Chapter 34

If everyone expected Luz’s parents to support her, not judge her, give her a hug and cry with happiness… it’s because they don’t know Miguel Méndez.

The slap to his daughter came from her mother, while the arm grab came from the father, before he started screaming like crazy.

– How are you pregnant?! Is that the example we have given you?! I didn’t educate just anyone!

– Tell me who the father is, Luz Méndez – says her mother through clenched teeth -. Because he’s going to have to take over, I’m not going to break my back working to support that bastard.

Faced with Luz’s silence, who feels her heart break again, her father takes her by both arms and swings her roughly.

“Speak, whose child is that?!!”

– I do not know.

That was it, “I don’t know”. In a neutral, simple and sincere tone. He doesn’t know.

Luz did not like lying and was convinced that not telling her parents what had happened was better than letting them know the truth, because they would order her to have an abortion. The Méndezes cannot have a single mother daughter, what a shame!

– She doesn’t know… the lady doesn’t know who made her that kid, right now I’m wondering if you were going to work as a pvta waitress!

Her father’s words didn’t make her move, cry or want to yell in their faces what happened to her. She only knew that she would protect that child with her life if necessary. Even from her own grandparents.

Her mother wanted to raise her hand to hit her again, but Luz let go of her father, stopped her, and told her firm.

– He doesn’t hit me again, because if you do, I won’t be the one with his dirty conscience afterwards.

-And you have the gall to speak of conscience – his father opens the door and indicates with his hand -. I had a dutiful, decent, dignified daughter, not some random one who has no idea who the father of her bastard is.

“And if you go, you don’t take anything with you,” his mother tells him. Everything you have here we gave you, look for the father of your spawn and let him support you.

– Perfect – is the simple response of Luz, who has ended up breaking down with the word “monster”.

She takes the phone out of her, has some things backed up, and sets it on the table in silence. I wish you all the best and hope you can sleep like babies for the nights you have left.

She goes out without bowing her head straight to Rafael’s car, her father follows her and yells at her.

-Is it him?!

-I wish it were him, at least he’s been better to me than the family! Family is the most important!! – Luz tells him mockingly -. Until you screw up!

She continues on her way and quickly gets into the car. Rafael, who realized the situation as soon as he saw her get angry, had already started the car, so as soon as Luz gets in, he gets out of there.

-What did they tell you? -she asks taking one of her hands-

– Basically… that I’m a bitch and that my son is a bastard spawn…

And the crying comes out like a hurricane coming to the city. Rafael pulls over to the side of the road and gets out to go get Luz. He gets her out of there and into her back, where he sits her on her lap and cradles her like she’s a baby.

– Although they don’t support you, I’m with you, I swear… I won’t leave you alone.

-But they are my parents! They are supposed to be programmed to love and support me…

– No, darling, because a very important part of them calls them to tell us what we should do, even when they see us as self-sufficient – he kisses Luz’s hair and she looks at him with a smile -. You better call your brother now.

SO CU -I don’t have a phone, they didn’t want me to leave the house with something they had bought for me.

– Bueno, al llegar a casa lo solucionaremos. Ahora, necesito que te calmes un poco, iremos a mi casa y alli veremos qué hacer.

El resto del trayecto se hizo en silencio, Rafael aparca en el subterráneo y en cuanto llegan al departamento, comienza a cocinar para Luz.

Ella le pidió ir a ducharse para sentirse limpia, ahora mismo Rafael está pensando en algo, que sería I o más lógico en su situación, pero no sabe cómo abordarla sin hacerla sentir presionada.

Mientras Luz siente que su mundo está por cimpleto destruido. Su hijo va a llegar a una incertidumbre.

– Pero te juro que estoy dispuesta a reconstruir todo este maldito mundo por ti… porque si ya perdí todo por ti, lo único que me queda es quedarme contigo.

Cierra los ojos bajo la ducha y deja que todo se vaya con el agua, se quita el parche que tapa el lugar donde le conectaron la vía y se limpia el cuerpo igual desde aquella noche, con fuerza, pero esta vez tiene especial cuidado con su vientre.

Sonríe antes de cerrar el grifo y sale de la ducha.

Se coloca una toalla en el cabello y otra para cubrir su cuerpo. Rafael le dio libertad de sacar lo que quisiera, pero como todo le queda grande, no sabe qué ponerse, así que opta por sacarle ropa interior limpia, un suéter enorme y se coloca sus jeans.

Se seca un poco el cabello con la toalla y sale de la habitación, siente un olor delicioso que le recuerda que tiene nada en el estómago. Rafael se queda viéndola con su suéter favorito y siente unas ganas de arrodillarse allí mismo y pedirle que sea su esposa, pero eso sin dudas la espantaría.

Le coloca un plato de fideos con crema en frente y ella cierra los ojos para olerlo.

-Es la primera vez en días que algo no me provoca náuseas.

-Entonces aprovecha y come, pero con calma, para que no te pongas enferma otra vez – ella asiente y se lleva el primer bocado, gimiendo por lo rico de la pasta -. Estaba pensando, tus contactos en el teléfono ¿estaban respaldados en el correo o en el chip?

-Correo – le dice ella con la boca llena y Rafael se siente tranquilo de verla comer bien –

-Entonces los sacaremos desde mi computadora. Llamarás a tu hermano y a tu jefe, ¿A Gerard? – a Rafael le dan unos celos tremendos que lo llame por su nombre, porque a él nunca lo quiso llamar por el suyo mientras trabajaron juntos – -Sí, está dispuesto a ayudarte y mientras más seamos, mejor para ti y ese bebé precioso. – No sabes cómo será – le dice riendo -. -Es tu hijo, no puede ser menos que bello.

Ella asiente, Rafael se sirve un poco de pasta y se sienta frente a Luz. Cuando la chica termina, él se pone de pie y va por su laptop, para que pueda comunicarse con su hermano y contarle la noticia. – Ten – le dice entregándole su teléfono -. Si quieres que me vaya, está bien. Si quieres apoyo, me quedo. -

Quédate. Mi hermano es diferente, pero si me rechaza, sería… – le tiembla el labio, cierra los ojos y suspira -. Aqui voy.

He dials the number and his brother’s deep, cheerful voice elicits a smile when he says.

-Hello ?

– Matías, it’s me… Luz. -Sister! Nice to hear from you, what can you tell me? – I have something to tell you, but you should sit down, because I don’t think you’re going to like it.