Leticia’s eyes widened.
“Do you really want to?”
“Yes! If my dad lets me.”
“I’ll call him,” Leticia said, struggling to hold back tears of happiness.
Tomás answered right away.
“Everything alright?”
“Yes. Santiago keeps asking to stay over.”
There was a brief pause.
“Alma’s busy playing with her teddy bear. She’s very quiet.”
“Alright then. That’s fine. Just call me if anything happens.”
“Of course. Thanks.”
That night, Leticia tucked the children into bed, sang them a gentle lullaby, and remained seated on the floor beside their bed until they drifted off to sleep. Afterward, she switched off the light and went to sit quietly in the living room. She didn’t cry; she simply breathed slowly. For the first time in a long while, she felt that she was finally doing things the right way.
The following week, Tomás received an email from the court. Another hearing had been scheduled for the following month regarding shared custody. This time, however, it wasn’t meant to reprimand or warn them—it was simply to formalize everything legally and put it in writing.
At the next therapy session, the four of them—Tomás, Leticia, Santiago, and Alma—sat together in the same room. When the session ended, the therapist addressed them.
“It’s been five months since the incident. The children have made remarkable progress. Both parents have shown great commitment and have respected every agreement, and the relationship among all of you has improved in a very healthy way. Congratulations.”
Leticia looked toward Tomás, as though waiting for him to speak first.
“It was incredibly difficult, but it worked out. For them.”
“For them,” she repeated softly.
Santiago suddenly interrupted.
“So… can we be a family again?”
Tomás smiled warmly at him.
“We never stopped being one, champ. We just had to learn how to support each other better.”
Alma climbed onto Leticia’s chair and kissed her cheek.
“Don’t leave me now, Mom.”
Leticia wrapped her arms tightly around her.
“No, my little piece of heaven. This time I’m here to stay.”
The morning of the final hearing finally arrived. Tomás woke up before the children, prepared breakfast, and packed their school bags. Santiago came downstairs in his school uniform, still half asleep, followed by Alma dragging a blanket while holding her doll close.
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