Father and son time
Matew:
At Margô's party, I spent some time with my son, he's been quiet with me lately and it could be jealousy, because I pay more attention to Meg and not to him.
"How are you?" - I ask, watching my grandson play with Mag.
"Fine and you?"
"Happy as ever, it's great to have the family together, this is a moment I'll treasure forever."
"You're getting to be a weepy old man." - He laughs and so do I.
"I have to agree, I'm sounding like a sentimental old man."
"Are you going to say that the love interest has made you more human?"
"One day you'll realize what an incredible woman she is. But yes, she's helped me a lot, to improve, to be kinder."
"One day you'll realize that she only wants your money."
"Well, I don't want to argue about your suspicions, I want to invite you, for a walk, you, Nick, Mag and me, a family walk, no arguments, just some time for us to be as a family."
"All right. When?"
"We can go at the weekend, after Margô's performance."
"All right, just tell me the right time, so I can let Nicolás' mother know, you know how she is."
"Speaking of her, how is she?"
"She seemed fine, she's with a new boyfriend, a model, but she still keeps texting me."
"I've always liked her, she's always been a good girl, she takes good care of the boy, she liked you a lot."
"We never worked out, that's the truth."
"I hope you get on well, or that you find someone who makes you happy, living like this, always with one or the other, without anyone to keep you company in sad times, isn't good, it doesn't do you any good and I get worried."
"I'm used to it and I prefer it this way, believe me."
"You deserve much more than you have and I want to see you get everything you deserve, before I die."
"I just wanted my father close by, the rest I can manage on my own, I can sort it out later, not my father."
"I know I was an almost absent father to you, I deserve all the bad words you want to say to me, I did everything wrong I could do back then, I regret it bitterly and I've never really apologized to you, so forgive me son, I didn't mean to be the asshole I was, your mother was a perfect woman and all I wanted was to put right everything I did wrong, but I can't change the past."
I hug him and I hear him cry, I had no idea of the extent of the sadness I had caused my son, I know that I dedicated a lot to Victor, so that he wouldn't feel despised, for not having a father who was married to his mother and for not being able to see me all the time, so what I could and couldn't do, I did for Victor, to give him attention and lots of toys. Now I see all the bad things I did, spoiling one and distancing myself from the other.
"It's all over now..." - He sniffles and lets go of me.
"I'll make it all better. I love you very much, more than anything in this life."
"I love you too and that's why I'm annoying, I just want to protect you, protect you from the kind of woman who surrounded you, Victor's mother."
"Don't worry, I don't need protecting, I need to live well, happily, I'm old and I won't live long."
"Turn your mouth away." - He says seriously.
"It's the truth. Well, let's drink, eat, because it's Margô's party, I imagine she doesn't want to see us crying but laughing."
"Right."
So we went off to enjoy the party. Days passed and it was the day we were going to leave, I wanted to go with them to the Botanical Gardens, have lunch there and then take the children to a square, they needed to burn off some energy.
I was having coffee when Abraham and Nicolás arrived and sat down at the table.
"Good morning, Dad."
"Good morning, Grandpa."
"Good morning, son, good morning, Nick. Have you eaten?"
"Yes."
"Right, I'm going to finish up here, organize a few things and then I'll come down and we'll go."
"What about Margô, Grandpa?"
"She's getting ready."
He nods and I finish eating, then I brush my teeth, grab a few things I need and I'm ready, then I go to Mag's room, knock on the door a few times and Helena opens it.
"Is she ready?"
"Yeah, she just went to get her backpack."
"Right, I'll wait downstairs."
"Okay." - She smiles.
I go downstairs and soon the two of them appear, Helena has gone to pack Mag's backpack with snacks, since the child is hungry all the time.
"All done." - Helena says, handing the small child her backpack.
"Let's go, then." - I kiss her. "All right?"
"Yes, it's all right."
"Okay."
I kissed her forehead and we left the mansion, went to my car and the driver was already waiting for me. We got in and he drove us to the botanical garden, he parked, we got out, went to pay for our entry and to have a guide, then we went to see the place. We saw lots of plants, animals that you wouldn't find in a zoo and small monuments, we took photos and then it was time for lunch.
"Nice to choose this place, they liked it." - says Abraham, eating his healthy food.
"I'll admit I was afraid they wouldn't like it, it doesn't seem like it, but children are demanding, they like places to play, they don't usually pay attention to important things."
"You know that from your vast knowledge of children?"
"Worse than not, but you were like that, addicted to chasing butterflies and fireflies, I brought you here and you couldn't wait to leave because you couldn't find the butterflies. We took you to the museum once and you didn't like it either, but you seemed to like it better at the zoo. You were a different boy, cheerful and persistent, you're the best version of me, you come with all the qualities of me and your mother, you also have your own faults and mistakes, but most importantly, you're loyal just like her, faithful and good."
"Believe me, I'm not as good as you think."
"If it's because you don't like Helena, that's fine, she understands that you just want to protect me, that you don't trust her and that you're jealous of your big dad. But even so, you're still a great man, I'm very proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad."
We finished lunch and went to a small square for the children to play and then everyone went home. I was happy and would do my best to spend more time with my son, making up for lost time.