Chapter 45

Morning arrived quickly, and with it, a light breeze that slipped through the cracks of the open window. Margaret was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, when she heard a soft noise, a faint cry coming from Mateo's room. Her heart tightened immediately, and putting the coffee cup aside, she ran toward her son's room.

Upon entering, she saw Mateo sitting on his bed, his little eyes wide and filled with tears. He clung tightly to his pillow, his breath erratic, as if he had had a nightmare. The emptiness in his face made her stop in her tracks.

-Mateo? -Margaret said gently, approaching cautiously.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion and fear, and quickly hugged her, burying his face in her chest.

-Mom where is he? -he asked, his voice trembling, referring to Lorenzo. Margaret tensed at the mention of his name. She didn't know how to answer that question, how to explain the situation without worrying him too much.

-Mateo, darling, who are you talking about? -she asked while hugging him, stroking his hair.

-Lorenzo -his voice was barely a whisper, but the anguish was clear in his eyes. -I want to see him, mom. I want him here.

Margaret felt a lump in her throat. She hadn't expected her son to be so affected by Lorenzo's absence. Since he had left the night before, Mateo hadn't said anything, but now, upon waking up, the emptiness in his heart had reached him.

-Lorenzo has things to do, Mateo, but don't worry, he'll be back soon -Margaret said, her voice soft but firm, trying to calm him down.

Mateo looked up and stared at her as if he didn't completely understand what she was saying. His tear-filled eyes didn't show anger, but deep sadness, as if something important was missing.

-When is he coming back? -he asked, his voice barely audible.

Margaret felt a pang of guilt upon hearing her son's concern. How could she explain all of this, when she herself was still unsure about what she felt for Lorenzo?

-I don't know, sweetheart. But I promise you that when he comes back, everything will be fine -she replied, forcing a smile.

However, Mateo didn't seem convinced. He pulled away a little, and with his head down, murmured:

-I want Lorenzo to be my dad.

Margaret's heart stopped for a moment, shocked by Mateo's words. She wasn't prepared for that revelation, and the weight of his words hit her harder than she had anticipated.

-Mateo -she said, trying to stay calm. -You know we can't choose the people we want in our lives that way.

But Mateo wasn't listening to her. He was completely absorbed in his thoughts, as if he knew exactly what he wanted.

-I want him, mom. Lorenzo takes care of me, he plays with me. He makes me feel happy. -His eyes shone with sincerity, and Margaret felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Mateo had found in Lorenzo the paternal figure he wished to have.

Margaret stayed silent for a moment, her heart heavy. How could she explain to her son everything that had happened between her and Lorenzo? How could she tell him that, although Lorenzo cared for him, things weren't that simple?

She knelt beside him and took his hands, looking him straight in the eyes.

-I know you like Lorenzo, Mateo. And I'm glad you've met him because he's a good person. But we can't always have what we want right away, do you understand? Things take time.

Mateo, with sadness on his face, nodded slowly, but didn't say anything else. Margaret hugged him again, feeling a piece of her own heart crumble with those words. She knew that, somehow, she wouldn't be able to stop worrying about Mateo's feelings. The relationship he had started to build with Lorenzo had been something so unexpected and, at the same time, so genuine, that now Margaret didn't know how to handle it.

Later that day, Margaret decided to take Mateo to the park to distract him a little. As they walked, she couldn't stop thinking about her son's words. Was she being fair to him by not letting him get closer to Lorenzo? Was she doing him a favor by preventing him from getting more attached?

When they arrived at the park, Mateo ran towards the swing, while Margaret stood still, looking around, lost in her thoughts. The sound of the wind in the leaves, the murmur of children playing, everything seemed so distant at that moment.

But something inside her knew that she had to face her own feelings, for Mateo and for herself. What did all of this mean? Could Lorenzo be part of her life and her son's? Or would her own fear of getting involved with him again end up destroying what Mateo needed the most?

Margaret closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The path ahead felt uncertain, but one thing was clear: her son deserved to be happy, and she couldn't let fear prevent her from giving him the stability he so desperately needed.

The future was uncertain, but maybe, just maybe, there was still space for love and hope.