Although it was difficult, I asked her to take a breather and let me speak. She didn't nod or say anything, but she remained silent, giving me the opportunity to speak. I told her that I didn't want to take advantage of her kindness and that when she turned around to leave me alone, I went to look for a job. It wasn't that complicated, nor was it easy, but it was thanks to a couple of angels who helped me, and no one knows that I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean I lose hope that they will give me the opportunity to continue, as I am efficient with my work. Moving on to the topic of Adal, I tell her that I'm not afraid of him finding me, that he has nothing to look for, as he made it clear what my baby and I mean in his life. Lucero takes a few steps, her gaze relaxes, and after taking a deep breath, she tells me that Adal doesn't want to sign the divorce papers and that she knows I'm here because his bank has informed him of the money I withdrew from the card he told me to cut. I
Oh, I didn't leave the hotel alone. Lucero made sure I got in a taxi and that this was going to be the last time I did the crazy thing of leaving her side. She didn't come with me because I told her I needed to say goodbye to the two women who opened their home and heart to me. I owe them the truth and to face them, I need to tell them that I have to leave, that I planned to stay here for a while, but after talking to Lucero's parents, there was no doubt in my mind that my path is to leave, prepare myself, and be someone for my baby. I don't want him to lack anything. I hope they understand that I have to seek improvement and stability, as if I stay, I run the risk of being fired and Adal showing up with a letter I wasn't expecting. Taking the baby away to hurt me, it all sounds so crazy, but as it could be true, it could also be a lie. What I can't do is sit still; I have to get off the unexpected path. "Thank you very much," I get out of the car, with no intention of paying. The h
+ Uuufff… I confessed and feel a huge relief in my heart. I joined her for the sleepover, and things ended up taking a different turn. I started with the reason I came to Spain, as I couldn't tell them from the moment I was born. She needs to process things a bit. They were surprised to hear from my own mouth that my husband left me for getting pregnant and that my friend Lucero is the one who has been helping me. I think as they processed all the information, they reacted and asked if I have a baby inside of me. They pointed to my flat belly, and I nodded at the same time as feeling a knot in my throat. I apologized for deceiving them, for hiding my pregnancy, and I excused myself for the need to get a job, for everything that was overwhelming me and getting out of my hands. It was clear that if they had found out about my pregnancy, I would never have gotten the job. We spent a couple of hours talking about how lucky I am to have them, that God has made sure that both of them had
"It's goodbye, I don't know when you'll leave," Dolores replied as she served herself coffee. "I waited for you to leave the room to apologize. Yesterday, I behaved like an immature and crazy person. I woke up without any explanation. But now that we're having breakfast together, I want to thank you for your intentions and those of Maria." "Dolores, remember what we were talking about. It's not that I'm interested in the money, but Gisela wants to do a good deed. She is aware of the persistent calls you receive from the bank and what they will take from you if you don't cancel as soon as possible. Please don't say that you will pay with the little you earn from that store." Those words hurt, especially Dolores' ego. She is desperate and doesn't want help. "Maria, can you tell me what they want to take from her? She doesn't want to be helped, and I understand that I am a complete stranger. That's why I came up with the great idea of giving you the money, and you can be the person who
"Why do you pour salt on the wound?" I asked with great intrigue, leaning forward under my leg to rest my arms on the desk. "It's impossible to stumble over the same stone again, but thank you for being the good Samaritan I've always hoped for." The tone of my sarcasm is through the roof. He's treating me like the man who hasn't broken a plate, while I attack every word that comes out of his mouth. "Why do you want a divorce?" Hey, who is this man! No, I can't contain myself any longer. He's mocking me and I won't allow it. Does he suffer from some illness? "You're an idiot, stop playing and tell me what you want," I spit out everything I feel, slapping the desk. "Last time, tell me what you want." "I'm still in trouble, I wanted to see you to..." "To see if you made a mistake or not. Too bad to disappoint you, but you can go back where you came from. No need to say another word, man of few words, good listener." I stand up from the chair. I have nothing to do here. I'm hurtin
+ The hours I've spent at the clinic have made exhaustion take over my life, but little by little, I've regained my voice. Gisela's parents have taken the liberty of paying for the clinic and taking me to a hotel I don't want to enter, but I can't be rude and reject all the good they have done. It's hard to process the idea that I have a baby inside me, one that feels what I feel, a baby that needs me to be strong and not fall apart when that damn jerk shows up in front of me. I don't want to see him, I don't want to allow him to humiliate me, I can't let him trample on me. Adal hurt me, and for many, it's a drama that I should forget, but those who think that have surely not been in my shoes. Heavens, that scene keeps playing in my head over and over again, sometimes I wish there was some remedy to forget it. Lucero is right in saying that this baby will always remind me of what his father did to me, but... I am not heartless enough to give it up for adoption or have an abortion
+ It's already dawn and from the brightness I can deduce that it's five in the morning and... I haven't slept at all! I've just been admiring the woman next to me, yes, the one who's using my arm as her soft and comfortable pillow. She's a feisty one, but since she'll be leaving in a couple of hours, I have no choice but to endure the discomfort for a little while longer. I spent two hours pleading with her to calm down, assuring her that she wasn't going to die just because she was traveling and that it would be better for us to set aside our sadness and enjoy the night. She wasn't very convinced, but eventually agreed because she says I'm the type of person who doesn't give up until I get what I want, and that's true because I want her to leave with the peace her heart needs. It's clear to me that she has to give something to get what she wants. My temporary job is to encourage her, which I do gladly, although I wish she would stay, it's better that she goes. I won't deny that t
"Adal, may I know why you haven't taken off that serious men's clothing? You have to wear appropriate clothing to enter the pool." I snap out of my thoughts at the sound of my grandmother's bustling voice. She continues trying to help me, wanting me to see reason and stay with the family to witness all that I am missing. "Grandma, don't ask for too much. This is what you can expect from me," I run my hand through my hair and she smiles. "But I don't see a problem with me dressing like this." "No, let's go to your room and while you're at it, lend some clothes to Alfonso. I don't want to see both of you looking like clowns, with your clothing out of place." "Mum, before you take the two little ones to the room, I want you to come with me because our friend Ana wants to come," and boom, my mother has saved me from my grandmother's clutches. "I'll wait here, Grandma," I say in a joking tone. "No, both of us need to go because I need you to choose the right swimsuit, and you can tal
+ Five months later... "My love, we will soon reach our destination and I want you to do something for me. I want you to put on this blindfold and not ask why," the car comes to a stop, my eyes open wide, and a crazy smile appears on my face. I was expecting something like this, but not so soon. I had no choice but to agree, so I grabbed the cloth and obediently covered my eyes like a little girl. Ha ha ha, suddenly it made me laugh. Why is my beloved not so mysterious or someone who can pretend? I can detect his nervousness from here and his desire to surprise me. "Okay, but I warn you that sometimes things don't go as planned." Aaaah, inside, I want to scream with joy. I am a happy woman who just wants to enjoy all the wonderful things her husband is giving her. After I put on the blindfold, Adal keeps driving. I'm nervous, lots of things are going through my head, and I don't know which one of them will come true. After a few minutes, Adal tells me that we have arrived at ou
+ This must be a headache! For the first time, I saw my son cry in pain. As I was leaving work, I received a call informing me that my son had been admitted to the hospital and was being attended to by a pediatrician. I demanded to know what was going on and if Gisela was aware. My mother, crying, responded, "She's asleep. We didn't want to worry her, especially after seeing that he couldn't walk." I didn't say a word about the issue when I asked for the address; I just knew I had to be with my son. Within minutes, I arrived at the clinic, my breathing rapid and my heart racing. Seeing my little one only made me more desperate, as my mother's statement about his fever was still true. My child was suffering, and they weren't doing anything about it. All we could do was wait. Eventually, I picked up my baby and left the place. They weren't attending to him as they should have been. My mother screamed after me as I left, but I couldn't take it anymore. I told her that my son wouldn't
+ADAL+ I am disappointed. Last night was an unforgettable moment. We even promised to try again, but when I woke up, she wasn't by my side. She had left. I panicked and tried to contact her, but I couldn't find my phone anywhere. I remember locking myself in the shower for half an hour, thinking about what to do, or what was going through Gisela's mind. She had given me the opportunity I had been waiting for, and now my fear is that she will regret it. I decided to get out of the shower, get ready, and leave my room. I had to get out of those four walls before I went crazy. Part of me knew I had to find her and seize the opportunity I had been given. Just as I was about to leave the house, I ran into my mother. She told me that my phone had been taken by the person I was desperately trying to reach, and if I intended to find her, I should call my number or look for Lucero, the person who had been helping me without any commitment. My mother said, "run," and I flew. It wasn't long b
"No, I hope I didn't interrupt your sleep," my words are sincere, but his reaction is nothing - no emotion on his face, he's furious. Years may have passed, but I remember perfectly when his serious face means he's ready to kill, not to think. "I'll just have this little coffee, and then I'll leave, I have a few things to do at home." "I think we should talk first before you go," he says after sitting next to me. "Since it seems you're having trouble remembering, I want to tell you that I didn't like that you drank and let yourself get careless. Do you know what would have happened if I hadn't arrived on time?" I gulp, panic takes over me, I don't know what to say, and I have no arguments to refuse. Where were the girls? I'm sure he's lying, he just wants to scare me into submission. No, he's wrong if he thinks I'll reward him. "To be honest, I don't remember anything, and if we're going to talk about what happened yesterday, it's better if Lucero and Dolores are present. They kno
+ "Wait for me, don't go alone," I hear Dolores shout behind me. She wants to dance with me, and I hope the waiter doesn't bring the margaritas right now. God, I need those margaritas! "Baby, don't leave me alone," and boom, Lucero joins us. This is good because now we're really enjoying the night. We're the three friends, not rivals that everyone expects. Never ever forget this moment. Lucero and Dolores are two important pieces for my heart and mind. "Please wait for me here, I'll be quick in the restroom, you know, so the others can get in," I leave them there. I want to dance with them, but my bladder is the most important thing right now. I walked down a narrow hallway and reached the restroom, which was so bright that a pulse of pain shot from my eyes to the back of my head. When I arrived at the stall, I fixed my hair and shouted to the sky because it's empty and all the stalls are available for me. Ha, how funny, I just need one. After a couple of minutes of relieving my
"Hey, you're not supposed to drink it like that," shouted Lucero, trying to snatch the margarita glass from me. As she made the attempt, I tilted the glass further, taking advantage of its chilliness. "You have no remedy, dude. Please bring three margaritas. She needs more than two. Oops, sorry. She's already on her second one, and it's all because she wants to act tough and drink vodka when she can't handle it." "Lucero!" I complained, finishing the last drop of margarita, and placing the glass aside to pick up the next one. "You're right. I'm not a drinker, and if you know me well, you know my throat is burning." And I went for the second margarita, I'm sorry for Dolores, but my throat is on fire. No! This can't be happening. My tongue is... "You're already lost, woman. Nobody understands what you were talking about." That's it. I'm already feeling dizzy, but it's all because I took the two margarita glasses from Lucero. I thought things would be different this time, that becaus
+ The night bears witness to our madness, and it wasn't long before Lucero showed up. The three of us decided to leave the house together, of course, only if the babysitter stays with my baby. And since Lucero is one of those who swears that everything will be fine, Dolores and I came to accompany her to the first bar we found, not those shady ones as Lucero would say. She has that touch of superiority, which is normal, that's how she was raised. For me, it's the third time I've been to this kind of place, and I think it will be the first time I take any drink with alcohol. At this moment, each of us will share our story; what troubles and saddens us. We've come here to drown our sorrows. The music in the bar is completely soft, not the kind where you have to shout to be heard. The club has low lighting, deafening and full of contorted bodies: on the dance floor, in the hallways, against the bar. A DJ mixed music on a small stage, and posters plastered all over the front promised t
+ In the end, Adal got his way. The spoiled son of his father took us home because he said I was nervous and not in condition to drive. At first, I objected, but Dolores jumped on board to become friends with Adal. After Adal realized there was nothing he could do, he blackmailed me with the words, "Our son is waiting for you at home." He was being sly, as he brought my baby into our fight. I don't want him involved in my life anymore. I don't need him. Now that I'm home, I bite my tongue with the intention of staying quiet. I watch as my son plays with that man, because Gerald ate all the dinner the nanny prepared. Dolores approaches me and tells me I need to change my attitude. Whatever that man did in the past, it's better to leave it behind because time keeps moving forward, it doesn't stop or go back. Now she's becoming Adal's savior and defender. No, that man doesn't need anyone to intervene, he can defend himself just fine. "Mrs. Gisela, the child needs to shower, but..."
"No, I need them to leave," I replied angrily, "understand for once that I need to be alone." "Damn..." he muttered, and I felt like opening the door, "I don't know what happened to make you shut yourself in, but let me tell you one thing, woman, if you don't come out now, we're not leaving and neither are the employees because it's not fair for you to stay and for them to go to sleep." That man is insane, I had no choice but to open the door. I stumbled and half said that both of them were insane. "Hey, what happened to you?" Dolores comes to me with open arms, "why didn't you call me?" I stopped, a lump formed in my throat, and I burst into tears as I felt her arms around me. Between sobs, I told her that I was to blame for other people making bad decisions. "No, that's not true. We are all responsible for our actions, and you didn't put a knife to that person's throat to make them mess up, like we do with butter on bread." I didn't do it with a knife, but in a way, I pushed h