Chapter 35
The days are flying by. The expert has already evaluated the car and called in a mechanic he knows to help. The process is a bit slow, but it's moving along well. My baby is getting bigger every day—after four months, he's finally decided to make his presence known, and I couldn't be happier.
When I put on a dress now, my belly already shows. I did the tests the doctor ordered, and my blood sugar is a little high, so I started a diet and daily walks in the park near home.
When I get tired, I sit on a bench and watch the children running back and forth, thinking that before long, my baby will be out there too.
I still haven't decided on a name—I'm torn about which one to choose.
We made a list, each of us adding our favorites, then narrowed it down until only two remained: Liam and Noah.
Those were our favorites, and now we just need to pick one. I'm sitting on a bench, stroking my belly and talking to my baby, when I feel someone watching me. I look around but don't see anyone. It must be my imagination, but either way, I get up and head home.
It's not the first time, but I haven't said anything to anyone—otherwise everyone will worry and I won't be able to set foot outside the house. As I walk in, my phone rings. It's Jhon.
“Hi, Jhon, any news?”
“The forensic analysis is taking a while, but they're finding it looks like mechanical failure.”
“What do you mean? Can you explain?”
“Probably the brakes. In the photos, we can see the car skidded once, then again further ahead.
What we're determining is that he braked where it first skidded, and if you look at the photos carefully, you can see he kept his foot on the brake, but the car didn't stop—it skidded again further down the road and hit Owen's car.”
“Does that prove his innocence?”
“Not yet. We still need more evidence, which is why it's taking time. The car sat for so long that it suffered damage—rust, dried-up oil—so the analysis is more difficult.”
“I'm causing you a lot of trouble, aren't I? I already told you, if you need help, just let me know.”
“It's no trouble at all. They're working on it there, and I'm here. I only step in when they need authorization.”
“Jhon, what if we hire another expert to analyze everything and see if the findings match?”
“We can definitely do that. Edgar, who's on the case, is excellent, but it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion. Decide and let me know—I'll see if I can find someone trustworthy who works with the courts.”
“Okay, let me digest all this information and think it over. I'll be in touch. Thank you, Jhon, for everything you're doing.”
“This is nothing. I know your father. I know he's not at fault. We're going to prove it and clear his name, just like you want.”
I sit on the sofa and put my legs up. I've always loved exercising, but now that I'm pregnant, I've gotten pretty lazy.
The doctor said it's because of the extra weight I've gained, so I decided to start walking, but I seem to come back even more tired.
I'm smiling to myself when my father arrives, sits on the ottoman where my feet are resting, and starts massaging them, giving me tremendous relief.
“If I'd known a massage would feel this good, I would have asked sooner.”
“Your mother, when she was pregnant with you, had tired legs too—partly because of the weight she gained. It caused her some discomfort.”
“Yes, that's exactly what I feel, like they're heavy.”
“You've always been petite like your mother, so even a little weight gain makes your legs and feet ache. And at the end of pregnancy comes the swelling.”
“You mean it's going to get even worse? Dad, don't scare me.” He smiles at me.
“I'll be here to help you, sweetheart. You can relax. And when this little boy comes into the world, you'll be grateful for every moment.”
“I'm already dying to see his little face, to find out who he'll look like.”
“And when are you going to tell the father? Don't you think it's time he knew?”
“I'm still hurt, Dad. I know I made mistakes, but everything he said to me and the way he threw me out—it hurt.”
“I know, sweetheart. I've always gotten on your case about this—wanting to handle everything on your own. And it never helped. If you'd looked into the investigation sooner, you wouldn't have gone through all this.”
“Yeah, but it's already happened, and there's no going back now.”
“That's right, sweetheart. There isn't. If we could go back and do things differently, we wouldn't be here like this.”
“Don't blame yourself, Dad. It happened the way it was meant to happen, and it's okay. Now we're going to fight for your freedom, and we're going to win.”
“That's my girl.”
My father sits beside me and hugs me, kissing my forehead tenderly—the affection I waited five years for. Now that he's back, I won't let him drift away again. Never again.