Chapter 23 #2
A little while later, we were leaving the toy store with several packages and the peace of mind of having bought all the gifts that Aurora had asked for.
“It got very late,” Devon said.
“Not that late. Perhaps we could go for a drink somewhere,” I suggested, because I intended to spend some time alone with her, even though I knew she might have appointments very early the next day. “What time is your appointment tomorrow?”
“It starts at ten in the morning.”
“You don’t have to get up too early, we can go for a drink,” I affirmed.
Devon looked at me and nodded, turned on the car radio and we began to listen to “Separate” by the band PVRIS. We listened in silence, but between us silences were comfortable. Suddenly she stretched out her arm and turned off the radio.
“Why did you turn off the song? Don’t you like it?” I asked, surprised by her attitude.
“It’s a beautiful song, but I prefer not to listen to music.”
“You seem a bit strange or worried today,” I commented, because, although she hadn’t said anything, it seemed to me that she was quieter than usual and I wanted to find out what was bothering her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just a little tired, but don’t mind me and let’s go have that drink.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am,” she replied, looking at me with a smile.
At that moment I realized that I had been very inconsiderate with her because I was well aware that her work was exhausting.
“I’m sorry, my love, sometimes I forget that your work is grueling. Let’s go back home.”
Once again she surprised me with her generosity.
“No; I’m the one who should apologize for not enjoying these wonderful moments with you. Let’s go for that drink and enjoy the night even if I have to go to work tomorrow without sleep,” she said with great determination and turned the radio back on.
I looked at her with concern because at that moment I understood that she was really troubled about something, but it was best not to pressure her and wait for her to tell me about it, even if that made me uneasy.
“We can still enjoy ourselves at home,” I proposed, looking at her with a smile that I hoped would indicate my intentions, which she obviously understood.
“I have no doubts about that, but I also like the idea of going out to have fun.”
“Very well, let’s go have fun.”
I decided to go to a bar located on the rooftop of an elegant and important hotel in Montevideo.
Its panoramic views were spectacular and the night was ideal to be there.
While we enjoyed the place and waited for our chosen drinks, I remembered that Xavier had mentioned to me that he was going to spend Christmas alone.
Xavier was a great friend to me and, when he told me, the first thing I thought was that I wasn’t going to let him spend it alone, but I wanted to consult with Devon first.
“I was thinking of asking Xavier to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with us, but only if you agree. His family lives in the United States and this year he told me he has no intention of traveling. Would you mind if I invited him?”
“Not at all, but first ask him if he doesn’t mind spending it with us. There’s a cultural mandate that says you have to spend these holidays with people around, but perhaps he wants to spend it alone,” she commented, with her usual good sense.
“I don’t think so, but I’ll ask him.”
“If you think the solitude isn’t self-imposed, then don’t let him spend it alone, these holidays stir up many memories.
Sometimes Christmas isn’t easy, we tend to remember much more the people who are no longer with us.
I don’t know if that’s Xavier’s case, but it’s always better to spend it in company. ”
The sadness with which she said it made me feel as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart with grief.
It was obvious that she had spent many Christmases alone and remembering a loved one, probably her father who seemed to be the only one with whom she had had a family relationship, a father-daughter relationship, the only one who had loved and protected her.
“I’ll ask him if he has any plans and, if he doesn’t, I’ll tell him to spend Christmas with us.
I’ll tell you in advance that Xavier doesn’t have much Christmas spirit, but he’ll surely make the effort for Aurora and for you.
Besides, he’s very fond of you,” I said, although this last part reminded me of the risqué comments about Devon that drove me up the wall, and I couldn’t help showing a bit of annoyance.
“Well, I think he’s a cheerful and nice person,” she said.
They left our drinks on the table and I proposed a toast, raising my glass.
“To us and our family,” I said, happily.
“To us and our family,” Devon repeated.
After taking a sip, I put the glass on the table and asked what I suspected.
“Have you ever spent Christmas alone?”
“On some occasions,” she replied, without delving into the subject, and I assumed that talking about it made her uncomfortable or sad, or caused both emotions in equal parts.
“While you were married?” I insisted, because I needed to know if the imbecile of her ex had left her alone, which I didn’t doubt.
“No, during the years I was married I spent it with Lino, and after I separated I always spent it with my great friends, with Sylvia or with Orson. I spent it alone when my father died because my mother and my sister made plans to spend it with some relative, but they didn’t include me.”
Imagining her alone because of those damn women made me furious.
“You’ve told me about them before, and just knowing what they did to you makes them insufferable to me. I don’t want them anywhere near us. Are you planning to invite them to our wedding?” I asked, because I didn’t want to face them—I didn’t know what I might be capable of.
“I was thinking of letting them know, but don’t worry because they won’t come.
I never mattered to them. I never understood why my mother hates me so much.
I tried everything to earn her affection and make her proud, but I never succeeded.
My mind filled with questions of why, but there were no answers.
Perhaps her affection has a limited quota, and she gave it all to my sister, focusing her love and recognition on just one daughter,” she commented, shrugging her shoulders, and seeing her so sad and vulnerable killed me.
I wanted to protect her, wanted her to be happy.
I wasn’t going to let that wretched woman keep ruining her life.
“She can go to hell! I don’t want to see her anywhere near you or my daughter. We’ll pretend that woman and your sister don’t exist. You don’t need anything from them,” I stated furiously. If my wife didn’t exist for them, then they didn’t exist for us either.
“They’re still my mother and sister,” she affirmed, with the politeness and kindness she always carried herself with, but they didn’t deserve even that.
“Being a father or mother isn’t just about conceiving a child; it’s much more than that.
It’s unconditional love. A mother isn’t just the one who gives birth—look at yourself, with your capacity for love and devotion, with the purity of your love and the great love your heart holds for caring for children.
You are Aurora’s mother, not the woman who gave birth to her, just as your mother isn’t truly yours despite having conceived you, because she didn’t provide the love or care that a mother should give her children,” I stated firmly, because I wanted her to know that I would always protect her.
“Thank you,” she said, not hiding the emotion that overwhelmed her.
“Thank you for being part of our lives.”
I saw her leave her chair and come toward me. I couldn’t help myself—I took her hand and pulled her onto my lap. I didn’t care about where we were or anything around us. I hugged her tightly, trying to show her all my love and protection.
“Let’s go home,” I suggested, because I wanted to be alone with her, wanted her all to myself.
“But you wanted us to be here. I don’t want to ruin the evening,” she commented, her voice breaking with emotion.
“Ruin? How could you ruin anything? You only make everything more wonderful. Let’s go.”
As soon as we crossed the threshold, I took her straight to the bedroom.
I needed her desperately. I wanted to strip away all her clothes so we could be skin to skin.
When I had her there, in front of me, I looked at her intensely, with that immense love and desire I felt for her.
My eyes didn’t leave hers; it was as if they burned with desire.
I held her face and caressed her cheek. My heart began to beat forcefully, and my excitement grew with each second.
“I love you, my sweet doctor.”
“Not as much as I love you,” she affirmed, and my heart skipped a beat, a somersault of happiness.
“Well, I don’t think it’s possible to love more than I love you,” I said, and did what I needed to do—I took her lips and claimed her mouth as mine.
In seconds, the kiss became desperate. I licked her lips, nibbled them, plundered her mouth.
My body pressed against hers, and I could feel her accelerated breathing, her excitement, which intensified my own.
Everything transformed into pleasure and passion.
A moan escaped my mouth, and Devon sighed and gasped against my lips.
While kissing her, my hands caressed her back, seeking the delicious curve of her backside to caress it and pull her toward me.
When I realized that if I continued, I wouldn’t be able to stop, I pulled away slightly and rested my forehead against hers.
Before undressing her, I wanted to give her something I had for her.
“I want to give you a gift. I was going to give it to you on Christmas, but I have something else planned for that day. Now I’d like you to wear it and have nothing else on but that—just your skin and what I’m going to give you,” I said, imagining her naked and wearing only the necklace I had bought her.