Chapter 12
"You may be just one person to the world, but to one person you are the world"
— Gabriel García Márquez
We arrived in Miami and the city welcomed us with pleasant weather.
My brother lived in the South of Fifth neighborhood in South Beach, Miami Beach.
It was a charming area with beautiful natural parks like South Pointe Park where you could do various outdoor activities, as well as beach access points, restaurants, and prestigious resorts along the coast. It wasn’t my first time at his house, and I always enjoyed being there.
Unfortunately, this time sadness accompanied me.
Since saying goodbye to Hermes, I couldn’t think of anything else but him.
I tried to appear calm so as not to worry my brother, but inside I had a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
Hermes called me daily, several times a day.
He always ended by asking me to think of him, but although I didn’t tell him, there wasn’t a minute when I didn’t—he occupied all my thoughts and I missed him terribly.
Baco also called and wrote to me, but our relationship hadn’t returned to what it was before because I was still hurt by his actions.
He had asked for forgiveness in every possible way and, although I had forgiven him, I noticed a certain discomfort in our conversations; he wasn’t the joking Baco I knew, and I was convinced it was due to his remorse.
Before traveling, we hadn’t seen each other because Hermes had told me that Baco had traveled to Brazil representing the company since he hadn’t been able to go himself.
The situation with me had overwhelmed him and he was also taking time to think, so he had asked his brother to stand in for him in all company matters.
Baco tried not to mention him, but he always implied that Hermes was devastated by my departure.
The first days after what happened with my father were days of reflection.
It was as if life had stopped and was asking me to listen, to take time to pay attention to everything it was telling me.
During those days, I realized the pain that Hermes’ distrust had caused me.
I wasn’t in his life to pay for his frustrations or to save him; I was in life to live it, to love, to be happy, and to leave a mark—that’s what my mother always told me, and I wanted to embrace that phrase and honor it.
I didn’t want to feel that for our relationship to work, I had to give up things I enjoyed; we shouldn’t have to make sacrifices or always live with impositions.
If it worked that way, it was completely wrong.
December 31st was a strange day, both for Tom and for me.
Although we tried to make the best of it by buying a nice dinner and celebrating, it was obvious that we were both going through an emotionally unstable time, but the good thing was that we had each other.
Besides, Tom was acting strange; I saw him nervous, anxious, but I didn’t know why because no matter how much I asked, he always told me that the situation we’d experienced was still keeping him on alert.
At eleven o’clock at night my phone rang; it was Hermes. In Montevideo, the new year was already arriving because time-wise, Montevideo was one hour ahead of Miami.
“Hermes,” I said, answering.
“Happy New Year, my love,” he greeted, with a subdued voice.
“Thank you, same to you.”
“I wish with all my heart that this year finds us together.”
“I wish it to be a good year for everyone.”
“Mine will only be good if I have you by my side. When are you coming back?”
“I still don’t know,” I replied.
“I miss you, Delfina. You can’t imagine how much I miss you and what I would give to have you in my arms,” he confessed, and that single phrase sent an electric current through my entire body.
“I miss you too, but before returning I need to clarify many things.”
“Are you spending time with your brother?”
“Yes; Tom took a few days off to stay with me, but on January 2nd he goes back to work.”
“Wish him a Happy New Year from me. I hope to meet him someday.”
“Also send my greetings to Catalina and Baco.”
“I will. They miss you too.”
For a few seconds we remained silent, just knowing we were there.
“What were you doing?” he asked.
“We were about to go out. Tom insists that we go to the beach to see the fireworks from there because he says it’s a beautiful spectacle. We’re just a few minutes’ walk from the coast.”
“Delfina, do you want to see me?”
“I told you I miss you.”
“I’m desperate to see you, I can’t stand another day.”
“Baco told me you haven’t been going to the office. What have you been doing these days?”
“Thinking about you and getting organized, because my life is going to change.”
“Why do you say it’s going to change?”
“Because I’ve changed, my love. I realized all the mistakes I’ve made.
I swear in these days I’ve gone through an internal process, I looked inside myself and the only significant thing there is the love I feel for you.
I erased everything else, I didn’t even leave the scars, there’s only the immense and true love I feel for you. I need to know if you still love me.”
“Yes, I love you, Hermes. I never stopped loving you. I was deeply disappointed by your actions, but the love remains intact,” I confessed.
“That’s good for me,” he affirmed, relieved.
Again we remained silent for a few seconds.
“I want to see you,” he stated.
I sighed, exhausted.
“I’ll be back soon, but first I need to resolve my housing situation. Yesterday they notified me there’s a buyer for my apartment,” I informed him.
“Our home is waiting for you. The house isn’t the same without you. Felicia and José miss you very much too, and I... I’m dying without you. These days my only companions are pain and terrible remorse.”
“First we need to have a conversation,” I said.
“We will.”
“I have to go. We’ll talk soon. Goodbye, Hermes,” I said farewell.
“See you soon, my love. Think of me.”
I ended the call and held the phone to my chest, I missed him so much. Everything he said made my heart beat at a frantic pace. I was sure of my love; now I needed to hear what he had to tell me, but that would have to be done in person.
I headed to the living room looking for my brother and found him talking on his phone, so I went to get a coat to go out and left him alone to speak privately. When I returned, his smile revealed the joy he was feeling at that moment.
“What a beautiful smile! I haven’t seen you smile like that in many days,” I exclaimed.
“Things are working out, that’s why I’m happy,” he said, without losing his smile.
“What things?”
“I talked to Connor. He told me he misses me and hasn’t been able to forget me,” he told me.
I ran to his side and hugged him.
“I’m so happy for you, Tom. If you love each other, don’t let someone else’s cruelty keep you apart. Love each other freely.”
“We’ll probably see each other. He might come to spend a few days with us because he wants to meet you. I’ve always talked a lot about you to him, but I could never tell you about him.”
“I can’t wait to meet him! Now, while we walk to the beach, tell me about him so when I see him I’ll feel like I already know him a little,” I said happily.
“What time is it?” he asked, concerned.
“It must be close to midnight.”
“We should hurry,” he said, and I noticed he was very anxious, which caught my attention a bit.
◆◆◆
We arrived at the beach five minutes before midnight.
The fireworks display welcoming the New Year had already begun, though I knew the greatest splendor would come at exactly midnight.
My brother was beside me and looked nervous.
I didn’t want to ask him why because I assumed it was because he was still worried about our father’s actions, probably feeling a bit paranoid.
When the clock struck the new year, the noise became deafening.
I looked at Tom and hugged him with tears in my eyes, longing had invaded my entire being.
“Happy New Year, little brother.”
“Thank you, Delfi, same to you. I’m sure it’s going to be a good year,” he said, but he separated from me, observing me from about three feet away. I stared at him puzzled, not understanding why he was looking at me like that until...
“Happy New Year, my love.”
My heart stopped only to start pumping blood at a frantic rhythm.
That was his voice, I could distinguish it even if I were in a room with a hundred people talking to me because it was the voice that went straight to my heart.
My eyes searched for my brother and found him looking at me with a big smile.
My body wouldn’t respond and I couldn’t move.
When I finally reacted, I turned slowly and found him standing a short distance from me.
He was looking at me with a sparkle in his eyes that gave the green of his pupils an extraordinary light.
He was so handsome he seemed unreal. He was wearing blue jeans and a white shirt.
He looked thinner, his hair wasn’t neatly combed as usual, and I could see the shadow of a couple days’ stubble.
I had never seen him like this, though he looked incredibly sexy.
“Hermes?” was all I could ask like a fool.
"I couldn't spend any more time without seeing you. We need to talk, my love, I have so much to tell you."
At that moment I heard my brother's voice and we both looked at him.
"I'll leave you two and see you later at home. Hermes, ...good luck."
"Don't go, Tom. I'd like you to stay and also hear what I have to say."