Chapter 175 - Cancer, Danger, Fear - Fears
Roland
I left around five in the morning, smiling as I told Veronica it was better for me to start working at dawn to avoid a pain in the balls from not making love to her, especially since we were so used to our inevitable morning session.
"Boss, why so early?" I greeted Jacinto, putting on my hat.
"Jacinto, it's better to avoid temptations," he smiled.
"Congratulations on your kids."
"Thanks," I always work alongside them, but I start after seven.
"The cows have already been milked, and the new batch of cattle should arrive by six," I confirmed.
"We need to brand some today and the rest tomorrow."
"Boss, the restriction is for the first three months unless there's a problem," I laughed. He didn't say anything else and continued with his tasks.
I approached Amón, who was isolated. Hathor was pregnant again, six months along. The colt was a spitting image of his father, and we named him Zeus. I wanted to continue with Egyptian names, but Veronica opposed it because she thought the rest of the names were ugly, so we agreed to use Greek names instead.
"Amón, you and Pomposo have work to do. I'm going to have three kids, and I want your offspring to be for my children and nephews."
My heart kept squeezing. I took my phone out of my pocket and watched the video of my kids in my wife's womb again. "Three kids." Hearing their hearts filled me in a way that made me fear. Now I had to worry not only about Veronica's well-being but also about those three tiny beings in formation.
"Thank you, Lord," I said silently. "Forgive my foolishness, you know what I need. I am still proud, forgive me for that." I looked at Hathor, and in the next stall was Zeus, already a year old. He had five months left to foal, plus the six months I preferred they stay with their mother before weaning. In eleven months, we would breed them again for a third foal, the same procedure I had with Pomposo and Chocolate.
"Jacinto!"
The foreman arrived, and from a distance, we saw two trucks approaching with the new batch of cattle. We wanted to be strong in the region's livestock industry.
"Yes, boss?"
"Chocolate is ten months pregnant. She'll foal soon. I don't want any other horse to mount her, only Pomposo."
That was my horse before Amón arrived. Both were exclusively mine and would breed with my wife's mares. Maybe I was being an idiot, but I wanted my horses to be faithful too.
"Of course, Mr. Roland."
I had breakfast with the workers. The cattle had arrived, and we immediately started branding them, a task I had always enjoyed. While we all worked, I talked with the workers, asking about their families and children, a habit I hoped never to lose.
Two kitchen staff brought us drinks, likely on Carmela or Inés's orders. I looked toward the house, and on the second-floor terrace was Veronica watching us. Then I knew it was my wife who had sent the drinks. The day was hot, and we still had one more batch to go. We'd continue tomorrow.
I didn't like working on ranch matters after noon. That time was dedicated to online businesses using Veronica's account. To the world, it was my wife who was in charge of everything. I no longer had bank accounts; everything was done online with her usernames and passwords. We had divided some functions among Rata, Miguel, and me.
"Jacinto, how's Francisco doing in his first year of college?" I saw pride in his eyes.
"We talk to him every day. I call him at night, and Carmela in the morning. He's happy. Not everyone gets the chance to study veterinary medicine at one of the best universities in Texas."
"I'm glad."
"Thanks to you and Mrs. Veronica, working for you has been a blessing."
"Guadalupe is finishing this year, right?" Now I saw concern.
"Now that you're going to be a father, you'll understand. We men are proud to have sons; it swells our chests. But having a daughter is tough, and not out of machismo. It's just that, to us, they never grow up. To me, she'll always be my little girl, even though she's already eighteen. I think she'll always be four," I said.
"She wants to study education or something related to children. Mrs. Diana gave us a list of universities where she could study. Having her far away where I can't supervise what pervert gets close to her has me on edge. I don't want to see her suffer because of some degenerate."
"Is there a program in Blanco?"
"There is. I'm using psychology like Mrs. Luisa suggested. If I oppose her going far away, she'll leave faster. If I make her see how much we need her close without saying it directly, maybe she'll change her mind about going far. Let's hope she studies in San Antonio."
"Arnold will be coming to spend a few days every week for the next few months while he completes his specialization. He's also interested in pursuing another degree and will be traveling a lot for work in Colombia. He'll be doing his specialization in San Antonio, but he can come and go daily or every week. I'll give you the details of the university he'll be at, and if Guadalupe is interested in any courses, you can trust Arnold to look after her from afar."
"Is Arnold the pale guy who looks almost albino?"
"Yes," he grimaced.
"The last time he was here, he bothered my daughter a lot. I don't think Lupe likes him very much. If you value and trust him so much, I suppose I could feel a bit more at ease if he's looking out for her."
"Jacinto, neither I nor my friends have been saints, but I can tell you this: if Arnold is interested in Guadalupe, you can be sure that he will protect your daughter with his life. And I believe that's what every father wants for his daughter—a man who would give his life for her, like a good father would."
"Well, you have a point there, boss."
We finished the work, and as I entered the house, I checked on the progress of the elevator installation. It should be done in two days. Veronica was in the kitchen. I kissed her and went upstairs to shower before lunch. Halfway through the meal, she spoke up.
"Honey, the clinic called. The doctor rescheduled the appointment because she has several deliveries tomorrow. Can you come with me?"
"Of course, Beautiful. I'll accompany you to each and every one of your check-ups. What time?"
"At three," she said, avoiding my eyes, which was unusual for her.
"We'll need to leave right after. Have you felt dizzy again?" She shook her head.
"But I've had two servings of ice cream." I laughed. She's going to end up looking like a little dumpling, but she'll be adorable all round.
Since lunch, my wife had been avoiding looking at me, and it was starting to worry me. Something was off. I parked at the clinic, and when I helped her out of the car, she felt cold.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" At that moment, her eyes met mine. "You can't lie, Veronica, and next time, try lying while looking me in the eyes. You always talk to me without looking away, and you haven't done that since lunch. Is it this appointment that's making you nervous?"
"Let's just go inside."
My heart started racing, and now I was the one who was scared. We didn't have to wait long. Five minutes after checking in, the secretary opened the door to Dr. Jones' office. She was waiting for us, looking concerned. Now I was the one sweating. It didn't take a genius to deduce that something was wrong with the tests. Dear God, please don't play a trick on me.
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval. Please, have a seat. How have you been feeling, Veronica?"
"Very well," she replied.
"She felt dizzy yesterday."
I threw her under the bus. My wife glared at me, and the doctor smiled at the comment.
"I'll be a snitch here; I'll tell everything."
"Dizziness is normal in her condition, but you should never keep it to yourself. No matter how minor the symptoms, it's important to communicate them."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Well," the specialist sighed, and her demeanor didn't bode well. "I called you in... it's never easy to give this kind of news."
Ever since Veronica came into my life, it's been a rollercoaster. I've never experienced such terrifying scares until she arrived, but this moment was turning into real torture, and my intuition told me I was the one to blame.
"Tell us the truth, doctor," Veronica said.
"During yesterday's ultrasound, I saw some spots that concerned me, so I ordered two additional tests. I have those results here. Do you know what HPV is?"
Human papillomavirus. I closed my eyes, and my conscience rubbed my mistakes in my face. Father Gabriel's voice echoed in my head, "You must face the consequences of your actions." I've always been careful, always... but not with Beatriz, even though I didn't finish inside her. My heart was pounding. I alone had messed up.
"It's a virus transmitted sexually," Veronica responded.
"That's correct. I don't want to cause undue alarm. Did you get tested before getting married?" My wife shook her head.
"I've been the only man in my wife's life, and since I've known her... only once was I with another woman without protection during a separation in our relationship. Since we've been married, I haven't been with anyone else. I'm the one who infected her."
"Doctor," Veronica's trembling voice killed me. I suppose she realized who had infected me. "I've had oral, vaginal, and anal sex." Breathe, Roland.
"Veronica, I'll send you for further tests today, and believe me, it wouldn't be so dangerous if you weren't prone to cancer." My ears were ringing, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. "At this moment, you have cervical cancer."