Chapter 3 — Promise

Edan returned to his seat, not even he could explain himself what had just happened, he was surprised at his own action. He would never have approached a stranger to offer her anything, even if it was a small cup of coffee.

A minute later, Angelica, Edan's mother, arrived from the room of Erick, Edan's father. The doctor had allowed her to see him, since he had already woken up and asked to speak to his relatives.

Angelica swopped down on her son, making a simple request.

"Edan, your father wants to see you. Edan took a step toward the room, but Angelica stopped him. "Please don't go and tell him anything that might upset him, the doctor told me that he is in a very delicate state and has little time left.

Edan felt a shudder in his body, his mother's words hurt him as if he had been hit hard in the stomach. So, Edan hurried to his father's room.

“Dad! "She called out to him, as soon as she came in and saw him awake.

"Son, how are you?"

"How do you ask me that?" Worried, you better tell me, how do you feel? He walked over to the gurney.

"Don't worry, son. You don't have to worry about me, I've told you many times, everything that has a beginning, has an end. He murmured, Erick, serenely. While Edan swallowed thickly, trying to lessen the lump in his throat.

Although Edan was a cold and arrogant man, he had one weakness: his father.

Erick, Edan's father, had a very different personality from his son, he was a kind and forgiving man, however, that was not an obstacle for both of them to have a very diplomatic relationship.

Despite the hard work involved in building a major investment firm, Erick was always present in raising his children and had taught Edan everything he knew about business, making him a genius on the subject.

"Let's not talk about it, Dad, we need to be positive..." As soon as I can, I'm going to get you out of this... Place. "He wanted to call it a pigsty, but he held back because he knew it would upset his father. "And I'll take you to the best clinic..."

"That doesn't matter, son.

“Hey? How could it not?

"Listen to me, there's something I want to talk to you about..." Edan detailed it, serious, his father spoke slowly, in a thin voice, it seemed to hurt him, he seemed to suffer.

"Why don't you rest, Dad?" Better yet, we'll talk later.

"No, it's important. Erick insisted, trying to hold his son's hand. Edan gave his full attention. "Son, my wish, before I go..." It's that you feel headed, you're very good at your job, but you have to understand the importance of having a family...

"I have you and you are important to me..."

"From your own family..." Erick added, interrupting Edan. "I'd like... I wish I could have seen you married, as well as your brothers, but... Apparently, it won't be possible... And that's my only regret... Not being able to see my eldest son, married..." Erick paused for breath, he seemed to get tired when he spoke, Edan felt a pain in his throat, as he tried to hold back the tears. "But promise me..." Promise... That you'll find yourself a good girl, make her your girlfriend and get married.

"You—" he swallowed thickly. "I promise, Dad.

"Thank you, son. I'm so sorry I can't be here that day... On your wedding day... That will be, my only regret, but your promise, it makes me feel better..." Erick exhaled his breath, tired, closing his eyes slowly.

"No, Dad. Edan thought the worst. "If it's your wish, I'll do it..." Tears pooled in her eyes. "I'll do it right now.

"What do you say, son?" Erick opened his eyes again, turning dimly to Edan.

"Yes, Dad... You know I already have a girlfriend, don't you? Edan tried to cheer him up. "I'll bring her and we'll get married right here."

"You're not talking about Vivian, are you?" Erick frowned.

Edan had forgotten that detail, in his moment of anguish, he didn't think about it, his father, he didn't pass on his girlfriend. There was no time when Erick advised Edan about his relationship with Vivian, he believed that this woman brought out the worst in his son.

Edan swallowed thickly, trying to find an answer, since he couldn't upset his father.

"No, Dad, of course not. Didn't I tell you? Some time ago I started dating another girl.

“Ah! Very nice... I would have loved to meet her. He murmured with a soft smile.

"Of course, I'll bring it right away, and I promise you, I'll fulfill your wish."

Erick fell asleep with a satisfied expression, that relieved Edan, but now, what could he do? Why did he say all that?

The answer was very easy, Edan could not bear to see remorse and sadness in his father's expression, much less when he is dying, and it was worse, if that suffering was caused by him.

He had to find a way to keep his promise to his father, right now.

*

Alma saw the handsome man who had given her the coffee, sitting on a bench a little away and a mature woman who could be her mother, approached him, then saw how the subject ran into a room.

She felt bad, she felt guilty for having thrown away that coffee, apparently, that man was just another family member waiting for news of a patient and tried to be nice to her. The guilt took its toll on his stomach, or was it, Hunger?

A few hours had passed, it was night and Alma was very hungry, she didn't want to get up from where she was in case, they gave her any news about her mother, but her stomach was rumbling and she hadn't eaten anything all day.

Alma always took advantage of eating at the restaurant where she worked and it is not that she carried a lot of money on her, however, she would have to sacrifice a few cents, even if it was for a snack, because she had already been waiting for many hours and the hunger was getting worse.

Now he really regretted throwing away that coffee. Alma sighed tiredly, decided it was time to go get some snacks, so she went down to the hospital cafeteria.

When she arrived, she was surprised to see the attractive man who had given her the coffee a few hours earlier. He was sitting alone at one of the tables, staring blankly. He looked quite affected and she felt a certain pity for him.

Alma checked her pockets, checked the backpack she was carrying, she didn't have much money and she couldn't overspend, since she didn't know if she would need it for her mother or something they asked for at the hospital.

So, finally, he decided to consume something inexpensive, so he walked straight to the coffee vending machine, so he could return the favor as well.

With the little money he had, he bought two coffees and walked straight to the table where this handsome man was.

“Hello. Alma caught Edan's attention cautiously. He looked up but didn't answer. "Can I sit down?" She insisted, he shrugged.

Alma sat down across from him and brought him the coffee on the table.

“Thanks for the coffee. She murmured a little embarrassedly, blushing, now that she was detailing the subject, she was very impressed with how attractive he was. "I saw you when I walked into the cafeteria and thought maybe you needed one.

The young woman did not stop talking and although Edan was not very interested in what she said, he decided to receive the coffee to see if she would shut up and leave, because he needed to think, he had very little time and he had to find a quick solution to his problem.

“Thank you. Edan murmured, receiving the coffee.

“Nice to meet you. Alma stretched out her hand to him. "He called me Alma.

“Edan. He answered, a little reluctantly, because she hadn't finished leaving.

Alma kept talking about the hospital and other nonsense that Edan wasn't interested in.

He was focused on something else.

He had to fulfill his father's last wish before he passed away, he had to get married in front of him, to see him happy and satisfied for one last time, but he couldn't marry his girlfriend, so with whom?

She couldn't tell any of her friends because their parents knew them. And a friend of Vivian's? Impossible, knowing her, she would kill him before he could ask her to.

The only solution, it would have to be, a strange one, perhaps one of those women who charge for their services? Edan could pay him very well for this kind of work, he wouldn't even have to get married, but he would have to fake it, and he could make a contract that lasts a few days, while his father is alive.

That was a good idea, however, as he imagined the whole picture, Edan felt that it wouldn't work, meeting his mother, he would find out what kind of woman she was, in an instant.

Edan ran his hand over his head in frustration. Why didn't he get a solution? How is it that for work he came up with thousands of answers for each problem and not for this one?

Edan heard the distant murmur of a female voice that wouldn't stop talking and looked up. The young lady, who had shown up a few minutes ago and had just given him a coffee, was still there.

Then, a great idea came along.