chapter 6

Dylan narrates.

Every second of my life I thought about her, to the point of thinking that they are obsessed with that young woman. I didn't understand, if my plan were to make her fall in love with my attitude, I was achieving it was to drive her away even more.

I left the clinic and went to the office, I thought about that night inviting her to dinner and having some kind of contemplation with her, I hoped she would respond to my invitation and not be ashamed to go out with a man in a wheelchair.

"Good morning, Lucy" I greeted my secretary as soon as I entered my office.

"Good morning, sir, you're late, Miss Amanda has been waiting for you in her office for a few hours.

“Amanda? And when did Amanda arrive? I asked amazed.

Amanda was my wife's sister; she lived in Mexico and had not visited us since Alicia had passed away.

"He arrived a couple of hours ago, he said he wanted to surprise him, and he is waiting for him in his office."

"Okay, thanks, Lucy" I walked with an arched brow, I didn't know if it was annoyed or astonished.

I entered my office, and the woman was waiting for me sitting at my desk. When I saw her heart stopped instantly, it was as if she was seeing my beloved and late wife.

"Dear brother-in-law, I have been waiting for you for hours" He got up from his chair and kissed me on the corner of my lips.

It was like remembering my Alicia for a few seconds, but after looking into her eyes, I realized that it wasn't her, and that I had to understand.

"It's a pleasure to have you with us, Amanda." I smiled fondly at her, swallowing hard so she wouldn't notice my nostalgia.

Although they were identical twins, Amanda had different colored eyes, one blue and one green, while my wife had both blue; besides that, Amanda's voice was shrill, and she had had her breasts done to the point of looking extravagant.

"I hope you don't mind my presence in your office, I thought I'd go straight here because I needed to surprise you," he said with a flirtatious smile, which I understood very well.

"No, it doesn't bother me, I like to look at you and remember Alicia a bit" I said nostalgically.

"Yes, my poor sister, three years have passed since her departure and I remember her as if it were yesterday" she replied, looking sincere.

"Well, can I offer you a coffee, a juice or something? I really would love to serve you properly, but I have a lot of work Amanda and I can only offer you something here in my office.

"Don't worry, but we can have dinner at night, you tell your driver to take me home, what do you think?" she asked as she caressed my back making me uncomfortable.

"Actually, today I thought about having dinner with my wife, I don't know if you would mind going with us."

“Wife, Dylan?! When did you get married? She “She perched in front of me and looked at me with surprise.

“It's been over a month, haven't you seen the magazines? My new marriage was in the news,” I told him with a smile, something that clearly made him uncomfortable.

Amanda had always been in love with me, to the point of insinuating herself in every way. When Alicia was alive, I did it in front of her, but my wife didn't flinch, she knew that I only had eyes for her, but now that she was dead, things could change a bit and that's why I decided to tell her that I was married, because I knew how insistent he was.

"No, I haven't seen the magazines, I've been doing advertising campaigns for some jewelry stores, and it has taken up all the time in the world" I saw disappointment in his eyes.

"I see. "I cleared my throat." Well baby, I really must keep working, but at night we can meet at home and have dinner, okay? I hope you become friends with Helen.

"Yes, I hope so, dear."

She kissed me and I called the driver to take her home. The hours in the office seemed endless, no matter how hard I tried to keep up with everything, there were a lot of papers to sign, I felt exhausted.

I called Gonzalo to talk a little while I went down the elevator to the garage, Camilo was waiting for me as always to go home. And by the time I got there I went up to the room and there was Helen crying. It was obvious this was not the time to ask her out to dinner.

"What do you have? Why are you crying?" I asked stroking her hair.

He turned around and looked at me with his big hazel eyes, those that drove me crazy with desire and madness.

"I haven't heard from my mother, and I want to see her."

"Why haven't you gone to see her? You are not my prisoner Helen, I do not want you to feel like one, she is your mother.”

"I thought you didn't want you to leave the house." I watched her wipe away her tears.

"Don't think things, when you want something just ask, okay?"

"Okay, thank you Lord."

"Don't tell me sir, I'm your husband, do you remember?"

She smiled tenderly and I really wished that I could kiss her again.

"Have you met my ex-sister-in-law?" I asked doubtfully, I knew how difficult Amanda could be.

"Yes, actually, I got scared when I saw her, I thought she was his late wife... I mean, because of the resemblance to the one in the painting in the room."

"Yes, they are identical" I confirmed. Today I arrived early because I wanted to invite you to dinner, I want us to have a good relationship.”

He looked at me tenderly and nodded.

"Okay, but I would prefer to go another day, today I feel a little unwell."

At that moment anger go crazy in my head. It was clear that she didn't want to go out with me, she was embarrassed to be seen with a paralytic and that was the truth.

"As you want" I said annoyed.

I asked Margarita to help me shower and get dressed and to tell Amanda that I was waiting for her to go out to dinner.

If she didn't want to have dinner with me, I wasn't going to beg her again, I had married her because I wanted her company, and she despised me to the point of feeling that she was disgusted.

"And your wife is not going with us?" she asked coming down the stairs.

I was waiting for her at the elevator door. When I was left in wheelchairs, I had ordered the mansion to be modified for my comfort and not to depend on other people.

"It doesn't feel good" I gritted my teeth angrily.

"I see. Well, it's better, that's how we talk alone” She caressed my cheek with her long hands.

That night I drank again, but this time with Amanda who didn't stop making me laugh and remember my Alicia.

It was ten at night when we got home, I could see Helen go into the kitchen for a glass of water. She didn't seem to mind seeing me with another woman and that bothered me, it bothered me a lot to the point of wanting to take her and kiss her by force.

I went into my office and took a photograph that I had of Alicia and Daniel, I knew that at some point I had to let them go, I had to let them rest in peace; but I started to cry remembering how happy my life was a few years ago.

The door to my office rang, I thought it was Amanda who wanted to disturb me again.

"Leave me alone please!" she yelled harshly.

"It's me, Helen, can I talk to you?" she asked herself tenderly.

I accommodated my face drying it with a handkerchief so that my tears would not be noticed.

"Go ahead" I said serenely. Although my voice sounded cracked. She opened the door and poked her face in. Immediately her beautiful hair peeked out and her small silhouette intoxicated my eyes "What's wrong?" I asked as if her presence tasted like shit to me, when just looking at her, I felt my body tremble.

"I can't sleep…"

I was surprised because I didn't expect his answer.

"Do you want me to sleep with you?" I asked nervously waiting for his answer.

"Yes, please" he mumbled biting his lip, causing my mouth to water and my skin to react in a way that I hadn't experienced for years.

My hands trembled and my heart raced. I never imagined that Helen would ask me to sleep with her.

So, seconds later I wheeled my wheelchair and followed her in silence. She helped me change back with a shaky hand and lay down next to me.

That night she was restless again, apparently, she had nightmares and I wanted to protect her even from her most serious dreams. I couldn't help but hug her carefully. I felt how.

He immediately fell asleep soundly and I... I did too because I was in his arms, those arms that gave me the calm and tranquility that I hadn't felt for a long time.