Chapter 178 - Causing - Funds
Roland
We were still in the cabin, but we were in better spirits.
"Well, you both look much better. It's time to go, I want to see my girls and my beautiful Dark-haired one." I laughed, remembering the conversation with Jacinto.
"What will you do when they introduce you to their boyfriends?" Simon's face was priceless.
"They will never get married!" Miguel and I burst out laughing.
"If I ever have daughters, I'll teach them that men are bad and ugly, except for their daddy," I said.
"That's a good idea."
Simon carried the chairs inside the cabin. Before getting into his car, Miguel took a deep breath.
"I have no idea what happened during this conversation, but I feel..."
"Relieved," I finished the sentence for him. He nodded. "The Lord God is with us, I suppose that's what we felt."
"Maybe."
"Say hi to Diana for me."
Now I understood her way of moving. It wasn't a hit from Isaac; it was the episode with her husband that kept her from sitting properly. Who could have thought? Three human demons reached their earthly angels. My sister, Diana, and my Beautiful. When I arrived, I went straight to the bedroom, and my wife was waiting for me. I lay down next to her and kissed her; I needed to.
"Even if you say no, I'm responsible for your illness, forgive me."
"I did a long time ago, Honey."
She moved closer to me and snuggled up until she was holding me like a koala. There was no need to talk or make reproaches; we had each other to protect the three beings on the way. Something happened in that cabin, I was certain it wasn't just Simon, Miguel, and I; that strange essence called the Holy Spirit was also there.
Without letting my wife see me cry, I would be her pillar for the great trial falling upon us. I would be her shelter, but nothing would harm her, not when I believed so much in that being called Lord God. Verónica had fallen asleep when my mother came in, she saw us and smiled.
"Stay there," she said when she saw me trying to move. She took off my shoes, unbuckled my belt, and kissed my forehead. "Even though I wasn't by your side, I love you more than my life. I'll stay as long as necessary with you if you want."
"Of course, Mom." My chest tightened, and my eyes welled up.
"Everything will be fine, son. Verónica already told me, we have hope, everything will be fine."
"My father-in-law is going to hate me again."
"Let's not tell him it was HPV, just that it developed into cancer. That's Verónica's suggestion."
"I'll talk to her about it. Thank you for being here."
"Rest." She found another blanket and covered us. "Verónica will have a pregnancy that demands a lot of your time. You need to be patient with her. She's a woman who overcomes her problems with her family by her side, and now you are that."
"I'll try to spend a lot of time with her; she can't get out of bed."
"That's what she told us."
She kissed my forehead, my wife's, and left, turning off the lights in the room. I held her body closer, placing my hand on her belly. A current passed through my body; this was my place, this was my home. I had nothing else to do but trust in you, Lord God.
"Daddy is here, my intruders, I have no damn idea what to do, I'm scared to death, but I'll stay here."
"That's all I need, Roland." Wasn't she asleep? "I love you."
"I love you too."
…………
Simon
Luisa was coming down the stairs with my girls. I intercepted her to help, taking Milena in my arms.
"Thank you, love. Andrea won't calm down, you know how angry she gets if I'm late feeding her. I don't know how much I'll miss my mom; we need to think about hiring a nanny."
"Did Mrs. Consuelo go back to her ranch?"
"No, love. Inés called her, begged her to be at Roland's house. I fell asleep last night, and we didn't talk; you went with my brother."
It was true, I didn't want to wake her up. Since the girls were born, Luisa hadn't had any rest. If it wasn't them, it was me asking for attention. I needed to stop being inconsiderate, be more thoughtful.
"Luisa, forgive me."
"What is happening to my family? Now you're asking for forgiveness?"
Her attitude changed. We sat on the couch, and Andrea stopped crying as soon as her mother began feeding her. Seeing her so devoted to my daughters made me love her even more.
"I love you, Dark-haired one, you look beautiful nursing my daughter."
"You didn't call her a brat." She looked at Andrea. "Daddy is making progress, princess." I chuckled.
"Roland refers to his kids as intruders, his intruders."
"What's going on, Simon?"
Milena was the sleepyhead, still immersed in her innocent dream. I caressed her cheek. God, how I loved my girls. I kissed her forehead.
"You know that if you hold them, they'll sleep all day."
I had been selfish. When my friends told me about their serious problems, if I was honest, it didn't excuse the fact that I hadn't helped Luisa as I should have. I had been chauvinistic, attentive, changing diapers, putting them to sleep, but I spent little time with them. I used work as an excuse and then demanded her time at night. It might not be a problem now, but... if I don't change, it could become one.
"Simón? Now I'm really worried. Something serious happened at Verónica's house, and no one is telling me because I'm breastfeeding, right? Any shock could harm me. Yesterday I called Diana, I swear I felt her crying. My mother ran to Roland's house, and since you came back after Vero's call, you haven't returned. I don't know where you stayed." I needed to clear this up before she started imagining all sorts of things.
"Black-haired beauty... let's put the girls in their cribs and talk for a while."
Her expression was one of confusion and... pain? I saw her hesitate, her eyes welling up. We went upstairs. I had gotten up very early to work on the ranch, and in an hour, Laila should call us for breakfast. The girls were in their cribs. Since we went upstairs, Luisa had kept her gaze down.
"I've always asked for honesty, Simón." I stayed silent. "Do I stand a chance?" I frowned.
"A chance for what?" She tried to speak but stopped, a bundle of nerves. What was she imagining now?
"You have to understand my body is still in transition. My breasts are overflowing from breastfeeding and..."
"Luisa, wait a moment..."
"No! Listen to me. I didn't want to say anything because I thought it was just my imagination and that famous postpartum, but last night you didn't sleep in our bed."
What is she talking about? Not only did my friends have problems, but mine was also evident. Did my wife think I found her unattractive? I couldn't help my heart from racing.
"Just give me a bit more time. I'll find a way to get my old body back."
I raised my hand. She stopped talking, and for the first time, didn't argue against my caveman-like gesture. It was clear her mind had minimized her character.
"Listen to me very well, Luisa MORENO." I emphasized her last name. "What I just heard from you, I'll chalk up to that famous postpartum crisis you women experience." She lowered her gaze.
"You are mine! I know perfectly well the changes in your body, and I ADORE them. For nine months, you carried our daughters. The marks you have now are the result of the miracle of life you nurtured. I love you even more, if that's possible. You are beautiful, Black-haired beauty. I'm sorry if any of my actions made you think otherwise."
"Last night..." I frowned. "You didn't want to sleep with me. I felt you come in and not get into bed."
"When will I understand women? Well, when will I understand you? I did it for you."
"I never told you not to sleep with me, and you apologized. I suppose you were with..."
I silenced her with a kiss on that delicious mouth. Where did this woman get the idea that I could be with someone else? I kissed her hard.
"Get that nonsense out of that beautiful head. Luisa, I love you! Since you appeared on my radar, I haven't been with any woman other than you, and I hadn't been intimate with anyone since I saw that red-painted mouth in a photo taken from the house cameras."
"I didn't want to tell you that, but I see that postpartum has messed with that precious head. I became obsessed with you from that day, and now I'm madly in love. I don't want another woman, only mine. Last night I did sleep with you. You had already fallen asleep, and I got up very early today. Do you want me to show you the camera footage?"
"I thought you didn't want to touch me. It's true we were intimate again a week ago, but I've noticed you seem different."
"For God's sake, woman! You had a C-section. I haven't been the same to avoid hurting you. Just touch me, and you'll see how I am. I've been the unconscious one. You spend all day with the girls. I don't help you as I should, and at night I come like a caveman to lose myself in your body. That's why I apologized. I've only thought about myself, not you. With Roland and Miguel's situation, I thought about what might cause us a problem, and look, we already had one."
"Do you desire me?" I kissed her again, rubbing my erection against her.
"He can tell you."