- Did your mother cry a lot?
- Did your mother cry a
Juan Luis
“Sa, kids? What do you
lett
you feel like eating? Pizza, hamburgers? Or would you rather go to a restaurant and order something else?” My kids haven’t said a single word to me since they got in the car.
I know that maybe I’m not their favorite person right now, I hope Amelia isn’t turning them against me.
We’re at a traffic light, and I turn around to see my children’s little faces, I missed them so much. I hope they’ll listen to me and understand my situation. *Pizza is fine. Okay, Lily? My baby girl nods.
I feel like they’ve grown even more in the days I haven’t seen them. They’re almost teenagers now
“Perfect, then let’s go get pizza.”
They still don’t seem happy to see me. I can’t deny that my heart aches. I never expected that a moment like this would come, but that’s fe. In the long run, they’ll understand
I park at a place we used to go to as a family. Tony and Lily get out of the car in silence and walk ahead of me. I catch up to them and hug them both by the shoulders. Instinctively, they both pull away from my touch. This situation is turning out to be more difficult than I expected
We find a table by the window, I order the pizza we usually get when we come here. I try to break the ice, so I ask them basic questions
“So… how’s school going?” I ask them with a smile.
They always had a thousand anecdotes to tell when we sat down to talk and I asked them that question I see my eldest son take a piece of paper out of his pants pocket and leave it on the table for me to take
“How do you think, Dad? It’s a notice for not paying tuition. We’re about to be suspended. Tell us. How do you think we’re doing?”
The harsh tone my son uses with me is something he’s never done before. Even though I know he has a strong character, he’s always spoken to me with respect. Now, I feel his words with a certain tone of attack. But I don’t understand what he’s saying. My mother was supposed to have paid for school. I don’t understand what’s going on.
1 don’t know what you’re talking about. Your grandmother came to pay your tuition. That’s what I asked her to do. She also give your mother a large sum of money for the month’s expenses.”
They give me a mocking smile.
“Ah, we get it now. You’re talking about the day she came to threaten us, that if we didn’t go live with her we’d be left without any money? Because she’s planning on taking everything from Mom. She wants you to make her look like an incompetent who can’t work and therefore can’t support us. And she also said she was going to take the house away from us. Is that the day you’re referring to?” My son’s words are hurtful but incomprehensible. My mother assured me that she did everything I told her to do. Did the lie to me?
“I don’t know what this is about, but your grandmother told me she did it. And I had no reason to doubt her. She’s my mother, But when I got home, I’ll talk to her take out my wallet and hand them a card. “There’s enough money here for your mother to make the necessary payments. The PIN is 2312
I see mockery on their faces
“21127 Any special date, Dad? They know my passwords have always been based on some special moment, but they don’t relate this number to anything familiar and it’s true. It’s Katty’s birthday
“Think what you want, but take it will get your support sorted out soon and you won’t be short of anything. Not you or your mother, as long as she doesn’t marry anyone
After saying that, I feel a lump in my throat and a pang inside. The thought of that possibility shouldn’t bother me, yet I’m not comfortable expressing it. It must be the habit of her being my wife for so many years.
“Okay, we’ll give it to her My son puts the card away
We don’t say anything else after that. When the food arrives, they only eat one slice each. They can usually finish a whole pizza, but I’m not going to force them.
“Dad, I want to go home. My sweet Lily is the one who expresses her desire to leave. I look at Tony to see if he agrees, but at that moment he gets up from the table. “I’m going to the bathroom before we go.” He smiles at my daughter, who just nods.
I’m left alone with my little girl. She’s looking out the window. Her indifference hurts me so much.
“How have you been my love?” She turns to look at me when she hears my question.
She’s such a beautiful girl. With my features and her mother’s fiery hair.
Amy. She looked extremely beautiful today.
I’ve been ne is all she says to me
“And Tony? And your mother?” I want her to tell me more. She’s normally a grl of many words, but now she doesn’t seem to want to talk to me. “Tony I think he’s fine and Mom too” She falls silent again
“Lily I’m sorry about all this. I swear it’s not something expected. Maybe you can’t understand because you’re very young, but when you grow up, you will. Love is like that. Sometimes it comes, and sometimes it goes. That’s what happened to me with your mother. We were happy for many years, but now there’s someone else who’s gotten Into my heart. I hope that someday you’ll understand. And know that I’ll always love you very much. You’re my children.” I try to take her hand, but she hides it under the
table
“Dad, Mom already explained that to us. But we don’t understand why you didn’t say anything to her. She would have let you go. She explained to us that you can’t force love. But you hurt her and made her cry Two lears escape her eyes.
- Did your mother cry a lot?
She’s right. I’ve been the one to blame for everything
“Has she been crying a lot?” I ask her worriedly, I always knew this separation would be very painful for her, but for my daughter to tell me that she’s seen her mother cry breaks my heart
“She cries every night. She thinks we don’t hear her, but she does. I don’t know if Tony can forgive you. I do. You’re my father, and I love you. Even if you did something wrong. I won’t judge you. That’s what Mom said we should do. Maybe someday Tony will understand you too.” After all the time we’ve been here, she finally gives me a smile. She’s a beautiful girl.
“Thank you for not judging me, honey. I assure you that one day you’ll understand. I’m not asking for it to be right now, but don’t forget that I’m your father and that I love
you.”
“And when you have other children with your new wife, will you still love us?” Tony returns without us noticing.
His question leaves me speechless. Children with Katty? I’ve never thought about that, but I suppose it will be a possibility in the future. Although, somehow, deep down, I feel like it’s not right.
“I will always love you. Always“Muli
Always.” My Lily comes over and gives me a hug.
I’m happy that my daughter still loves me. I know it will be a little more difficult with Tony, but I hope to earn his forgiveness.
“Can we go home?” My son is annoyed by his sister’s display of affection. He’s moved, but he won’t give in.
“Yes, kids, let’s go home”
Home. To the one I no longer belong to. I feel a pain in my chest for some reason.
We arrive in record time. I don’t see Amy’s car, and that catches my attention.
“Looks like your mother’s not home. Maybe she hasn’t arrived yet, I tell them, but they don’t comment.
“it’s okay, we can stay by ourselves for a while until she gets here. Do you have the key to the house?” My son asks me, and I nod.
I take out my keys and hand them to him. I’m surprised to see what he does. He takes the key and removes it from the set, which he hands back to me.
“Why did you do that?” I ask, raising my voice a little
“Because you don’t live here anymore. You don’t need to have it. Let’s go, Lily” My son gets out and goes into the house. My little girl waits a few more minutes before leaving.
“Thanks for the pizza, Daddy. Bye.” She gives me a kiss and leaves.
When she gets inside the door, she closes it behind her. The feeling of loss that washes over me is very painful. I thought it would all be easier, but it’s costing me a lot. 1 hope it’s all worth it, because what’s done is done.
