Page 96 of Until You Came Along
“I didn’t say you were going to have them now, but at some point they’ll come, and I hope you keep in mind that I’m getting older and I want to enjoy my grandchildren.”
And there it was, the guilt trip that all mothers laid on when they found out their children were getting serious with a partner. First came the pressure for marriage, and then once they saw that dream fulfilled, they started pressuring to hurry up with the children—it never failed.“First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage”was what they always told you. The subject of children had never crossed my mind, and it didn’t even occur to me to consider itnow because we were just starting a relationship that, while it seemed to be heading in the right direction for now, I couldn’t guarantee and didn’t even want to get my hopes up that Hermes and I would end up forming a family. I didn’t even know if I wanted to have children, much less if Hermes wanted them. The day I considered it, I would make a conscientious decision and honor the chosen path without taking into account the opinions or decisions of others.
“I repeat, we haven’t talked about that topic and won’t be talking about it, at least not now,” Hermes clarified.
“Caty, Hermes and I are just getting to know each other. As he told you, our decision to live together doesn't mean we're thinking about starting a family. We simply want to live together because we enjoy being together, sharing things, and we want to enjoy each other's company and get to know each other better,” I clarified, with as much warmth as I could because I knew I was disappointing her.
Hermes looked at me and nodded, but Catalina didn't seem the least bit disappointed. On the contrary, she looked at us as if we were two skeptics who couldn't see what was right in front of us.
“Sweetheart, I think it's good that you're cautious when talking about your relationship, but just as I told you I was convinced you would end up as a couple, I'm now telling you that I'm certain you'll form a beautiful family. I simply know it,” she affirmed, shrugging her shoulders.
“Now you can predict the future?” Hermes asked ironically.
“You still don't trust me. It doesn't matter, time will prove me right,” she said, bringing her teacup to her lips, but not hiding her big smile.
At that moment, Hermes's cell phone rang. He apologized and got up to answer it, informing us that he was taking the call because it was from his lawyer about a company matter. When he was far enough away that he couldn't hear us, Catalina looked at me, and I knew with certainty that she wanted to talk about her son.
“You can't imagine how happy I am to see him so happy, to see him smile. You've brought light into his life and, as a mother, I can only express my gratitude,” she said, emotional.
“We're just beginning this adventure, and I can't promise we'll have a 'happily ever after,' but I can assure you that I love him and I'm going to try with all my heart to make our relationship work, but he'll have to do his part too.”
“I know my son isn't easy, but please be patient with him because I assure you he's a great man with a big heart, even though he tries to hide it.”
“I know,” I affirmed.
“You're the sunshine this family needed. Hermes has suffered a lot,” she sighed, seemed to gather courage, and continued speaking, “it hasn't been easy what he's had to go through. He suffered greatly because of those two heartless people who vilely betrayed him. After that, my son gave up and didn't want to fight anymore. He preferred to close his heart and build a shell to appear whole and strong, although I know that most of the time he was dying inside from pain. They killed his illusions, and since illusion is the engine that drives life, they took away all his hope of being happy. Forgive me for what I'm about to say, but I'm clear that all those women who paraded through his life after that painful episode only increased his contempt for love, because they reinforced his idea that everyone was after his money and power. Hermes didn't realize that by living that way, he was punishing himself. I tried many times to make him see it,but he never listened to what I said. He never understood that he wasn't defined by what had happened to him,” she paused, looked at me with teary eyes and asked, “Has Hermes told you anything about his past? Because I'm talking to you as if you knew, and perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself.”
“He did, but without going into details. I think he told me so I could understand his way of being,” I responded.
“And it certainly changed his way of being. Hermes was a cheerful, friendly, and optimistic young man. After the betrayal by that woman and the man we thought was his best friend, he transformed into a serious, authoritarian, and pessimistic person. He remained a good man, but with a complicated temperament. I hadn't seen him laugh like today in years, and you must have noticed how emotional it makes me. You've given him back his joy, and it's evident that he loves you very much. Delfina, sweetheart,” she said, and stretched out her hands for me to take them, and when I did, she continued, “my son's future was lonely and sad. You've rewritten it and illuminated it. Thank you.”
At that moment, we heard footsteps, and Catalina let go of my hands and immediately changed the subject. I was left with an emotion that was difficult to hide, and I had to make a great effort to prevent my eyes from welling up.
“It's been quite a few days since Baco has come around here. I'm going to give him a good talking-to when I see him,” she said, smiling.
“I haven't seen him in quite a few days either. As soon as I get to my apartment, I'll tell him to get in touch with you,” I commented.
“I don't know if you'll be spending much time at your apartment. You'll probably stay with me already,” he affirmedwhen he reached the table, and his mother looked at us without hiding the happiness that comment caused her.
“My things are there, so I'll have to go by,” I said, turning to look at him.
“We'll talk about it later,” he said, sat down again and looked at his mother. “We also wanted to tell you that after Christmas we're going to travel to Miami to spend New Year's with Delfina's brother, and we'll probably take a few days to travel to another city. We'll spend Christmas here with you and Baco.”
“That's great news!” she exclaimed with a big smile. It seemed that day Catalina couldn't stop smiling. “I can't remember how long it's been since I've seen you make plans to take time off and rest. It makes me very happy that you're doing it. You work too much and deserve a break, and above all, you deserve to enjoy life.”
“It seems, Mom, that today everything we tell you makes you very happy.”
“You can't imagine how much!” she exclaimed joyfully.
We talked so much that we ended up staying for dinner and returned to Hermes's house close to nine at night.
“What do you feel like doing?” I asked, as I sat down on the living room couch.
“Are you really asking me that?” he inquired, looking at me with a crooked smile and walking toward me with slow, sensual steps.
“Would you like to go to the pool and take a dip? The night is warm and beautiful.”
He sat down beside me and made me lie back on the couch to position himself on top of me.
