down one of the tents and start packing up her things to go back in. Oh yes, she wants to go home and lock himself in there for the rest of the month.

And when they all say goodbye later and the children hug her and thank her, she regrets her thoughts from earlier. She likes them, she enjoyed spending that day at camp.

Ingrid shakes her hand and there is something different in her eyes. It may not be anything that striking, but Mapi sees it anyway.

It's almost dawn when Mapi suddenly wakes up, but she doesn't reach for her phone as she sometimes does in a reflex action to which she has already become accustomed. Instead, she wakes up because she was dreaming about Ingrid, about Ingrid's body. Ingrid beneath her, moaning and panting, driven mad by her.

She wants to get up and take a very cold shower, but her legs won't respond, and instead she does something unheard of for her.

She can't help but bring her fingers to her intimate area and run them slowly, imagining the black-haired with her long, slender fingers pleasuring her. She increases the pace slightly and cums quickly, and the next second guilt assails her.

It's not okay to masturbate thinking about Ingrid. What kind of person is she? And she can't sleep for the rest of the night thinking about the chaos the black-haired woman has caused since she met her.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

There are mistakes that should never be made, such as mixing business with pleasure. And it is a motto that Ingrid follows to the letter. But that is what she did by allowing Mapi to continue living in the cabin, although pleasure is as far removed as possible from the whole transaction and she does not stop for long to consider in depth the why of what she did, because otherwise she would probably find things she does not want to find inside herself.

But then she made a mistake in Oslo and now that mistake is haunting her and sticking to her like gum on her shoe. Well, not like that, but she regrets the drinks, the drunkenness and sleeping with Jill again after swearing that once was enough.

Because Jill is the architect in charge of designing each bungalow and Frido has decided that her innovative ideas are just what they need, the three of them are at one of the construction sites watching great progress, and Jill is optimistic about the construction time of the ten weekend houses.

-You haven't even said anything-Frido scolded her when the other blonde went to talk to one of the workers-does she make you nervous?

-She...she wants to go on a date, Frido-the grimace of disgust that Ingrid makes brings out a mocking smile in Frido-I know I made a mistake, but Holy Shit! It was a little bit of alcohol and sex. How does that lead to a date?

-Next time, think things over better, you knew she was taking care of this, Ingrid, wasn't there another woman you could sleep with?

-Oh, Frido, do I really have to explain to you the urgency of female needs? You are a woman.

-I'm just saying that from now on and for the next year, you have to work with her. Fix it, make things clear to her if you're not looking for anything else.

She slept with Jill a long time ago. She slept with her again on a whim because the person she really wanted was completely ignoring her. And now she was in trouble. Maybe an apology to Frido, an honest talk with Jill and everything would be fine.

-Hey, can you take me to the city? I came with Frido, and I think she's already left.

-Mmm, I'm not going to the city-says Ingrid cursing Frido internally-well, if you don't mind me deviating a little from the path.

-Of course, not-Jill winks at her and Ingrid sighs thinking about how to approach the subject.

That day is Oscar and Frida's last training session with Mapi before starting school again; and she thought, perhaps, to chat a little with the Spanish girl, to give her a few discreet glances and steal them, to keep them for herself, to look for something that she dislikes like she did at the beginning, so that the attraction would diminish. But it definitely won't be any of that.

Jill puts on some music, and Ingrid hates it when someone changes their playlist without asking but she doesn't say anything, just clears her throat uncomfortably and drives. It's just a few minutes away, not far really, and they get there pretty quickly.

-I thought a bungalow would be built here too, I seem to remember a sketch I worked on with Frido-says Jill, going down and inspecting.

-Well...no.

- But you only acquired this land at the last minute? We are celebrating this in Oslo-the blonde architect's expression is displeased.

-I decided to buy it for myself-is all Ingrid's response, and to hell with Jill's inquiries.

-Wait, is this yours? I don't understand.

'You don't have to do that,' Ingrid thinks, putting on her best friendly smile so as not to say something she shouldn't, while Mapi appears with the children. They are sweaty, red-faced and smiling.

And she ran out of adjectives to describe Mapi, so she just waves to her and swallows, and gathers saliva, and swallows’ saliva in a repetitive movement that is difficult to control.

-Just by looking at their faces I can see that they are not happy to finish their personalized training.

-Well, in less than two weeks we'll be back in the city-Mapi winks at each child-and you can always come and visit me. We need to go on more walks in the forest.

-Really? -exclaims Frida excitedly.

-Of course, little one.

Mapi looks at Ingrid, who is already looking at her with that gesture of gratitude that never bothers her but that leaves her with a strange feeling. What if it's all about gratitude? Well, maybe it's better this way.

Oscar says goodbye to the two cats, saying that he will ask for a pet soon.

Ingrid forgot about Jill for a few minutes, who comes forward and introduces herself to Mapi, holding out her hand.

-I'm Jill, Ingrid's architect. And a great friend.

That sounded…strange, but Ingrid doesn't think anything of it and smiles a little tightly at the two women.

-Maria.

Well, at least Mapi's sobriety hasn't changed. Ingrid suspects that she feels invaded and doesn't want a stranger in her house when she's already put up with them all for so long. Well, she's finally rid of them all and is at complete peace every day.

Ingrid also feels something inexplicable because she is not going to see her as often as during the past months and now, she will have to make that quick visit to pick up the children from training, and that when she can do it. She has no excuse to visit her (she wants to play dumb as to why she wants excuses) so she will probably wait for Gudrun to invite her to that dinner she talked about, and she can attend and meet up.

Against her will, she turns around to the car and greets Mapi with more indifference than he should have. She already thanked her a lot, but a 'you've been a generous person all this time and you don't know how much I appreciate it' would have been nice.

She waits for Oscar and Frida to say goodbye while Jill has already gotten into the car and gives Mapi a smile, a sincere one that she hopes the Spanish woman will appreciate.

-I didn't know you had a tenant.

-It's a long story.

-Maybe you can tell me about it at lunch.

-I'll eat at my sister Ada's.

-Well, but we have a pending meal-Jill concedes and Ingrid doesn't know if that is good or bad.

It may be good to speak honestly and not encourage anything romantic in the other woman.