Thirty-six: Narrated by Lucas

I get home after another day at school. But my thoughts are so messed up that all I can think about are Marina's words. I don't understand why she doesn't want me around her. I've loved her since the day I got to know her better. I even understand her reasons for wanting to stay close to her siblings and friends, but I don't want her to let me get away from her for good. I don't know what happened to make this happen, but I'm willing to find out.

I come out of my daydreams when I feel my son tugging at my pants. I take him on my lap and fiddle with his hair, admiring him. Looking at him more closely, I realize that he doesn't look like me at all, but rather like Diego. And it was precisely for this reason and others that I went ahead with the DNA test. Of course, there was a bit of a fight here at home because of this, but now everything is calmer, which worries me a little, because if everything is quiet, someone might be up to something.

From the day I saw Marina at the bowling alley and argued with Diego, I realized that it was the right thing to do and the next day I scheduled the test. I'm still sure that my cousin has had an affair with her - if he hasn't already - but I don't care. As long as they don't interfere with my happiness - which they are doing - all the time. If they like each other, why don't they leave me alone? But no, they want to ruin my life anyway.

I keep holding him until he asks to come down. He loves to play, so I put him down. But as he runs, he stumbles and falls to the ground.

Worried, I go to meet him and make sure he's all right. When I see that he's normal, without any scratches, I let him go and play in the living room, while I go to the kitchen to get some milk, but then I turn back when I hear a conversation in the background.

-Rest assured. He'll never suspect what I'm doing. He may have doubts, but he won't know the real one about Arthur. Not until he's older. Because then he'll already have his share of the inheritance and he'll share it with us.

-Be careful, he could be here listening to our conversation.

-Stop being silly. He's probably trying to chase after that naive girl. He thinks she'll want him after what I wrote to her instead. She'll leave and he'll have to face it all without doing anything.

I even think about unmasking her, but that won't help me find out what I need. So I decide to go to my room and think about what to do to make Marina believe me.

However, on the way, I find the door to Milena's room wide open. I look around first and as I don't see anyone around, I enter the room, but leave it open.

I rummage through her things for something, but find nothing. I glance at her laptop and just as I think about opening it, I hear footsteps approaching, and my first instinct is to hide under the cramped double bed.

The door slams shut and I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize I haven't been discovered. Then I feel the bed contract and hear the laughter of two people. The weight of the bed hits my back, but I stand firm so as not to attract attention.

For a moment, I feel disgusted with these two, but I know that they deserve each other, because they're the same.

I don't know how I could have let myself be taken in by him. My own cousin, whom I helped whenever he needed it, supported him. If he had told me he needed money, he would have given it to me, but to do that, to use an innocent child to steal what I have, that's become too far for me. Cheating even our grandmother who always did everything to give us the best, a living, a good school.

And Milena, who met me at school, pretended to be in love, then said she was pregnant, but because I was young, I didn't believe it, until she came up to me with a one-year-old child in a baby carriage and said it was my son. Of course I didn't doubt it, until that night at the bowling alley, until I realized the evil things they do to prevent me from being happy, but what's theirs is safe. I'm not going to take the law into my own hands, after all, it's not worth getting dirty with people who are worthless.

Carefully, I take my cell phone out of my pocket and put it on silent mode, just in case it rings and I'm not discovered. I glance at the device and it's still 13:42. I still have time. I just need to wait until they've both left so I can get the laptop or track it down. Surely there must be some forged document in there or something I can't find out about.

***

I don't know how long it's been and they haven't left the room, so I decide to take a chance and get out from under the bed. Luckily they're asleep, cuddled up close. Arthur isn't with them, which I don't really know whether to be worried or relieved about. Since I know how to work that computer, but I'm also aware that it makes a noise when I turn it on, I give up on the idea and sneak off to my room, looking for some piece to fit into the PC and track it down without her noticing. It wasn't difficult, as I've done this many times on my own computer, and with just one small piece, I put it into her device and leave the room again, making sure no one sees me.

But on my way to the door, I see something on the floor. I bend down, pick it up and see a draft of a letter. Just as I'm about to throw it away, I realize it's the letter she sent to Marina, because the only people who call her Mari are me and the closest ones. A sudden anger at Milena hits me, but I keep calm and think of something to win back the woman I love.

This time I actually leave the place and go back to my room to take a shower to meet her again and even if she only wants my friendship, I'll be close to her. But I'm not responsible if I feel the urge to kiss her and I hope she doesn't ignore me either.

When I've finished everything, I leave the house and see a new envelope in the mailbox saying it's for me. I open it carefully, read it carefully and put it back in my pocket, heading out to get my car to get back the girl that I once lost, but that with faith I'll get back, even if it's only for a few months.