“Actually, I am going to go back with my family tonight but I will be back in a week when I move permanently. Oct, you have my number right?”“Yes, I do father.”“You can call or text anytime. Day or night it doesn’t matter.”“Okay I will.”“I love you son.”“I love you too father.” They hug for a few seconds before Octavio breaks the hug. His grandparents pull him in for a hug as well as they rest of the family.Luis, Veronica, and Octavio all wave goodbye before they leave the restaurant. Octavio puts his arm around his mother and walks her out to the car.“Thank you mama.”“For what?”“For being you. For being stronger than any woman needs to be. For having me. For allowing me to meet and spend time with my father. For bringing me into your life now with my dad, Luis.”Veronica starts crying again and pulls him into a tight hug. Luis looks at him with a proud smile before he squeezes his shoulder in thanks.Luis opens the car door and they all get in headed back for the castle.Oct
On their way out of the room, they hear someone yell “Veronica” from down a hallway. They all stop in their steps and turn to face the man standing in the hallway.Luis and Octavio instinctively put her behind them.She pushes past them to see who is there to find none other than her father.“My daughter the whore.”Veronica glared at him but did not speak. Luis puts Octavio behind him and notices that Gavin and Hector are coming into the building noticing something is not right so they go around from the back.“I-I-I watched you die.”“No, you watched your bitch of a mother die. You never checked me.”“Why?”“Because I wanted to. I was bored with her. I built the empire for you to tear it down. I’m so disappointed in you. You really are the whore I thought you were. Now look at you. You are fucking some cartel boss and this kid.”“That kid is your grandson and the baby you took from me when you had me raped at 8 fucking years old.”“Oh good. You got my videos. And you can clearly hea
Veronica nods and takes the matches. She starts the book on fire and throws it at her father’s body.She watches in silence as her father screams in agony as he is burned alive in the barrel. She stays beside the barrel until there is nothing left of him.Luis and Octavio surround her in hugs and pull her into the house. “We’re so proud of you mama.” Octavio tells her as they make their way into the house.She hugs them both and kisses them before going into their bathroom to take a shower. She stands in there for over an hour before Luis comes in and wraps his arms around her bringing her out of her thoughts.“Thank you.” She says in a soft voice.“Always.” Is all he says.Luis shuts off the water and helps her dry off before taking her out to the pool deck for supper. They all eat in silence and Veronica goes to bed. It’s the first time in months that she has slept soundly through the night. She’s not sure if in the back of her mind she knew something else was going to happen or if
“Luis, she would love that I’m sure. Let’s focus on getting Veronica better and then we can talk about it.”Luis nods and sits on the edge of the bed looking at Veronica while holding her hand. “I can’t lose her. I would be completely lost. She’s my whole world man.”“You won’t lose her. I promise you that. You heard the doctor she was just dehydrated.”“Yeah I know it just made me realize that I could have lost her today and I wasn’t even there when she fell.”“Luis you can’t always be by her side. Shit happens no matter if you’re there or not but I promise you won’t lose her.”Luis starts to cry and rests his forehead on her hand. Vicente leans down onto Luis to comfort him.Veronica woke up as they were having their conversation but did not make any motion. When Luis started to break down she brought her hand to his head and started running her fingers through his hair. “My love, I am not going anywhere. I told you that you can’t get rid of me that easy.” She says with a smile on h
“Are you okay?”“Yes I am. Could you get me some water though?”Gavin jumps up and runs to the mini fridge to get her a bottle of water.“Thank you Gavin.”Trish comes running in and launches herself at Veronica and pulls her into a hug. “Babe you can’t be rough with her.” Vicente says pulling her off of Veronica.“You leave me alone.” Trish said in an annoyed tone.“What the hell were you thinking? I told you to slow down.”“You’re right you did. I need an assistant. Would consider the position?”“On one condition.”“Name it.”“You have to listen to me no matter what I tell you to do.”“Done but within reason.”“I’m only talking about your health.”“Fine deal. You name your salary and we will pay it.”“Baby. You can’t leave an open-ended money question like that.” Luis says as he comes back into the room in a worried tone. “Especially not when it involves Vicente.”Vicente flips off Luis before Trish scoffs and says “Well I will do it for free.”“No, you will not.” Veronica and Vicen
Luis tries to argue again but before he can Kathy, the server, comes back in with 3 more trays of food and snacks for everyone.“Now we can all eat.” Veronica says with a chuckle.The group all ate food and snacks all night watching movies. Veronica fell asleep snuggled into Luis’s chest and Octavio against her back.About 2 months later, Veronica and Luis were sitting in a meeting with a business investor and Veronica felt like she was going to get sick and rushed to the bathroom.Luis came following her into the bathroom to make sure she is okay.When she came out of the stall, she realized that she was feeling something weird in her stomach.“Luis, my stomach feels weird.” She said in a shaky voice as tears ran down her face.“Let’s go.” Luis scooped her up and rushed her out to the awaiting car.They rushed her to a nearby hospital to have the baby checked out.After an hour of being hooked up to fetal monitors, the doctor came in with a smile on his face.“Hello, mommy and daddy.
“Of course, you can, son.”Luis pulls him into a hug before he closes the door behind him.He leads him over to the bed and pulls the blankets back. They get Veronica situated in the middle rolled on her side facing Octavio and he snuggles up in her arms and then Luis snuggles up behind her holding her tight.As they snuggle up to her the babies move again.“Oct, do you feel that?”“Yeah. What is that?”“That’s the babies. They know you are there and are playing with you.” Luis says with a chuckle. They both put their hands on her belly to feel the movement.“It’s so weird and cool at the same time.” Oct says.“I know right. I wonder how it feels for your mom.”“Oh, I didn’t even think about that. That would be weird.”“Yeah that’s why we went to the hospital today. We didn’t know what it was and got worried. The doctor says it happens all the time with new parents.” Luis says with a chuckle.“That’s what set it off harder didn’t it?” Octavio asks.“You’re too smart for your own good.
“It’s too early Gavin.”“I know let’s go. I’ll call Jefe on the way.”Gavin scoops her up off the floor and walks back into the house. “JAVIER. DAMIEN.”They both come running in and see Gavin carrying Veronica to the front door. “La Jefa is in labor. We are taking her to the hospital now.”They both nod and Javier grabs her bag by the door before they get her settled into the awaiting car. The hospital is almost an hour away so they know they need to get going and get her there quickly.Gavin gets out his phone and calls Luis but he doesn’t answer. He calls him four times before he picks up.“Gavin. What do-?” He is cut off as Veronica screams in pain.“Get home now Jefe.”“On my way.”“Gavin, it’s too early. Please make sure they save the babies.”“Veronica, you and them are going to be fine. I promise. You are going to be a mama again.”She smiles but then screams again as another contraction hits her. She has tears running down her face and is squeezing Gavin’s hand as each contra