Things he should have been there for from the beginning.
One night, around 2 a.m., Mateo wouldn’t stop crying.
Lucía sat on the edge of the bed, exhausted, her eyes heavy, her patience thinner than ever.
“I’ve tried everything…” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Adrián took the baby gently.
“Let me.”
She almost said no.
Old instincts.
Old fear.
But instead, she let go.
He walked slowly across the room, holding Mateo close, whispering something soft, something only the baby could hear.
And within minutes—
Silence.
Mateo fell asleep in his arms.
Adrián stood there, frozen, afraid to move.
Lucía watched him.
Really watched him.
Not the man who left.
The man who stayed awake at 2 a.m. just to give her a moment to breathe.
And for the first time…
Something inside her softened.
Weeks turned into months.
Months turned into something steadier.
Not perfect.
Never perfect.
But real.
Dr. Vega became a constant presence.
Not intrusive.
Just… there.
He never tried to replace anything or anyone.
He simply showed up with quiet consistency.
Sometimes with food.
Sometimes with stories about Adrián as a child—stories that made Lucía laugh in ways she hadn’t expected.
And sometimes, he just sat with Mateo, holding him like he was holding a second chance.
Because in many ways—
He was.
