“Do you remember when Santiago refused to sleep alone, not even for a joke?” Leticia said, breaking the silence.
“Oh, please! I spent almost two weeks sleeping on the floor in his room,” Tomás replied with a tired smile.
“The same thing happened to me with Alma. She wouldn’t let anyone near her—not even the nurses!”
They sat quietly for a long moment. All the pain that once felt overwhelming now seemed like a distant memory, like a scrape that had already begun to heal.
“So… what happens next?” Leticia asked without looking at him.
“Well, we keep working like we are now. Listen to them, be there for them, don’t abandon them, and don’t disappoint them.”
“Do you think they’ll ever fully forgive me?”
Tomás paused before answering.
“Kids never forget things, but they learn to love you in a different way. If they see you’re consistent and you don’t give up, they’ll meet you halfway. And look at them… they’re already doing it.”
Leticia lowered her eyes and nodded. Then she changed the subject.
“I’m going to look for another job closer to home, something with a fixed schedule. I don’t want to depend on anyone anymore.”
“If you run into trouble, let me know and I’ll help. Not for you—but for them.”
“I know. And thank you. Really.”
Santiago walked over, his cheeks covered in chocolate.
“We’re all staying over tonight!”
“What do you mean all together?” Tomás asked, laughing.
“You, Mom, Alma, and me. Like before.”
Leticia and Tomás exchanged glances while Santiago continued.
“It’s going to be awesome.”
Tomás crouched down to his level.
“Tonight it’s your turn to sleep at my house, champ. But how about having a sleepover at Mom’s in a few days instead? What do you think?”
Santiago considered it for a moment before grinning.
“But with movies and popcorn!”
“You got it!” Leticia said.
Back in the car, Alma quickly fell asleep in her mother’s arms. Santiago sat quietly in the back seat, staring out the window. When they reached Tomás’s apartment, Leticia gently helped Alma out of the car and laid her on the sofa, covering her so she wouldn’t wake.
“Is it okay if I stay for a little while?” she asked.
“Of course.”
Tomás went into the kitchen and prepared two cups of tea. He handed one to Leticia, and they sat down together in silence.
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