Chapter 375 - Other lips... another destiny - mdfour
Veronica
I arrived early in response to Mrs. Josefina's call; she had asked me to come urgently since six in the morning. I stepped out of the car, and she was already waiting for me on the terrace, accompanied by Gladis, who greeted me.
"I was very worried by your call."
"See if she'll talk to you. She started crying this morning and then went into this state. Gustavo told me not to worry, that she had one of her visions. You know about her gift. Would you like something to eat?"
"Whatever you have is fine, but I won't turn down a coffee."
"I’ll bring it in a bit. My mother-in-law only spoke to say I should call you."
Once alone in the comfortable terrace room of the La Reina ranch, I sat down. The morning was hot.
"I called you, my dear, so you can witness what will happen in a couple of years. Today, I make you a witness."
"You're scaring me." She was looking toward the ranch's corrals.
"Patricia and Alfredo are suffering."
"They're fine. Well, I've noticed they've been a bit distant lately."
"They broke up a week ago, and today everything fell apart, but that's how it had to be." Mrs. Josefina took my face in her hands. "Please, let the baby carry Ines's gift; they'll need it."
"What are you saying?" She moved away again and looked toward the corrals.
"Things have changed for my daughter's life. Everything has broken, and I can't see if there's a future for them. I only see turbulence, a lot of suffering for Alfredo. It frustrates me when I can only see halfway!"
"It was the same thing I saw when Gustavo decided to become a hitman. I saw turbulence! At least my son's end was happiness and righteousness, but that was because you appeared. That's why I called you."
"I don't understand how I can help." I was lost in her comments.
"Neither do I." Her wrinkled face, but with such beautiful black eyes. "I don't know what to do."
"Are they in danger?"
"I don't feel that way. Talk to Patricia; maybe she'll tell you what she did or is going to do. You are the leader of the women; you earned the right to be her friend, everyone's friend. Maybe she'll listen to you."
"I'll try and let you know."
"No, Veronica. Keep her response. Whatever Patricia does, she's my daughter, and I'll support her no matter what."
……
Patricia
I arrived at my office. Maximo was talking to Bertha, our assistant. As soon as she saw me, she hugged me. I must have looked terrible for her to rush to comfort me, and I needed it, I needed a hug. My partner looked at me with his arms crossed as my tears kept flowing.
"Bertha, do I have any appointments?"
"The nine o'clock client canceled. Your next one is at ten, and Mrs. Patricia's in the afternoon."
"For today, I'll take Patricia's patients."
He extended his hand, and by instinct, I held onto it. He led me to his office. Bertha followed and left two bottles of water. I saw pity in her eyes. I sat in the chair opposite him. He kindly poured me a glass of water, and I thanked him when my body responded favorably to drinking it.
In his office, there was a photo of us celebrating our partnership. He, who wasn't anything to me, had a photo, while Alfredo never had one. How can my soul still hurt so much?
I looked at my partner. He gave me a warm look through his gray eyes. His brown hair was disheveled. He was almost as tall as Alfredo, thin but not athletic, without the worked-out body of my child's father.
God! Everything came crashing down on me. I couldn't hold it in any longer, and under Maximo's scrutinizing gaze, I allowed myself to cry. He knelt down and hugged me. Only whimpers came out of me. When I calmed down, I spoke.
"We separated last week."
"I suspected when he came on Thursday looking for you, asking about the photo."
I looked up. It looked like a wedding photo. I wore a white suit that day, and he was in a suit and tie.
"I told him you were a partner. He didn't know, right?"
"Lately, he didn't care about anything I did. Anyway, he told me he didn't love me anymore. He cared for me but didn't love me, and it was best to end it."
"He was honest."
"Yes, it's better to be told the truth, even if it hurts. He's not obligated to love me forever."
"Patricia..."
"It's been eight days since our breakup. I left his apartment. I'm staying at the hotel two blocks from the office." He adjusted my hair. "Today... today I took a pregnancy test, and it came out positive." I couldn't understand his look. "Regardless of our relationship status, I decided to tell him he was going to be a dad. But when I entered the apartment, he was with another woman, naked in the bed we shared for years."
"Did you tell him?" I shook my head.
"I couldn't. I felt deceived, humiliated, and belittled."
"Technically, you two broke up."
"It's only been eight days, eight! And he's already slept with someone else? Just another confirmation he never loved me."
"Or he loves you too much, and seeing that the only way forward is to commit, he got scared."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Men are usually idiots. Look at me." We looked at each other. "What decision did you make?"
"I'm not going to tell him he's the father of my child. Not for now... not while I can hide the belly. I'd rather pretend it was artificial insemination or that I went around hooking up and got pregnant. Anything, but I won't tell him it's his child. I'm so angry!"
"Look at me." When I did, I saw tenderness. "I'm going to do something. Tell me what you feel."
I frowned, not expecting Máximo to kiss me. Out of surprise, I half-opened my mouth, and he took advantage, fully taking control. His lips were soft, his tongue sent a wave of heat, making me instinctively follow his lead. The kiss intensified. I was about to put my hand on his neck to pull him closer, but he pulled away.
"Did you feel anything?"
"What?"
He licked his lips, a mischievous smile I hadn't seen before, captivating me. Memories flashed like a movie—the chocolates, the flowers, his concern for how I was doing, always respecting me. Every time he traveled, he brought back a little something, those things I have in my office.
"Do you feel passion? If I move forward, would you let me?" My heart was racing. He took my face in his hands. "Be honest," the kiss hadn't left me indifferent.
"I felt..."
This time, I kissed him. This kiss was more demanding, and the heat was rising. The play of our tongues ignited something I didn't know was there. I pulled away.
"You didn't leave me indifferent. I didn't think of Alfredo while kissing you." His eyes were dilated.
"I felt everything. Patricia, marry me. Let me be the father of that baby. You know I've been in love with you for a couple of years. I kissed you because I needed you to feel it. If you accept to marry me, I want it to be a real marriage. If you felt something, let me kindle that small feeling."
"Máximo..."
"Think about it."
"I don't want to hurt you. I enjoyed the kiss, but marriage?"
"We know marriage is a commitment between two people. We can try. If you're not so sure, we can do a civil marriage, and if I win your love, we renew our vows in a church."
"I... your parents."
"You know my parents adore you. Every weekend my mom tells me it's a shame you have a partner. She wants to see me with someone like you for the rest of my life. But that's not what's important here."
He was still on his knees. What irony, I lived with Alfredo for five years and never met his mother and brother, except through photos. On the other hand, Máximo's parents always bring me a little something whenever they come to the office.
"The important thing is that we commit to making my proposal work. I know we're not in the Victorian age, but many marriages started out of convenience and fell in love."
"Let me think about it." He smiled and stole a tender kiss.
"That's enough for me. I'll respect whatever decision you make." I felt calmer. Máximo always gave me that sense of peace. I stood up.
"Tomorrow, I go back to work. Now I'm going to check out the apartment where I'll live."
"If your answer is yes, you'll live in mine until we buy our house."
The word "our" sounded so beautiful. I don't owe anyone anything anymore. He's already started his life; I must do the same with mine. And I must protect my baby. I reached the door, and before leaving, I gathered my courage.
"If we're going to try marriage, sex is important to me." He was near his desk, walking slowly toward me. "I'll wait for you at the hotel once you leave here. If we don't connect, there will be no agreement."
"Are you going to condition me? And what if, wanting to give you the best night, I can't get it up? Not because I don't like you, but because you just told me that if I don't prove to be a beast in bed, you'll dump me." I laughed at his concerned face. "Don't laugh! But without a doubt, you look more beautiful laughing than crying. And it won't be today; it'll be when the passion arises."
"You know this is crazy, right?"
"Yes, I love you, and this conversation has felt so natural, which gives me a bit of hope." I approached and hugged him tightly.
"I accept." He stood still.