Una llamada después de la cena
A call after dinner
1 · Spanish Story
La historia
El martes por la noche, Ana llegó a casa cansada. Había trabajado todo el día y solo quería cenar tranquila. Su madre ya estaba en la cocina, y su hermano menor veía la tele en la sala. Todo parecía normal. Afuera llovía un poco, así que la casa se sentía más silenciosa de lo usual.
Mientras comían, el celular de Ana sonó varias veces. Ella lo miró, pero no contestó. Pensó que era un número desconocido. Después vio un mensaje de su tía: “Llámanos cuando puedas”. Ana se quedó preocupada. También vio otro mensaje que decía que su abuela había salido del doctor y que querían hablar con ella sobre la visita del domingo.
Su madre notó su cara y le preguntó: “¿Qué pasa?” Ana explicó que quizá su abuela estaba mal. Su madre bajó la voz y dijo: “Llama ahora mismo”. Ana volvió a marcar y su tía respondió enseguida. No era una emergencia. Solo querían avisarle que la abuela había llegado bien a la casa de su primo. Además, la tía pidió ayuda porque no encontraba las llaves del coche, y pensó que Ana las había visto en la tarde.
Ana respiró mejor. Pero entonces su hermano dijo que la abuela había dejado su cartera en la mesa del comedor cuando salió. La madre de Ana recordó que dentro había documentos importantes. “Tenemos que buscarla”, dijo. Ana, su madre y su hermano revisaron la casa con calma. Buscaron en la sala, en la cocina y hasta debajo de la mesa. El hermano abrió un cajón y dijo que no veía nada.
Después de unos minutos, Ana encontró la cartera detrás de una silla. Todos se rieron porque estaba allí desde el principio. Su madre sonrió y dijo que, a veces, la familia se asusta por cosas pequeñas. Luego prepararon café y siguieron hablando. La tía llamó otra vez para dar las gracias. Ana colgó y sintió que la noche había cambiado por completo. Antes quería estar sola, pero al final se quedó conversando con ellos hasta tarde.
2 · Key Phrases
Language to keep
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cansada
tiredDescribes feeling physically or mentally low on energy.
Llegué cansada después de caminar mucho.
I arrived tired after walking a lot.
se quedó preocupada
became worriedShows a change into worry after new information.
Se quedó preocupada cuando no contestaste.
She became worried when you did not answer.
¿Qué pasa?
What is wrong?A common question to ask what is happening or what the problem is.
Te veo serio. ¿Qué pasa?
You look serious. What is wrong?
Llama ahora mismo
Call right nowAn urgent instruction to do something immediately.
Llama ahora mismo y diles la verdad.
Call right now and tell them the truth.
Tenemos que buscarla
We have to look for itUsed to say that finding something is necessary.
Tenemos que buscarla antes de salir.
We have to look for it before leaving.
desde el principio
from the beginningMeans something was there or true from the start.
Yo sabía la respuesta desde el principio.
I knew the answer from the beginning.
3 · English Translation
The full story in English
On Tuesday night, Ana arrived home tired. She had worked all day and only wanted to have a quiet dinner. Her mother was already in the kitchen, and her younger brother was watching TV in the living room. Everything seemed normal. Outside, it was raining a little, so the house felt quieter than usual.
While they were eating, Ana's cellphone rang several times. She looked at it, but she did not answer. She thought it was an unknown number. Then she saw a message from her aunt: “Call us when you can.” Ana became worried. She also saw another message that said her grandmother had left the doctor and that they wanted to talk with her about Sunday’s visit.
Her mother noticed her face and asked her, “What is wrong?” Ana explained that maybe her grandmother was ill. Her mother lowered her voice and said: “Call right now.” Ana dialed again and her aunt answered at once. It was not an emergency. They only wanted to let her know that her grandmother had arrived safely at her cousin's house. Also, her aunt asked for help because she could not find the car keys, and she thought Ana had seen them in the afternoon.
Ana breathed easier. But then her brother said that his grandmother had left her purse on the dining table when she left. Ana's mother remembered that there were important documents inside. “We have to look for it,” she said. Ana, her mother, and her brother searched the house calmly. They looked in the living room, in the kitchen, and even under the table. Her brother opened a drawer and said that he could not see anything.
After a few minutes, Ana found the purse behind a chair. Everyone laughed because it had been there from the beginning. Her mother smiled and said that, sometimes, the family gets scared over small things. Then they made coffee and kept talking. Her aunt called again to give thanks. Ana hung up and felt that the night had changed completely. Before, she wanted to be alone, but in the end she stayed talking with them until late.