The man who now looked like a stranger.
“I don’t know if sorry is enough.”
He wiped his face.
“What can I do?”
“I don’t know yet.”
He nodded.
We sat in silence for a long time.
Then he spoke again.
“Lucía and I are separating.”
I looked up sharply.
“What?”
“After the airport, everything fell apart. She blamed me for not controlling you. I blamed her for lying. We haven’t stopped fighting since we got back.”
“Javier—”
“No, Mom. You were right. I didn’t see it before, but you were right. She doesn’t respect you. She doesn’t even respect me. And I can’t be married to someone like that.”
He stood up.
“I’m moving out next week. I’m staying with a friend for now.”
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.”
He walked toward the door.
Then he stopped.
Turned around.
“Mom, I know I don’t deserve to ask this. But if you ever decide you can forgive me, I’ll be here. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
Then he left.
I sat there alone in the quiet house.
And for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe.
Three months later, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I almost didn’t answer.
But something told me to pick up.
“Mrs. Ríos?”
