In the luxurious mansion where Manuel lived with his parents, the silence was broken only by the restless sighs of Adriana, who tossed and turned in bed. Dreams tangled her thoughts like threads tangling around her legs, as she fought a nightmare that was becoming more real with each passing second. Lying next to her husband, the businesswoman could hardly contain her anxious groans.
Her usually calm face now expressed despair. Alfonso, irritated by his wife’s constant movements, opened his eyes and sighed impatiently. Without much delicacy, he turned and shook her by the shoulders.
Wake up, Adriana, he said irritably. The woman opened her eyes abruptly, breathing heavily. She sat up in bed, clutching her hands to her chest where her heart was pounding.
No, don’t take my son, she cried, her voice full of terror, breaking out of a nightmare. Alfonso leaned forward and took her hands, trying to bring her back to reality. Calm down, my dear, calm down.
Manuel is fine. He is sleeping peacefully in his room, he said, trying to sound confident. Adriana’s eyes searched desperately for something that would confirm reality.
She recognized the room lit by the soft light of the lamp, felt her husband’s touch, heard the distant sound of the clock on the wall. Then she whispered, it was only a dream. Alfonso, accustomed to such crises, leaned back against the headboard and watched her, knowing that the nightmare was not new.
He waited patiently as she ran her hands over her face, trying to push away the fear that had gripped her in her sleep. The same dream again? He asked, his tone a mixture of weariness and resignation. Adriana nodded and haltingly began to tell her husband the dream.
I was in the hospital, about to give birth. My belly was so big, Alfonso, it felt like it was about to explode. I came to give birth to the first child.
I held him in my arms. I felt his warmth. He was our Manuel, our prince.
But I knew there was another, she said, her eyes filling with tears. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that insisted on falling. But when the second one was born, she continued, her voice shaking, he was taken away.
I couldn’t even see him, I couldn’t touch him. I just saw him being taken away. Adriana’s heart was breaking again, as if she was reliving the pain.
Alfonso sighed, trying to remain calm. You need to see a psychiatrist, Adriana. This is not normal.
You need professional help to get these dreams out of your head. It’s always the same dream. My love, we only had one child.
You were only pregnant with Manuel. There were no twins, her husband said, trying to sound understanding. Adriana, however, did not respond right away.
Her absent gaze slid around the room as her mind wandered into the past. She remembered the pregnancy well, the unusually large belly at only six months, the constant visits to the obstetrician, as she told Alfonso with the hope that she could feel two hearts beating inside her. I was so sure, she whispered, her voice shaking.
I was so sure there were two. It wasn’t just a feeling. It was like I already knew them before they were born.
She found herself back in the doctor’s office, listening to the sonographer tell her there was only one baby. She felt disappointment, but also disbelief. Up until the day of her delivery, she had expected two cries, two babies in her arms, but only Manuel was born.
Alfonso’s touch brought her back to the present. Honey, let’s leave it at that. You’ll find a specialist tomorrow.
I’ll come with you if you want, he said, trying to end the conversation. Adriana nodded slightly. Alfonso turned off the lamp and lay down again, falling asleep a few minutes later.
But Adriana remained awake, staring at the dark ceiling. Why did these dreams not disappear? Why did this pain, this emptiness not leave her? With eyes burning with fatigue, she promised herself that at dawn, she would try to leave the past behind once and for all, and care only for Manuel, her son in the great love, the only one she had left. The next morning, the sun rose, filling the room with a soft golden light.
Tired but determined, Adriana got up, dressed with her usual elegance, and kissed her sleeping husband on the forehead before going down to breakfast. When they were all sitting at the table, she said, I’m taking Manuel to school and then to work. Will you come with me? The woman asked, adjusting her purse as Manuel finished his breakfast at the table.
Alfonso, already dressed in casual clothes, smiled, although the smile did not reach his eyes. I’ll be there a little later, dear. First, I have to go see my sister.
Hearing this, Manuel immediately frowned. A quick and reserved gesture on his face betrayed his displeasure. The busy Adriana did not notice, but Alfonso did, and pretended not to notice.
A few minutes later, mother and son drove away. As soon as the sound of the car disappeared, Alfonso dropped his mask of calm. His face acquired a grim and hard expression.
He grabbed the phone with trembling hands, dialed the familiar number, and when someone answered, his voice was low and tense. Adriana has been having more and more dreams about the twins. I’m afraid she might find out what happened on Manuel’s birthday.
She can’t find out what happened. Never. He paused and looked around as if he was afraid someone might overhear him, even though he was alone.
I’m on my way there. We need to talk. I need your help to get this story out of her head before it’s too late.
Without waiting for an answer, he abruptly hung up. Alfonso quickly grabbed his car keys and walked out the front door, his heart pounding and his mind racing. The secret he had tried so hard to bury seemed to be slowly rising from the depths.
If he were to surface, everything he had achieved would be completely destroyed. A few hours later, at Manuel’s school, while the intense teaching process was going on, the little millionaire was in a distant state, lost in his thoughts. His empty gaze was fixed on the board, but his mind was very far away.
The teacher, noticing his distraction, gently got his attention. Manuel, are you okay? You seem distracted today, she said, approaching the student. The boy quickly looked up and replied.
Sorry, I really didn’t sleep well last night, he told the woman, forcing a smile. The teacher, knowing the boy well as one of the best students in the school, simply nodded, deciding to ignore this lack of attention. Manuel tried to focus on the lesson again, but it was no use.
The image of yesterday kept coming back to him. That boy’s face, all dirty but just like his, wouldn’t leave his mind. How could someone look so much like him? When the bell rang for recess, the little millionaire jumped up, almost knocking his classmates down.
He was heading to the yard when Mariana, his classmate and best friend, ran after him. Manuel, wait a minute, she cried out of breath. The boy stopped and turned to look at his friend.
Mariana looked at him with a worried expression. What happened? You’re acting strange today. You haven’t even really talked to me.