MILLONARIO SE DETUVO A COMPRAR FRUTA EN LA CARRETERA… Y QUEDÓ HELADO AL ESCUCHAR SU NOMBRE !

Millionaire stopped to buy fruit on the roadside and froze when the woman said the name.  Alejandro had been driving for more than three hours without stopping, his eyes fixed on the road and his mind full of pending tasks.  At 37, his life revolved around business, meetings, and quick decisions that left no room to think too much about personal matters.

  His phone kept vibrating in the passenger seat, but he ignored it.  She was taking that trip precisely to clear her head a little, although deep down she knew she didn’t even know how to do it.  She had learned to keep moving forward without looking back, as if the past was something that should simply remain buried.

  The sun was high in the sky and the heat was beginning to be felt inside the car. So he slowed down a bit and looked around for somewhere to stop for a few minutes.  That’s when he saw a small fruit stand on the side of the road with an old tarp that barely provided any shade and several wooden crates full of mangoes, oranges, and watermelons.

  Without thinking much, he turned the steering wheel and pulled over.  He turned off the engine, stretched out his arms and got out of the car, immediately feeling the heat on his face.  He walked towards the stall with a relaxed gait, as if it were just another moment on an ordinary day, without imagining that in a matter of seconds everything he knew was going to change.

  The woman who was serving was arranging some bags when she looked up upon hearing their footsteps.  Alejandro barely looked at her at first, focused on getting his wallet out, but then she stood completely still, as if she had seen something impossible. Alejandro noticed the strange silence and looked up .

  Their eyes met for a moment that felt longer than normal.  He frowned, trying to locate her, but he didn’t succeed immediately.  That’s when she said his name, Alejandro.  Thus, without a doubt, without error.  He felt a sharp blow to his chest, as if the air had suddenly been taken from him. Nobody in that place should know him.

Nobody.   He stood motionless with his wallet in his hand, staring at the woman, trying to understand what was happening. She watched him with a mixture of surprise and something else, something he couldn’t immediately identify.  Then she took a small step towards him and said with a slight smile that seemed to hold many years of history.

  “Don’t you remember me?”  Alejandro blinked several times, as if that would help him see better.  He looked at her more closely.  He noticed her eyes, the way she looked at him.  The way she tilted her head slightly, something began to stir in his memory, like pieces slowly falling into place, and then it happened, he recognized her, Mariana.

  The name came to him suddenly, accompanied by images he thought he had forgotten.  He felt time rushing towards him, as if the years disappeared in a second.  Mariana was standing there in front of him , with the same look he had once known.  Her hair was different, shorter, her clothes simple, but it was undoubtedly her.

  Alejandro opened his mouth a little, but no words came out immediately.  Her mind was trying to catch up with what was happening.  Mariana let out a small nervous laugh when she saw his reaction.  “It seems you did have trouble recognizing me,” she said, crossing her arms as if trying to hide the awkwardness of the moment.

  Alejandro finally reacted.  Mariana, she said almost automatically, as if she needed to confirm that she wasn’t imagining things.  She nodded, staring at him, as if expecting something more from him.  Alejandro ran a hand over his face, trying to process the situation.  I couldn’t believe it.  From all people, from all places.

  He had to meet her right there, in the middle of nowhere.  I didn’t know what to say, what to ask, or where to begin.  The last thing he remembered about Mariana was a confusing goodbye, full of words that were never quite finished .  They had been young, impulsive, with plans that didn’t always coincide.

  He had gone to another city seeking to grow, convinced that it was the right thing to do, and she had stayed behind .  After that, contact was lost.  Over time, Alejandro stopped trying to understand what had happened.   She simply moved on, but now it was there in front of her and everything she thought was settled no longer seemed so clear.

Mariana stared at him intently, as if she were trying to read what was going through his head.  “You haven’t changed a bit,” he said suddenly with a slight smile.  Alejandro let out a small laugh, more out of nervousness than anything else.  “Not you,” he replied, looking her up and down, unable to hide his surprise.  Mariana raised an eyebrow.

“Is that good or bad?”  Alejandro shook his head.  “I don’t know, it’s unexpected,” he said, unable to find another word.  There was an awkward silence, one of those that weighs more than it should.  Alejandro looked around as if he needed a breather. The sound of cars passing in the distance broke the tension a little, but it wasn’t enough.

  Mariana approached a box of mangoes and took one.  Are you going to buy something or did you just come to look?  He asked, trying to lighten the mood.  Alejandro reacted and nodded. Yes of course.  “Give me what you have,” he said without thinking too much.  Mariana let out a short laugh as she began to prepare a bag.

  Alejandro watched her silently, noticing every detail, every movement.  I couldn’t help it.  There was something about her that remained the same, something that felt familiar in a way she didn’t expect to feel again. When Mariana handed him the bag, their hands brushed against each other for a second.  It was minimal contact, but enough for Alejandro to feel a chill he couldn’t explain.

  They both noticed it, but neither said anything.  Alejandro took out some money and gave it to her without taking his eyes off her. “Thank you,” she said, putting the bill away.  Another silence, this time shorter, but just as intense.  Alejandro took a step back, as if he were about to leave, but he didn’t .

  Something was holding him back, something that had no name, but that felt strong. Mariana noticed it.  Are you going to stay here long?, he asked in a tone that tried to seem casual, but wasn’t entirely so .  Alejandro hesitated.  He had no plans to stay.  In fact, his idea was to continue driving in a few minutes, but at that moment that no longer seemed so important.

  “I don’t know,” he finally replied.  Maybe for a while.  Mariana nodded as if that answer was sufficient for now.  “Okay,” he said.   I’ll be here.  Alejandro looked at her for another second, as if he wanted to say something important, but he couldn’t find the words.  Then he nodded and walked back to his car.

  He paused before opening the door and looked back at the stall .  Mariana was already arranging more fruit, but she looked up and their eyes met again.  No one smiled.  This time it was something more serious, more intense.  Alejandro opened the door, but did n’t go upstairs immediately.  He stood there with his hand on the car, feeling that something inside him had just awakened after many years, something he wasn’t ready to ignore again.

Alejandro did not start the car immediately.  He sat with his hands on the steering wheel, looking ahead, but not really seeing the road.  All he could think about was the image of Mariana.  Standing.   Standing next to that simple stall, looking at it as if time had not passed, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to organize his thoughts, but he could not.

  There was something unsettling about it all, something that stirred within him in a way he didn’t like to acknowledge.  He closed his eyes for a moment and remembered the last time he had seen her.  That quick goodbye, full of pride and poorly chosen words, reminded him of how he left convinced that he was making the best decision, that the future lay elsewhere.

  And now, so many years later, that future seemed incomplete compared to what he had just found.  He opened his eyes and looked in the rearview mirror.  I could see the stall in the distance.  Mariana was still there.  He hesitated for a few more seconds.  But in the end he let go of the steering wheel, opened the door and got out of the car again.

  This time he walked more slowly, as if he needed time to think about each step.  When he arrived, Mariana looked up and observed him with a different expression, as if she had been expecting him to return.  “Did you forget something?” he asked with a slight smile. Alejandro shook his head.  “No, I don’t know,” he said, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Mariana stopped what she was doing and leaned on the table, looking at him intently. Alejandro looked at her again, now more calmly.  It was strange to see her like that, so close, so real.  For years it had been just a blurry memory, something that appeared from time to time in her mind, but without force.  Now it was different.

“How long have you been here?” he asked, trying to start with something simple. Mariana shrugged, and after several years, replied, “Since I came back, Alejandro has frowned. You’re back.” She nodded.  “Yes, after, well, after everything,” he said, leaving the sentence unfinished.  Alejandro noticed that cut and felt there was something more there, but he didn’t want to push it yet.

  He looked around, trying to imagine what Mariana’s life had been like all those years.  It didn’t seem easy, the place was small, the work simple, but there was something about her that conveyed firmness, as if she had learned to get ahead without depending on anyone.  “And you?” she asked, crossing her arms.

  Do you look different?  Alejandro let out a small laugh.  I suppose that happens with time, Mariana replied.  She stared at him , as if she were assessing something beyond his appearance.  Not only that, said Alejandro, did he understand what he meant .  Yes. I went to the city, started working, things worked out, and well, now I have a company, he explained, trying to sound casual, although he knew he was n’t.  Mariana nodded slowly.

   ” You always said you were going to make it,” Alejandro commented.  She lowered her gaze for a moment.  “Yes, but I didn’t think it would cost so much,” he said, almost to himself. There was a brief silence, but not an awkward one. This time it was different, more filled with memories than tension. Mariana took an orange and began to peel it carefully.

 Alejandro watched the movement of her hands, remembering how many times he had been like this, close to her, in simple moments that now seemed distant. “Do you remember when you wanted to start a business?” she asked suddenly without looking at him.  Alejandro smiled slightly.  Yes, but not fruit, said Mariana Rio.

  “Didn’t you want something bigger?” Alejandro replied, looking at her, feeling those memories hit him harder than he expected.  “We were young,” Mariana said, looking up.  Does that explain everything?  He asked in a more serious tone.  Alejandro remained silent.  That question wasn’t simple.  I didn’t have an easy answer.

  “No,” he finally replied.  It doesn’t explain everything.  Mariana nodded as if she already knew that.  He continued peeling the orange and then offered her a segment.  Alejandro hesitated for a second, but took it.  “Thank you,” he said.  He put it in his mouth and the taste was more intense than normal, as if everything was amplified by the situation.

  “Why did n’t you come back?” Mariana suddenly asked , looking him straight in the eyes. Alejandro felt the weight of the question, because I thought it no longer made sense, he answered bluntly.  Mariana pressed her lips together slightly.  And you decided that all by yourself?  Alejandro lowered his gaze.  ” Yes, at that moment,” he said.

  Mariana let out a breath as if holding something back.  There was a longer pause this time.  The sound of a passing truck broke the moment, but it didn’t change what they felt between them.  Alejandro looked at her more closely.  There was something about the way he spoke.  The way she looked at him told him there was more to the story than he knew, something she never told him.

“Something important. Did you want me to come back?” he asked carefully. Mariana stared at him without blinking for a couple of seconds.  “Yes,” he finally replied. Alejandro felt a blow to his chest.   I did n’t expect him to say it like that, so directly.  “So why didn’t you look for me?” he asked almost automatically.

Mariana let out a small, humorless laugh , because not everything was as easy as you thought, she said.  Alejandro frowned .  What are you talking about?  Mariana shook her head.  “It doesn’t matter,” he replied quickly, as if he regretted bringing up the subject.  Alejandro took one step closer.

  “It does matter,” she said firmly.  Mariana looked at him doubtfully.  Her eyes showed conflict, as if she were torn between telling the truth or continuing to keep it hidden.  Alejandro noticed it.  “There’s something I don’t know, right?” Mariana asked.  She didn’t answer immediately, she lowered her gaze and played with the orange peel between her fingers.

Alejandro felt the atmosphere changing, that the conversation was reaching an important point. “Tell me,” he insisted, more gently this time. Mariana looked up, but instead of answering she just shook her head. No, now he said.  Alejandro felt frustrated, but he also understood that he could n’t force it.  “Okay,” he replied.

Although he wasn’t entirely convinced. Mariana put the orange aside and wiped her hands.  “You should go your own way,” he said, changing his tone. Alejandro looked at her in surprise.  Because? Mariana shrugged.  Because you were just passing through, right?  That’s what you said, Alejandro replied, but didn’t answer.

  She knew he was right, but she no longer felt the same as before.  He looked at his car in the distance and then looked at her again.  “I ‘m not so sure anymore,” he finally said. Mariana watched him silently, as if that answer mattered to her more than she wanted to show.  The air between them grew thicker, heavy with unspoken things , with unanswered questions.

Alejandro felt that he was only just beginning to understand part of the story and that the most important part remained hidden.  And that, instead of driving him away, made him want to stay longer.  Alejandro stood in front of the stall, not quite knowing what to do with what he had just heard.

  Mariana’s phrase kept going around in his head.  Not now. That meant there was something, something important that she wasn’t ready to say, and that weighed on her more than any direct answer.  He looked at the ground for a moment, then looked back at her.  Mariana was already arranging some bags as if the conversation had ended, but her way of moving was not the same as before.

  She seemed tense, as if she were trying to distract herself. Alejandro took one step closer.  “Hey,” he said in a calmer voice.  “You don’t have to tell me everything at once, but don’t leave me hanging either.”  Mariana did not respond immediately.  She finished arranging a box and then turned to him.  “I’m not leaving you like this, Alejandro,” she said, crossing her arms.

 “There are just some things that aren’t so easy to say after so much time has passed.” Alejandro nodded, though inside he felt a mixture of unease and urgency. “I know,” he replied, “but you’ll understand that this feels strange to me.” “I thought it was all behind me.” Mariana stared at him. “Did you really think so?” she asked. Alejandro hesitated.

“Yeah, well, that’s what I thought,” he said. Mariana let out a small laugh, but it wasn’t mocking; it was more incredulous. “How easy for you,” Alejandro said. He frowned. Easy. Mariana took a step toward him. “Yeah, easy. You left, made your life, achieved what you wanted, and that’s it.

 No, it’s all behind me,” she said in a tone that no longer concealed anything. Alejandro felt the blow of those words. “It wasn’t that simple,” he replied, trying to remain composed.  Mariana shook her head.  “Maybe not for you, but for me it was something else,” he said.  There was a brief but heavy silence. Alejandro noticed that people were starting to pass by the road more often, but at that moment none of that mattered.

Everything was concentrated on that point, on that conversation that seemed to open a door that had been closed for years.   “ Then explain it to me,” he said, lowering his voice slightly, “Because there’s clearly something I do n’t know.” Mariana watched him silently. Her eyes held a mixture of weariness and something deeper, something Alejandro couldn’t quite decipher.

For a few seconds, it seemed she was going to speak, that she was finally going to say what she’d been holding back, but instead, she took a half step back. “I can’t,” she said. Alejandro felt frustration rising within him. “ Why not?” he asked, not hiding it. “Because it’s not the right time,” she replied.

Alejandro exhaled sharply. “And when will the right time be?” Mariana didn’t answer. She glanced to the side as if searching for an escape. Alejandro followed her gaze and noticed a couple of people approaching the stall. Mariana took advantage of this to move and attend to them as if she needed that respite.

 Alejandro stood there watching her as she spoke to the customers as if nothing had happened. But he knew that wasn’t the case. He could see it in the way she avoided looking directly at him, in how she answered quickly to finish.  Soon. When the people had left, Mariana stood with her back to him for a second, taking a deep breath.

Alejandro took another step. “I’m not going to pressure you if you don’t want to,” he said in a calmer tone. “But at least tell me if what you don’t want to tell me has anything to do with me.” Mariana closed her eyes for a moment before turning around. “Yes,” she replied. Alejandro felt his chest tighten.

 “And is it something bad?” he asked . Mariana hesitated. “It’s not that simple,” she said. Alejandro ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. “Mariana, you can’t just tell me that and then stay silent,” he insisted. She looked at him more firmly this time. “And you can’t just show up after years and expect everything to be said in a day,” Alejandro replied.

 He remained silent. She was right, but that did n’t make it any easier. The wind stirred the canvas of the stall slightly, creating a soft sound that filled the awkward space between them. Alejandro took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said finally, looking down. “I’m not going to press the issue for now.” Mariana nodded slowly, as if  Thanking her for that.

“Thank you,” she said. There was a pause. Alejandro looked up again. “But I’m not leaving like this,” he added. Mariana looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?” she asked. Alejandro hesitated for a second, but then spoke clearly. “I’m going to stay for a while,” he said.

 Mariana’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Here. Alejandro nodded. “Yes, here.”  “I don’t know how much, but I need to understand this,” he said, gesturing between them. Mariana didn’t respond immediately. It was clear she hadn’t expected that. She thought he would simply go on his way. Like before. “You don’t have to,” she said, though her tone wasn’t entirely firm.

 Alejandro shook his head. “Maybe not, but I want to,” he replied. Mariana looked down . “That might complicate things,” she said quietly. Alejandro took a step closer. “I think they’re already complicated,” Mariana replied. She couldn’t help but smile slightly, though her smile was filled with nerves.

 She remained silent for a few seconds, as if processing the situation. Then she looked up. “There’s a small hotel in town,” she said. “It’s nothing special, but it’s what we have.” Alejandro nodded. “Okay, I don’t need anything more,” he replied. Mariana looked at him closely, as if trying to understand if he was serious.

 “Are you really going to stay?” she asked. Alejandro held her gaze. “Yes,” Mariana said. She took a deep breath. ” Okay,” she finally replied. Another silence, this time different, less tense, but just as charged. Alejandro looked  the road to the village. “Is it far?” Mariana asked. He shook his head. “No, about a 10-minute drive,” Alejandro said. She nodded. Perfect.

 He turned slightly, as if ready to leave, but stopped and looked at her again. “I’ll be right back,” he said. Mariana watched him without saying anything. Her eyes reflected something he couldn’t quite read. Alejandro held that gaze for another second, then turned and walked to his car. This time he got in, started the engine, and began to drive slowly.

 In the rearview mirror, he saw Mariana stand still, watching him leave. It wasn’t goodbye, that much was clear. It was just a pause in something that was only just beginning. As he drove toward the village, Alejandro felt something inside him settle and shift at the same time. He knew he wasn’t there by chance, and he also knew that what Mariana hadn’t said was much more important than he imagined.

 And that idea, far from scaring him, kept him completely hooked. Alejandro drove slowly toward the  He drove through the town, as if he weren’t in any hurry to get anywhere. The road was simple, with scattered houses and a few small shops that seemed to have been there forever, nothing like the pace he was used to. As he drove on, his mind kept returning to Mariana, to her gaze, to the way she said his name, to everything she hadn’t told him.

There was something about that conversation that didn’t quite fit, as if he’d only seen the surface of something much bigger, and that gave him a strange feeling, a mixture of curiosity and worry. He’d never been one to linger with doubts; he always looked for quick answers, clear solutions, but this was different. Here, he wasn’t in control.

When he reached the small town center, he slowed down even more. There was a plaza with a few benches, a couple of trees, and people strolling leisurely. He saw the hotel Mariana had told him about, a two-story building with a simple facade and a somewhat worn sign. He parked in front and sat in the car for a few seconds, observing the place.

 It was basic, a far cry from the hotels where he usually stayed, but in that  At that moment, he didn’t care. He turned off the engine, grabbed his things, and got out. As he entered, an elderly woman behind a counter greeted him. She smiled kindly and asked how many days he was staying. Alejandro hesitated for a moment.

 He didn’t have a clear answer. “I don’t know yet,” he replied. “For now, one night.” The woman nodded and gave him a key. The room was on the second floor. He went up a narrow staircase and walked down a quiet hallway until he found the door. Upon entering, he placed his suitcase on the floor and looked around. It was a simple room with a bed, a small table, and a window overlooking the street. Nothing special, but enough.

He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands over his face. For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t thinking about work, or money, or to-do lists, only about a person. Mariana leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Memories began to surface without him seeking them out. The first time he saw her when they were young, the laughter, the plans they made without thinking about how difficult things would be.  fulfilling them.

He also remembered the arguments, the doubts, the moment everything fell apart. There were details he had forgotten, but now they returned with clarity, and along with them, a constant question: What really happened? He stood up abruptly, as if staying still made him more uncomfortable.

 He walked to the window and looked outside. The town continued at its leisurely pace. No one seemed to be in a hurry, quite the opposite of his own life. He took out his phone, looked at it for a moment, and then left it on the table, doing nothing. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone. He didn’t want to be distracted; he just wanted to understand.

After a few minutes, he decided to go for a walk. He left the hotel and began wandering the streets without a specific destination. He passed a shop, a small eatery where several people were eating, houses with open doors where voices and laughter could be heard. Everything was so different that at times he felt out of place.

 But at the same time, there was something about that atmosphere that gave him a certain calm. He walked to the plaza and sat on a bench. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the  He knelt, staring at the floor. Mariana reappeared in his mind, this time clearer, more present. He remembered how she looked at him when he told her he couldn’t tell her everything.

 It wasn’t indifference; it was something more complicated, as if she were protecting something or someone. That thought made him look up immediately. He frowned, thinking, “What could be so important that he’d kept it quiet after all these years?”  “And why now?” He leaned back on the bench and slowly exhaled. He had no answers, but he did have one certainty.

 He wasn’t going to leave until he understood. The sound of laughter pulled him from his thoughts. A group of young people ran through the plaza, talking loudly, without a care in the world . Alejandro watched them for a few seconds and then looked away. There had been a time when he was like that too, without so many burdens, without so many decisions weighing him down .

 And in that time, Mariana was there. He got up from the bench and started walking back to the hotel, but halfway there he stopped. He looked toward the edge of town, in the direction of the fruit stand. He knew Mariana was still there. He hesitated for a few seconds. Part of him wanted to wait, give her space, not pressure her.

 But another, stronger part of him urged him to go back, not to demand answers, but simply to see her again. Without thinking twice, he went back to the car and started the engine. The drive back seemed shorter. When he arrived, he saw the stand in the distance. Mariana was there, just like before, arranging fruit.

  Alejandro parked the car to the side, but this time he didn’t get out immediately. He stayed inside, watching her. There was something about the scene that captivated him: the way she moved, her concentration on what she was doing, the tranquility she exuded despite everything left unresolved between them.

 Finally, he got out of the car and walked toward her. Mariana looked up when she heard him approaching. This time she did n’t seem surprised, as if deep down she had known he would return. “I thought you’d already left,” she said. Alejandro shook his head slightly. “I thought so too,” he replied. Mariana put down the fruit she was holding and looked at him more closely. “So?” she asked.

 Alejandro moved a little closer. “I’ve already settled into the hotel,” he said. Mariana raised an eyebrow. ” Really? You stayed?” Alejandro nodded. “Yes.” Mariana was silent for a few seconds. She didn’t seem upset, but neither did she seem completely at ease. “This isn’t a good idea,” she finally said. Alejandro held her gaze.

 “Maybe not, but I already did it ,” he replied. Mariana lowered her gaze thoughtfully. The wind stirred her hair slightly.  Alejandro took another step. “I didn’t come here to complicate your life,” he said more seriously. “I just don’t want to leave again without understanding what happened between us.” Mariana slowly looked up. “What happened is in the past,” she said.

Alejandro shook his head. “Not for me,” he replied. Mariana looked at him silently, as if she were weighing those words. There was a moment when neither of them said anything, but the tension wasn’t the same as before. There was something closer, more real. Alejandro took a deep breath. “I’m not going to pressure you,” he repeated.

 “But I’m not going to leave either.” Mariana watched him for a few more seconds and then looked away at the road. It was clear she was thinking, struggling with something inside. Alejandro said nothing, he just waited. After a few moments, Mariana spoke again. “Okay,” she said softly. Alejandro looked at her attentively, “but things aren’t the same as before,” she added. Alejandro nodded. “I know.

” Mariana looked him straight in the eyes. “And there are things that can change everything,” she said. Alejandro felt a slight knot in his chest, but he didn’t look away. ” So I want  “To know,” he replied. Mariana. She didn’t say anything else, but this time she did n’t walk away.

 And for Alejandro, that already meant that something was beginning to open up, even though he didn’t yet know exactly what. Alejandro stayed there in front of the stall, not trying to go any further than Mariana allowed. He had understood something important at that moment. It wasn’t about arriving and demanding answers, but about staying long enough for things to unfold on their own.

 Mariana picked up some more fruit and began to arrange it carefully, but this time she did n’t ignore him. Her attention was divided between her work and Alejandro’s presence, who continued to observe her with that mixture of curiosity and something deeper. The air felt different, less tense than before, but just as heavy.

 Alejandro looked around, searching for something to say without breaking the small progress they had just made. “Do you always work here?” he asked, leaning slightly on the wooden table. Mariana nodded, still moving her hands. “Yes, almost every day,” Alejandro replied. He frowned . “Almost.” Mariana looked up for a s

econd. “There are days when I don’t say…”  She went back to what she was doing . Alejandro noticed she avoided giving more details. He didn’t press her, but he kept it in mind. Everything Mariana said seemed to have more to it than meets the eye . “And do you live nearby?” he asked after a moment. Mariana nodded toward the town. “Yes, with my mom,” she said. Alejandro nodded slowly.

 He didn’t know much about Mariana’s family. In the past, that subject had always been sensitive. “I remember you wanted to leave here,” he commented with a slight smile, as if recalling something distant. Mariana let out a small laugh. “Yes, I wanted many things,” Alejandro replied. He looked at her more closely. “And not anymore?” he asked.

 Mariana paused for a second before answering. “Some things change,” she said without looking directly at him. Alejandro understood it wasn’t a simple answer. There was something about that change that he couldn’t quite grasp . A car sped past , kicking up a bit of dust that made them both instinctively turn their heads .

 When the air calmed, Mariana took a rag and wiped the table.  He watched her closely, noticing every little gesture. Before, when they were young, Mariana had been more impulsive, more direct. Now there was something more restrained about her, as if life had taught her to think twice before speaking. “And are you alone?” Alejandro asked, trying to sound casual, though he wasn’t entirely.

Mariana immediately looked up. “What are you talking about?”  Alejandro hesitated for a second.  “Well, if you have a partner,” Mariana explained, looking at him for a few seconds without answering.  Then he shook his head. “No,” he said.  Alejandro felt something strange when he heard that, a mixture of relief and surprise that he hadn’t expected.

  “And you?” she asked immediately.  Alejandro let out a small, humorless laugh. “Nor,” Mariana replied.  He nodded as if he wasn’t surprised.  “I’m sure you have plenty of options,” Alejandro remarked, shrugging his shoulders.  “It’s not the same,” he said.  Mariana looked at him curiously. “What thing?”  Alejandro hesitated, but decided to be honest and find something worthwhile.  He answered.

  Mariana said nothing, but lowered her gaze as if that answer had moved her somewhat. There was a short but not awkward silence.  This time it was different, more natural.  Alejandro took a deep breath and decided to continue.  “And how is your mom?” he asked.  Mariana looked up again.  “Okay,” he replied.

  Sometimes he gets tired, but we keep going.  Alejandro nodded.  “I remember she was very strict,” she said with a slight smile.  Mariana laughed a little.   He replied, “It still is.”  That brief moment eased the tension a little.  For the first time since they reunited. The conversation flowed without much tension. Alejandro took advantage of that.

  “And you never thought about leaving again?” he asked. Mariana remained silent for a few seconds.  Yes, I thought about it, he finally replied.  And why didn’t you do it? Mariana took an apple and began to wipe it with the rag, even though it was already clean, because “I had reasons to stay,” she said.

 Alejandro felt that this answer reopened a door she hadn’t quite revealed. “What reasons?” he asked carefully. Mariana looked up and stared at him . “I told you I can’t tell you everything at once,” she replied. Alejandro raised his hands in a gesture of slight surrender. “Okay, okay,” Mariana said, putting the apple back .

 “But it’s not a bad thing,” she added. Alejandro frowned. Then Mariana hesitated. “It’s complicated,” she said. Alejandro let out a slow breath. That word was starting to be repeated too often, but instead of getting annoyed, he felt more curious. He glanced down at the road and then back at her. “Do you like your life here?” he asked.

Mariana didn’t answer right away. She looked around at the stall, the road, the clear sky. Then she looked back at him. “Yes,” she said. “It’s not what I imagined when I was young, but it’s what I have, and it’s not bad.” Alejandro nodded, understanding more of  ” Sometimes you end up in places you didn’t plan,” Mariana commented.

 She smiled slightly. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean all is lost,” Alejandro replied. He looked at her intently. That sentence had something special about it, as if it were more important than it seemed. Before he could answer, a voice was heard in the distance. Mariana turned immediately. It was a man approaching with a confident stride.

 Alejandro followed the direction of her gaze and watched him approach. The man had a serious and direct expression, as if he knew exactly where he was going. Mariana tensed slightly, although she tried to hide it. Alejandro noticed it immediately. “Do you know him?” he asked in a low voice. Mariana nodded slightly.

 “Yes,” she replied. The man reached the stall and looked first at Mariana, then at Alejandro. His expression changed when he noticed the presence of someone else. “Everything alright?” he asked in a tone that wasn’t entirely friendly. Mariana nodded. “Yes,” she replied. The man crossed his arms and looked Alejandro up and down, openly assessing him.

 Alejandro held the  He looked at her without showing any intimidation. “And who is he?” the man asked. Mariana hesitated for a second. “He’s an acquaintance,” she replied. Alejandro raised an eyebrow slightly at that, but said nothing. The man didn’t seem convinced. “Uh-huh,” he said, still looking at him.

 The atmosphere changed immediately. What had been a calm conversation now felt tense. Alejandro noticed Mariana’s discomfort and also the man’s attitude, who was clearly unhappy with his presence. The silence became heavy, as if something was about to happen, and Alejandro understood, without anyone telling him, that this man wasn’t just anyone in Mariana’s life and that his presence there wasn’t going to be welcome.

 The man stood motionless in front of the stall, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Alejandro, as if he were trying to size him up. Mariana looked down for a second, then took a bag and started putting fruit inside without being asked, just to have something to do with her hands. The silence became heavy. Alejandro felt it in the air like a pressure that It grew little by little.

 He wasn’t someone who was easily intimidated, but he did understand when he was stepping onto territory that wasn’t his. Even so, he did n’t move. He calmly held the man’s gaze . “Are you going to buy something or just looking around?” Alejandro asked, breaking the silence with a calm but firm tone. Mariana immediately looked up, surprised by how direct he was.

 The man let out a small, dry laugh. “No, I didn’t come to buy anything,” he replied. “I came to see who Mariana was talking to.” The name came out of her mouth with a confidence that did n’t go unnoticed. Alejandro noticed it. Mariana did too. “There’s nothing to see here, Ricardo,” she said, trying to remain calm.

 Alejandro turned his head slightly toward her. Ricardo, now he had a name. The man took another step closer to the stall without taking his eyes off Alejandro. “That’s up to you,” he said. “But I also have the right to know who’s around here.” Alejandro placed a hand on the wooden table without looking away. “My name is Alejandro,” he said directly.

  Ricardo nodded slowly as if he were storing that information away.  Alejandro repeated in a tone that was not exactly friendly.  Then he looked back at Mariana.  “And since when do acquaintances from the past return?” he asked.  Mariana pressed her lips together slightly.  “Ricardo, don’t start,” she said, lowering her voice but remaining firm.

  Alejandro observed the scene without intervening for a moment.  There was something in the way Ricardo spoke, in how he addressed Mariana, that made it clear he wasn’t just another neighbor.  There was a kind of control in his attitude, as if he felt he had the right to question what was happening there.  “I’m not starting anything,” Ricardo replied.

  But I do n’t like arriving and finding surprises.  Alejandro decided to intervene.   “It ‘s no surprise,” he said.  I continue on my way.  I stopped to buy fruit and we met.  Nothing else.  Ricardo looked at him again, this time with a slight smile that wasn’t quite friendly.  Yes, of course, that’s all , he repeated.

  Then he moved a little closer, shortening the distance. Things are calm here, he added.  We don’t like problems.  Alejandro didn’t move either, he replied.  Mariana took a step forward.  “That’s enough ,” he said, looking at Ricardo with annoyance.  You don’t have to talk to him like that .  Ricardo looked at her immediately.

  And how do you want me to talk to him?  Asked. Mariana held his gaze.  “Like anyone else,” he replied.  Ricardo exhaled sharply, clearly uncomfortable.  Then he looked back at Alejandro.  “Well, that’s it,” he said, ” We all know each other here.”  Alejandro nodded slightly.  “I understand,” he replied, “but I didn’t come here to cause trouble.

” Ricardo tilted his head as if analyzing that response. “You’d better,” Mariana said. She frowned. “Ricardo, enough,” she said more firmly. He looked at her for a few seconds, then lowered his gaze, but not completely. “Okay, okay,” he replied, but he didn’t stop watching Alejandro. That silence fell again between the three of them, more awkward than before.

 Alejandro felt there was no point in staying there as if nothing had happened, but he also didn’t want to leave giving the impression that he was being kicked out. He looked at Mariana. “I think I’ve bought enough fruit for today,” he said, trying to ease the tension. Mariana looked at him, understanding what he wanted to do.

“Yes,” Alejandro replied. He took a step back. “See you later,” he added, looking at Mariana. Not Ricardo. Mariana nodded slightly. “Yes,” Alejandro said. He turned to leave, but before he had taken more than two steps, he heard Ricardo’s voice behind him. ” This isn’t a place to stay long if you don’t have a reason to come,” he said.

Alejandro stopped, didn’t turn around immediately, stayed put  He stood still for a second, processing those words. Then he turned slowly. “I decide how long I stay,” he replied calmly. Ricardo held his gaze. “We’ll see about that,” Mariana said. She intervened immediately. ” Ricardo, that’s enough,” she said, visibly annoyed. Alejandro said nothing more.

This time he did turn around and walked toward his car without looking back. He still felt the tension in his body, but he wasn’t angry. Rather, he was alert. He had understood something important. Ricardo wasn’t just someone passing by; he was an obstacle, a clear one. He got into the car and closed the door with a firm movement.

 Before starting the engine, he glanced in the side mirror. He saw Mariana arguing with Ricardo, although he could n’t quite hear what they were saying, but it didn’t matter. Mariana’s expression said it all. She was uncomfortable, annoyed, and Ricardo was still there, motionless, as if he weren’t willing to give in.

 Alejandro started the engine, but didn’t drive off immediately. He watched for a few more seconds. Then, finally, he started the engine and drove away from the scene, heading back to the  town. His mind was restless. Now he not only had questions about Mariana, but he also knew there was someone else in the story, someone who wasn’t going to make things easy .

 He arrived at the hotel and parked the car. He sat for a moment, staring straight ahead. He wasn’t used to someone speaking to him like that, much less trying to set boundaries. But what worried him most wasn’t that; it was Mariana’s reaction. She didn’t seem surprised by Ricardo’s attitude. That meant it wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

 And that only confirmed that there were many things he still didn’t understand. He got out of the car and entered the hotel with a calm step, but inside he was wide awake. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and for the first time since he arrived, he felt that staying there wasn’t just an emotional decision, but also a challenge.

 One that was just beginning. Alejandro went up to his room, his mind racing, closed the door, and stood for a few seconds, staring at the wall as if he could find answers. The scene with Ricardo kept replaying in his head, but what worried him most was…  What unsettled him wasn’t the man’s attitude, but Mariana’s reaction .

 It wasn’t surprise, it wasn’t fear, it was something more complicated, as if she were already used to dealing with it. He walked to the window and looked out at the street. The town remained calm, oblivious to what had just happened. He took out his phone, looked at it for a moment, and put it back. He did n’t feel like talking to anyone.

 He sat on the bed, rested his elbows on his knees, and stared at the floor. Something wasn’t right. Mariana wasn’t someone who let herself be controlled; he remembered that well. Before, she argued, she said what she thought, she didn’t stay silent, but now there was something different about the way she acted, as if she were measuring every word, and he didn’t like it.

 He stood up abruptly, as if he couldn’t stay still, and left the room. He went downstairs and out into the street without thinking too much. He didn’t have a clear plan, just an idea that compelled him to move. He walked down the main street, passing the same inn he had seen before. The smell  The food arrived, but he wasn’t hungry.

 He continued walking to the plaza. He stopped there, looking around as if searching for something that would help him better understand what was happening, but he didn’t find it. The only thing he was sure of was that he couldn’t stay still. After a few minutes, he returned to the car. This time he didn’t hesitate; he started the engine and drove straight to Mariana’s stall.

 The sun wasn’t so high anymore; the light was beginning to change, giving the place a softer tone. When he arrived, he saw the stall in the distance. Mariana was there. But this time she wasn’t alone. Ricardo was still with her. Alejandro felt a small knot in his stomach, but he didn’t stop. He parked the car and got out with a determined stride.

 This time he was n’t going to stand idly by. He walked straight toward them. Mariana saw him approaching, and her expression changed immediately. It wasn’t anger; it was concern, as if she knew something was going to happen. Ricardo saw him too, and his posture hardened. Alejandro stopped in front of the stall, looking first at Mariana and then at Ricardo.

 “It seems you do n’t  “You went too far,” Ricardo said with a strained smile. Alejandro ignored the comment and looked at Mariana. “Everything alright?” he asked. Mariana hesitated for a second. “Yes,” she replied, “though it didn’t sound entirely convincing.” Ricardo chuckled. “Of course it’s alright,” he said.

 Before Mariana could say anything else, Alejandro turned his head toward him. “I wasn’t asking you,” he replied. Without raising his voice, the atmosphere instantly became tense. Mariana stepped forward. “That’s enough, both of you,” she said, looking first at one and then at the other. “There’s nothing to fight about here.

” Alejandro looked at her, noticing the effort she was making to keep everything under control. “I didn’t come here to fight,” she said. Ricardo crossed his arms. “Well, it seems you did,” Alejandro replied. He looked at him intently. “I came to talk to her,” he said, gesturing toward Mariana. Ricardo shook his head.

 ” Well, this isn’t a good time,” Mariana replied. She sighed irritably. “And who decides that?” she asked, looking directly at him. Ricardo didn’t answer immediately. He looked at her with a mixture  With firmness and something more difficult to read. “I only say what’s appropriate,” he said. Finally. Mariana pressed her lips together.

 ” Appropriate for whom?” Alejandro replied. He observed the scene in silence, but it was becoming increasingly clear what was happening. Ricardo wasn’t just present; he was trying to control the situation, and Mariana was tired of it, though she didn’t confront him directly. Alejandro took a step closer.

 “I just want to talk for a few minutes,” he said, looking at Mariana. She hesitated. She looked at Ricardo, then at Alejandro. That hesitation was enough for Ricardo to intervene. “I already told you it’s not a good time,” Alejandro insisted. She completely ignored him . “Mariana, can you?” he asked directly. Mariana took a deep breath.

“Yes,” she finally answered. Ricardo exhaled in annoyance. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said. Mariana looked at him firmly. “I didn’t ask your permission,” she replied. That moment changed something. Alejandro felt it immediately. It was the first time Mariana had spoken to Ricardo like that. He noticed it too.

 His expression hardened.  “Okay,” he said, taking a step back, but he didn’t leave. He stayed there, watching. Alejandro and Mariana moved a little way from the stall, far enough to talk without Ricardo hearing everything. Even so, they knew he was nearby. “Why did you come back?” Mariana asked quietly, looking at him with concern.

Alejandro looked directly at her. “Because I didn’t like what I saw,” he replied. Mariana frowned. “What do you mean, Alejandro?”  He pointed discreetly towards the post.  “That’s it,” Mariana said, looking down .  “It’s not what you think,” Alejandro replied.  He denied it.  “Then tell me what it is,” Mariana said.  He hesitated.

  “It’s not easy,” he repeated.  Alejandro let out a frustrated breath.  “You always say the same thing,” he said.  Mariana looked up.  “Because it ‘s true,” he replied.  There was a short but intense silence.  Alejandro observed her more calmly.  “Is he pressuring you?” she asked.  Mariana quickly denied it.

  No, said Alejandro, he didn’t seem convinced.  So why does he talk as if he has the right to decide for you?  Mariana did not respond immediately. He looked down at the ground, then at Ricardo, who was still watching them.  “It’s complicated,” he said again.  Alejandro ran a hand over his face.  Mariana, you can’t keep saying that without explaining anything, Mariana said.

  He looked at him this time with more seriousness.  “And you can’t just show up and expect to solve everything in one day,” Alejandro replied.  He remained silent.  He was right, but that didn’t change what I felt.  “I don’t want to resolve everything today,” he said more calmly.  But I do want to understand what place he has in your life.

  Mariana hesitated.  He looked directly at him.  “He’s someone who’s been here,” he said.  Alejandro frowned .  “That doesn’t say much,” he replied. Mariana sighed.  He has helped me, he added. Alejandro nodded slowly.  And in exchange for what?  Mariana asked.  He didn’t respond; that silence was enough. Alejandro felt something settle in his mind.  “I understand,” she said softly.

Mariana immediately looked up.   ” No, you don’t understand,” Alejandro replied.   He looked at her firmly.  “Then explain it to me,” he said.  Mariana held his gaze for a few seconds, but then looked away.  “I can’t,” he said.  Alejandro closed his eyes for a moment, trying not to lose his composure.

  When he opened them, he looked at her again .  “Okay,” he finally said, “but this isn’t going to stay like this.”  Mariana did not answer, she only looked at him with a mixture of emotions that were not yet clear.  A few meters away, Ricardo continued observing without missing a detail, and Alejandro knew it.  She knew this was just the beginning and that whatever was between Mariana and that man wasn’t going to disappear easily, but she also knew something else.

  I wasn’t going to back down .  Mariana remained silent for a few seconds after Alejandro said he wasn’t going to back down .  That phrase affected him more than he wanted to show.  It was noticeable in her eyes, in the way she took a deep breath before speaking again.  Alejandro remained standing in front of her, firm, without raising his voice, but without moving either.

  A few meters away, Ricardo had not left.  He was leaning back in his seat, arms crossed, observing everything with an unsettling attention.  Mariana knew it, and that made everything more difficult.  They couldn’t speak freely, they couldn’t let loose like before, everything was contained.  Alejandro took a small step to the side, looking for a little more space.

  Mariana followed him with her eyes.  “We can walk a little,” he said, pointing towards the side of the road.  Mariana hesitated, looked towards the stall, then towards Ricardo, who did not take his eyes off her.  It was only a few seconds, but it felt like a long time. Finally, Mariana nodded.  Just a moment, he said.

  Ricardo straightened his posture immediately.  “Where are you going?” he asked.  Mariana looked at him without hesitation this time.  “Let’s talk,” he replied.  Ricardo frowned.  “You can talk here,” Mariana said.  He denied it.  He did not respond firmly.  Alejandro said nothing, but he watched the exchange attentively. Mariana was setting a boundary, however small, and that was already something; without expecting a response, Mariana began to walk.  Alejandro followed her.

  They moved a few meters away from the stand, enough so that the sounds of the cars were louder than any words they could say.  Even so, they both knew that Ricardo was still there watching.  That didn’t change.  They walked in silence for a few seconds.  The sound of his footsteps on the dry earth set the rhythm.

  Alejandro did not want to speak immediately.  He waited for her to do it. Mariana was the first to stop.  She turned towards him and crossed her arms as if protecting herself a little.  “I don’t like it when things get like this ,” said Alejandro.  He looked at her calmly.  “Me neither,” he replied. Mariana looked down for a second.

  Everything was quiet before you arrived, he added.  Alejandro nodded slowly.  “I know,” he said, “but calm doesn’t always mean it’s okay.”  Mariana immediately looked up.  “And how do you know that?” he asked.  Alejandro held her gaze.  “Because I know you,” he replied.  Mariana let out a small, humorless laugh.  “Not anymore,” he said.

  Alejandro shook his head slightly.  “Maybe not everything, but enough,” Mariana replied. He remained silent for a few seconds, then sighed.  “This isn’t like it used to be, Alejandro,” he said.  He nodded.  “I know,” Mariana replied.  He looked at him seriously. So, you can’t just show up and expect everything to fall into place, he added.

  Alejandro took another step closer, but without invading her space.  “I don’t want him to get too comfortable,” he said. I want to understand why he changed so much. Mariana pressed her lips together.  “Because we grew up,” he replied.  Because life didn’t turn out the way we thought it would.

  Because there were things we did n’t know how to handle.  Alejandro stared at her.  Like what?  Mariana asked, hesitant.  She lowered her gaze as if the words weighed heavily on her.  “Like us,” he finally said.  Alejandro felt that direct blow.  He remained silent for a moment.  Yes, he said later.  We didn’t know how to do it right.

  Mariana looked up .  It wasn’t just that, he added. Alejandro frowned.  So what else was it?  He insisted.  Mariana took a deep breath.  There were many things, he said.  Your decisions, mine, what we didn’t say, it all accumulated.  Alejandro nodded slowly.  “I remember we used to argue about everything,” he said.

  Mariana gave a small smile.  Yes, he answered for everything and for nothing.  Alejandro looked at her with a touch of nostalgia.  And yet we still wanted to continue, he added.  Mariana nodded.  “Because we felt it was worth it,” he said. There was a brief silence, but this time it wasn’t awkward. It was more like a flood of memories they were both reliving at the same time.

Alejandro looked down for a second. “I left very quickly,” he said. Mariana didn’t respond immediately. It was clear that this part touched her on a deeper level. “Yes,” she finally answered. Alejandro looked up . “I thought it was for the best,” Mariana explained. She looked at him calmly.

 “For you, it was,” Alejandro said. She shook her head slightly. “Not entirely,” he replied. Mariana raised an eyebrow. “Oh, no,” Alejandro hesitated. “It cost me more than you think,” he said. Mariana watched him for a few seconds as if trying to gauge whether he was telling the truth. “You didn’t say that at the time,” she commented.

Alejandro looked down. “Because I didn’t know how,” he replied. Mariana let out a slow breath. “That was the problem,” she said. “We never knew how.” Alejandro nodded. “ Yes,” he replied. There was a pause. The wind stirred up a little dust around them. Mariana tucked her hair behind her  ear, a gesture Alejandro remembered well.

 For a few seconds, everything seemed simpler, as if they were back in that time when they were just two people trying to understand each other. But reality returned quickly. Mariana crossed her arms again. What happened, happened, Alejandro said. He looked at her, but didn’t close his eyes completely, he replied. Mariana frowned.

 What do you mean? Alejandro took a step closer. That there are things that weren’t said. Mariana looked at him silently. That you know something I didn’t add. Mariana looked away. Here we go again, Alejandro said, shaking his head. It’s not the same, he replied. Before it was a doubt, now I’m sure. Mariana looked at him again.

Sure about what? Alejandro asked. He held her gaze. That there’s something that changed everything and that I don’t know about, he said. Mariana was silent. This time she didn’t deny anything. She didn’t try to change the subject immediately. She just stood there looking at Alejandro with an expression that said more than any words.

 The sound of a car passing nearby made them both turn around instinctively. When the noise The silence returned, even louder. Alejandro didn’t look away. “Tell me,” he said in a firm but calm voice. Mariana took a deep breath.  Her eyes clearly showed that she was struggling with something internal.  For a few seconds it seemed that he was going to speak, that he was finally going to say it.

  Her lips moved slightly, but she stopped.  “I can’t,” he said again.  Alejandro closed his eyes for a second, trying not to get frustrated. When he opened them, he looked at her more calmly.   ” Okay,” he said, “but don’t tell me nothing important happened, because I won’t believe you anymore.”  Mariana lowered her gaze.

“I’m not saying that,” he replied in a low voice.  Alejandro felt he was getting closer, even though he didn’t have the answer.  “So what are you saying?” he asked.  Mariana slowly raised her gaze.  “Not everything depends on me,” he said.  Alejandro frowned. “What do you mean, no?”  Mariana hesitated.

  Then he looked towards the stall.  Ricardo was still there.  And at that moment Alejandro understood something more.  Whatever Mariana was keeping secret didn’t just involve her, and that made everything even more complicated.  Alejandro stared at Mariana after hearing that not everything depended on her.  That phrase was not just any phrase.

  It had weight, it had history, and above all, it had something that left him out.  He felt a mixture of unease and despair, as if he were standing in front of a door that was barely open, but someone was pushing it from the other side to keep it closed.  Mariana could no longer hold her gaze; now she was looking towards the stall, towards where Ricardo was still standing, like a shadow that would not disappear.

The wind stirred up a bit of dust again, and Alejandro ran his hand over his face, trying to think clearly.  “It doesn’t all depend on you,” he repeated more slowly, as if he needed to understand each word. Mariana nodded slightly, without looking at him. “That’s right,” she said. Alejandro took a step closer, lowering his voice a little .

 “Then it depends on who else?” he asked. Mariana hesitated before answering. It was clear she was weighing what she said. “Finally, I talked about many things,” she replied. Alejandro shook his head slightly. “That doesn’t tell you anything, Mariana,” he said. She looked at him again, this time with a hint of weariness in her eyes.

 “It’s not just one thing,” she insisted. Alejandro felt like he was going around in circles. His patience wasn’t breaking, but it was straining. “Then tell me one,” he said, “Just one thing I don’t know.” Mariana opened her mouth as if to answer. Her lips moved, but nothing came out. She remained silent for a few seconds, then lowered her gaze.

 Alejandro watched her closely. At that moment, he saw it clearly. It was n’t that she didn’t want to talk; it was that something was truly holding her back, something powerful, something that didn’t depend solely on her.  That changed his tone. “Okay,” he said more calmly. “I’m not going to pressure you.” Mariana looked up, surprised by the change. “Really?” she asked.

 Alejandro nodded. “Yes, but I’m not going to just sit around doing nothing either,” Mariana replied. He frowned. “What does that mean?” Alejandro glanced at the desk for a second, then back at her. “That I’m going to stay until I understand,” he said. Mariana shook her head, as if that wasn’t a good idea.

 “That might make things worse,” she said. Alejandro looked straight at her. ” For whom?” he asked. Mariana didn’t answer. That silence spoke volumes again . Alejandro let out a slow breath. “Mariana, whatever’s going on, it doesn’t seem like a small thing,” he said. She looked down. “It isn’t,” she replied softly.

 Alejandro felt a pang inside when he heard that. ” Then why do you keep acting like it’s better not to say anything?” he pressed. Mariana looked up, her expression a little more determined. “Because sometimes saying it changes everything,” she answered. Alejandro held her gaze. “Maybe that’s what needs to happen,” she said.  Mariana.

  He immediately denied it.  “Not always,” he replied.  There was a short silence.  This time the atmosphere felt heavier, more serious.  It was no longer just discomfort or memories, it was something deeper, something that was clearly affecting them both. Alejandro took a step back, as if he needed space to think.

  He looked at the ground for a moment and then spoke again.  “Does this have anything to do with me?” Mariana asked.  He did not respond immediately.  That doubt on her face was enough for Alejandro to understand that yes.  Yes or no?  He insisted.  Mariana closed her eyes for a second.  “Yes,” he finally replied.

  Alejandro felt his chest tighten.  I didn’t know exactly why, but I knew that it wasn’t a minor thing.  “And why don’t you tell me?” she asked, this time with more emotion in her voice.  Mariana looked at him with something akin to sadness.  “Because it’s not as easy as it seems,” said Alejandro.   He shook his head.

  None of this is easy, he replied.  But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it.  Mariana pressed her lips together.  “I’m not ignoring it,” he said. Alejandro stared at her.  Then face it, he said.  Mariana looked away again.  I’m already doing it, he replied.  Alejandro let out a small, humorless laugh.  “It doesn’t seem like it,” he said.

  Mariana looked up in annoyance.  “You have no idea what I’ve had to do,” he replied.  Alejandro remained silent. That answer was different; it wasn’t evasive, it was direct and full of something he didn’t know.  He looked at her more closely.  For a moment, Mariana didn’t seem the same as before.  There was something else in his gaze, something stronger, more tired, as if he had been through things he couldn’t imagine.

  “What did you have to do?” he asked, now more calmly.  Mariana hesitated.  Her eyes once again revealed that conflict.  For a few seconds, Alejandro thought that he was finally going to say it, that this time he was going to cross that line.  Mariana took a deep breath.   ” I,” he began to say.  Alejandro leaned forward slightly, attentive.

  Mariana looked directly at him.  His expression changed.   It was the moment.  “You’ll find out,” he said. Alejandro frowned.  “When?” he asked immediately.  Mariana lowered her gaze.  Soon, replied Alejandro.   He let out a breath in frustration.  ” You always say that’s it,” Mariana said.  He shook his head slightly.

  “This time it’s different,” Alejandro replied.  He looked at her for a few seconds, trying to decide whether to believe her or not.  The problem wasn’t trusting her, it was the way she avoided saying things.  “So what changes now?” he asked.  Mariana looked up.  “That you’re here,” she said. Alejandro remained silent.

 He hadn’t expected that answer .  “And what does that mean?” he asked.  Mariana stared at him.  I ca n’t keep hiding it much longer.  He answered.  Alejandro felt a slight chill when he heard that.  I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was big.  And he asked, gesturing with his eyes towards the stall.  Mariana also looked in that direction.

  Ricardo was still there watching.  His presence never left. Mariana took a while to respond.  He is part of this.  He finally said.  Alejandro clenched his jaw.  I already suspected that, but hearing it was different.  As?  Mariana asked.  He shook his head.  “I can’t say more,” Alejandro replied.  He looked at her this time with more seriousness.

  Mariana, this is no longer just the past.  Said.  She nodded.  I know.   ” Then don’t treat him as if he were,” he insisted.  Mariana remained silent.  Her eyes moved between Alejandro and the stall.  It was clear she was caught between two things.  Alejandro understood this , and far from driving him away, it made him even more resolute in his decision.

  “I’m not going to leave,” he finally said.  Mariana looked at him. Alejandro held her gaze.  “Not this time,” he added.  Mariana didn’t respond, but she didn’t walk away either.  And at that moment, although the answers remained hidden, one thing became clear to both of them.  What was about to come out wasn’t going to be easy, small, or quick, but it could no longer be hidden.

  The silence between them lasted a few seconds after Alejandro said he wasn’t going to leave. Mariana did not respond immediately, but she did not back down either.  That already said a lot.  Her eyes were fixed on him, as if she were trying to understand how far he was going to go this time. Alejandro didn’t look away either.

  There was no anger in his expression, but there was a firmness he hadn’t had before.  The wind moved between them again, raising a little dust, but neither of them moved.  In the distance, the sound of a passing car broke the moment a little , but not enough.  Mariana was the first to speak.

  “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into ,” he said quietly. Alexander bowed his head slightly.   ” Then tell me,” he replied.  Mariana denied it.  “It’s not that easy,” Alejandro repeated, letting out a breath, but this time he didn’t show frustration, he just looked at her calmly. “Okay,” he said, “but I’m not going to walk away with that line again.

”  Mariana watched him for a few more seconds.  There was something different about him, something I hadn’t seen before.  He wasn’t impulsive, he wasn’t reacting out of emotion in the moment, he was determined and that worried her more than anything else.  He remained silent for a moment, then looked away towards the road.

  The sun was beginning to set and the light was gradually changing. Everything felt slower.  Mariana took a deep breath.  “Let’s walk a little further,” he said.  Alejandro nodded without asking.  They began to move along the side of the road, this time without haste. They left the position further behind, although not far enough to forget it.

Ricardo remained there as a constant presence that did not disappear.  As they walked, neither of them spoke at first.   It was a different kind of silence, less tense, more filled with thoughts.  Alejandro was looking at the road, but his mind was on Mariana, on everything he was trying to say without saying it.

  Mariana, for her part, walked with her head down, as if each step led her to a decision she was not ready to make. After a few minutes, Alejandro broke the silence.  “Do you remember when we used to walk like this?” he asked without looking directly at her.  Mariana looked up slightly, surprised by the question. Yes, she replied with a slight smile that appeared almost involuntarily.

  Alejandro also smiled slightly.  “ We always ended up arguing about something,” he added. Mariana let out a small laugh. “Yeah, because you never liked to lose,” Alejandro replied, shaking his head. “It wasn’t that,” he said. “It was that you always wanted to be right.” Mariana glanced at him sideways.

 “Because I almost always was,” Alejandro replied, looking at her for the first time at that moment. “Oh, right,” he said with a wider smile. That small exchange changed the atmosphere. For a few seconds, everything seemed lighter, closer to what they had been before. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. Mariana took a deep breath.

 “I missed this,” she said suddenly, without thinking too much. Alejandro looked at her in surprise. “ Really?” he asked. Mariana nodded. “Yes,” she replied. Alejandro felt something stir inside him. Hearing that, “Me too,” he said. They walked a few more steps in silence, but this time it wasn’t awkward. It was a silence they shared, as if they were both remembering the same thing at the same time.

Mariana looked up at the sky, then spoke again. “I never thought I’d see you again,” she said. He nodded. “Me neither,” he replied. Mariana looked at him. “Especially not like this,” she added. Alejandro frowned slightly. “Like this?” Mariana asked. He hesitated for a second. “Here,” she said, gesturing around.

 “At this point in my life,” Alejandro understood that the phrase had more depth than it seemed. “Is this a bad time?” he asked. Mariana shook her head slowly. “It’s not bad,” she replied. “But it ‘s not simple either.” Alejandro nodded. ” None of this is,” he said. Mariana looked at him with a mixture of resignation and something else. “You have no idea,” she replied.

Alejandro paused for a moment. Mariana did too. They stood facing each other again, but this time the distance was less. Alejandro looked at her more calmly, without pressure. “Then let’s start with something simpler,” Mariana said, raising an eyebrow. “Like what?” Alejandro asked. He thought for a second.

 “How do you know what makes you stay here?” he replied. Mariana looked at him silently. That question seemed easier, but it wasn’t entirely so. She lowered her gaze for a moment, then raised it again. “Because I have reasons,” Alejandro said. She nodded.  “You already told me that,” he replied. Mariana let out a small laugh.

 “Yes, that’s true,” Alejandro said. He took a step closer. “Then tell me one,” he asked. Mariana hesitated. It was clear she was thinking about how to answer without crossing that line she so carefully avoided. Finally, she spoke. “My mom,” she said. Alejandro nodded. “Sure,” he replied. Mariana looked at him. “And other things?” she added.

 Alejandro watched her intently. “Like what?” Mariana asked. He was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head. “Not yet,” he said. Alejandro didn’t press the issue this time, he just nodded. “Okay,” he replied. That change in him didn’t go unnoticed. Mariana noticed it. “Before, you would have insisted until I told you everything,” she commented.

Alejandro smiled slightly. “I used to do a lot of things that weren’t right,” he said. Mariana looked at him curiously. “And now?” she asked. Alejandro shrugged. “Now I try to do things differently,” Mariana replied.  He remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded.  “It shows,” he said.

  Alejandro looked at her .  “Is it good or bad?” he asked. Mariana.  He hesitated for a second, but then answered.  It’s good.  Said.  Alejandro felt a slight calm upon hearing that. The atmosphere between them changed again.  It wasn’t tension, it wasn’t discomfort, it was something closer, calmer, although still full of pending things.

  In the distance, the sun was beginning to hide a little more.  The light was getting softer. Mariana looked towards the path back. “I have to go back,” he said.  Alejandro nodded.  “Me too,” he replied. They started walking back, this time a little closer to each other. They didn’t talk much, but it wasn’t necessary anymore.

  Something was slowly being rebuilt, without anyone saying it directly.  When the stall reappeared in the distance, they both saw it at the same time, and they also saw Ricardo.  It was still there, it hadn’t moved.  Alejandro felt the calm he had achieved begin to tighten again.  Mariana noticed it too.

  His expression barely changed, becoming more serious, more closed off.  They stopped a few steps before arriving.  Alejandro looked at her .  This isn’t going to be easy, he said. Mariana shook her head slightly.  He did not respond. Alejandro held her gaze for one more second.  But it’s not impossible either, he added. Mariana did not answer, but she did not look away .

  And at that moment, before returning to the same point where everything was getting complicated, they both understood that what was growing between them again was not something small, nor something that could be easily stopped, even if everything around them tried to do so.  When Alejandro and Mariana returned to their posts, the atmosphere changed immediately.

   It was as if that brief moment of calm they had experienced while walking had been left behind, far away, and now they were returning to a place where everything was tense. Ricardo was still there, in the exact same spot, leaning back, with his arms crossed, as if he had been waiting for that moment.

  Her gaze shifted from Mariana to Alejandro as soon as they approached, and that expression left no room for doubt.  He didn’t like what was happening at all.  Mariana walked a few steps forward, trying to resume her place behind the table, as if that could bring everything back to normal. But it wasn’t like that.

  Alejandro stayed to one side, neither invading nor moving away .  Ricardo slowly straightened his posture .  “Have you finished talking yet?” he asked in a tone that sounded more like a complaint than curiosity.  Mariana didn’t look at him immediately.  “Yes,” he replied while arranging some bags that didn’t need to be arranged.

  Ricardo let out a small, dry laugh.  “That’s good!” he said, “because you’ve been here a while.” Alejandro noticed Mariana slightly press her lips together. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes. He took a step forward, not aggressively, but firmly. “No problem with that,” he said. Ricardo looked directly at him.

 “Maybe not for you ,” he replied. Alejandro held his gaze. “It shouldn’t be for her either,” he added. Mariana immediately looked up. “Alejandro,” she said softly, as if trying to stop the situation, but it was too late. Ricardo took a step toward them. “Things don’t work that way here,” Alejandro said. “Don’t back down like that.

” ” What?” Ricardo asked, looking at him with a mixture of annoyance and certainty. “No one from outside comes in here and changes everything,” Alejandro replied. He frowned slightly . “No one’s changing anything,” he said. Ricardo chuckled briefly. “Of course they are ,” he replied.

 “Everything’s different since you arrived .” Mariana interjected. “That’s not true,” she said, looking at him with annoyance. Ricardo turned to her. “Oh, no?” he asked. Mariana held his gaze. ” No,” she replied. Ricardo shook his head. “Before, everything was calm,” he said.  Mariana pressed her lips together again . “Relax. It doesn’t mean it was okay,” she replied.

 That sentence landed hard. Alejandro looked at her immediately. Ricardo did too. There was a short but heavy silence. Ricardo narrowed his eyes. “And now it’s not okay?” he asked. Mariana hesitated for a second, but didn’t back down. “Not in the way you think,” Ricardo replied. He took a step closer.

 “And how do I think it is?” he asked in a harsher tone. Mariana didn’t respond immediately. It was clear she was trying not to escalate the situation, but also that she didn’t want to stay silent anymore. Alejandro watched everything closely, ready to intervene if necessary, but not yet getting involved. Mariana took a deep breath.

 “As if it were all your decision,” she finally said. Ricardo was silent for a second, surprised by her directness. Then he let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t decide anything,” he replied. Mariana stared at him. ” Then stop acting like you do ,” she said. The atmosphere became even more tense. Alejandro felt the situation was reaching a more serious point.

Ricardo was no longer smiling.  His expression hardened. “I ‘m just looking out for what’s best,” Mariana said. He shook his head. ” Best for whom?” she repeated, this time more firmly. Ricardo didn’t respond immediately. He looked at her for a few seconds. Then he glanced at Alejandro. ” We don’t need problems here,” Alejandro said, looking directly at him.

 “Then stop creating them,” Ricardo replied. He took a step toward him. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “You’re the one who came here to interfere where it doesn’t concern you.” Alejandro didn’t move. “It concerns me because it involves me,” he replied. Ricardo frowned. “And what does it have to do with you?” he asked.

Alejandro held his gaze. “More than you think,” he said.  Mariana turned towards him immediately.  “Alejandro,” he said with a mixture of warning and concern, but he did not take his eyes off Ricardo. Ricardo let out a brief laugh.  “That’s up to you,” Alejandro replied, denying it. ” No, that was decided a long time ago .”  Said.

  That phrase changed the atmosphere even more.  Mariana tensed up .  Ricardo noticed it.  “Oh yeah?” he asked in a more serious tone.  “And what has already been decided?”  Alejandro hesitated for a second, but he didn’t back down. “I didn’t come here to just leave like nothing happened,” Ricardo replied, staring at him intently. “Well, this isn’t your place,” Alejandro said, taking another step closer.

  “We’ll see about that,” Mariana replied.  He immediately stepped between the two of them.  “That’s enough,” he said, looking at both of them.  “This isn’t going to lead to anything.”  Ricardo looked at her. “Then tell him to leave,” Mariana said.  He denied it.  No, he replied.  Ricardo frowned.  “Why not?” Mariana asked.  He held her gaze.

   ” Because I don’t want to,” he said.  That moment was clear.  There was no doubt in his voice.  Alejandro felt it.  Ricardo too.  The silence that followed was different, stronger, more direct.  Ricardo clenched his jaw.  “You don’t want to or you can’t,” he asked.  Mariana did not respond immediately.

  That doubt was enough to make the tension rise again.  Alejandro noticed it.  “You don’t have to answer that,” he said, looking at Mariana.  Ricardo turned towards him.  “Of course,” Alejandro replied.  He ignored it. Mariana, don’t you have to give her any explanations?  Said.  Ricardo let out a sigh of annoyance.

  Things don’t work that way here, he insisted.  Alejandro looked at him firmly.  “Well, they’re going to start changing,” he replied.  Ricardo took another step .  “No, not while I’m here,” he said. Alejandro held her gaze without moving.   ” Then get used to it,” he replied. Mariana intervened again, this time with more urgency.  “Yes, please,” she said.

They both looked at her.  His expression was clear.  I was tired.  Not from one, not from the other, from the situation.  “This is not what I want,” he said.  Alejandro lowered the intensity a little.  “I know,” Ricardo replied.  She said nothing, but her posture remained tense.  Mariana looked at both of them.

“This is getting out of control,” he added.  Alejandro nodded.  “You’re right,” he said.  Ricardo let out a breath. But he didn’t completely relax.  “Then let him go ,” Mariana repeated.  He denied it again.   He did n’t say.  That answer was final.  There was no doubt.  Ricardo understood. Alejandro too.

  And at that moment it became clear that this was no longer just an inconvenience or a misunderstanding.  It was a real conflict, one that was just beginning and that was going to force everyone to make decisions they could no longer avoid.  The atmosphere became tense after Mariana’s last response .

  Nobody said anything for a few seconds, but it wasn’t necessary.  Everything was said in their eyes.  Ricardo stood still with his jaw clenched, looking first at Mariana and then at Alejandro, as if he were deciding what to do. Alejandro didn’t move. Mariana was breathing more deeply than usual, as if trying to calm something that was already getting out of hand.

A car sped past on the road and kicked up dust, but none of the three reacted.  It was as if time had stopped right there.  Ricardo was the first to break that silence.  ” Okay,” he said in a tone that was neither calm nor explosive. Mariana looked at him carefully.  Alejandro too.

  Ricardo took a step back, but he didn’t leave.  Only the way he stood changed, as if he were now more determined than before.  “If he wants to stay, let him stay,” she added, looking at Alejandro, “but he should know exactly what he’s getting into .”  Alejandro held her gaze without responding immediately.  Mariana frowned.   ” Ricardo, that’s enough,” she said wearily, but he either didn’t listen or didn’t want to.

  He took a step towards Alejandro, getting close enough to make the tension even more palpable.  “Do you know why she’s not telling you anything?” he suddenly asked. Alejandro felt an internal shock when he heard that.  Mariana reacted immediately.  “No,” she said firmly, but her voice had a touch of nervousness that did not go unnoticed.  Ricardo ignored her.

“Do you know why?” he repeated, staring intently at Alejandro.  Alejandro did not look away .  “Because there’s something you don’t know,” he replied.  Remaining calm, Ricardo let out a small laugh.  No, he said.  It’s because she doesn’t want you to know it like that .  Mariana stepped forward.

  “Ricardo, that’s enough,” he said more forcefully, but he continued.  Because it’s not just anything , he added.  Alejandro felt the tension rising inside him, but he did n’t lose control.  Then say it, he said.  Mariana.  She turned towards him immediately.  “No, Alejandro,” he said with a mixture of urgency and concern.  But it was too late.

  Ricardo had already decided to speak.  Do you really think she stayed here by choice?  He asked in a tone that seemed to show he was enjoying what he was doing.  Alejandro frowned. Mariana looked at him with an expression that begged him to stop, but Ricardo did not stop.  Do you think it was as simple as you leaving and her going on with her life?  He added.

  Alejandro did not respond, but his gaze hardened. Mariana shook her head.  “Ricardo, shut up,” Ricardo said. He glanced at her for barely a second, but returned to Alejandro. “She didn’t say anything to you, did she?” he asked. Alejandro felt his chest tighten. “No,” she replied. Ricardo nodded as if that confirmed what he expected.

 “Of course not,” he said, “because it’s not in her best interest for you to know that way.” Mariana took another step forward. “Ricardo, I’m telling you to stop,” she said this time with real anger. But he didn’t look at her. His attention was completely on Alejandro. “After you left, things weren’t the way you think,” Alejandro said. He didn’t blink.

Mariana closed her eyes for a moment, as if she knew this couldn’t be stopped now. Ricardo continued. “She didn’t just stay here,” he added. “Things happened.” Alejandro felt each word land like a blow. “What things?” he asked, unable to stop himself. Mariana opened her eyes immediately. “No,” she said again.

 Ricardo ignored her. “Things that involve you,” he replied. The silence that followed was heavier than any scream. Alejandro felt as if everything stopped for a  Second. Mariana was looking at him now with a mixture of fear and sadness. Ricardo took a step closer. “He really didn’t say anything to you?” he asked. Alejandro shook his head slightly, still looking at Mariana.

 ” No,” Ricardo replied, letting out a breath as if he were about to say something important. “Then it’s worse than I thought,” he said. Mariana took a step toward him, standing between them. “That’s enough,” she said firmly. Ricardo looked at her for the first time with more than just annoyance.

 He looked at her as if he were tired too. “I can’t keep pretending nothing’s happening here,” Mariana said. She held his gaze. “This is n’t your business,” Ricardo replied. She shook her head. “Of course it is,” he said, ” because I was here when he wasn’t.” Alejandro felt that direct blow. He didn’t look away, but his thoughts began to race.

 Ricardo continued. “I did see what happened,” he said. “I was there when things got complicated.” Mariana clenched her fists. ” That doesn’t give you the right,” Ricardo replied. He looked at her seriously. “It gives me more right than it gives him,” Alejandro said, taking a step forward.  He didn’t give a firm answer.

 Ricardo turned to him. “Oh, no,” he asked. Alejandro held his gaze. “No,” he repeated. Ricardo chuckled briefly. “Then ask her,” he said, pointing at Mariana. ” Ask her why I never looked for you.” Alejandro immediately turned to Mariana. That question hung in the air, heavy, direct. Mariana looked at him, but didn’t speak.

 Her silence was louder than any answer. Alejandro felt something inside him stir more strongly. “Why didn’t you?” he asked, now looking directly at her. Mariana opened her mouth, but didn’t answer. Ricardo intervened. “Because I couldn’t,” she said. Alejandro turned to him. “Why not?” he asked. Ricardo looked at him with a more serious, less provocative expression, because it no longer depended solely on her. He answered.

 Alejandro felt that this sentence fit with what Mariana had said before. Everything was beginning to connect, but without complete clarity. Mariana shook her head. “You don’t have to say anything,” she said, looking at him urgently. Ricardo looked at her, but this time did n’t answer immediately. Then he turned back to  Alejandro.

 There are things that can’t be hidden forever, Alejandro said. He observed her silently. Mariana stood between them, breathing faster, clearly distressed. Ricardo took a step back. It’s time she knew, he added. Mariana closed her eyes for a second, as if that sentence was the point she feared most. Alejandro looked at her. Everything that had happened, all the evasions, all the half-answers were reaching a breaking point.

 And although he did n’t have the complete answer, he already knew one thing for sure. What Mariana had been hiding wasn’t something small; it was something that could change everything and was about to come out, whether she liked it or not. The silence after what Ricardo said became almost unbearable. Alejandro felt the air grow heavier, as if everything around him had stopped just to hear what was coming.

 Mariana stood before him, motionless, her eyes open, but filled with something she could no longer hide. It wasn’t just nerves; it was fear, it was exhaustion, it was everything combined. Ricardo had stepped aside, but he remained there as if he knew that  The most important thing was about to happen.

 Alejandro didn’t take his eyes off Mariana; there was no way to avoid it now. Whatever she had been keeping hidden was right there between them, and it could no longer remain concealed. “What is it you didn’t tell me?” he asked, his voice firm but lower than before. Mariana didn’t answer immediately. Her lips barely moved, but nothing came out.

 She lowered her gaze as if she couldn’t hold onto this moment. Alejandro felt a mixture of frustration and concern. “Mariana, tell me the truth,” he said, taking a step closer. Mariana shook her head, but not like before. This time it wasn’t rejection. It was as if she were trying to put the words together. Alejandro watched her intently.

 This was no longer the same moment as before. There was no more room for beating around the bush. Ricardo was right about something. This couldn’t go on. Mariana slowly raised her gaze. Her eyes were different, more serious, more open, as if she had finally decided to stop hiding. “I didn’t know how to tell you,” she said. Alejandro felt a pang in his chest when he heard that.

 “It’s not easy,” she added.  Mariana. Alejandro took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. None of this is, he replied. But I need to know. Mariana looked at him for a few more seconds. It seemed as if she was making a decision right then and there. Then she spoke. When you left, she began. Alejandro didn’t move.

 He didn’t interrupt her. Mariana looked down again, as if she needed to concentrate. Things changed very quickly, Alejandro said. He frowned slightly. Like what? Mariana asked. He took a deep breath. I hesitated for a second. Alejandro felt time slow down. Mariana looked up again. I didn’t stay the same, Alejandro said.

 He didn’t quite understand. What do you mean? he asked. Mariana looked directly at him, this time without looking away. Something happened after you left, she said. Alejandro felt his heart beat faster. What? he asked. Mariana pressed her lips together for a second, as if gathering courage was taking more effort than it seemed.

 “I found out something,” she said. Alejandro leaned slightly toward  Go ahead, listen carefully. “With what?” Mariana hesitated, but this time she didn’t back down. “I was pregnant,” she finally said. Alejandro’s world stopped in that instant. There was no noise, no wind, nothing but those words. He remained completely still, as if he hadn’t quite grasped what he had just heard.

 Mariana watched him, waiting for a reaction that didn’t come immediately. Ricardo, a few steps away, also said nothing. He knew that this moment no longer belonged to him. Alejandro blinked a couple of times, trying to process. What did she say? But he didn’t finish the sentence. Mariana looked at him with a mixture of sadness and resolve.

 I was pregnant, she repeated, more slowly. Alejandro took a step back, as if he needed space to breathe. His mind began to fill with questions all at once. He didn’t know where to begin. He didn’t know what to feel first. ” Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally asked, his voice even more tense. Mariana lowered her gaze.

 “Because you had left,” Alejandro replied. She shook her head. “That’s no reason,” Mariana said.  She looked up immediately. “For me, it was,” Alejandro replied. He stared at her. “And you decided that all on your own?” he asked. Mariana pressed her lips together. “It wasn’t that simple,” she said. Alejandro let out a sharp breath.

 “None of this is,” he replied, “but it was something I had a right to know.” Mariana looked at him more firmly. “And what were you going to do?” she asked. “Go back, leave everything?” Alejandro was silent. That question hit him hard. He didn’t have a clear answer. Mariana continued. “You were already in another city, starting your life,” she said. “I wasn’t going to stop that.

” Alejandro ran a hand over his face, clearly affected. “But he was my son,” he said. Mariana closed her eyes for a second. “I know,” she replied softly. Alejandro looked at her incredulously. “Then why?” he insisted. “Mariana.” She looked at him again. ” Because at that moment I felt I had no other choice,” she said.

 Silence fell again, but now it was different, heavier, more real. Alejandro walked a few steps aimlessly, as if trying to gather his thoughts.  Thoughts. Everything he thought he knew about his past with Mariana had just changed. It wasn’t just a relationship that ended badly. There was something much bigger behind it, something he never knew.

 He stopped and looked at her again. “So what happened?” he asked, his voice lower. Mariana didn’t answer right away. Her gaze became more serious. This was the hardest question. Alejandro noticed. “Mariana,” he said, his tone softer but firm. “I need to know.” Mariana took a deep breath. Her hands moved slightly, as if she were trying to control her nerves. “It wasn’t easy,” Alejandro said.

 He did n’t look away. “I didn’t expect it to be,” she replied. Mariana slowly looked up, but she added, “I wasn’t alone .” Alejandro frowned. “What does that mean?” he asked. Mariana hesitated for a second, but then she spoke. “Someone helped me,” she said. Alejandro felt everything starting to connect uncomfortably.

 He slowly turned his head toward Ricardo and in that moment understood that the story wasn’t just about the past; it also had a lot to do with the present. He looked back at  Mariana waited for him to continue, because she knew the most important thing hadn’t been said yet, and that what came next would change everything even more.

 Alejandro stared at Mariana after hearing that someone had helped her. That sentence didn’t come alone. It came with everything that had already happened, with what Ricardo had said earlier, with the way she had avoided speaking for so long. Everything began to fall into place in a way he didn’t like.

 He didn’t say anything immediately, he just watched her, waiting for her to continue. Mariana knew it too. She knew she couldn’t stop halfway. She took a deep breath, as if gathering courage was all she had left . Alejandro turned his head slightly toward Ricardo, who was still there, silent but completely attentive. Then he returned to Mariana.

 “Who helped you?” he asked, though deep down he already suspected the answer. Mariana didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze went directly to Ricardo for a second, and that gesture was enough. Alejandro noticed it. He felt an internal blow, one of those that makes no noise but weighs heavily. “He?” he asked, looking directly at Ricardo.

Mariana lowered her head.  The look in her eyes didn’t say yes, but neither did it deny it, and that was enough to make everything clearer. Alejandro slowly exhaled, trying not to react impulsively. Ricardo said nothing, but his posture changed. He was no longer defensive like before. Now he seemed more resolute, like someone who knows what he did carries weight.

 Alejandro looked at Mariana again. “Since when?” he asked. Mariana hesitated, but this time she answered. “From the beginning,” she said. Alejandro nodded slowly, as if he needed time to process it. ” So, he was there when you started to say it, but didn’t finish the sentence.” Mariana closed her eyes for a second.

 “Yes,” she replied. The silence that followed was longer. Alejandro took a few steps to the side, running his hand over his face. Everything was happening too fast. It wasn’t just the pregnancy, it wasn’t just that she hadn’t told him anything, it was also that there was someone else involved all this time. Someone who was now standing in front of him.

 He stopped and looked at them both again. “And the boy,” he suddenly asked. Mariana immediately looked up. That was the most important question, the one that  It couldn’t be avoided any longer. Alejandro stared at her, waiting. Ricardo was silent too. Everything was concentrated in that moment. Mariana took a deep breath.

 ” He’s here,” she said, but stopped. Alejandro took another step closer. “Mariana,” he said, his voice firmer. “I need to know what happened.” Mariana looked at him. Her eyes were glistening, but she wasn’t crying. It was more of a mixture of emotions held back for a long time. “He’s okay,” she said finally. Alejandro stood still.

His heart pounded. Mariana didn’t look away this time. The boy began. Alejandro felt time slow down again. Mariana swallowed. “He’s alive,” she said. Alejandro felt as if the world were shifting beneath his feet. He hadn’t expected that. Or maybe he had, but he wasn’t ready to hear it like that, so direct.

 He froze completely. “What?” he said, barely a whisper. Mariana held his gaze. ” He’s alive,” she repeated. Alejandro blinked several times. His mind started racing. Everything he had thought, everything he had imagined,  It fell short. It wasn’t just a past he didn’t know; it was something that still existed. “Where is it?” he asked almost without thinking. Mariana hesitated for a second.

 “Here,” she replied. Alejandro felt another blow       , stronger than the last. “Here,” he repeated, as if he needed confirmation. Mariana nodded. “Yes.

” Alejandro ran his hand through his clearly disheveled hair. “Here in the village?” Mariana asked. He nodded again. “Yes.” Silence returned, but now it was completely different. There was no tension between them from arguing. It was something deeper. It was reality slowly sinking in. Alejandro took a step back. He said all this, but didn’t finish the sentence. Mariana watched him without interrupting. She knew he needed time to process. Ricardo remained silent, but his presence was no longer just awkward. Now it made sense.

 Now he had a place in this whole story. Alejandro looked back at Mariana. “How old is she?” he asked. Mariana answered without hesitation. “One,” she said. Alejandro felt like he couldn’t breathe for a second. Twelve years old. That meant everything had happened right after… He was gone.

 Everything fell into place, everything hit at once. She lowered her gaze, trying to sort out her thoughts. “1 year,” she repeated softly. Then she looked up again. “And you never thought of telling me?” Mariana asked. She pressed her lips together many times, Alejandro replied, looking at her. “And why did n’t you?” Mariana took a deep breath.

 ” Because it was getting harder and harder,” she said. Alejandro frowned. “Harder than this?” he asked, gesturing around. Mariana shook her head. “It’s not that,” she replied. “It’s just that time was passing and you weren’t there.” Alejandro was silent. Mariana continued, “And then I did n’t know how to show up with something like this anymore,” she added.

 Alejandro ran a hand over his face again. “This isn’t just anything, Mariana,” he said. “I know,” she replied. Alejandro stared at her. “He’s my son,” he said. Mariana nodded with a mixture of firmness and guilt. “Yes,” she replied. Silence fell again, but this time it wasn’t empty. It was filled with everything that had just changed.

 Alejandro took a few more steps, then stopped. He looked out at the town as  If only he could somehow see the boy from there. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t understand how something like this had been out of his life all this time. He turned back to Mariana. “I want to meet him,” he said. Mariana looked at him immediately. Her expression changed.

 It wasn’t surprise; it was something more complicated. Alejandro noticed. “What?” Mariana asked. He hesitated. “It’s not that easy,” she said. Alejandro frowned. ” Why not?” he asked. Mariana lowered her gaze. “Because it doesn’t just depend on me,” she replied. Alejandro felt that phrase resurface, but now with much more weight.

 He slowly turned his head toward Ricardo, and at that moment, everything clicked. This wasn’t just a story from the past; it was something that was still alive, present, and much more complicated than he had imagined when he stopped to buy fruit. Alejandro stood still after saying he wanted to meet him.

 It wasn’t just any phrase; it was something that came out directly, without thinking too much, but with all the weight he carried. Mariana looked at him silently, and for the first time since it all began, she seemed  She didn’t know what to answer, not because she didn’t want to, but because what came next no longer depended solely on her.

 Alejandro noticed it in her gaze, in that pause that wasn’t simple doubt, it was something more complicated. “Why do you say that?” he asked, his voice lower but firm. Mariana took a deep breath. “Because it’s not just my decision,” she replied. Alejandro frowned . “You already told me that,” he said, “but now I need to understand it properly.

” Mariana looked up as if she knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer. Ricardo took a step forward, closing the space between them. “I’ll explain it to you,” he said. Alejandro turned to face him immediately. Her expression changed. It wasn’t just tension anymore. Now there was something more direct, something personal.

 “I’d rather she tell you,” Alejandro replied. Ricardo shook his head. “There are things she won’t tell you completely,” he said. Mariana looked at him with annoyance. “Don’t speak for me,” Ricardo said. He held her gaze. “Then you tell me,” he replied. Mariana didn’t answer. That silence was enough again. He felt it. He looked at Ricardo again.

 “What is it you’re not going to tell me?” he asked. Ricardo watched him for a few seconds, as if gauging how far to go. Then he spoke. “I’ve been with that boy since he was born,” he said. Alejandro felt the direct blow. He didn’t look away. “And what does that mean?” Ricardo asked. “He has no doubt that he hasn’t been alone,” he replied.

 Alejandro nodded slowly. “I already know that,” he said. ” But it doesn’t answer what I’m asking.” Ricardo took a step closer. “It means that I’ve been there for everything.” “Oh.” Alejandro’s jaw tightened slightly . Mariana intervened. ” Ricardo, don’t say it like that,” she said, but he continued. “I’ve taken care of him.

 I’ve taken him to school. I’ve been there when he’s sick, when he needs something,” Alejandro said. He listened without interrupting, but each word felt heavier. Mariana lowered her gaze. Ricardo continued. “He’s not just a boy who appeared,” he added. “He’s someone who has a life here.” Alejandro took a deep breath.

 “And what does that have to do with me not being able to see him?” he asked. Ricardo stared at him. ” Everything  He answered. Alejandro frowned . Explain yourself, he said. Ricardo didn’t look away. He knows me as his dad, he said. The silence that fell was unlike any before. It wasn’t just heavy, it was like a sharp blow that stopped everything in its tracks.

 Alejandro didn’t move, didn’t speak, he just stood there processing those words. Mariana closed her eyes for a second, as if this were the moment she had feared most. Alejandro blinked slowly. What do you mean, his dad? he finally asked, his voice lower. Ricardo held his gaze. Just like you heard, he replied.

 Alejandro immediately turned to Mariana. His expression was different. It wasn’t just confusion anymore, now there was something deeper. Is that true? he asked. Mariana looked at him with eyes full of emotions she couldn’t hide. “Yes,” she answered softly. Alejandro took a step back as if he needed space. His mind began to race .

 Everything he had discovered in the last few minutes was falling into place in a way he hadn’t expected. He didn’t just have a son, that son had grown up without him. And not only  That’s it, he had grown up believing another man was his father. He ran a hand over his face, clearly affected. “Since when?” he asked, looking at Mariana again.

 Mariana hesitated, but answered, “Since I was little,” she said. Alejandro shook his head slightly, as if he hadn’t quite grasped it . “And you never thought about telling her the truth?” he asked. Mariana looked down many times, she replied. Alejandro looked at her with concern.  redundancy and then Mariana took a deep breath.

  “It wasn’t just my decision,” he said again. Alejandro turned towards Ricardo.  Of course, he said.  Now it’s more direct, because you also made the decision.  Ricardo did not deny it.  “I was there when nobody else was,” Alejandro replied.  He took a step towards him.  That doesn’t give you the right to take my place, he said.  Ricardo did not back down.

  That place was empty.  He answered.  Alejandro clenched his jaw.  “It wasn’t empty,” he said.  I did not know.  Ricardo stared at him. “But you weren’t there,” he replied.  Mariana intervened immediately.  “That’s enough,” he said, his voice firmer than before. Alejandro looked at her.  His breathing was heavier.

  Mariana took a step towards him.  “I didn’t want it to be like this,” said Alejandro.  He looked at her directly, but it was, he replied.  Mariana nodded, her eyes shining.  Yes, he said.  The silence returned, but now it was deeper.  Alejandro looked at the ground for a moment, then looked up again.  “What’s his name?” he asked.  Mariana hesitated for a second.

  Matthew answered.  Alejandro repeated the name in a low voice, as if he needed to feel it.  Mateo then looked back at Mariana.  “Do you know anything about me?” he asked. Mariana denied it.  No, said Alejandro, he felt another blow.  Then he began to say, Mariana finished the sentence.  “You don’t exist,” he said.

  Alejandro closed his eyes for a second.  That phrase was stronger than all the previous ones.  When he opened them, his gaze was no longer the same.  It wasn’t just pain, nor was it just anger.  It was something more complex, more decisive.  He looked at Mariana again.  “I want to meet him,” he repeated.  Mariana looked at him with concern.

  Alejandro began to speak, but he didn’t let her finish.  “I don’t care how complicated it is,” he said.  He is my son.  Ricardo stepped forward.   ” And it’s my life too,” he replied. Alejandro looked directly at him.  “Then you’ll have to get used to the fact that it’s mine now too,” he said.  Mariana closed her eyes for a second, as if everything was moving too fast.

When he opened them, he looked at both of them and at that moment it became clear that what was coming was no longer just a conversation.   It was a decision that was going to change everyone’s lives, and there was no way to stop it.  The name Mateo kept going around in Alejandro’s head, as if it couldn’t quite settle.

Each time I repeated it silently, I felt something different, a mixture of excitement and pain that I didn’t know how to handle. He had a son.  She was there a few minutes away, breathing the same air, living a whole life without knowing he existed. And that didn’t just move him, it shook him to his core.

  Mariana stood in front of him, her gaze lowered at times, as if she were trying to hold back everything that had just come out.  Ricardo was still there too, firm, not backing down, as if he were ready to defend his place no matter what happened.  Nobody was moving, but everything was changing. Alejandro was the first to speak again .  “I want to see him today,” he said bluntly.

Mariana immediately looked up.   He did n’t respond almost automatically. Alejandro frowned.  Why not? Mariana asked, but shook her head. Why can’t you just show up like that? Alejandro said he took another step closer.  “I ‘m not just anyone,” he replied. Mariana looked directly at him.

  “For him, you are,” he said.  That phrase landed hard. Alejandro did not respond immediately. I understood her, but I didn’t accept her.  That can change, Mariana said.  sigh.  “Not overnight,” he replied.  Ricardo intervened.  “And even less so like this,” he added. Alejandro turned towards him.  “I’m not talking to you,” he said.

  Ricardo didn’t move, “but it has to do with me,” he replied.  Alejandro clenched his jaw.  “Of course, because you decided to take that place,” he said.  Ricardo shook his head slightly.  “I didn’t use it,” he replied. “I filled it when nobody was there.” Alejandro took a step towards him.  “Don’t get confused,” he said.

 I wasn’t there because I didn’t know. Ricardo held her gaze. “But the result is the same,” he replied. Mariana stepped between them again. “That’s enough,” she said, her voice firmer. “This isn’t going to be resolved by fighting.” Alejandro looked at her. “So, how?” he asked. Mariana hesitated for a second. “We have to do it right,” she said.

 Alejandro frowned. “And what does ‘doing it right’ mean to you?” he asked. Mariana took a deep breath. “Thinking of him first,” she replied. Alejandro stared at her. “That’s what I ’m doing,” he said. Mariana shook her head. “No,” she said. “You’re thinking about what you need.” Alejandro was silent for a second.

 That sentence hit him harder than he expected. He didn’t respond immediately. Mariana continued. “Mateo has a life,” she said, “a routine, a way of seeing the world. You can’t just come in and destroy everything.” Alejandro looked down for a moment, processing that. Then he looked up again. “I don’t want to destroy anything,” he said. “I want to be a part of it.

” Mariana watched him closely. “And you’re going to…”  “Do it,” he replied, “but not like that.” Alejandro frowned. “Then how?” he asked. “Mariana.” He hesitated. “Little by little,” Alejandro said, letting out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t have time to do it little by little,” Mariana replied. She looked at him seriously.

 “Yes, you do,” she said. “You’ve had 12 years without knowing. You can have a few days to do it right.” Alejandro didn’t respond immediately. That truth was hard to ignore. Ricardo chimed in. “Besides, it doesn’t depend solely on you,” he said. Alejandro glared at him. “I know that,” Ricardo replied.  He stepped forward. “So, do you understand anything?” he said.

  I’m not going to let them hurt him.  Alejandro held her gaze.  “Me neither,” he replied.  Ricardo denied it.  “You don’t even know him,” he said.  Alejandro clenched his jaw.  “But he’s my son,” he replied. Ricardo didn’t move.  “And it’s my life too,” he repeated. Mariana closed her eyes for a second, clearly tired of the constant tension.

 When she opened them, she looked at both of them. “This isn’t a competition,” Alejandro said.  He looked at her. “So what is it?” he asked.  Mariana took a deep breath.  “It’s a situation we have to handle well,” Alejandro replied.  He took a step towards her.  “I am willing,” he said.  “But don’t ask me to stay on the sidelines.

”  Mariana denied it.  “I’m not asking you for that,” he replied.  “I’m asking you not to try to change everything in one day.” Alejandro remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded slightly.  “Okay,” he said, “but I want to see him soon.” Mariana nodded.  “Are you going to see it?” he replied.

  Alejandro looked at her more calmly.  “When?” he asked.  Mariana hesitated.  “Let me talk to him first.” Said.  Alejandro frowned.  “Are you going to tell him the truth?” he asked. Mariana lowered her gaze.  “Not all at once, ” he replied.  Alejandro let out a breath.  “This is more complicated than I thought,” he said. Mariana looked up.

 “It always was,” Ricardo replied. He watched silently, but his expression remained firm. Alejandro noticed. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Not only did he have to face a truth he did n’t know, he also had to find his place in a life that was already established. And that couldn’t be achieved with a single decision. He looked back at Mariana.

 ” I want to be there when you talk to him,” he said.  Mariana immediately denied it.  “No,” he replied. Alejandro frowned. “Why not?” he asked.  Mariana looked directly at him.  Because he has to process it first.  Said.  Alejandro remained silent.  He didn’t like it, but he understood some of what it said.

  Ricardo intervened.  “It’s the best,” he said. Alejandro looked at him with annoyance, but did not answer.  Mariana took one step closer to Alejandro.  “Trust me,” she said. Alejandro looked at her. That phrase carried weight, but it also carried a history, a history where trust had been broken before.

 Even so, he didn’t look away. “I’m trying,” Mariana replied. He nodded. “That’s all I need for now,” she said. Alejandro took a deep breath. Everything in him wanted to move faster, to resolve this now, to see his son, to understand everything at once, but he knew he couldn’t. Not right then, no. So he looked toward the road, then back at them.

 “Okay,” he said finally, “but I’m not going to disappear again.” Mariana looked at him firmly. “I don’t want you to,” she replied. Ricardo said nothing, but his gaze made it clear that this wasn’t over. Alejandro didn’t think so either. He knew the hardest part was just beginning. Because now it wasn’t just about discovering the truth, it was about finding a place in a life that had already gone 12 years without him.

 And that wasn’t something that could be resolved with words; it was something that was going to demand decisions, patience, and confrontations that no one could avoid. The sun was almost setting when Alejandro  She stepped back a few paces from the stall, as if she needed air after everything that had just happened.

 She didn’t go far, just enough to think without Ricardo right in front of her. Mariana stayed near the table, but she wasn’t working. Her hands rested on it, still, as if she no longer knew what to do with them. Ricardo was still there, but now he was pacing, restless. It wasn’t just tension anymore; it was something stronger, something that was growing.

 Alejandro looked toward the town, toward where Mariana had said Mateo was. The thought that his son was so close and yet so far away tightened his chest. He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and turned away again . He couldn’t stay still. He walked back toward them. Mariana saw him approaching, and her expression changed immediately. She knew something was coming.

Ricardo stopped too. Alejandro didn’t wait. “Where is he?” he asked directly. Mariana frowned. “Alejandro,” she said, but he interrupted her. “Just tell me where he is,” he insisted. Mariana shook her head.  ” Head. I told you it’s not like that,” Alejandro replied. He took another step closer. “I’ve waited long enough,” he said.

 ” Mariana.” She looked at him firmly. “You haven’t waited at all,” she replied.  “You just found out today.”  Alejandro clenched his jaw.  “I’ve already wasted 12 years,” he said, “I’m not going to waste any more time.”  Ricardo intervened immediately.  “You’re not going anywhere,” he said.

  Alejandro turned towards him.  “Don’t you decide that?” he replied. Ricardo stepped forward.  “Yes, when it comes to him,” she said.  Alejandro stared at him.  “No,” he replied.  “This is about my son.”  Ricardo held her gaze. “Mine too,” he replied. That sentence reignited everything. Alejandro took another step. “He’s not yours,” he said.

 Ricardo didn’t back down. “I raised him as if he were,” he replied. Alejandro shook his head. “That doesn’t change the truth,” he said. Ricardo raised his voice slightly. “The truth isn’t just blood,” he replied. “It’s who’s been there.” Mariana intervened quickly. “That’s enough,” she said, stepping between them.

 “This isn’t going to help.” Alejandro looked at her, but this time he didn’t back down. “I need to see him,” Mariana said.  She denied it again, “Not like that,” Alejandro replied, taking a step to the side, trying to go around her. “Then tell me where he lives,” he said. Mariana also moved, blocking his path.  No, he said.

  Alejandro looked at her with frustration.  “Mariana, please,” he said, “don’t put me in this position.”  Mariana held his gaze.  “I’m not putting you there,” he replied.  Things were already like this before.  Alejandro ran his hand over his face.  “So, tell me what I have to do,” Mariana said. She hesitated. This question was different.

 It wasn’t pressure anymore, it was necessity. Ricardo spoke before she could answer. “You have to stay out of it,” he said. Alejandro turned away immediately. “That’s not going to happen,” Ricardo replied. He took another step closer. “Then you’re not going to go near him,” he said. Alejandro glared at him. “You ca n’t stop it,” he replied.

Ricardo held his gaze. “Can I try?” he said. Alejandro moved even closer. “Go ahead,” he replied. The atmosphere became incredibly tense. Mariana looked at them both, clearly worried. This wasn’t just an argument anymore. They were about to cross a line. Ricardo didn’t look away.

 “You don’t know what you might cause,” he said. Alejandro didn’t move either. “Neither do you,” Mariana replied. She took a step forward, pushing them both slightly with her hands. “That’s enough,” she said firmly. They both stood still for a second. Mariana’s breathing quickened. Her eyes darted from one to the other. “This is over,” she said.

Alejandro looked at her. “No,” he replied.  It’s just getting started. Mariana shook her head. Not like this, she said. Ricardo intervened. Then let him go, he said. Mariana turned to him. She didn’t respond firmly. Ricardo frowned. Mariana held his gaze. He has the right, Alejandro said. He looked at her immediately. That sentence changed something.

Ricardo noticed it too. Right to what? Mariana asked. She didn’t hesitate this time. To meet him, she answered. Silence was immediate. Ricardo clenched his jaw. And what about everything else? he asked. Mariana took a deep breath. It matters too, she said, “but I’m not going to keep hiding it.

” Alejandro watched her closely. This was the first time he’d seen her so resolute since it all started. Ricardo shook his head. You don’t know what you’re doing, Mariana said. She looked him straight in the eye. Yes, I do, she replied. And I’m not going to keep doing this anymore . Ricardo was silent for a second, then spoke more quietly and asked, referring to Mateo.

Mariana lowered her gaze for a moment, but then raised it again. He deserves to know the truth.  she said. Alejandro felt a pang inside when he heard that. Ricardo did too. “What if he doesn’t love her      ?” he asked. Mariana hesitated, but didn’t back down. “Then we’ll face him,” she replied. Silence returned, but now it was different. It wasn’t hesitation, it was resolve. Alejandro took a step closer to Mariana. “When?” he asked.

Mariana looked at him. “Not today,” she said. Alejandro frowned. “Why not?” he asked. Mariana took a deep breath. “Because I need to prepare him,” she replied. Alejandro looked at her, but this time he didn’t argue immediately.  He understood that he couldn’t be so abrupt.  Ricardo took a step back, but he didn’t leave.

  Her gaze remained fixed, as if she did not fully accept what was happening.  Mariana looked at Alejandro.  “Tomorrow,” he finally said. Alejandro held her gaze.  Sure? Asked.  Mariana nodded.  Yes, he replied.  Alejandro took a deep breath.  ” Okay,” he said, “but I’m going to be here.” Mariana nodded.  I know. Ricardo replied.

  He didn’t say anything, but his expression made it clear that this wasn’t over. Alejandro looked at him for a second, then turned back to Mariana.  “Tomorrow,” he repeated. Mariana nodded again, and at that moment, although nothing was resolved, something had truly changed.  There was no going back.  The truth was going to come out, and everyone knew that when that happened, nothing would ever be the same again .

  Night fell upon the town with a calm that did not match what Alejandro felt inside.  He returned to the hotel, but was unable to rest.  He sat on the bed, stood up, paced back and forth, and looked out the window several times.  Everything in his head revolved around a single idea.  Mateo, his son, a child who had grown up without him, who had a life made, a routine, a complete story where he did not exist.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to imagine what his face would be like, the way he spoke, if he had anything of his own.  That thought tightened his chest.   It wasn’t just curiosity, it was a need I couldn’t control.  When dawn finally broke, Alejandro was already awake.  I hadn’t slept much at all.   He got up early, changed quickly, and left without thinking much about it.

  The morning air was fresh.  The town was just beginning to stir.  He walked straight to the stall.  Mariana was already there.   It was clear that he hadn’t had a quiet night either.  Her eyes said it all. Ricardo wasn’t there, at least not in sight.  Alejandro approached slowly. Mariana looked up and saw him.  She didn’t smile, but she didn’t shut down either.

  Are you ready? she asked.  Alejandro nodded without hesitation.  Yes, Mariana replied. He took a deep breath.  “I spoke with him,” he said. Alejandro felt a small knot in his stomach and asked.  Mariana hesitated for a second.  He’s confused.  He answered. Alejandro nodded slowly.  It was expected, but hearing it made it more real.  Mariana continued.

  “I didn’t tell him everything at once,” he added.  Alejandro looked at her.   ” What did you tell him?” he asked.  Mariana lowered her gaze for a moment.  There is someone important who wants to meet him.  Said. Alejandro slowly exhaled.  And what did he say?  Asked.  Mariana looked up .  He wanted to know who she was. He answered.

  Alejandro felt a mixture of nerves and excitement that he didn’t know how to handle.  And now?  Asked.  Mariana pointed towards the town.  He’s in the house. Said.  Alexander.  He looked in that direction as if he could see it from there.  His heart began to beat faster. Mariana took one step closer.  Listen to me carefully, he said.

  This needs to be calm.  Alejandro looked at her.  “I know,” he replied.  Mariana shook her head slightly.  No, not just say it, actually do it. Alejandro nodded.  “Okay,” he said. Mariana.  He watched it for a few more seconds, as if making sure.  Then he started walking.  Alejandro followed her without saying anything.

  The walk home felt longer than it actually was.  Every step was heavy.  Alejandro looked around, but he didn’t really see anything.  All his focus was on what was coming next.  Mariana walked forward with a firm step, although inside she was just as tense. They arrived at a simple house with a wooden door and an open window. Mariana stopped before entering.

He took a deep breath.  Alejandro too.  This is the moment.  She said in a low voice. Alejandro nodded.  Mariana pushed the door slowly.  The interior was simple and tidy.  And there, in the middle of the room, was him, Mateo, a 12-year-old boy sitting looking at them attentively. Alejandro remained completely still.

   He couldn’t take another step at first.   It was as if everything had stopped again.  Mateo stared at him with curiosity, without fear, but clearly expecting something.  Mariana was the first to speak.  Matthew, she said gently, he is the person I told you about.  Mateo did not take his eyes off Alejandro, he stood up slowly.

Alejandro watched him, unable to hide his emotion.  There was something about that child that struck him directly.  I didn’t know if it was the shape of his eyes, his expression, something in his posture, but I felt it.  Mateo took one step closer.  “You’re the one who wants to meet me,” he asked.

  Alejandro felt his voice catch for a second. “Yes,” Mateo replied.  He looked at it carefully.  as if he were trying to understand beyond the words.  ” Why?” Alejandro asked hesitantly.  I didn’t mean to say anything bad.  Mariana looked at him, giving him space.  Alejandro took a deep breath.  “Because you’re important to me,” he said.

  Mateo frowned slightly.  Why am I important?  Asked.  Alejandro felt that this moment was more difficult than any previous argument.  He looked at him directly because he started, but then stopped. Mariana watched in silence.  Matthew too.  Alejandro took a small step forward.  “Because I’m your dad,” he finally said.  The silence was immediate.

Mateo didn’t react immediately, he just looked at him.  Mariana didn’t speak either.  Everything was suspended at that moment.  Mateo blinked a couple of times.  Then he looked at Mariana.  “Is it true?” Mariana asked.   He nodded slowly.  Yes, he replied.  Mateo looked at Alejandro again.  His expression barely changed.

  It wasn’t anger, it wasn’t sadness, it was something deeper, as if I were adjusting something I had felt before.  “I knew there was something,” he said suddenly.  Alejandro frowned slightly.  As?  Asked. Mateo looked at him calmly.  “Mom never talked about it,” he replied, but he didn’t deny it either. Alejandro felt a lump in his throat.

 Mateo took another step closer. “Why weren’t you here?” he asked. Alejandro looked down for a second, then up. “Because I didn’t know you existed,” Mateo replied. He watched him silently, as if evaluating that answer. Mariana watched them both without intervening. The moment was theirs. Mateo took a deep breath. Then, he said, hesitating slightly. You just found out.

Alejandro nodded. Yes. Mateo was silent for a few seconds. Then he said something neither of them expected. I thought you’d show up someday, he said. Alejandro felt his chest tighten more than it had all day. Really? he asked. Mateo. He nodded. Yes, he replied. I didn’t know when, but I felt it was going to happen.

Mariana looked down, clearly moved. Alejandro took another step. Now closer. I don’t want to leave again, Mateo said. He looked at him. He didn’t say anything immediately, but he didn’t back away. That small gesture was enough.  So that Alejandro would feel that something was finally beginning to change.

 It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t simple, it wasn’t quick, but it was real. And in that moment, there, in front of his son, he understood that this encounter wasn’t the end of anything, it was the beginning of something he had been waiting for for 12 years. No.