El vent fred de l'hivern bufava per les estretes carrers de Barcelona.

The cold winter wind blew through the narrow streets of Barcelona.

A l’interior de la torrefactora de cafè, en el cor de la ciutat, sonava una música alegre de Carnaval.

Inside the coffee roastery, in the heart of the city, cheerful Carnival music played.

Les màscares de colors i les serpentines brillaven sota la llum càlida de les làmpades.

Colorful masks and streamers shone under the warm light of the lamps.

Núria es movia amb agilitat entre els sacs de cafè i les tasses calentes.

Núria moved agilely between the sacks of coffee and the hot cups.

Núria treballava allí des de feia anys.

Núria had been working there for years.

Li encantava l’aroma del cafè recent torrat i les converses amb els clients fidels.

She loved the aroma of freshly roasted coffee and the conversations with loyal customers.

Però hi havia un client que la feia sentir papallones a l’estómac.

But there was one customer who gave her butterflies in her stomach.

Pere, el seu amic de tota la vida, entrava amb la seva habitual alegria.

Pere, her lifelong friend, entered with his usual cheerfulness.

—Ei, Núria! Com va el Carnaval? —va preguntar Pere mentre es sacudia la neu lleugera del seu abric.

"Hey, Núria! How's the Carnival going?" asked Pere as he shook the light snow off his coat.

—Va bé, Pere! I tu? T’has disfressat? —respongué Núria amb un somriure juganer.

"It's going well, Pere! And you? Have you put on a costume?" Núria replied with a playful smile.

Pere deixà escapar una rialla i s’assegué a la petita taula de fusta prop de la finestra.

Pere let out a laugh and sat at the small wooden table near the window.

Malgrat el seu somriure, Núria notà quelcom en els ulls de Pere.

Despite his smile, Núria noticed something in Pere's eyes.

Una ombra, una preocupació, que no havia vist abans.

A shadow, a worry, that she hadn't seen before.

Les seves sospites es confirmaren quan trobà una carta entre les seves llibretes que havia caigut a terra: era del banc.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she found a letter among the notebooks that had fallen to the ground: it was from the bank.

Pere tenia problemes econòmics.

Pere was having financial problems.

Conèixer el secret la deixà inquieta.

Knowing the secret left her uneasy.

Sabia que havia de fer alguna cosa, però no volia arriscar la seva amistat.

She knew she had to do something, but she didn't want to risk their friendship.

—Pere, et puc preguntar una cosa? —digué Núria mentre li servia una tassa de cafè.

"Pere, can I ask you something?" said Núria as she served him a cup of coffee.

—És clar, Núria. Què passa? —respongué Pere, prenent la tassa amb un somriure afectuós.

"Of course, Núria. What's up?" replied Pere, taking the cup with an affectionate smile.

—He trobat... alguna cosa. Sé que estàs passant per un moment difícil —va dir ella, amb la veu una mica tremolosa.

"I found... something. I know you're going through a hard time," she said, her voice a little shaky.

El somriure de Pere es va esvair lentament.

Pere's smile slowly faded.

La mirada oberta es tornà més tancada.

His open look turned more closed.

—Has trobat la carta, oi? —va preguntar ell, baixant la vista cap a la tassa.

"You found the letter, didn't you?" he asked, lowering his gaze to the cup.

Núria assentí, sentint el pes de les paraules entre ells.

Núria nodded, feeling the weight of the words between them.

Pere suspirà, i per un moment, el soroll alegre de la torrefactora semblà allunyar-se.

Pere sighed, and for a moment, the cheerful noise of the roastery seemed to fade away.

—Núria, no sabia com dir-t’ho.

"Núria, I didn't know how to tell you.

Ha estat difícil mantenir la feina i cuidar de casa meva —va admetre Pere, la veu plena de sinceritat.

It's been hard to keep the job and take care of my home," admitted Pere, his voice full of sincerity.

—Pots comptar amb mi, Pere.

"You can count on me, Pere.

Estic aquí per ajudar-te —va dir ella amb determinació, agafant la mà de Pere sobre la taula.

I'm here to help you," she said with determination, taking Pere's hand over the table.

Pere aixecà els ulls i va somriure amb agraïment.

Pere looked up and smiled with gratitude.

La preocupació als seus ulls minvà una mica.

The worry in his eyes eased a bit.

La sinceritat de Núria i la seva oferta d’ajuda li alleugeriren el cor.

Núria's sincerity and her offer of help lightened his heart.

El Carnaval continuava fora, el so de les rialles i els tambors omplint l’aire.

The Carnival continued outside, the sound of laughter and drums filling the air.

Dins aquell espai càlid, Núria i Pere es van adonar que l’amistat pot ser un refugi, un suport en els moments més difícils.

Inside that warm space, Núria and Pere realized that friendship can be a refuge, a support in the most difficult times.

I així, a mesura que el cafè es refredava, les seves paraules i la seva sinceritat encenien una nova força en la seva connexió.

And so, as the coffee cooled, their words and sincerity ignited a new strength in their connection.

Aquest hivern, a la torrefactora càlida de Barcelona, una amistat esdevingué més forta enmig dels colors del Carnaval.

This winter, in the warm roastery in Barcelona, a friendship became stronger amidst the colors of the Carnival.

I les paraules compartides, plenes de confiança, esdevingueren el millor regal d’aquella temporada.

And the words shared, full of trust, became the best gift of that season.