The kids cheered excitedly.
Later, Tomás drove the children to school while Leticia sat in the passenger seat.
“I need to tell you something,” she said while looking out the window.
“Go ahead.”
“The psychologist said I can start planning outings alone with the kids now. Picking them up, taking them to the park… without supervision.”
“That’s great!”
“Yes… but honestly, I’m scared. Not because of them—because of me. I’m afraid I’ll mess up again.”
Tomás slowed the car at a stop sign.
“We’ll probably always be a little scared, Leticia. The difference now is that you know how to ask for help. You’re not doing this alone anymore.”
“I just don’t want to lose them again.”
“Then keep going the way you’ve been—one step at a time.”
Leticia nodded as the traffic light turned green and they continued driving.
That same afternoon Tomás received a phone call from Santiago’s teacher.
“Mr. Gutiérrez, I wanted to share something with you. Today we asked the students to draw their families. Santiago finished his drawing very quickly.”
“Is everything okay, teacher?”
“Yes, everything’s wonderful. He drew two houses with little arrows pointing from one to the other. He placed you and Mrs. Leticia in each house, and he and his sister right in the middle. When I asked him about it, he said, ‘This is how we live: in two houses, but all together, because my parents aren’t fighting anymore.’”
A wide smile spread across Tomás’s face.
“Thank you for telling me, teacher.”
“I just thought you should know. It was really touching.”
After ending the call, Tomás sat quietly for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then he opened his phone and searched for a recent picture: the four of them at the park, laughing uncontrollably while eating ice cream. He studied the image and thought, “Well, maybe they’re not the family I once imagined, but they’re the family I chose.” And in truth, that was all that really mattered.
Leave a Comment