The 7-year-old boy in a wheelchair tried to hold back his tears while his stepmother humiliated him mercilessly. But before she could say anything worse, the maid appeared at the door and shouted, “Don’t do that.” The voice echoed throughout the room. The millionaire, who had just arrived, was paralyzed when he saw the scene.

For two years, the house in the mountains of Oca had been silent, not because of a lack of people or because no one was talking, but because everything there felt dull. The silence was not normal, it was uncomfortable, heavy, as if it floated in every corner.

Tomás, the owner of that huge house with high windows and a garden that looked like something out of a magazine, was no longer surprised when he woke up with that feeling of emptiness. His wife, Clara, had died in a car accident on a rainy night on her way home from a gift for her son’s fifth birthday for Leo. From that day on, not even the air moved the same.

Leo had been left in a wheelchair. The impact damaged his spine and he has not walked since. But that was not the worst of it. The worst thing was that he didn’t laugh once again, not even when they brought him a puppy, not even when they put a pool of balls in the living room, nothing, he just watched in silence, with that serious face and sad eyes.

He was 7 years old now and seemed to carry the whole world on his shoulders. Tomás did what he could. He had money, that had never been a problem. She could afford doctors, therapies, caregivers, toys, whatever, but she couldn’t buy her son what hurt him the most. To his mother. He was also broken, only he hid it better.

he got up early, went to work from his office at home and in the afternoon he went down to sit next to Leo in silence. Sometimes I read to him, other times they watched cartoons together, but it was all like they were stuck in a movie that no one wanted to see. Several nannies and maids had passed through the house, but none of them stayed. Some could not stand the sadness that was in the air.

Others simply did not know how to treat the child. One lasted three days and left crying. Another did not even return after the first week. Thomas did not blame them. He himself wanted to run away many times. One morning, while checking some emails in the dining room, he heard the doorbell ring. She was the new employee. He had asked Sandra, his assistant, to hire someone else, someone who was experienced, but who was also kind, not just efficient.

Sandra had told him that she had found a very hard-working woman, a single mother, calm, one of those who do not cause problems. Her name was Marina. When she entered, Tomás saw her out of the corner of his eye. She was wearing a simple blouse and jeans. He was not young, but he was not old either.

He had that kind of look that you can’t fake, warm, like I already knew you. She smiled at him a little nervously, and he waved back with a quick gesture. He was not there to socialize. He asked Armando, the butler, to explain everything. Then he continued working. Marina went straight to the kitchen.

He introduced himself to the other employees and began to do his work as if he already knew the house. He cleaned without making a sound, spoke softly and always with respect. No one understood how, but within a few days the atmosphere began to feel different. It wasn’t like everyone was suddenly happy, but something had changed. Maybe it was that she played low music while sweeping or that she always greeted everyone by name, or that she didn’t seem to feel sorry for Leo like the others. The first time she saw him was in the garden.

He was under the tree in his wheelchair staring at the ground. Marina came out with a tray of cookies that she had made herself and approached her without saying anything. He just sat down next to her, took out a cookie and offered it to her. Leo glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then looked down, didn’t say anything, but didn’t leave. Neither does Marina. That’s how he spent that first day, speechless, but with company.

The next, Marina returned to the same place, at the same time, with the same cookies. This time she sat closer. Leo didn’t accept them, but he asked her if she knew how to play one. Marina said yes, although she wasn’t that good. The next day they already had the cards on the garden table. They played only one round.

Leo didn’t laugh, but he didn’t get up when he lost. Tomás began to notice those small, but clear changes. Leo didn’t want to be alone all day anymore. He asked if Marina was going to come. Sometimes he followed her around the house with his eyes. One afternoon he even asked her to help him paint. Marina sat with him and passed him brushes without rushing him.

Leo hadn’t shown interest in anything for a long time. Leo’s room also changed. Marina hung drawings on the walls. She helped him arrange his favorite toys on a low shelf so he could reach him. She just taught him how to make a sandwich with his own hands. Simple things, but important.

Tomás felt grateful, but also confused. He didn’t know if it was a coincidence or if Marina really had something special. Sometimes he would stand at the door watching her talk to Leo, how she touched his shoulder, how she smiled at him. She was not a scandalous or flirtatious woman, she was quite the opposite, but she had a presence that could not be ignored.

One night, while they were having dinner, Tomás noticed that Leo kept talking to Marina about a video game. She listened to him attentively, although she clearly didn’t understand much about the subject. Tomás didn’t say anything, he just watched them. Leo asked Marina to have dinner with them the next day. She was surprised, but accepted with a smile. That night, for the first time in a long time, Tomás slept with a different feeling.

It wasn’t happiness yet, but it wasn’t sadness either. The next morning, Marina prepared chilaquiles very carefully. Leo helped her set the table. Tomás went downstairs and saw the two of them laughing about something he couldn’t hear. The boy had a sauce stain on his nose. Marina wiped it with a napkin and Leo didn’t complain. He didn’t even make that serious face he used to make. On the contrary, he seemed happy.

Tomás’ heart tightened. He wanted to thank Marina for that, but he didn’t know how. He didn’t say it. He just looked at her with a mixture of surprise and something else that he didn’t want to accept. Maybe it was admiration, maybe it was something else, but he didn’t think about it much. He was afraid of breaking what little they had recovered.

In the house in the mountains of goose there was still laughter, but there was something that had not been felt for a long time. Hope, although no one said so. Everyone knew that Marina’s presence had brought a light that no one expected. Leo did not walk again, but he began to look at the world from another chair, one that did not have wheels, but did have the desire to move forward.

The day began as usual, with birds singing outside and the distant noise of cleaning staff moving around the house. The house in the Goose Mountains was so big that you could spend the whole day without crossing paths with anyone. And that had been the case for a long time, but that morning something was different. Tom woke up before the alarm clock rang, not because of insomnia or the stress of work.

He woke up because he heard laughter, soft laughter, not the kind that bursts like laughter, but the kind that is like small bubbles. He got up, put on his dressing gown, and walked down the stairs in silence, not knowing exactly what he expected to find. When he reached the dining room, he was stopped in his tracks.

Leo was at the table with his head down, focused on putting together something with bits of fruit on his plate. In front of him, Marina watched him with her arms crossed and a smile that needed no words. She was wearing a yellow apron, her hair tied back and a flour stain on her cheek. They had not heard it coming.

Leo looked up and realized that his dad was watching them. For a second he seemed to hesitate as if he didn’t know whether he should continue laughing or remain silent. Thomas calmly approached and stroked her hair. “What are you doing, champion?” he asked without raising his voice much. “I’m making a happy face with the fruits,” Leo replied without looking at him.

Marina told her that if bananas can be used for a smile and strawberries are cheeks. Let’s see if it looks like you. Thomas smiled. It had been a long time since she had heard her son speak like that, with that naturalness, with that relaxed tone, she sat next to him and looked at the dish. It was a disaster, but a beautiful disaster. Marina went to the kitchen and came back with a dish for himself as well.

Eggs to taste, toast and coffee with cinnamon. He put it down in front of him without making much noise and then sat down on the other side of the table. Do you want sugar or is that okay?” he asked. That’s perfect. Thank you. Tomás took the coffee and looked at her for a few seconds. She didn’t avoid him, but she didn’t hold his gaze for long either. He concentrated on helping Leo arrange the blueberries as eyes. When he finished, the boy pushed the plate towards his dad.

Look, it’s your ugly face, right? Tomás pretended to be offended and Leo let out a short, but real laugh. Marina covered her mouth with her hand so as not to laugh out loud. It was the first time that the three of them shared a moment like that, without tension, without that silence that seemed to cover everything like an old blanket.

Marina offered Tomás more coffee. He accepted. As she served it, she asked him if he wanted her to make something special for dinner. I don’t know, something that Leo likes. Thomas looked at him and then looked back at her. I really have no idea. Since his mother died, he almost doesn’t want to try anything. He eats out of obligation.

He has no cravings. So, we have to change that,” Marina replied with a firmness that was not very noticeable in her tone, but it was in her eyes. “I’m going to make him something that will make him smile, he’ll see.” Thomas just nodded. I didn’t know why, but I believed him.

The morning continued with small things that would normally go unnoticed, but that in that house had a special weight. Marina put a napkin on Leo’s lap without asking him and he didn’t complain. He wiped her hands with a wet washcloth after eating. And he didn’t withdraw his hands as he used to do with other people. He even allowed himself to be put on antibacterial gel without protest.

Tomás watched them from the other side of the table without knowing very well what he was feeling. It wasn’t jealousy, it wasn’t sadness, it wasn’t relief, it was a strange mixture, as if he was watching his son go through something he couldn’t give him and at the same time he was grateful for it. Marina picked up the dishes carefully.

He made no noise when he moved them, as if he knew that in that house silence was more than a habit. When he went to the kitchen, Tomás was alone with Leo. Do you like him, Marina?, he asked. Leo nodded without speaking. Why? Tomás insisted. Because he doesn’t treat me like he’s going to break me. Thomas felt something inside him move.

He didn’t answer, he just ruffled her hair and got up. He went to his office to work, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. During the day he noticed it even more. Marina not only cleaned or cooked, she took the time to talk to Leo, to ask him simple things such as if he wanted hot or cold milk, if he preferred pencil or colored drawings, if he liked dogs more than cats. He did not do it with a plan, but with a naturalness that disarmed.

In the afternoon, while he was going downstairs to drink water, Tomás passed through the corridor and heard laughter from Leo’s room. He peeked out unseen. Marina was sitting on the floor with a large notebook on her legs. Leo was next to him drawing something with a lot of concentration.

She asked him what was so big in the middle of the drawing and he told her that it was a robot that could fly and walk, although he could do neither. Marina replied, “Then you control it from your chair. He is your legs and your wings.” Leo looked at her with a mixture of surprise and admiration. Tomás felt a lump in his throat and walked away without saying anything. That night dinner was different.

Marina prepared rice with chicken and a dessert that her grandmother taught her. Bread with milk and cinnamon sprinkled with sugar. Leo ate everything without protest. He even ordered more of the dessert. Tomás looked at him in surprise and Marina shrugged her shoulders as if it were no big deal, but it was, the three of them knew.

After dinner, Thomas was left alone in the living room with a glass of wine in his hand. Marina was washing the dishes and Leo was already in his room watching a movie. Tomás watched her from afar with the kitchen half dark, lit only by the lamp above it.

He wondered at what point this woman, who had only been at home for a few days, had achieved what he had not been able to in two years. He came over to thank her. He told him that he was surprised to see Leo so calm. She wiped her hands and looked at him straight ahead. I don’t know if it has anything to do with me. Maybe he was ready. Tomás shook his head. It’s not because of you. He doesn’t open up to just anyone.

Marina looked down in sorrow. Thank you, Don Tomás. And then with a smile, but don’t tell me like that, it makes me feel like I’m 70 years old. Thomas laughed unintentionally. Okay, Marina. Then you tell me, Thomas, without the gift. She nodded. Deal. They were silent for a few seconds. Then she continued washing the dishes and he went to his study.

That night, before going to sleep, Tomás stopped by Leo’s room. The child was already asleep. On the shelf was a new drawing, a giant robot with wings and in the center a small boy with a happy face handling it. Tomás took it carefully and stared at it. She didn’t say anything, she just sat next to her son, covered him with the blanket and turned off the light.

That morning the sky was cloudy, but it wasn’t cold. It was one of those rare days when the weather doesn’t decide if it wants to rain or just bother with the humid air. Leo was in his room looking out the window with the same face as always, the one that showed nothing, but said everything. Marina peeked out of the door with a small wooden box in her hands.

Can I come in? Leo nodded without saying anything. She walked in slowly and sat on the floor in front of him. The little box had board games, they were not new. You could tell that they were already in use, but they were well cared for. Marina had brought them from her home when her son was little. Now he lived with his father in another state.

Leo didn’t know anything about that. He only saw the colored cards and something moved in his eyes, like a small spark that he had not yet decided to learn. “This one is called Snakes and Ladders,” Marina told him. My son and I played when he was bored. Sometimes he would beat me by cheating, but he would let me because he made me laugh.

Leo looked at her half interested. Do you know how to play? Yes, at school we played it. Marina took out the board and put it on the low table. Leo walked over with his chair and took the dice without saying a word. Marina sat down on the other side. The silence was filled with the sound of the dice bouncing off the wood.

They played one game, then another. Leo was concentrating, but he didn’t show any emotion. He just did what he had to do: roll the dice, move his checker, wait for his turn. Marina didn’t pressure him, she didn’t encourage him, nor did she put that fake voice that some people used with him as if he were made of glass. I just played with him as if he were any child.

In the third game, Marina fell into a long snake that brought her down almost at the beginning of the board. He made an exaggerated face. he threw himself back and said, “It can’t be.” As if it were a Greek tragedy. Leo looked at her. He thought it was funny. The corners of his lips twitched. A little, a very little. Marina noticed it, but said nothing. The game continued.

In the next round, Leo fell on a ladder that took him straight to the 97th square. Marina made a surprised face. We’re going to see each other’s faces, huh? That was lucky to be a champion. Leo looked at her again, this time he looked down, but with a different expression, as if he was holding something back. “I’m going to beat you,” he said in a low voice.

“Well, let’s see if it’s true,” Marina replied with shining eyes. The game ended with Leo winning. He did not celebrate, he just stared at the board carefully. Marina gathered the chips while he looked out the window. After a while, Leo spoke without anyone asking, “Do you have kids?” Yes, one of them is called Darío, he is already grown, he lives with his father, but we talk every day. Why doesn’t he live with you? Marina was thoughtful.

Because sometimes adults don’t understand each other. And when that happens, you have to do the best you can with what you have to do. But I love him very much, even if I don’t see him every day. Leo nodded as if he understood more than he appeared. He was silent for a moment, then looked at her again. I miss my mom. Marina’s chest tightened, but she didn’t want to cry. He approached and put his hand on her arm.

Slowly, respectfully. Of course, my love. And it’s okay to miss her. Leo looked down. Marina said no more. He got up, picked up the box, and left the room, leaving him with his thoughts. That afternoon Tomás came home from work earlier than usual. I was in a bad mood over a meeting that had gone wrong.

he greeted the employees quickly, went up to his room, changed and went straight down to the study. As he passed through the hallway, he heard noises in the garden, leaned out of the window, and stopped. Leo was with Marina on the grass next to his wheelchair. Marina was sitting on the floor cross-legged and Leo was throwing a small ball at her.

Not a normal ball, it was one of those that bounce little, made of foam. Marina threw it carefully and Leo returned it to him with the same force. But what caught Tom’s attention was not the game, it was the expression on his son’s face. Leo was smiling. Not a discreet or forced smile.

He was smiling for real, his eyes open, his cheeks up, and his teeth poking out. He was laughing. You could hear his laughter. It sounded soft, breathy, but real. Thomas opened the garden gate carefully, without making a sound. He stood on the boat. Leo didn’t see it. He was still playing with Marina, who suddenly said something to him that he didn’t hear, but that made Leo burst into a louder laugh. Marina was laughing too.

The sun was sneaking through the clouds just at that moment and it seemed that the whole scene had its own light. Tomás did not know what to do. A knot formed in his chest, as if something hot had been put inside. She didn’t cry easily, but her eyes felt wet, not out of sadness, but out of surprise, out of emotion, out of relief. He entered the garden without saying a word. Leo saw it and stopped laughing immediately. He became serious.

Marina noticed it too and stood up. Dad. Tomás smiled. Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to see what they were doing. We played with the ball, Leo said. Marina is good, but sometimes she throws crooked, isn’t she?, Marina said laughing again. Thomas sat down on the stone bench nearby and looked at them. He didn’t say anything else, he just watched.

Marina threw the ball to Leo harder and Leo caught it as best he could. He returned it with an aim he had never shown before. Tomás saw his son’s smile again, the one he thought was lost forever, and he knew at that moment that something had changed. That night, at dinner, Leo spoke more than ever.

he told about the game, about the snake that almost made Marina lose, about the drawing of the robot that was already hanging on the wall and even about the bread with milk from the day before. Marina sat down to dinner with them at Leo’s request. Thomas just looked at them in silence, but with a peace he didn’t remember feeling in a long time.

Before going to sleep, Leo gave Marina a hug, not too strong, not too long, but enough to make her freeze for a second. He stroked her head and said, “Good night.” He climbed up alone in his electric chair. Slowly, without asking for help. Tomás stayed with Marina in the living room. They didn’t know what to say. He offered her tea. She accepted. They sat opposite each other with the hot cup in their hands.

“Thank you,” Tomás said without adornment. I don’t know how you did it, but today I saw my son smile. I didn’t do anything, I was just there. He really wanted to laugh. I just needed permission. Tomás nodded. They remained silent, but it was a silence different from those that do not bother, that do not weigh. A silence full of things that are not said, but felt.

And so, in the middle of a house that until recently was full of shadows, a small smile appeared, but it changed everything. Friday began as it does every day with Marina entering the kitchen before anyone else, turning on the lights without making a sound and preparing breakfast as if she had been doing it for years.

He already knew how Tomás liked eggs, how much sugar he drank in his coffee, and what fruit Leo preferred. That morning he played papaya with granola and a carrot juice that Leo didn’t love, but he still drank it without protest. The boy was sitting in his chair watching his favorite cartoon while moving a metal stroller between his legs.

Marina stroked his hair as he passed, without saying anything, as was customary. Tomás came down with an unironed shirt, something rare for him and his hair still damp. He looked tired, his face a little more wrinkled than usual. The week had been long, but that face also brought something more. Something that Marina noticed as soon as she saw him. Sadness mixed with nostalgia.

He slept badly, he asked as he poured him coffee. A little bit. A lot to think about. Tomás grimaced. Today would be Clara’s birthday,” he said quietly. He always liked to celebrate with a dinner at home. She invited her friends, made the food herself, put candles on it. It was quite a production. I was lazy, but the house was full of life.

Marina looked down, didn’t say anything, just left the coffee next to the plate of eggs and ham and went to wash the blender. No more needed to be said. Leo didn’t comment on anything. Maybe he hadn’t heard it or maybe he had, but he preferred to continue in his world, turning the tires of his chair carefully. The day passed quietly.

Marina cleaned the second floor, did laundry, helped Leo with a drawing, and made oatmeal cookies. Tomás had meetings, calls, documents to review, but he couldn’t get that memory out of his head. Clara dancing in the living room with a drink in her hand, laughing with her friends, putting flowers in her hair. That night the house was silent.

He was in the studio pretending to work when Leo peeked through the door. Dad, what happened, champion? Can we have dinner with Marina today? Tomás looked at him in surprise. He put the pen down on the desk. Are you hungry? A little bit, but I like it when the three of us have dinner. Tomás nodded without thinking much. Yes, of course, I’m going to tell you. He walked to the kitchen and found Marina finishing putting away the dishes.

She had already taken off her apron and looked ready to go up to her room. When he heard Tomás, he stopped. Hey, Marina, Leo wants the three of us to have dinner. She blinked today. Yes, it doesn’t have to be anything special, something simple, whatever. Marina thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. Give me 20 minutes.

Tomás returned to Leo, who had already taken his place at the table. He had put his favorite glass, one with dinosaur drawings and a napkin folded in the shape of an airplane. 22 minutes later, Marina entered the dining room with a pot of hot pasta, garlic bread and a salad that looked like something out of a restaurant. It wasn’t complicated at all, but it smelled of drowning.

He put everything on the table and sat down without much protocol. Leo already had the fork in his hand and was looking at the pot as if it were a treasure. Tomás served himself first, then Leo and Marina served himself last. They ate in silence for the first few minutes.

All you could hear was the sound of cutlery, the rustle of bread and the soft tapping of Leo’s fork against the plate. Then they began to talk little by little. Leo asked if they could watch a movie afterwards. Marina suggested an old adventure girl that her son liked when he was a kid. Tomás told an anecdote of when Clara burned a lasagna and the house was filled with smoke. They laughed.

Leo asked if his mother knew how to cook and Tomás said yes, but that sometimes horrible things came out of him. Marina laughed harder. After dessert, lemon jelly with pieces of fruit. Leo fell asleep in the living room watching the movie. Thomas carried him carefully and carried him to his room, where he lovingly accommodated him.

When he came downstairs, Marina was washing the dishes. “Let me help you,” Tomás said as he rolled up his sleeves. It is not necessary,” I insist. He stood next to him and took a rag. She handed him the dishes and he dried them. None of them spoke, but the silence was not uncomfortable. There was a gentle peace in the air.

When they finished, Marina dried her hands with a towel and leaned back for a moment at the bar. Tomás looked at her out of the corner of his eye. There was something about her that she couldn’t quite decipher. It wasn’t just the way she was with Leo, nor the way she moved around the house.

It was that calm she had even when she talked about her own story, when she mentioned her son or when she remained silent, as if she knew more about life than she said. “Thank you for preparing dinner,” Tomás said suddenly. “Today was a difficult day for me, I imagined it.” Clara would be happy to see Leo laugh again. Marina looked at him without answering, not coldly, but respectfully. “You’ve done your part, too.” I don’t think so.

I’ve just been surviving. Sometimes surviving is the only thing you can do. They stayed like that for a few seconds. Thomas felt that he wanted to say something else, but he did not know what. It was strange to feel that closeness with someone I knew either. But at the same time I no longer felt her as a stranger. It was as if he had always been there. Do you like pasta? Marina asked suddenly, breaking the moment. I loved it.

Well, because I overprepared and tomorrow it’s time to reheat,” they laughed. He said goodnight to her and went to his room with the feeling of having experienced something important, even if he didn’t know exactly what. That night, Marina stayed up for a while longer, reading a small book underlined in pencil.

In his room there was nothing but a bed, a bureau, a mirror and a box with his things. But when he closed his eyes he thought of Leo, of the smile he had let out when Tomás told about the lasagna and of how the house no longer felt so sad. He did not allow himself to think about Tomás. Not yet. Thomas, for his part, lay down on the bed with his arms behind his head. He looked at the ceiling without thinking about work, without thinking about the pending tasks.

He only had one image in his head. Marina laughing with Leo, the smell of pasta and the moment when she finally felt that for one night the house was not a sad place. On Sunday morning Tomás came down more dressed up than usual.

She didn’t wear her typical home clothes, nor the quick hairstyle with which she sometimes barely combed her hair. He was wearing a white shirt, well ironed, dark pants and polished shoes. Marina saw him from the kitchen and stood still for a second. It was not common to see him like this. on weekends. He greeted her with a quick gesture and poured himself some coffee.

Is breakfast offered?, Marina asked from the bar. No thanks. I’m going to go out. Marina didn’t ask any more, she just kept cutting fruit for Leo. Tomás looked at his watch several times until he finally heard the sound of a car approaching. He left without saying anything. From the living room window, Marina managed to see how she opened the car door for a woman who was getting out with a firm step, a wide smile and dark glasses, tall, thin, long hair, dark blonde with soft waves, tight jeans and a short blouse. You could tell she felt comfortable in her skin. Tomás kissed her on the cheek and offered her his arm. She

He took it with confidence, as if he had known him all his life. They entered together talking quietly, smiling. Marina turned away from the window and returned to the kitchen. He didn’t say anything, he just lowered the heat in the pot and stared at the flame for a few seconds. Then he took a deep breath and continued cooking. Tomás introduced the woman as Paola. She said she was a friend who came to visit. Marina nodded and offered him something to drink.

Paola accepted a mineral water, but she did not stop looking around curiously. He commented on how big the house was, how quiet, how clean it was. Each sentence had a tone of analysis, as if he were evaluating everything he saw. “And you must be, Marina,” he said with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. “Tomás told me a lot about you.

It says you’re an important part here.” Marina smiled sideways. “I only do what I have to do.” Well, it shows. How beautiful everything is. Tomás took Paola to the garden. She walked elegantly, as if she were always in a place where she had to show off. They sat in one of the pews and talked for nearly an hour.

Marina passed by a couple of times bringing a tray of juice or a plate of cookies, but she didn’t get into the conversation. Paola greeted her each time with a friendly but distant tone. After a while, Leo climbed down in his electric chair. Marina saw him appear at the entrance of the dining room and approached him with a smile. Are you coming for breakfast, champ? Yes. And my dad is in the garden. He has a visitor.

Leo frowned. Visit. A friend. Leo asked no more. Marina helped him to the table and served him his food. As he ate, he heard voices approaching. Tomás and Paola entered through the garden gate. She came laughing loudly as if she had just heard the best joke in the world. When he saw Leo, he lowered his voice a little. Hello,” he said enthusiastically.

“You must be, Leo. Nice to meet you, I’m Paola.” Leo looked at her without answering. “Aren’t you going to say hello?” “Hello, Leo said quietly.” “That’s it, I like your chair. It looks fast.” Tomás interrupted her. “Paola, do you want to have breakfast with us? Of course, if it’s not a nuisance.” Marina had already started to serve him a dish when Paola, with a smile, told him that she preferred to eat without bread and without dairy.

Marina nodded without saying anything and changed the plate without complaining. Tomás noticed it. I read too. During breakfast, Paola talked about her work in an art gallery, her travels, the parties she had recently gone to. Tomás listened to her attentively, laughed at her stories, asked questions. Paola spoke confidently, told anecdotes as if she were in an interview.

Leo didn’t say much. Marina watched everything in silence from the kitchen. After eating, Paola offered to take Leo to the garden. Tomás accepted without thinking. Marina came over to push the chair, but Paola stopped her with a smile. I can. Do not worry. Tomás nodded. Take it easy. Marina stayed in the kitchen pretending to be busy, but she couldn’t help but look out the window.

Paola pushed the chair carefully, talking all the time. Leo didn’t respond, just nodding his head or looking straight ahead. You could tell he wasn’t comfortable, but he wasn’t complaining. At night, when everyone had gone to their rooms, Marina went upstairs to leave a clean towel in Leo’s room. When she entered, she found him awake looking at the ceiling.

You’re not sleepy, Leo shook his head. Did you like Paola’s visit? Leo shrugged. I don’t like her,” he said without looking at her. Marina sat on the edge of the bed. Why? I do not know. He talks to me strangely, as if he were pretending. Marina didn’t say anything, she just stroked his forehead. Sometimes you have to give people a chance. Maybe she’s just nervous.

I don’t like the way he looks at me and laughs at everything. Marina let out a low laugh. You weren’t very nice at first, huh? Leo smiled barely. Then he got serious again. Do you think my dad likes me? Marina was silent for a few seconds. I don’t know, but the important thing is that you are well. Yes. Leo nodded.

Marina tucked him in, turned off the light and left without making a sound. As she walked down the stairs, Marina couldn’t help but think about the way Tomás had looked at her during dinner. It was not a romantic look, far from it, but it was not the same as always. There was something in her eyes that made her uneasy, as if she was looking for something, as if she didn’t know what to do with what she was feeling.

Paola returned to the house the next day, this time wearing a short dress, sandals and a branded bag. She arrived greeting everyone with kisses in the air and Tomás received her with a hug. Leo barely looked at her. Marina maintained the same attitude as always, although something in her chest tightened a little every time she heard her speak. As the days went by, Paola appeared more often.

Sometimes he brought desserts, other times movies. Leo didn’t come very close when she was around. Marina noticed how the boy began to close that little window that he had barely managed to open again. I didn’t draw so much anymore, I didn’t ask to play in the garden anymore. He spent more time alone in his room with his headphones on. One afternoon, while Marina was folding clothes in the laundromat, she heard footsteps behind her. It was Tomás.

Everything is fine? Yes, sir, Thomas. Yes, Thomas. He stood for a moment watching her fold a T-shirt. Thank you for keeping an eye on Leo. I’ve noticed that lately he’s been more serious again. It’s normal. Children feel everything, even what you don’t say. Tomás nodded.

Do you think it bothers him that he’s seeing someone? Marina was silent for a few seconds. I don’t think it bothers him, but I do think he is afraid. Fear that they will leave him aside again. Tomás lowered his gaze. He said nothing more. He left the laundry room without adding a word. That night, in Marina’s room, the silence was heavier than usual.

Not because someone was screaming, but because something inside her was starting to move, something she hadn’t asked for, that she wasn’t looking for, but that she couldn’t completely deny anymore. Paola began to go home more often. At first it was once a week, then twice and without anyone noticing, it was already there almost every day.

Marina noticed that she had a small box in the guest bathroom with creams and perfumes and a pair of sandals by the door. Tomás did not mention it, but it was evident that they were dating seriously. When Paola stayed late, Marina went up to her room faster than usual.

Although sometimes he could hear the laughter or soft music in the room, Leo also noticed it. Although he didn’t say much, his gestures were more serious, his answers shorter. He no longer asked to play or paint. he closed himself back in his world. One day, Marina found the drawings stored in a drawer crumpled. When she asked him why, he just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t feel like it anymore.

You don’t like how they’re looking on you, I don’t want to draw. Marina didn’t insist, she just sat next to him and stroked his back gently. Whenever you want, I’ll be here. Leo nodded, but didn’t look up. Paola, for her part, continued with her friendly tone in front of everyone. She brought sugar-free desserts, detox juices and bags with gifts for Tomás. He brought Leo a cap from a football team that he didn’t even like. He thanked her, but never put it on.

Thomas, however, seemed delighted. He liked her confidence, her energy, her way of speaking without hesitation. Paola moved around the house as if it were already hers. Sometimes I would go into the kitchen and open the fridge without asking. Marina saw her out of the corner of her eye while she was cooking.

Doesn’t it bother you that I come in here?” he asked her one afternoon while looking for a bottle of water. “It’s his home,” Marina replied while continuing to cut vegetables. Well, not yet. Marina said nothing. Thomas began to change as well. He looked more relaxed, he laughed more. He started going out in the afternoons with Paola, going to dinners, events, meetings.

He was late at times with a loose tie and the smell of expensive perfume. He thanked Marina all the time for taking care of Leo, for always having the house in order, for being reliable, but he didn’t spend as much time with his son as he used to. One night, while Leo was watching a movie, Paola approached him with a smile. What do you see? one of superheroes. Aren’t you bored of seeing the same thing all the time? Leo did not answer. You could try something different.

There are more interesting films. I like superhero ones. Sure, sure. She said, lowering her tone. I’m just saying that there are other things. But if that makes you happy. Marina, who was in the hallway, overheard the conversation from the shadows. He didn’t say anything, but he felt a strange emptiness in his stomach. The next day, Paola brought tickets for a light show.

He told Thomas that he wanted to take him and Leo to spend time as a family. Tomás gladly accepted. Marina prepared a backpack with water, wipes, a sweater for Leo and his medicine in case it was offered. He gave it to Paola before they left. Here’s everything you might need. The sweater is in the background. Perfect. Thank you, Marina, Paola replied smiling without looking at her at all. Three hours later they returned.

Leo didn’t say a word when he entered, he went straight to his room. Tomás went up a few minutes later. Marina picked up the backpack and noticed that the sweater was in the same place, intact, and the water bottle was still closed. There were crumbs of cookies at the bottom, but none of which Leo could eat.

Paola came downstairs after a while with her cell phone in her hand, talking loudly about dinner that night. Tomás followed her with a relaxed expression. And how did Leo do?, Marina asked as she put away the backpack. Good, good. He was silent, but he did not complain. Although he didn’t like it very much. Maybe he got bored. Tomás said nothing. Later, when Marina went to see Leo, she found him lying down with his eyes open staring at the ceiling. He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair. The show was ugly.

They didn’t let me see well. We were very far away. And you didn’t say anything? Paola told me to see if I would dare and left me with a lady while she and my dad went ahead. Marina was silent. Did your dad know? No. She told him that she was going for snacks. Marina caressed his hand, said nothing else, kissed him on the forehead and sat there for a few minutes, feeling how the boy’s sadness stuck to his skin. The days passed, Tomás seemed more and more in love.

He spoke of Paola with admiration, with enthusiasm. She began to give her opinion about the furniture in the house, about the paintings, about what could be improved. Sometimes he would talk to Tomás about investments, business, his plans. He liked that. He felt that he had recovered a part of himself that he had lost, as if with Paola he could once again be a man of the world, not just a grieving father. One afternoon, while Marina was watering the plants, she heard laughter in the living room.

Tomás and Paola were watching something on their cell phones. He touched her cheek with his fingers and she leaned down to kiss him. Marina looked away. Leo was in the garden beyond, drawing in silence. Only Marina went with him. What are you up to? A drawing. Can I see? Leo showed it to him. It was a robot in armor, but the background was black, all black. He’s fighting. He is alone.

Marina swallowed, crouched down in front of him and touched his arm. You’re not alone, Leo. Here I am. I will always be there. Leo nodded without looking at her. Then he continued drawing. That night, while Marina was cleaning the kitchen, Paola came in unannounced. Can I have some fruit? Of course. Paola opened the fridge and took out an apple. Then he stood for a few seconds looking around.

Hey, Marina, you and Tom have spent a lot of time together, right? Marina looked at her. Not as much as you. Paola smiled. I’m just saying that he appreciates you very much. He has told me several times. Thank you. But he has also told me that sometimes you worry too much about things, that you don’t know how to separate. Marina let go of the cloth in her hands and looked at her calmly. Separate what the personal from the work.

I just wanted to say it so that there would be no misunderstandings. Marina did not answer. He closed the drawer and continued washing without looking back. Paola left the room with the same smile as always, but with a different look, a look that said more than her words were trying to hide. Everything seemed perfect, but it wasn’t.

Leo didn’t like to smile forcefully. He did it little and only when it was really born to him. But lately, every time Paola was around, he felt that strange pressure in his chest, that uncomfortable thing that pushed him to put on a face he didn’t feel, smile unintentionally, pretend that everything was fine, even if it wasn’t. Marina noticed it more and more.

At first he thought it was his idea, that maybe the boy was just having hard days, but then he started to see the pattern. Every time Paola appeared, Leo became quiet, stiff, obedient to the point of discomfort and smiled, but in that way that hurts to look, because he has no joy at all. One Saturday morning, Paola arrived with a large gift bag.

She entered as if she already lived there, waved loudly, blew kisses in the air and left her bag on the sofa. Tomás received her with a kiss on the cheek and a “how beautiful you are today” that made Marina stop for a few seconds in the kitchen. He sounded different, like more dedicated. “I brought something for Leo,” Paola announced. “I want him to see if he likes it.” Thomas called his son. Leo slowly climbed down into his chair.

He had a sleepy face and a bit of distrust in his eyes. When he saw the bag, he frowned. For me, yes, of course. I got you some new games. I don’t know if you like them, but I thought of you. Leo reached into the bag and pulled out a couple of boxes. They were puzzles, the complicated ones, with many pieces, a castle, an old map.

Leo saw them one by one and then looked up at Paola. Thank you. Do you like them? Yes, Marina, from the kitchen she watched him. That yes had no soul, it was flat, automatic, and the smile that accompanied his words was as false as the cardboard that covered the puzzle boxes. Paola leaned over to stroke his head, but Leo moved back slightly. It was almost not noticed, but Marina saw it.

Paola noticed it too, although she didn’t say anything. He straightened up and gave Tom a forced smile. Maybe he needs time, he said, as if he were talking about an object and not a child. Okay, love. Give it a chance. It’s a little hard for him to trust, Tomás replied without looking at Leo.

Later, while Paola and Tomás were in the garden drinking coffee, Marina accompanied Leo in the living room. The boy had one of the puzzles on the table, but he didn’t touch it. Do you want me to help you? No, you didn’t like them. They are ugly. Why did you say yes? Leo lowered his head, because if I tell him I don’t like him, he gets angry and then my dad gets angry too. Marina felt a squeeze in her chest. She sat next to him without saying anything at first.

Then he stroked her arm gently. You have the right to say what you feel, Leo, even if adults get upset. My dad doesn’t listen to me anymore, he only listens to Paola. Marina closed her eyes for a few seconds. I do hear you. Leo looked at her and nodded. Just that same afternoon, Paola proposed to have a family meal in the garden. He said he had brought a recipe for veggie burgers that everyone was going to love.

Tomás followed the flow enthusiastically. Marina helped prepare the grill, cut vegetables, served the dishes. Paola took it upon herself to give orders, move things around, and comment aloud that perhaps the house needed another garden table. Leo ate in silence. I had a different burger with special bread because I couldn’t eat the same as the others. Paola asked her if she was good.

He answered with a weak yes and another smile that did not come from his heart. You don’t seem very convinced, Paola joked. “It’s delicious,” Leo repeated with his eyes downcast. Well, the important thing is that you give it a try. You’re grown up. You have to learn to enjoy new things. Tomás didn’t say anything, he just poured himself more lemonade. After eating, Paola proposed to take a photo.

He said he wanted one with his new family. Tomás laughed and told her that she was crazy. Marina stood still by the sink listening. “Come on, Leo. Smile,” Paola said, taking her cell phone. Leo pursed his lips. Paola leaned over next to him and hugged him by the shoulder. Tomás stood on the other side. One, two, three, click. Flash.

Leo looked down as soon as he finished the photo. Hold still. Let’s take another one, Paola insisted. “I don’t want to,” he replied almost in a whisper. Leo, I said I don’t want to. Leo’s tone was dry, but not shouting, just clear. Tomás raised his eyebrow in surprise. What’s the matter, son? I am tired. Paola straightened up annoyed.

He walked away a little pretending that he didn’t care. Thomas approached Leo. Don’t be rude, champ. It was just a photo. I don’t want to. I already said. Tomás took a deep breath. Marina entered the garden with a tray in her hands. Everything is fine. Yes, Leo said without looking at her. He’s a little sensitive today. Paola said with a tense smile. You know what children are like.

Marina did not respond, she just left the tray on the table. After that, Paola spent more time on her cell phone. She looked annoyed, although she tried to hide it. Tomás tried to make her laugh, but she was no longer in the mood. Leo went to his room in the afternoon and never came out again.

The next day, while Marina was preparing breakfast, Tomás came down more seriously than usual, poured himself coffee and stood by the window. What happened yesterday with Leo? What do you mean? Paola says he was rude. Marina wiped her hands with her apron and looked at him. Leo was not rude, he just did not want to take a photo. Thomas frowned. Sometimes I feel that Paola tries to get closer and he rejects her.

Sometimes, when you feel that something is not real, you prefer to walk away. Tomás looked at her confused, but said nothing more. Hours later, Paola returned to the house. This time she arrived more serious, with dark glasses and no makeup. He greeted quickly and went straight to Tomás’s room. Leo hid in the TV room and Marina went upstairs to put away clean clothes.

In the hallway he heard Paola talking to someone on the phone. Yes, I know, but I have to put up with it. Everything is going as planned. No, he doesn’t suspect anything. And the child, well, the child is a problem, but nothing that he can’t handle. Marina froze. I didn’t know whether to keep walking or go backwards. He didn’t listen anymore.

He turned and went downstairs with his heart pounding. Leo was on the couch drawing again. This time there was no black background, there was a tree. And under the tree, a child sitting alone, with a serious face. Do you want me to tell you a joke?, Marina asked him, sitting next to him. It’s good. Very bad.

Leo smiled a little bit. It goes, but only one. Marina smiled too. The smile was small, but it was not forced. On Sunday afternoon, the house was quiet. Outside, the sky looked gray and dense, as if it was going to rain at any moment. Inside, Tomás had gone out with Paola to a meal with some friends of hers and Marina stayed at home with Leo.

They took advantage of the calm to make a recipe for cookies that he liked, the chocolate chip ones, but with a touch of extra vanilla that only Marina knew how to measure. The boy was in a good mood all morning. he smiled several times and even dared to tell Marina a joke he had seen in a video.

They laughed together with that complicity that was already part of their day to day. Leo was happy because his dad had promised to come back early to see a movie at the three of them. He had told her, “This time I don’t miss it. Today I disconnect from everything. I promise.” But the hours passed. The sky got darker. The rain did not come, but the clock kept ticking.

Leo was looking at the garden gate impatiently. At 8 p.m. he approached Marina in a low voice. It’s not coming anymore, is it? He said he was going to be back early. Maybe he was late, but he is sure to come. Leo didn’t answer, he just went to the room without making a sound. Marina felt her chest tighten, but she didn’t stop it. Another 30 minutes passed.

Tomás did not appear. Marina was in the kitchen picking up the last of her dinner when she heard the front door burst open. It was Paola alone. He walked in quickly with his heels echoing on the floor and his face tense. Where is Leo? Marina looked at her surprised by the tone. In his room, I think.

Paola turned on her heel and walked straight for the stairs. Is something wrong? Yes. It happens that this child needs to learn to behave. Marina left the rag on the bar and followed her with her heart on alert. He went upstairs and managed to see how Paola opened the door of Leo’s room without knocking. Do you think it’s nice to make a fool of me? Paola blurted out as soon as she entered.

Who do you think you are? Leo was in her bed with the blanket up to his waist, looking at her without understanding. What are you talking about? Don’t play innocent. So you’re telling your dad that you don’t like spending time with me, that you’re uncomfortable. Leo opened his mouth to answer, but it was not enough. What do you think you are in charge of here? That your sad face is going to make everyone do what you want? Marina arrived at the door just as Paola raised her voice more.

You’re not going to ruin this for me, you know? You are not the center of the universe. You are a capricious and spoiled child. And I’m fed up. Hey, Marina’s voice sounded so loud that even Paola took a step back. What’s the matter? What do you think you’re doing? Paola looked at her angrily. I’m talking to him. Or you can’t No. Thus, not by yelling at him, not humiliating him. Don’t get involved. You’re not his mom and neither are you.

The silence that followed was thick. Leo was motionless in his bed. With his eyes wide open. Paola clenched her jaw. Marina stepped forward, standing between her and the boy. Put it down, you’re crossing a very serious line. You’re just the employee. Don’t get confused.

And you’re a woman who just yelled at a child in a wheelchair like he’s your enemy. That’s not called authority, it’s called cruelty. Paola’s eyes were burning. He swallowed hard and looked down for a second. Then he turned and left the room without saying another word. Marina stood there with her heart pounding in her ears. He turned to Leo, who was still with the same frozen expression. “Are you okay?” Leo didn’t answer.

His eyes were glazed over, but he wasn’t crying. Marina came over and sat down next to him. “It’s over.” “Yes.” Leo nodded slowly. “Why is it like this with me?” Marina didn’t know what to say to him, she just hugged him slowly, carefully. He let himself be hugged without moving. “I don’t want her here,” Leo muttered. “I don’t want it to be around. I know.

Minutes later, Tomás entered through the door of the house. You could see the tiredness in his eyes and his jacket wet from a few drops of rain that had finally fallen. He took off his shoes, left his keys on the console at the entrance and climbed up with a calm step. He found Paola in her room, sitting on the bed with a victim’s face. Everything is fine. Leo spoke ugly to me.

Thomas frowned. How? I went in to talk to him because I feel very uncomfortable. He has been avoiding me and tonight he completely ignored me. I asked him if he had a problem with me and he replied sarcastically. Sarcasm? Yes. He was rude. And Marina went to defend him as if I were a witch.

Thomas was silent, not knowing what to believe. He went down to the kitchen in search of answers. Marina was washing a couple of glasses. When he saw him enter, he turned around. What happened above? Marina stared at him. She yelled at him. He told her things that a child should never hear. He treated him as if he were a burden, as if he were worthless. Are you sure? I listened to her.

It was there. I went in because I couldn’t stay silent. Thomas ran a hand over his face. He was shaken. Leo is fine. He is scared, but he is calm. Tomás stood there without moving, processing. He said nothing more. She walked up the stairs slowly and went to her son’s room. He knocked on the door. Leo did not answer, but Tomás entered anyway.

She saw him on the bed looking at the wall. All right, champion. Leo didn’t turn around. What happened to Paola? Nothing. Thomas approached. Can you tell me the truth? Leo turned slowly. His eyes were tired. She hates me. Don’t say that, he yelled at me. He said he was ruining it, that he was capricious. Tomás swallowed hard.

He was silent for a few seconds. Why didn’t you tell me before? Because you love her and you don’t listen to me anymore. Tomás felt his chest being squeezed from the inside. She sat next to him, she didn’t hug him, she just stood there speechless. That night he did not sleep. He spent hours staring at the ceiling, listening to every sound in the house. He did not see Paola again until the next day.

She tried to get closer, to act as if nothing had happened, but Tomás did not react in the same way. It wasn’t a radical change, just something in the way he looked at her, colder, more distant. And while all that was happening, Marina was still in the kitchen preparing breakfast as she did every morning. But something in her hands was different, more firmness, more determination, because after what she had seen, she could no longer pretend that she did not know and she knew that this was just beginning. Monday dawned quieter than usual.

No one crossed paths in the kitchen before 9 o’clock. Not Tomás, not Paola, not even Leo, just Marina, as always, with her apron on and her hair up, moving between the coffee maker, the stove and the refrigerator. The silence was so heavy that not even the low music of the radio could lighten it. At 9:30, Tomás came down.

He looked sleepless. He wore a wrinkled shirt, his hair unarranged and his eyes far away. Marina served him coffee. Without saying a word, he thanked her in a low voice and sat down at the table as if his body was heavy. 5 minutes passed without speaking, then he was the first to break the silence. How did Leo wake up? Calm, he did not want to go down.

I raised his breakfast a while ago. Did he tell you anything more than last night? Marina shook her head. He just said he didn’t want to see her anymore. Tomás nodded without surprise. He stirred the coffee with the spoon several times. Although I no longer had sugar to dissolve, I don’t know what to do, he said suddenly. Paola says one thing, Leo says another. And I, what did you see? Marina interrupted. Tomás looked up, his eyes were crossed.

She did not speak with complaint or anger. I just wanted to know if he, too, had seen what everyone was already feeling. I saw Leo move further and further away, like when Clara just happened. So, there is not much to think about. Tomás remained silent. His brow was furrowed, as if something hurt. He grabbed the cup, took a sip, and stared out the window. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but inside the house everything was still gray.

An hour later, Paola downstairs. He was wearing designer pants, dark glasses, although they were indoors, and his cell phone was stuck to his ear. He entered the kitchen without looking at anyone, opened the refrigerator, took out a yogurt and came out again without even saying hello.

Marina didn’t say anything, neither did Tomás, but discomfort floated in the air like thick smoke. Later, while Marina was folding clothes in the laundromat, she overheard Paola talking in the guest room. The door was ajar. It wasn’t intentional, but he didn’t seem to care either. He was on speakerphone. Yes, obviously. It remains the same. Tomás is in a mess. The child is doing the impossible to separate us. But don’t worry, I’ve got the mode.

I’m going to make it look like the problem. A child with traumas and a nanny who thinks she is the mother. You leave it to me. Marina froze. He couldn’t move. His heart began to beat faster. He clutched the towel in his hands and forced himself to step back in silence. He couldn’t stay there any longer. He went straight up to Leo’s room.

The boy was putting together a puzzle, but with reluctance he saw him enter and smiled tiredly. Is something wrong with you, Leo? He shook his head. Sure? Paola stopped by. He didn’t say anything, but he looked at me ugly. Marina sat down next to him. Look, what happened last night wasn’t right, but your dad is thinking, he’s confused. That’s all.

He is going to choose her. Leo said without looking at her. Always choose someone else. Why do you say that? Because he never asks me how I feel. He only believes what others tell him. Marina was silent. I couldn’t contradict him. Leo was right. In the afternoon, Tomás went upstairs to talk to Leo. Marina was not there, but then the boy told her that the conversation was brief.

He asked me if I wanted Paola to leave. And what did you say to him? I said yes. And what did he say? That I was going to think about it. Marina closed her eyes. I felt a mixture of anger and sadness. What else did Thomas need to understand? Hours later, while preparing dinner, Paola entered the kitchen. This time he did say hello. Hello, Marina. What’s good today? Noodle, rice and chicken soup in sauce.

Not too basic. Leo likes it that way. Of course, everything for the prince. Marina stopped. Paola had said it jokingly, but the sarcasm was evident. Want something different to serve you? No, it’s okay. Anyway, at this point I don’t even know if I’m going to be invited to dinner. Marina did not answer.

Do you know what I think?, Paola added while pouring herself water, that sometimes people who seem good actually only get in where they shouldn’t. Marina looked at her, this time without hiding anything, and other times people who seem strong are just pretending that no one wants them. Paola pursed her lips, turned around and left the kitchen. That night Tomás dined alone.

Leo didn’t want to go down and Paola said she wasn’t hungry. Marina left the dish served as she did every day, but he barely touched it. Is everything okay?, she asked him as he picked it up. I do not know. I feel like a stranger in my own home. Maybe because something doesn’t fit. Tomás looked at her. Do you think I was wrong? I think that sometimes you want to feel good so much that you don’t realize what you are sacrificing to achieve it. And what are you sacrificing, Marina? Marina was silent. That question was not expected. Nothing,” he lied.

But Thomas looked at her as if he knew it wasn’t true. The next day, Sandra, Tomás’s assistant, called him from the office. He told her that they needed to sign some important documents. Tomás took advantage of the excuse to go out for a while. Paola took advantage of the fact that she was left alone at home with Marina and Leo.

It didn’t take long for him to start throwing hints, comments like, “Oh, how quiet the house is when certain adults don’t interfere.” Or, “I love it when kids understand their place.” Marina was biting her tongue, but everything changed when Leo went down to the theater and Paola asked him if he wanted to see a movie.

The boy, without hesitation, said no. Again with your rudeness. I don’t want to see her with you. Paola looked at him with half-closed eyes. Look, child, you’d better start cooperating. I’m going to be here a long time, so get used to it. Marina walked in just then. He heard everything. He couldn’t take it anymore. It’s over. Paola turned. What did you say? Enough is enough. I’m not going to let you talk to him like that again.

You have no authority to tell me what to do and you have no right to mistreat anyone, least of all a child who has been through so much. Leo didn’t move, he just looked at Marina with big eyes with hope. At that moment, the front door opened. Tomás entered with a folder in his hand and stopped when he saw the scene.

No one moved, no one spoke, but only one thing floated in the air. The uncomfortable, direct truth, impossible to ignore. The sun was beating down that afternoon. It was one of those days when the air feels thick and the heat seeps into every corner.

But still, the garden was full of life, the green trees, the freshly cut grass and a few butterflies fluttering among the plants. Leo insisted on going out for a while. I didn’t want to be locked up. I didn’t want to be around Paola. Marina put sunscreen on him, gave him his bottle of cold water and helped him down the small ramp that led to the garden. they settled under the shade of a tree.

She with a book in her hand and he with a sketchbook. They didn’t talk much, but they felt at ease. Do you bother if I move away for a little while?, Marina asked after a while. I have to check the rice. I promise I’ll be back in 5 minutes. No problem, Leo said without taking his eyes off his sheet. Anything screams. Leo nodded.

Marina got up, patted him on the shoulder, and went back to the house. walked quickly to the kitchen, not knowing that in the meantime, inside the house, Paola was going down the stairs with her cell phone in her hand and her brow furrowed. He had just fought with someone by text, you could tell. He entered the kitchen without saying hello. Marina barely saw her out of the corner of her eye. Where is the child? In the garden.

I was just with him. I only went up for a minute. I’m already down. Paola didn’t say anything, turned around and went out. Outside. Leo was still concentrating on his drawing. He heard footsteps and thought it was Marina. When he looked up and saw Paola approaching, he lowered his head. “Don’t you get tired of being alone?” she said, stopping beside him. Leo did not answer.

“You step aside by yourself. Then don’t cry because no one loves you.” Leo squeezed his pencil without looking at her. You have to start behaving like a normal child. Enough of so much drama. Leo put the pencil down on the notebook. Why do you hate me? Don’t be ridiculous. No one hates you, but you are a stone in the shoe. Always whining, always with your sad faces.

You’re grown up, aren’t you? Leo tried to turn his chair away, but the wheel got stuck in a root of the tree. Paola didn’t move to help him. See? You can’t even move around on your own without making a drama. Leo struggled with the wheel, annoyed. Paola, annoyed, took a step towards him and pushed him without strength.

But enough to unbalance the chair was a second, a single second, but it was enough. The chair fell on its side. Leo’s body hit the grass with a dry noise. The notebook flew a few inches. His head hit the ground, although not very hard. The scare was greater than the blow. “Oh, no,” Paola said, but she didn’t move. She stood nervously, staring at the boy on the ground.

“Leo,” Marina shouted from the house. He had seen everything from the door. He ran into the garden without thinking. In less than 3 seconds I was already kneeling next to him, touching his face, checking that he could move his arms, his hands, that there was no blood. “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” Leo trembled. His eyes were full of tears, but he wasn’t crying loudly, he just muttered.

It hurt a little, but it pushed me. Marina froze. What? Paola pushed me. Marina turned around furiously. Paola was still standing, nervous, with her hands in her hair. It was unintentional. He got stuck. I just wanted to help him. Help. Do you help him that way? I didn’t push him hard, just Paola stammered, but her voice sounded hollow. Marina did not answer. He carefully picked Leo up. He straightened the chair tightly. and sat him down again.

He adjusted his shirt, wiped the dirt from his face with a napkin that he took out of his pocket and hugged him. A firm, long hug, one of those that try to calm everything down. It’s over. I am here. Do not worry. I promise you this won’t happen again. Leo stood silently with his head resting on his shoulder. Tomás arrived 20 minutes later. Marina intercepted him at the door without giving him time to take off his jacket. We need to talk.

What happened? Leo had an accident. Thomas turned pale. Where is he? It’s already better. It was in the garden. He fell out of his chair. But that was not the most serious thing. Tomás looked at her confused. Then Paola pushed him. Not very loud, but he said it and I saw him on the ground. She didn’t help him. He did nothing. Tomás ran his hands over his face. I couldn’t believe it. She ran upstairs to see her son. Marina followed him from afar.

Leo was lying down. He had a cold gel bag on his head and the crumpled notebook on the bureau. Dad, are you okay? Yes, it hurts a little, but I’m fine now. Tell me the truth. Did he push you? Leo didn’t answer, he just lowered his gaze. I don’t want him to come anymore. Tomás stroked her hair.

Then he went down, seriously, straight to Paola’s room. She was already getting ready to leave. When she saw him enter, she crossed her arms. They already told you about the drama. It was not a drama. he fell. And you didn’t help him. He was moving on his own. The chair got stuck. I just. It doesn’t matter anymore. You can’t continue here. What? You heard, “You can’t go on here.” Paola looked at him as if she didn’t understand. Are you running me? Yes.

This is already beyond the limit. I don’t want you close to my son or me. Paola laughed in disbelief. Why? For that little girl you have working downstairs. He’s putting things in your head. Marina only tells the truth and so does Leo. Of course, both perfect, she shouted, losing her calm. You know what? You’re going to regret it.

Tomás did not answer, he just opened the door and pointed outside. Paola picked up her bag furiously, pushed the door hard, without looking back. In the living room, Marina hugged Leo, who had already come downstairs, wrapped him in a blanket and gave him a hot tea. Tomás watched them from the stairs.

For the first time in weeks, he saw clearly what was always in front of his eyes. Since the incident in the garden, the whole house seemed to breathe differently. Paola was no longer there. Tomás had pulled it out bluntly. Leo felt calmer and although he didn’t say much about the subject, everyone could see that he had let go of something that had been weighing him down for weeks.

However, for Marina things did not feel good. Not because of Paola or what happened, but because something inside her was beginning to break. It was not anger, it was tiredness, but not of body, but of soul. He had spent a lot of time keeping quiet, holding on, helping without expecting anything. And until now that everything was falling into place little by little, she felt that she was the only one who had no place.

It was as if the house belonged to everyone, except her. That morning, while making pancakes for Leo, Tom came down early. He felt more relaxed, more present. He helped him set the table, served the boy juice and even dared to joke a little. I don’t know how you do it, Marina. They taste better when you make them.

You just have to mix with love, she replied smiling. And you don’t sit with us. I prefer to wait. I don’t like to eat in a hurry. Tomás looked at her, but did not insist. After breakfast, Leo stayed watching cartoons and Tomás went out to the garden to take a call. Marina stayed behind to tidy up the kitchen. Every dish, every rag, every corner made her think about everything that had happened, about everything she had kept silent, about the times that Paola humiliated her surreptitiously, about the times she had to grit her teeth when she heard how she treated Leo, about how every day she pretended that she didn’t feel anything,

neither for Tomás, nor for the life that was beginning to be born there, in front of his eyes. I couldn’t take it anymore. He put away the dishes more tightly than necessary, dried the bar quickly, arranged the folded napkins as usual, but with his hands tense. She wasn’t angry at anyone, only herself, for staying silent for so long. Thomas entered through the garden gate and stared at him from the entrance.

Everything is fine? Yes, she said without looking at him. Safe? Yes. Thomas walked to the sink and leaned against the bar. Want to talk? And what good would it do? Thomas frowned. How? Marina finally turned around and looked him straight in the eye. I’ve been here since the beginning. I’ve seen everything. I have taken care of Leo as if he were my own.

I have endured insults, humiliations, ugly looks and words that I do not deserve. And I did all that because I care about that child and because I thought I mattered here too. Thomas was speechless. I didn’t expect that. I had never seen her like this. Marina didn’t scream, she didn’t cry. But his voice trembled, and that hurt more than any scream. You know what Paola told me. Do you know how he treated Leo? You saw it and still hesitated. You doubted me.

And that, that was the worst. Tomás stepped forward. I never doubted you, Marina. I doubted myself, my decisions, everything. Well, then do something, because I can no longer be the one who puts everything and keeps nothing. There was a dense silence of those that hurt. Do you want to leave? No, Marina replied lowering her gaze, but I don’t want to stay feeling invisible either. Tomás took a deep breath. You’re not invisible, Marina.

You’re the only real thing I have in this house. She looked at him in surprise, but before he could answer, Leo ran in, or as fast as he could move in his electric chair with a blade in his hand. Marina, look what I did. Marina crouched down at her height with tears that she didn’t want to show.

What is that? It’s a drawing of the three of us, you, my dad and me. Look, here you are with the apron, he with his cell phone and I with my chair, but we are all smiling. Marina hugged him tightly. Tomás looked at them and at that moment something inside him settled down, as if he finally saw clearly what he had in front of him, as if the bandage he didn’t know he had finally fallen off.

Later, Marina went upstairs to her room. I was exhausted. He sat on the edge of the bed with the sheet of the drawing still in his hand. It was simple, with clumsy strokes and poorly combined colors, but for her it was the most valuable thing in the world. They knocked on the door. It was Tomás. Can I come in? Yes. He walked in and stood at the entrance. You are right in everything you said. Marina looked down.

I didn’t say it so that you agree with me. I said it because I couldn’t carry it alone anymore. Tomás walked until he was in front of her. I don’t want you to feel alone. nor invisible. I want you to know that thanks to you Leo became a child again and I became a person again. Marina looked at him in silence. I’m broken too, Marina, but you’ve been the glue and I don’t know how to thank you for that.

She smiled, but sadly. You don’t have to thank me, you just have to be there. Tomás nodded. So here I stay. And he didn’t move. He sat down next to her without touching her, without saying anything else. He just stayed there. with her by her side and for the first time in a long time. Marina didn’t feel like she was alone. The calendar marked the 24th. It was Leo’s birthday, 8 years old.

Marina had written it down on a sheet of paper since the first month she arrived at the house. He didn’t need reminders, but he still wrote it as a silent promise that that day would not go unnoticed. Tomás, for his part, had been planning something special for several days. He wasn’t the type of man who threw parties, but this time he wanted to do things differently.

He wanted to make up for what he couldn’t do the last two years. Sandra, his assistant, helped him hire a company that put together simple decorations at home. He asked for balloons, a table with candy, a piñata, although Leo could not break it, he could see it. And pastel wanted something quiet, pretty. Leo had told her that he didn’t want children or strangers.

He just wanted to be with those who loved him. Everything was going well until Tomás made the mistake of inviting Paola. Not directly, not with words, but with a message that she did not let pass. a story that he uploaded to social networks with a balloon with the number eight.

Paola saw him, replied with a heart emoji and the next day, without warning, he arrived with a huge gift wrapped in gold paper and a red bow. Marina opened the door. “Hello,” Paola said as if nothing had happened. “Is Tomás there? It’s in the garden decorating. I come to congratulate the child. Can I come in?” Marina did not move.

For a second he thought about saying no, but Leo was in his room waiting for everything to be perfect and putting together a scene was not an option. Of course, he said without emotion. Paola walked in as if she had never left. He greeted the employees with a smile. She walked confidently to the garden and when Tomás saw her, the color of his face went away. What are you doing here? I came to see the birthday boy. Don’t worry, I’m not here to fight. Tomás swallowed hard.

He wanted to tell her to leave, but he already had her there with gifts, with a smile, with presence. He looked towards the house and there was Leo watching everything from the window. 5 minutes said Tomás. Whatever you say, she replied. The party was simple. Marina made star-shaped ham sandwiches, made natural strawberry water, put on cartoon music, and hung some garlands she had saved from the previous year.

Tomás was in charge of inflating and preparing a table with sweets. Leo came down with his favorite shirt, the blue one with stripes and his face lit up. It was the first time in a long time that he looked happy from an early age. Paola tried to approach with the gift. “Look, Leo, I brought you something amazing.” Leo looked at her. Then he looked at Marina and then at his father.

He didn’t say anything, just nodded and received the package without emotion. “You’re not going to open it later,” the boy said. Paola smiled tensely, took a few steps away and sat down in a corner of the garden. The party continued. They sang the mañanitas. Tomás put the birthday wreath on him and Leo blew out the candle with force. Everyone applauded even Paola.

After the cake, Tomás approached Marina. Thank you for all this. I know you did more than you had to. It’s not because of you, it’s because of him. I thank you anyway. Marina looked at him with a half-smile and unintentionally their eyes met.

It was not just any look, it was one of those that says more than one is willing to accept. In the distance, Paola watched them. The look on his face changed. He smiled, but his eyes were not with him. At the end of the afternoon, when everyone was putting things away, Tomás approached Paola. Thank you for coming, but it’s about time. Are you running me? No, I just think you’ve done your part. Paola got closer than necessary. And she, what? He has also already complied.

It’s not the same. Of course not. She has the child on her side. I only have what you gave me, which you are no longer giving me. Tomás did not answer, he just nodded towards the door. I’m going to tell you something, Tomás, Paola said in a low voice. Be careful with people who seem good, sometimes worse things are hidden than you. Tomás did not answer.

Paola left the house with her heels marking the floor hard. Marina watched her pass by from the kitchen. That night, Leo went upstairs with his drawing and stuck it on the door of his room. It was a party with a big sun and three people, him, Marina and his father. Paola was not there.

Did you like your birthday?, Marina asked him as she wrapped him up. Yes, he was the best. And the gift you didn’t open, Leo thought about it, can I donate it? Of course. Marina hugged him. He did it with strength, with love. One of those hugs that don’t need words. Below Tomás saw the photos of the day on his cell phone. In all of them Leo smiled. Paola did not appear in any of them.

After the birthday, the house fell silent again. Not that tense or uncomfortable silence that there was before, but a different one of rest, like when someone finally goes to bed after a hard day. Marina picked up the last balloons that had been stuck to the ceiling while Leo watched television with his feet covered by a blanket.

Tomás was in his office, but with the door open. As it had not happened for a long time. Now he was more present, more available. Marina went upstairs to bring Leo a glass of milk with cinnamon. The boy greeted her with a tired but happy smile. He drank it slowly while she sat next to him on the bed. Did you like how we decorated everything? Yes.

What I liked the most was the cartoon music, Leo said smiling. And the star-shaped sandwiches. That was your idea. Yes, yes. You drew it weeks ago. You said you wanted food that looked fun. Leo laughed softly. Ah, yes. I had forgotten. There was a moment of silence. Marina thought he was going to fall asleep, but then Leo spoke softly, almost like a secret.

Do you know I didn’t like it? What? That my dad let her in. Marina looked at him in silence. He told me that he was not going to come anymore, but she arrived and stayed for a while. And although he didn’t do anything, I felt that everything could get ugly again. Did you tell him? No, because I’m sure he tells me that it wasn’t that bad, that it was just a visit, don’t worry, he always says that. Marina sighed. Sometimes adults get confused, too.

They want to do the right thing, but they don’t always know how. Leo looked down. I don’t want him to ever come back. Are you sure? Yes. When she’s around, I feel like it doesn’t matter, like I can’t speak, like my chest is squeezed. Marina stroked his head. Soft. I’m going to be aware. Yes. I’m not going to let that happen again.

Are you going to stay? Yes, Leo. I’m going to stay. Even if my dad gets angry. He’s not angry, he’s just learning. Leo nodded. Slowly, he closed his eyes and fell asleep with the empty glass in his hands. Minutes later, Tomás went upstairs. Marina was still in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching as Leo took a deep breath. Thomas stopped at the door, watching them. Everything is fine? Yes.

Have you fallen asleep yet? Did he tell you something? Yes, she replied without moving. That he doesn’t want to see her anymore. Tomás lowered his gaze. He also said it to me, not so clearly, but I noticed it. And what are you going to do? I’m not going to invite her again. Are you sure? I’m sure.

Tomás walked slowly to the edge of the bed and sat down opposite Marina. They remained silent with Leo asleep between them, as if they were a family that did not know their name yet. “Sometimes I feel like a failure as a dad,” Tomás said suddenly. “I feel like I don’t know how to protect him. You do what you can, but you need to listen more.” “I know.

He doesn’t need you to save him, just to be there, to listen to him, to look at him.” Tomás nodded. “Thank you, Marina.” She did not answer, she just got up in silence, adjusted the boy’s blanket well and left the room. That night, in her room, Marina lay down with her eyes open.

I felt like something was about to change, but I didn’t know if that was good or bad. My heart felt restless, like when you know something is coming, but you can’t help it. The next day, at breakfast, Leo was quiet, but not sad. He played with his cereal, making circles with the spoon. Tomás came downstairs with his hair still damp and a wrinkled shirt. Marina smoothed it out with a quick hand pass. He smiled gratefully at her.

What if we do something this afternoon?, Tomás asked as he sat down. The choice is yours, Leo. Can I think so? Sure, but don’t take too long, I want to cancel everything to be with you. Leo looked up. It was strange for her father to talk like that. Marina noticed how the boy’s eyes lit up, even though he tried to hide it.

“We can see the movie about the robots, the second part. Done,” Tomás said with a thumbs up. The morning passed quietly. Marina washed clothes, tidied up the utility room, and made a pasta for lunch. Leo was drawing on the terrace and Tomás made some calls from the studio, but without locking himself up as much as before. After eating, the three of them sat down in the living room.

Tomás put on the film and Marina brought popcorn. Leo was in the middle with a blanket over his legs. Halfway through the film, he leaned toward his dad. Dad, what happened? I want to tell you something. Tell me. I don’t want you to look for Paola anymore. Tomás turned off the television. Marina stood still.

He wasn’t going to do it anymore, he replied. I promise. Even if you’re left alone. I’m not alone. I’m with you. Leo looked at Marina, then went back to his father and with Marina too. Tomás swallowed hard, felt a lump in his throat. Yes, also with Marina. Leo smiled, but this time it wasn’t a forced smile, it was real, one of those that are born slowly, but stay a long time. That night, while Marina was preparing tea, Tomás approached the kitchen counter.

Can I ask you something? Of course. Do you want to stay here? Marina looked at him. It depends on what. that you look at me in the face, not as the employee, not as the woman who takes care of your child, as what I am, a person who feels, who sometimes gets tired, who is giving more than she shows. Tomás stared at her.

And if I told you that I’m already doing it, then I’ll stay. Thomas smiled. Marina too. They didn’t need to say more. And upstairs, in his room, Leo drew again, this time in bright colors. He drew a house, a tree and three figures holding hands. It no longer hurt him so much to speak because what he said that afternoon was finally heard. It was Thursday afternoon.

The sky was half cloudy and you could feel that strange air when something is going to happen, although you still don’t know what. Tomás had left for an important meeting that he could not postpone. Marina was left in charge of everything as always. Leo was in the living room quietly watching his favorite cartoon. They had already eaten and the atmosphere felt peaceful.

Marina was picking up the dishes in the dining room when she heard the doorbell. He was not expecting anyone and Tomás had not mentioned visits either. He wiped his hands with the dish towel and went to open the door with a frown. And there was Paola, standing, with her arms crossed, her face serious and a small bag slung over her shoulder. She didn’t wear makeup or that usual heavy attitude.

You could tell he wasn’t coming to fake smiles. Hello,” he said in a dry voice. “What are you doing here? I came to talk to Tomás.” “It’s not there, I know, but I’m still going to pass, right?” Paola pushed the door a little lightly, but firmly. You’re not going to close the door on me. No, after all. You have nothing to do here, Paola. He was clear. I didn’t come to see him. I came to see you.

Marina froze for a second. Then he frowned. Me. Yes, because I got tired of pretending not to see what’s going on. I don’t understand. Of course you understand. You got involved, you took advantage of the pain, the empty house, the child, you played at being good, at being indispensable and you succeeded. You took me out of his life. Marina let go of the doorknob. I didn’t take you out.

You got out on your own with your way of being. Don’t come at me with soap opera speeches. You’re not as innocent as you seem. You got between Tomás and me from day one. I didn’t mess with anyone. You treated Leo as if he were a nuisance. You yelled at him, you pushed him, you humiliated him. That’s not my fault.

And what are you? A saint? A woman who takes care of children because she has a huge heart? No, you also have your story, your pain, your need to fill gaps. Yes, I have my story, like everyone else, but I didn’t come to this house to look for anything. I just wanted to work in peace and ended up loving them more than I imagined. How convenient, isn’t it? How human.

Paola looked at her with contained anger. He walked to the center of the room. Leo, who had heard voices, was already in the hallway, watching silently from his chair. “What are you doing here?” he said in a trembling voice. Paola looked at him surprised. “Don’t worry, I didn’t come for you. Then go.” Marina went to Leo and stood next to him like a shield. “You’ve heard, ‘You have nothing to do here. I’m going to leave,” Paola said.

But first I want you to listen to me well. For what? Because you think you won, but you don’t. You were left with a house full of memories, with a man who doesn’t know what he wants and with a child who sees you as salvation, but who one day will also turn his face away when you don’t give him what he needs. That’s what you think of him, that’s what I think of everyone.

No one stays where it is not convenient for them. Well, I stay, not because it suits me, I stay because I love them and because when you really want to, you don’t run away. Paola laughed heartlessly. We’ll see how long that lasts. Tomás arrived at that moment, opened the door without knowing what was happening and found the scene.

Marina standing firmly, Leo in her chair behind her and Paola in the center of the room with her eyes on fire. What’s going on here? Nothing. Paola said turning to him. I just came to say goodbye. I told you not to come back and you said a lot of things, but it doesn’t matter anymore, I’m leaving. I just came to see up close what you lost. Tomás did not answer. He looked at her with a mixture of disappointment and pity.

Paola, don’t say anything. I know, I understood. He approached the door and before leaving he took one last look at Marina. Good luck with your new role. It’s not easy to be the perfect woman. Someday you’re going to fail and I’ll be there to see it. He went outside and the door closed. The sound resounded through the house like an emotional slamming door.

Tomás took a deep breath, ran his hand over his face, looked at Leo, who was still not moving, then at Marina. Are you ok? Yes. What did he say? Nothing I didn’t already know. Thomas came over and touched Leo’s shoulder. Are you okay, son? Yes, sure. Dad. What? Don’t let it come back. He is not coming back.

Marina looked at him out of the corner of her eye and for the first time she saw in Tomás a security that she did not have before. I wasn’t hesitating, I wasn’t thinking about what to say, I was just there sure of what I was saying. Thank you, Leo said quietly. Marina stroked his hair and smiled at him. Then he went to the kitchen. I needed a glass of water. His hands were shaking a little. Thomas followed her. I shouldn’t have let him come close again. She didn’t say without looking at him. But you did. I did it.

And now there is no room for error. He can’t go through this again. I know. And what are you going to do now? Tomás remained silent. Then he moved closer. What I had to do from the beginning. To be with you, to listen, to take care of you and if you let me, to repair everything. Marina looked at him. He didn’t say yes, he didn’t say no, he just looked at him. And in his eyes for the first time there was no fear. There was truth.

The house fell silent after Paola’s departure. A dense silence, but not because of what was said, but because of what was not said. It was one of those moments when you don’t need to shout for everything to weigh. Tomás closed the door slowly, without looking back. He stood for a few seconds with his hand on the handle, as if waiting for something else, as if waiting for the air to clear on its own. It did not happen. He turned slowly and walked towards the living room.

Marina was gone. Neither do I read. The room continued with the cushions poorly arranged, the curtains open. the table with a half-drunk cup. Everything seemed normal, but it wasn’t. Nothing had been normal for a long time. Thomas sat down in the armchair and rested his elbows on his knees.

He rubbed his face with his hands and took a deep breath. Part of him felt he had done the right thing, but another felt it was too late. I didn’t know where to start. He climbed the stairs without haste, passed by Leo’s room and peeked out. He was asleep on his side, with a thin blanket on top. His little face was calm, but his brow was still slightly furrowed. Tomás entered slowly, approached and adjusted the blanket without making a sound.

She stared at him for a long moment, in silence, as if he were asking for forgiveness without words. Then he went to Marina’s room, knocked on the door once, twice. No one answered. He hesitated. He thought about insisting, he thought about not doing it. In the end he stood there, his hand suspended halfway. He didn’t play again, he went down.

He went to the kitchen. Marina was there with her back to her in silence, washing a spoon that was already clean. He didn’t say anything when he saw him. He leaned against the doorframe and stood like that watching her. “How long have you known this was going to happen?” he asked without raising his voice much. “What? That I was going to be wrong? What was he going to put the wrong person in? What was going to hurt Leo, I didn’t know.

I was just afraid it would happen. Tomás nodded. I look down. Marina put the spoon aside, wiped her hands with a rag and looked at him. You’re not alone in this, but you have to learn to be with yourself too. It’s hard for me. I know. And what about you? How are you? That question took her by surprise. No one had asked him that in a long time.

He crossed his arms, took a deep breath, and answered without thinking too much. Tired, but strong, Tomás took another step towards her. I want things to change. that the three of us are well. And you know how I want to learn. Marina did not answer. His eyes said many things, but his lips fell silent. He moved a little closer, not to touch her, just to make her feel him close. I failed you. We all failed.

Will you give me another chance? Marina looked down. He didn’t say yes. Nor did he say no. He only wiped his hands again, this time more vigorously. Then she walked to the door without looking at him. I have to make dinner. Tomás was left alone in the kitchen. He didn’t follow her, he didn’t insist, he just leaned on the bar and closed his eyes. Marina’s silence weighed.

Not because she blamed him, but because she said everything she didn’t want to repeat. That night dinner was different. Marina cooked as always, with dedication, without talking too much. Leo came down with a better face, ate calmly, asked a couple of questions, told a bad joke. Tomás laughed. Marina smiled. Can we watch a movie?, Leo asked when he finished.

Yes, of course, Tomás said, getting up from the table. But I want Marina to come too, she hesitated, looked at Tomás, then at Leo and finally nodded. The three of them sat down in the living room. I read in the center, with a blanket up to her chest, Marina on one side, Tomás on the other. They put on a silly comedy that the boy loved. They laughed at times.

Other times they just looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. But no one talked about what happened. When the movie ended, Leo fell asleep. Thomas carried him carefully and carried him up to his room. Marina saw them from below. Then she was left alone in the living room, picking up glasses and straightening the cushions.

Tomás went downstairs later, slowly, with slow steps, he found her cleaning a puddle of juice on the table. Leave it, I do. I’m already on it. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Marina stopped. He looked at him. It’s not that I want to do everything, it’s that if I don’t do it, no one does. Tomás felt that blow in his chest. I had no answer. It hurts me that you feel that, he said quietly.

It hurts me to feel it, but it’s the truth. I want to change it. Start by looking. To really see. There was another silence. This time different, as if they were saying goodbye to a way of living that no longer made sense. Tomás took a step back, not to leave, not to pressure. Good night

Mariná. Good night. He went to his room, closed the door, didn’t turn on the light, sat on the edge of the bed and stood there without moving. He didn’t cry, he didn’t speak, he just let the silence fill him, because sometimes there’s nothing more to say, just accept and learn to stay. The next day, the house dawned calm, but it was not a light or beautiful calm.

It was the kind you feel after a storm, when everything seems to be in place, but the ground is still wet and the air is still thick. Marina went down early as usual. He put the coffee, prepared oatmeal with banana for Leo and toast for Tomás. I didn’t feel like talking.

I just wanted the day to pass without any surprises, without unexpected visitors, without complaints or uncomfortable gestures. Tomás came down a while later. He was wearing the same clothes as the day before, his hair messy, dark circles under his eyes, he sat down without saying a word. Marina served him breakfast and walked away without looking at him. “Thank you,” he said after a few seconds. She just nodded. Leo did not take long to come down. He entered the kitchen handling his chair with ease.

He was wearing a shirt with a Martian print that Marina had given him. He was in a better mood. He waved, poured himself juice and sat down in front of his father. “Did you sleep well?” asked Tomás. Yes, I dreamed that I could fly like Superman. No, like a robot, but with wings. Thomas smiled. Marina too, although she did not turn around. After breakfast, everyone took their own course. Leo went to the room to draw.

Marina went to the laundry room. Tomás locked himself in his office. The day was progressing. And although it didn’t seem that anything was going to happen, the house was as if waiting, as if it knew that there was still a chapter to close. And that chapter came at noon. The door rang, three thuds.

Marina, who was in the hallway, went to open the door and there he was, a man in his thirties with a badly shaved beard, an old denim jacket and an ecru face. His eyes were red and his expression was crooked. “Paola lives here,” he asked without greeting. No, Marina said immediately. He doesn’t live here, but he used to come here. I brought it. I waited for her many times outside. Don’t do it.

Marina looked at him alertly. Who are you? His brother. Thomas appeared at that moment from the stairs. He listened to the last part and went down without haste. You are Thomas. Yes. Look at it. No wonder the crazy woman was so enthusiastic. This house is in a magazine. What do you need? The man scratched his neck. He looked restless. I just wanted you to know that Paola wasn’t as sincere as she said.

I don’t get along with her, but she asked me to borrow money a few months ago for some work stuff. Turns out, it wasn’t for that. It was to get in here. He said he was going to fix his future. Tomás clenched his jaw. And what do you want now? Nothing. Just tell you not to be fooled. that Paola was not here for love.

She, the man, laughed to himself, as if he felt sorry for others. She said that you were easy to handle, that you didn’t notice anything and that if she won the child, she had it done. But you see how that ended. Marina didn’t say anything, she just watched. And what do you gain by telling me all this? Nothing. Or yes, I don’t know, maybe some money for the ticket. I’m not going to lie to you.

Tomás took a couple of bills from his wallet and held them out. Thank you for telling the truth. Now go. The man took them, nodded his head, and left without looking back. Tomás closed the door and stood still with his eyes fixed on the floor. “Did you already know?” asked Marina in a low voice. He suspected it, “but now I know.

And does that leave you calmer? It doesn’t leave me ashamed anymore.” Marina said nothing more. He went back to the kitchen. Later, Tomás approached Leo, who was still drawing in the room. “Can you show me what you do? I’m drawing a robot with a shield. Why with a shield? Because he defends himself. Thomas looked at him in silence. Then he sat down next to her.

You feel that way, like you have to defend yourself. Leo stopped drawing. Sometimes yes. When no one listens to me. Tomás lowered his head. He felt smaller than ever. I want you to know that it is not going to happen again. I promise. Really? Yes. And not only because you tell me, but also because Marina opened my eyes. Leo smiled.

She always tells the truth. Even though it hurts, Tomás looked at him. In that simple phrase, there was more wisdom than in anything he had thought of in weeks. Hours later, Tomás went up to Marina’s room. He knocked on the door more decisively than the previous time. She opened the door. He was without an apron, with his hair loose and a tired expression. Can I come in? Yes.

He walked in and stood in the middle of the room. I didn’t know where to start. Paola’s brother came. I saw it. He confirmed everything for me. Marina looked at him without surprise. I imagined it. I feel like a fool. You’re not. You were just looking for something. We all do. Thomas sat on the edge of the bed. Marina leaned against the wall.

It hurts me to have put Leo in that situation, but you got him out in time. Because you opened my eyes. I was blind, trusting out of necessity, wanting not to see what was evident. And now that you saw it, what’s next? Tomás looked at her. to continue, but truly, not pretending, not filling gaps with the first thing that appears.

Marina moved a little closer, just enough for him to feel her presence. And do you know who you want to stick with? Yes, I am clear about it. Marina looked down. His fingers squeezed together. Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear, Thomas. I don’t tell you how I feel. And are you sure? I’ve been for a long time, I just hadn’t noticed. They looked at each other.

Not in a hurry, not urgently, calmly, with truth. And in that silence, this time there was no guilt, there was understanding. The afternoons had begun to feel cooler. The sky was no longer burning with that heavy sun from weeks ago. Now the wind was blowing in through the windows, and the house had a different rhythm, calmer, firmer. Thomas spent more time with Leo. They played, talked, laughed.

Marina was no longer just the one who prepared food or did laundry. It was really in every part of the day, even if no one said it. The three of them were becoming more than family, something that didn’t have a name yet, but felt real. Everything seemed to be on the right track until a call changed everything. It was noon.

Marina was in the garden hanging clothes. Leo was taking a short nap in his room. Tomás was in the kitchen organizing some papers. His cell phone rang. It was an unknown number. He hesitated for a second, but replied, “Well, Thomas, it’s me.” His voice was unmistakable. Paola. It sounded different, muffled, with a calmness that wasn’t his.

What do you want? I’m not going to bother you. I just want to see you one more time, Paola. Only once. Not to fight, not to come back. I need to talk to you, tell you something I never told you. Tomás was silent for a few seconds. His heart was pounding, but not from nostalgia. It was more like a gut feeling. Okay, but not here. No, I’ll tell you where. A café in the center. Tomorrow at 5. I’m going. And he hung up.

that night he didn’t say anything to Marina, not because he wanted to hide it from her, but because he didn’t know how to say it. He knew she trusted him, but he also knew that the wound was very fresh. The next day, he arrived at the café 15 minutes early. He sat down at a table by the window. The place was small, smelling of freshly baked bread. At 20 minutes, Paola came on.

She was wearing a gray sweater without makeup and her hair tied back. She didn’t look like the woman who had arrived with a red bow and a golden gift weeks ago. She sat down in front of him without greeting. Thanks for coming. I don’t know if it was a good idea. You decide in the end. Just listen. I’m not going to take up too much of your time. Thomas folded his arms and waited.

When we met, she began, I wasn’t looking for anything serious. You were an opportunity, a comfortable life, a good man. But I wasn’t well, I wasn’t complete. I had fights at home, with my family, with myself and I thought that if I stayed with you all that was going to be fixed. And it was not fixed. No, it got worse because I pretended. I pretended I liked Leo. I pretended that I liked that life. I pretended I might be part of something I didn’t understand.

Tomás lowered his gaze. And the worst thing, Paola continued, was that I began to blame others, you, your son, the house, Marina. She never did anything to you. No, it just showed me everything I wasn’t capable of being. And that hurt me. It made me angry to see how she connected with Leo in days, while I only caused distance. I felt replaced before I was real.

So why didn’t you leave sooner? Because I wanted to win like it was a game. I wanted you to choose me, for her to be left out, for Leo to see me as her family. But none of that happened. Tomás stared at her. And now what do you want? Nothing. I just wanted to tell you the truth because I know I messed it up. I don’t want you to forgive me or accept me.

I just want to close this chapter without any more lies. And your brother Paola laughed under his breath, always looking to take advantage. He lent me money thinking I was going to marry you. That’s how crooked everything is. And you told him so. Maybe, maybe not. It doesn’t matter anymore. I just wanted to live a story that wasn’t mine. Thomas sighed.

The silence between them was long. “I wish you well,” he finally said. “I also you and Leo and her, even if it costs me.” Paola got up, took a folded photo from her bag and left it on the table. “It’s my mom’s. She died recently. I never said it. I think that’s why I was so out of my mind, too.” Tomás took the photo.

It was an older woman, smiling, sitting on a park bench. I didn’t know. I didn’t tell anyone. I was embarrassed to say that it hurt. Why? Because no one expects you to feel things if you were always the one hurting. But it also hurts me. It hurts me to have lost it without telling her that I needed it.

Tomás did not answer, he just nodded his head. Goodbye, Thomas. Goodbye, Paola. She left the café without looking back. This time there was no drama. There were no threats, only a closure. A real one. Tomás stayed a few more minutes, paid the bill and walked slowly. The afternoon air hit her face as if it were a cleansing.

I felt a strange mixture of relief and sadness, but for the first time there was no confusion. That night, when he got home, he found Marina in the kitchen cutting carrots for dinner. Leo was in the dining room drawing a spaceship. “Where were you?” she asked without stopping snacking. “I went to see her.” Marina stopped. He looked at him. For what? To close what he had open. He told me the truth for the first time and I heard it too.

Feeling better? Yes. Not for her, for me, because there is nothing pending anymore. Marina looked at him for a second longer, then continued to cut the carrots. Thomas approached. And I want you to know that no matter what, this house, this place only makes sense with you here. Marina lowered the knife. He looked at him seriously. Don’t tell me that if you’re not ready to hold it. I’m ready. I finally am.

She didn’t smile, but she didn’t walk away either. And in the distance, Leo looked up and said loudly, “Done, I’ve finished my drawing.” They both turned and there it was. A house, a tree, three figures holding hands and this time one more in the distance with their hands in their pockets walking in another direction.

Paola’s truth no longer hurt, it was just that, a truth that had finally been told. The sun was pouring in through the dining room windows. It was Saturday. The house smelled of toast, freshly brewed coffee and that aroma that only appears when everything begins to fall into place. Marina prepared breakfast without haste.

Leo was already awake drawing in his notebook while moving his feet with rhythm, as if he had a song in his head. Tomás came down with wet hair, a shirt that had not been buttoned all the way and looked like he had slept well. Finally. Good morning, he said as he approached the kitchen. Good morning, Marina replied without stopping stirring the eggs. Can I help? Set the table. Tomás grabbed the plates and cutlery as if it had always been part of his routine.

He no longer felt like a stranger in his own home. Marina looked at him out of the corner of her eye, without saying anything. It was as if everything was on pause, but a beautiful pause, one of those that are appreciated. Are we going to leave today?, Leo asked without taking his page off. That depends, Tomás said. Do you feel like it? Yes, I want to go to the park. The one with the special swing. Marina looked up. The one who is crossing the boulevard. Yes, that one.

Tomás nodded. So let’s go. After breakfast they got ready. Marina wore a white blouse with jeans, Tomás a light pants and a light jacket. Leo was happy with his dinosaur cap and a small backpack with toys. The park was full, but quiet. There were children running, families with blankets, couples walking.

The special swing was free. Tomás helped Leo up. Marina sat on a nearby bench, looking at them with a smile that could not be erased. “Stronger, Dad!” shouted Leo while laughing. Hold on, don’t go flying. Leo’s laughter was heard like a bell in the middle of it all.

Marina got up and walked towards them. Tomás looked at her and it was her turn to push the swing. She did it with affection, calmly, as if each push was a caress. I’m happy, Leo said suddenly. Yes, Tomás asked. Yes, because we are together and because I am no longer afraid. Marina stood still. Tomás too. You used to be afraid, she asked.

Yes, but not anymore, because I know I’m not going to be left alone, right? Never, Tomás said. Never, Marina said. Leo smiled and continued to sway. After a while, they sat down under a tree to eat some sandwiches they had brought. Marina prepared lemonade in a thermos and Tomás cut some apples. It was simple, it was perfect. What if we do this every week?” asked Leo. Go to the park.

Yes, as a ritual. I like the idea, Marina said. Me too, Tomás added. The sun began to go down. The sky took on an orange hue and the breeze became cooler. They packed everything up and went home. When she arrived, Marina went up to her room. Tomás stayed in the room with Leo. They watched a movie, ate popcorn, and then the boy fell asleep on the couch. Thomas picked him up and carried him to bed.

When he returned, he found Marina on the balcony with a cup of tea. Can I accompany you? Of course. He sat down next to her. For a while no one spoke. Can I ask you something? Tomás said at last. Yes. You would stay with me, not out of habit, not because of the child, with you, you and me. Marina looked at him. That depends on what.

That what we are building is real, that you do not turn off what I feel when you are afraid to feel it too. Tomás nodded. It is not going to happen. Not again. Marina looked down, then looked at him again. So I stay. And at that moment, as if the universe wanted to add an unexpected detail, the bell rang. Thomas frowned. Are you waiting for someone? No. Under the stairs, Marina went behind. Leo slept upstairs oblivious to everything.

Tomás opened the door and in front of him was an unknown woman in her 40s with her hair tied in a long braid and a serious, but calm expression. Tomás Herrera. Yes. Who are you? My name is Silvia. I come from someone you knew many years ago. Who? He declares. Thomas’ heart stopped for a second. Clara was his wife, his dead wife.

How do you say? I’m your sister and I need to talk to you because I think there’s something you don’t know, something your child needs to know too. Marina approached confused. What’s going on? Tomás did not answer. Silvia took a letter from her purse. Clara left me this. He asked me to give it to him when it was time and I think it already is.

Tomás took it with trembling hands. He opened the envelope. The lyrics were clear, round, the kind that you don’t forget. If you’re reading this, it’s because enough time has passed for you to understand. I didn’t leave just because of the disease, I left with a truth stored. Our child is not only yours. There is another part of his story that needs to come to light. Tomás looked up.

His breath was cut off. Marina held him with her eyes. Silvia lowered her head. I’m not here to hurt. I’m here to let him know who he is. Really. And then everything changed.