— He hasn’t hit me a single night again — Carmen said. — Not one.
— He has no reason anymore — I replied.
— Knows? — he said after a while. — The doctor explained to me that many people live with sleep apnea for years without knowing it. And sometimes… they just don’t wake up.
He looked at Marcos.
— I think if it hadn’t been for him…
He didn’t finish the sentence. It was not necessary.
Marcos jumped to the ground and went towards the door, demanding to leave. As if his job was done.
When they left, I thought once again that animals have no words, no titles, no pretty explanations.
But they have something that we easily lose: attention to what is repeated, to what is out of the ordinary, to what does not fit into the rhythm of life.
And, above all, they don’t wonder if it’s rude to wake up at three in the morning.
Since then, when someone comes into the office and says: «My cat does strange things», I no longer smile condescendingly.
The first thing I ask is:
— And you… how do you sleep?
