Chapter 25
When Trinidad opens her eyes again many hours have passed and it's no longer her parents who are with her in the room, it's Maria Molina, who keeps nodding off in the armchair because she's been almost forty-eight hours without sleep.
Trinidad wakes up startled and grabs Maria's arm, scaring her too. The sudden movement causes a stab of pain in her shoulder that she tries to hide.
"My parents?" she asks, fearing it was all a dream and they've disappeared from her life again.
"Ursula took them to eat and rest a bit, they'll be back later," she reassures her with a smile, while trying to adjust her pillow. "How are you feeling?"
Trinidad has trouble focusing for a few seconds, but then an image explodes in her head and her pulse races.
"And Benjamin?" she asks with a trembling voice.
"In the ICU, they had to remove a lung and his condition is serious, but he'll pull through, you'll see."
Maria had considered the option of lying, but she put herself in her place wondering how she would feel if someone lied to her about Ursula's condition, because she figures that's the level of affection in Trinidad's relationship with her bodyguard.
The businesswoman swallows and, without realizing it, applies excessive force to Maria's hand.
"Everything will be fine," the lawyer leans in and kisses her forehead. "Benjamin will recover and you won't have to look over your shoulder ever again."
Trinidad raises her watery eyes and takes a breath.
"Ismael?" she asks with a thread of voice.
"He died in the shooting. One of Oliver's shots killed him instantly, but if it hadn't, he would have died anyway because one of Benjamin's shots had burst an artery and he was bleeding out.
It's over, Trinidad, in the worst way, but it's ended," she says wiping the tears that slide down the businesswoman's cheek.
"I would have preferred he didn't die and they had locked him up for being a son of a bitch," Trinidad mutters thinking of Benjamin.
"Me too," Maria sighs, "it could have been much worse than it was, any stray bullet could have hurt a child, I still don't understand how he could do what he did in a place like that."
"He killed his own daughter, I don't think he cares about other people's children," Trinidad declares leaving Maria frozen.
"Focus on yourself and recovering so you can go see Benjamin," she says, brushing the hair from her face.
"I will."
Trinidad closes her eyes for a few seconds and opens them again, she wants to recover her life and lost time with her parents, but she needs to do all that with Benjamin by her side.
"Now you can get your life back, Trinidad, even your old name if that's what you want, I can process it."
"No, I don't feel like that person anymore. Trinidad is who I've become and who I want to continue being. Adriana is part of a past that hurts too much," she answers and asks for some water.
"Whatever you want, I don't care what you're called, I like you as you are," Maria says while helping her drink.
"And how am I?" Trinidad asks allowing herself to be loved a little.
"You're a strong person who's had the courage to live too many years looking back and, even so, has never given up.
You've achieved every goal you've set for yourself, you've created a company that you've turned into a monster, you help people and you've surrounded yourself with good people, not to mention you're rebuilding your love life with a decent person," she says pointing to herself with theatrical gesture, making Trinidad laugh, "a person who feels good every minute they spend with you. "
"Is that a declaration of love?" Trinidad sketches a tender smile.
"It's probably the closest thing you're going to get, yes," Maria confirms narrowing her eyes.
"Okay," Trinidad smiles again, "come here," she asks her to come closer so she can kiss her.
After the kiss, Trinidad lies back tired. Every gesture costs her as if she were climbing a mountain.
"Try to rest," Maria advises her.
"Who located my parents?" she asks trying to keep her eyes from closing.
"I'm a woman of resources," Maria struts, "so many that I even got my hands on a private plane."
Trinidad smiles before letting herself be carried away by sleep again, feeling for the first time in many years that she can afford the luxury of sleeping without fear, while Maria's hand gently caresses her hair in a protective gesture.