First step

After sorting out all the loose ends in his life and picking up the work car, Yuri drives back to the resort. Once he parks, he heads to reception to grab the key to the restaurant pantry before going there, but before stepping inside he spots Rigo and Felipe chatting, sitting in the shade of the trees that cover the picnic tables. With no guests at reception, he walks over to them.

— You guys on vacation too? — Yuri jokes, joining the conversation.

— Look who’s here, Felipe. The boss showed up, see. Peace is over! — Rigo fires back, laughing.

— Things calmed down a bit? — Yuri asks, sitting down on the bench next to them.

— Thank God. But there’s probably gonna be another rush right after Christmas. — Rafael replies, then adds. — And in town? Lots going on?

— Packed. I bet that’s why the resort’s so empty this afternoon. — Yuri guesses, glancing around at the quiet. — Anyone who’s not at the beach is downtown shopping for tomorrow.

— Damn. Tomorrow’s already Christmas Eve, huh? — Rigo snaps his fingers, remembering.

— Yup. Been thinking about the Christmas dinner for over a week now. — Felipe comments.

Rigo pulls out his phone and starts swiping through the screen, checking something.

— By the way, since you’re gonna be alone, wanna come spend Christmas at my folks’ place? — Felipe invites in a genuine tone.

— Thanks, man, but tomorrow I’m heading to the square to watch the theater play, and after that I think I’ll just go straight home. — Yuri explains, thanking him for the invite.

— Right, your friend’s performing there, isn’t she? Emili? — Felipe asks.

Yuri nods in confirmation and Felipe gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder as he stands up.

— Well, if you change your mind, the invite’s still good, alright? — Felipe reaffirms, then starts walking toward reception. — Tell your friend I said good luck with the play.

With another nod, Yuri thanks him again, but before Felipe gets too far, Yuri remembers why he stopped at reception in the first place.

— Oh, hold up. You got the pantry key for the restaurant? — Yuri asks. — I need to drop off some supplies.

— Hm? Stay here at reception in my spot then. — Felipe suggests. — I gotta take the car and swap the trash cans at the bungalows. I can drop the stuff in the pantry first.

— You sure? — Yuri asks, not wanting to give Felipe extra work.

— All good. — Felipe confirms, holding out his hand for the car keys.

Yuri tosses the keys to Felipe, who heads down the hallway toward the parking lot.

Since there was nothing to do at reception, Yuri sits with Rigo, who’s still glued to his phone.

— Yo, Rigo. What you searchin’ so hard for on that phone? — Yuri asks, curious about the sudden focus.

— Tsk… I straight-up forgot tomorrow was Christmas Eve, bro. — Rigo answers, still staring at the screen.

— This dude only remembers his head’s attached ’cause it’s stuck to his neck. — A voice comes from behind Yuri, from the same hallway Felipe just left.

Yuri turns and sees a woman with brown hair braided over her shoulders. She’s wearing a long black dress printed with big red flowers, short enough to show off her black combat boots. Her arms, covered in tattoos, and her fingers, loaded with rings, hold a phone in one hand.

— Val! Hey! — Yuri stands up to greet her.

It’s Valéria, Yuri’s cousin, who he thinks of almost like an older sister. She smiles, pulls him into a tight, affectionate hug.

— Been way too long, huh? — She says, fixing her hair after the embrace.

— For real. How you doing? And Auntie— she good? — Yuri asks, smiling.

— She’s good, thank God. She sent a kiss and said you better come by the house to see her.

— Hey. — Rigo says with an awkward smile.

— Oh, Rodrigo. Don’t even talk to me right now, please. — Valéria waves her hand without looking at him.

— I was busy, but I remembered in time. — He defends himself.

Valéria points at her own phone. — You didn’t remember a damn thing. You were reminded! — She corrects him.

— …Yeah… Sorry. — He says, looking even more sheepish, no comeback left.

— Hmph… — Valéria just grunts and turns back to Yuri. — Is Ana around?

— She’s probably at the spa. You need to talk to her? — Yuri asks, already pulling his phone out to call.

— Yeah, but no need to call. I’m heading there. She already knew I was coming.

Valéria checks the time on her own phone before slipping it back into the pocket of her dress.

— Come by the house later. — She kisses Yuri on the cheek, saying goodbye. — And you… — She points at Rigo. — Do not forget it again! ok?

— Yes, ma’am. — Rigo nods, still embarrassed, as she walks off toward the spa.

Once she’s a bit farther away, Yuri looks at Rigo, who starts laughing at himself.

— Man, you two still beefin’? — Yuri starts laughing too, joining him.

— She asked me to confirm by Sunday if I was going to mass with her on the Christmas Eve… but I only remembered just now when you and Felipe mentioned it.

— That’s it? And she already chased you off like that? — Yuri asks, surprised.

— Rough world, lil’ man. Guess every woman gets like that when the dude’s slow on the draw, right? — Rigo jokes, poking fun at himself.

— Dunno, man. You’ll have to ask some other slowpoke. — Yuri teases back, doubling down.

— Fuck you! — Rigo cracks up. — I remember damn well Val treatin’ you the exact same way when you were a kid.

— That’s different. That wasn’t a woman talking to a slow guy. That was a babysitter talking to an annoying kid. — Yuri defends himself.

— Nah, same thing. And what about Ana? You gonna say she never chewed your ass out either? — Rigo presses.

— She has, but that doesn’t count either. Unlike you and Val, Ana’s not my girlfriend, right?

— Skill issue, dumbass. — Rigo stands up from the bench, laughing along with Yuri. — More proof you’re one slow motherfucker.

Rigo holds out his hand for a firm handshake as he says goodbye.

— I better get going. I still got two surf students today.

— Go for it. And if we don’t see each other at the square tomorrow, Merry Christmas! — Yuri says, standing up too.

— Shit, for sure, lil’ man. Merry Christmas! — Rigo comes back and gives Yuri a quick hug. — I almost forgot again! — He says, laughing hard.

After that, Rigo heads off to his surf lessons, leaving Yuri at reception.

The rest of Yuri’s day dragged on slowly. The only movement was a few guests passing through reception, either coming back from town or heading there. And the next day was even more uneventful.

Today—Christmas Eve—Yuri spent the whole afternoon with nothing to do, and with no resort commitments or check-ins scheduled, he wrapped up at reception early and went home to get ready.

Unlike him, Emili definitely had a hectic day. So much so that she didn’t send a single message today.

“Emili: The play starts at 7:30 PM tomorrow. Don’t forget. – 10:07 PM”

That was the last message she’d sent him the night before, while heading out with the cast after rehearsal.

Yuri checks the time on his phone while rereading Emili’s message. Still plenty of time.

He tosses the phone onto the bed. Then the t-shirt, shorts, and underwear hit the floor too.

Inside the shower, the cold water carries the day’s heat down the drain along with the sweat.

Outside, the silence of the afternoon is almost tangible. Just the wind rustling the leaves and the steady sound of water hitting the tiles.

The calm seeps into the bathroom, making his shower stretches longer.

Yuri closes his eyes and relaxes. For the first time in a while, his mind is clear enough to really think.

— Tonight’s play is important to Emili. — He whispers to himself.

In a way, tonight sums up everything Emili has been talking about for three years: the dream of acting, of being on a real stage.

Of course it’s important. But to what extent? It’s not the full realization of the dream—after all, it’s just her first big play.

So… what counts as a dream come true?

When your name’s in the movie credits? When you fill a theater? Win an award? Or just waking up every day happy, satisfied with what you’re doing?

Still with his eyes closed, he pictures Ana. Surrounded by shelves full of flowers in every color, wearing a light-orange uniform, helping customers at her flower shop.

“Would that be her dream come true?” — he wonders to himself.

The imagination shifts. Now it’s Emili, on stage, in costume, playing an important role in a fancy theater.

“And hers?”

He stays there, thinking a little more about when, exactly, a dream actually comes true.

Gradually the question changes shape. From “When does a dream come true?” to “How many steps are still left for me to reach any of those dreams?” and “How many for theirs?”

And suddenly the thought turns into a conclusion.

Yuri’s eyes snap open and he steps out of the shower, leaving the water running. Still dripping, he crosses the room, rubbing his hair and body with the towel.

Without even getting dressed, he walks quickly to the desk, opens the notebook, and grabs a pen. He starts scribbling.

— Emili, Ana, Val, Rigo, Felipe… — he murmurs, finishing the list. — They definitely have dreams of their own too.

At the top of the page, in bigger letters, like a title:

“New dreams”

Yuri smiles as he looks at the list he just started.

— I still don’t know exactly where this is gonna lead, but for sure…

Written below the title, in slightly smaller letters:

“1. Help them reach their dreams”

He lets out a satisfied sigh.

— That’s a good first step.