Epilogue

Epilogue

ANGELO

The days began to look brighter, sometimes responsibilities bind us and slowly kill us, but once we are freed we can feel that feeling of gratitude for having done the right thing.

I can say that maybe I stopped loving my wife when she couldn't even recognize me anymore or she was delirious with her treatments, but I never stopped protecting her or helping her when she needed me most and I know that she thanked me even though she couldn't speak, until her last breath of life.

I looked at the photo of the woman I once loved; Jesica, but I had felt the loss of her so many years ago that now, I did not feel sadness but relief for her, because she would no longer suffer in this world lying on a stretcher without being able to move.

When they buried the body, Freddy patted me on the shoulder. He had recently been discharged from the hospital and started hanging out with the nurse who treated him. He seemed happy and fulfilled. He pointed me to the front, when I raised my head I saw that there he was light blue, in the distance under a tree, he was wearing a black dress and dark glasses. When everyone left I approached her and she hugged me, I responded by letting myself melt into her arms, feeling that here was my home.

When we separated, she took off her glasses and smiled at me before turning and taking a small child's hand. I stopped breathing, my heart racing.

"I want to introduce you to someone William," Celeste told him, "do you remember how I told you I would bring you to meet your father?"

William approached and raised his head to look at me, now that I saw him face to face, I felt like my legs were turning to jelly, he was identical to me.

"My father is the super policeman?!" William shouted, seeming to have recognized me from the video call, I smiled.

"Yeah." said Celeste also smiling.

"Nice to meet you." said.

William let go of Celeste and ran to hug me, I bent down to reciprocate and carried him in my arms feeling that he couldn't stop smiling, he was smiling at me too.

"Can I use your weapon?" asked little William.

"Unfortunately your mother wouldn't allow me," I replied, "but when you're older I'll teach you how to use one if you want."

"Yeah!" he responded, "when I grow up I want to be a police officer like you."

I swallowed heavily, that this little boy said that he wanted to be like me and that I was his role model filled me with satisfaction.

"You want an icecream?" I asked.

"Yeah!"

I looked at Celeste and she smiled at me while we went to buy an ice cream from an ice cream truck, then we sat in an armchair to take advantage of the sunset where we could see the crystalline lake with the ducks swimming. William starts playing with the butterflies while he ate his ice cream, he was a healthy and very happy child.

"How do you feel?" Celeste asked, breaking the silence, her eyes fixed on me and I let out a sigh.

"For the first time in a long time I feel like I'm free," I admitted, "and I can start again."

"That's good," she said. I smiled and took her hand.

"Do you think we can try it?" I asked.

She licked her lips and nodded with a slight smile.

"I think it would be good to give us a chance."

***

I checked William's room before turning off the light and closing the door, I turned off the lights in the living room and entered the room with Celeste, she was sleeping peacefully on her side of the bed. I had bought this house a month ago after we got married at the notary, a new beginning, where every day I fell in love with Celeste and tried to make up for how I treated her before, I always made sure that she was well just like William, they were everything to me, my reason for continuing and seeing the beautiful side of life; our happiness.

"Did William fall asleep?" Celeste asked slightly sleepy when I lay down next to her.

"Yes love, he's already asleep," I replied.

I hugged her, caressing her belly where another baby was on the way, I gave her a kiss on the crown of her head and I saw her smile, I smiled too.

This was the family and peace I always wanted, and I could finally feel fulfilled and happy.

END.