CHAPTER 43
“Redemption begins the moment we look within ourselves…”
MARIA GAbrIELA
The days and weeks passed, and I had to admit—I’d started feeling calmer about Diego.
It wasn’t easy to acknowledge that, but there was something in his recent actions that made me believe he was truly trying to change. I was still cautious, of course, yet a part of me couldn’t ignore what I was seeing.
Sometimes, when he was alone with Clara, I’d hear him quietly crying—talking to her in a low voice, saying things he’d never have the courage to say to me.
It was as if her presence pulled out a side of him he’d kept hidden from everyone, including me.
His relationship with our daughter had grown in ways I never expected. He was gentle, attentive, and Clara responded with those bright little smiles that melted even my heart.
With every visit, he seemed more at ease, more present—and it was impossible not to notice the love he was building for her.
It was different. Real.
Arthur, his son, had also grown attached to his sister.
Their visits together were full of laughter and warmth, and to my surprise, a new kind of dynamic began forming among us.
Arthur, who had once just been curious about the baby, now treated her with the sweetest tenderness, as if he already saw her as a permanent part of his world.
And Diego would look at the two of them with this quiet kind of satisfaction, like he was watching an old dream finally take shape.
Legally, Diego agreed to everything I asked for.
From visitation to custody arrangements, he didn’t challenge a thing. It caught me off guard because I’d been expecting a battle—but instead, he simply let go.
It was as if the stubborn, controlling man I’d known had given way to someone calmer. Softer.
He never brought up us again. When we met to talk about Clara, his words were always polite, measured, respectful—but there was something in his eyes… something that made me wonder if he’d really stopped trying.
The way he looked at me felt different—like there was a new kind of admiration there, a quiet appreciation for who I was. And sometimes I caught myself wondering if that look hid something deeper, something he wasn’t ready to admit yet.
As I got ready to leave the house, those thoughts kept circling in my mind. It felt like life was pushing me toward a new chapter, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to turn the page.
“You okay, sweetheart?” my mom asked in that familiar tone—a mix of concern and affection that always managed to comfort me.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine,” I replied, forcing a smile I hoped would convince her.
“Today I’m driving!” my best friend announced, jingling her car keys like it was some sort of achievement. “Just so everyone’s aware!”
“There’s a baby in the car, Carol. Don’t forget,” I warned, trying to sound serious, already bracing for her inevitable joke.
“Relax! I’ll behave, promise,” she said, pulling a ridiculous face that made both my mom and me burst out laughing.
We arrived at the park—a quiet, green space where the trees seemed to wrap you in their calm. It was my refuge, a place where I could breathe, even if only for a little while.
Carol parked, and we all got out, with Clara snug in her stroller. The sun was warm but gentle, and the breeze carried our laughter through the air.
“So, Mrs. Eulália, you have to hear this one,” Carol began, that mischievous gleam already in her eyes.
I groaned. I knew exactly what story she was about to tell—and sure enough, it didn’t take long for her to bring up the vibrator incident.
“You’re not seriously gonna tell that one,” I muttered, trying—and failing—to hide my grin.
“Oh, absolutely I am!” she shot back, turning to my mom. “So, Mrs. Eulália, the other day Max—Gabi’s dog—comes trotting into the living room with her vibrator in his mouth! And not some tiny toy either—no, ma’am!”
She paused dramatically, watching my mom’s face, and soon enough, my mom burst into laughter.
“Oh my God, Gabriela!” she said between giggles, clutching her stomach. “And what did you do?”
“What could I do? I wanted to crawl under the couch!” I admitted, laughing just as hard while Carol waved her hands around, mimicking Max’s triumphant strut.
We laughed together for several minutes before the conversation drifted to lighter topics—everyday things, but meaningful ones.
We talked about Clara—her little discoveries, her first smiles, and the way her baby babble was starting to sound almost like “mama.”
It was impossible not to feel my heart swell whenever I thought about her and how much she already meant to me.
“And how’s Diego?” my mom asked suddenly, the kind of question that sounds casual but never really is. “How’s he doing?”
I sighed, glancing at Clara, who was sleeping peacefully in her stroller, blissfully unaware of the storm her father still stirred in me.
“He’s… different. Calmer,” I admitted, the surprise clear in my voice. “He agreed to everything I asked for in court, didn’t argue about anything. He’s been present, respectful… even gentle with Clara.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” my mom asked, studying me closely.
“It is. It’s just… hard,” I said, shaking my head. “He still looks at me in a way that makes me wonder if he’s really changed or just waiting for the right moment to go back to who he was. I don’t know what to think, Mom.”
“Don’t pressure yourself,” Carol said softly—rare for her. “Let things unfold naturally. Maybe he really is trying. But only time will tell. And at the end of the day, you’re in control, Gabi. You always have been.”
I smiled, feeling a little lighter at her words. She was right.
I was in control. And if Diego wanted a place in my life—and in Clara’s—he’d have to prove it with more than words and promises.
As we walked through the park, surrounded by the sound of rustling leaves and the occasional burst of laughter, I realized that for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.
It wasn’t the absence of problems—but the presence of a strength I hadn’t known I possessed. And as I looked down at Clara, sleeping so serenely, I knew that strength came from her.
Diego still had a lot to prove—to me and to himself. And I was willing to let time reveal whether he could redeem himself. But I’d never again forget who I was or what I needed to be happy. That, above all, was what mattered most.
“You know, Gabi,” Carol started, her tone playfully conspiratorial, “I was just thinking—what if Max decides to show off the vibrator in front of Diego next time?”
“Oh, God, no!” I exclaimed, laughing. “That’s exactly what I don’t need right now!”
And with that, we kept walking, laughing, and soaking in the day—sure that whatever came next, I was ready.