His gaze slid almost automatically along the sidewalks without hope. And then he saw him. There he is, Manuel exclaimed, pointing to the street where the boy was rummaging through a trash can.
Mariana’s eyes widened. Edmund, stop the car, she screamed. The driver braked sharply, startled.
What happened, he asked anxiously. I forgot to ask you something about my party, Mariana improvised. Already opening the door and Manuel behind her.
Edmund watched in amazement as they ran along the sidewalk, but did not have time to stop them. From the car, he watched with a frown as they did not go into the hall, but headed toward the dirty boy rummaging through the trash. Manuel went up to Pablo and touched his shoulder.
Pablo, he called hopefully. The boy turned startled. For a moment, his eyes reflected fear.
But when he recognized Manuel, a spontaneous smile appeared on his face. Mariana, seeing them next to each other, covered her mouth in shock. Oh my God, you two are like two peas in a pod, she whispered.
Manuel, trying to calm Pablo down, said, You don’t have to be afraid. Mariana is my friend. You can trust her.
Then the millionaire boy took a deep breath and asked, Why did you run away yesterday? Pablo answered sheepishly, I don’t like adults. Every time they come to me, they try to take me to some shelter. Manuel nodded, understanding.
He didn’t want to scare him. Where do you live? the boy asked. Pablo shrugged on the street.
These words shocked the young millionaire. Mariana, still in shock, asked quietly, You don’t have parents. Pablo looked down sadly.
I was found in a dumpster when I was a baby. Homeless people raised me. But they died.
Since then, I’ve been alone. Manuel’s heart sank. He looked at Pablo and felt a connection that went much deeper than the physical level.
Something was stronger there. They sat on the sidewalk away from the noise, trying to find some peace in the midst of their raging emotions. Pablo, his gaze downcast and his voice breaking, began to tell his story, talking about the cold nights, about how he had to protect himself from the rain with nothing but pieces of cardboard.
He told me about the days when he had nothing to eat, the times he hid to avoid being taken away by force to orphanages, where he knew he would suffer even more. Manuel and Mariana, who came from completely different worlds, listened in silence with a heavy heart, a big one. They knew that there were people who were going through hard times, but to see a child suffering so much right in front of them was heartbreaking.
With tears in his eyes, Manuel extended his hand and said, You’re not alone now, Pablo. We’ll help you. Mariana, excited, quickly stood up and said, Yes, come with us.
We’ll fix everything. Pablo smiled slightly, but the sad look remained. He knew that these two were just good kids, but they couldn’t change what adults decided.
He sighed and said, They can’t do anything. My life is here and everything is fine. I’ve gotten used to it.
Silence fell over them, broken only by the distant sounds of the city. Mariana, feeling the need to do something, went over to try to comfort him. And then, through the hole in Pablo’s torn shirt, she saw something that froze her in place.
What are you doing? Pablo asked, frightened, as Mariana gently tugged at his shirt. Mariana pointed, her voice shaking with excitement. Look, you have a birthmark exactly like Manuel’s.
Manuel came over, examining him carefully. Yes, yes, I have a birthmark in exactly the same place. Look, the surprised boy said, also lifting his shirt.
Mariana looked at them both, her eyes shining with disbelief. It can’t be. This can’t be a coincidence.
You two are twins. There is no other explanation. Pablo’s eyes widened in confusion.
Twins? What are you talking about? Manuel took a deep breath and explained. We were talking before class today. We thought the only way we could look alike was if we were twins, and now this birthmark.
But how? How can he be my brother? Mariana added. It’s all very strange, because Adriana always said she only had one son, but this birthmark is too much of a coincidence. The homeless boy grabbed his head, trying to make sense of it all.
It can’t be. We just look alike. That’s all.
We all have birthmarks, Pablo whispered. His heart was pounding. The thought of having a family, of not being alone, was too tempting, but also too painful.
What if this was just an empty hope? At that moment, quick footsteps were heard on the sidewalk. They turned to see Edmund, the driver, standing there, with a shocked expression on his face. Instinctively, Pablo backed away, ready to run at the sight of an adult.
Calm down, Pablo, Manuel said, taking his hand. Let me go. He’s going to take me to the shelter, Pablo shouted.
There was obvious fear in his voice. Mariana came over and quickly said, Edmund is good. He won’t hurt you, I swear.
Manuel confirmed this, trying to instill confidence. Not all adults are bad, Pablo. Trust us.
Edmund, still processing what he had just seen, slowly approached and asked, What’s going on here? My God, who is this boy? Why does he look so much like your friend? Mariana, Manuel, and Mariana herself took turns telling the story. The meeting, the resemblance, the discovery of the birthmark. The driver looked at Pablo, then at Manuel, comparing every feature, every detail.
Then he said, They are twins. I have no doubt. But how is that possible? I know Mrs. Adriana.
She always said she only had one son. How could this happen? Before they could talk any further, Pablo’s stomach rumbled, breaking the tense atmosphere. The boy hung his head, embarrassed.
Edmund smiled, understanding the situation. The answers can wait. Let’s feed this tummy first.
He drove everyone back to the car and took them to a small cafe nearby. He bought sandwiches and drinks for everyone. When Pablo received his food, he ate with such greed that he touched everyone.
His eyes sparkled with every bite. As if discovering the taste of life, Manuel and Mariana watched in silence with heavy hearts, feeling a mixture of sadness and hope. After the meal, sitting at a separate table, Mariana asked, What are we going to do now? Manuel looked at Pablo and then at Edmund.
Now we’re going to take Pablo to meet my mother. She needs to see him. Only she can confirm if he is my twin brother.
Pablo swallowed hard. His eyes reflected fear. What if… What if they take me to an orphanage? They don’t know what his life is like? He asked with a trembling voice.
Edmund leaned forward and said firmly, Can you trust me, boy? Dona Adriana is a good person. She would never do something like that. Pablo looked at Manuel, Mariana, and Edmund.
There was sincerity in their eyes, a sincerity he hadn’t seen in a long time. With a quickening heart, he finally nodded. Okay, I’ll come with you.
Edmund smiled with relief. Then let’s go. The four of them got into the car.
Pablo squirmed a little in his seat, used to the freedom of the streets, but at the same time feeling a strange sense of security. Manuel sat down next to him and gave him a reassuring smile. Mariana talked for a while about how everything would be okay and how they would all be having fun at school together soon.
Edmund started the car and drove to Adriana’s mansion. Along the way, everyone’s hearts were beating fast, each lost in their own thoughts. What would happen when they got there? How would the meeting go? Was Pablo really Manuel’s twin brother or was it all just a big painful coincidence? The wind blew through the windows as if it wanted to be part of the story that was about to change everyone’s lives forever.
Meanwhile, Adriana, after a long day in the city with Mercedes, had finally returned home. She sighed with relief as she crossed the mansion’s garden and said smiling, You were right, Mercedes. I really needed this free evening to get these crazy thoughts out of my head.
Mercedes, the sister with that cynical smile she wore so well, replied, Now you need to focus on yourself and your only son, Manuel, the only one you carried in your womb. Adriana nodded slightly. Speaking of him, he should be here soon.
Without finishing her sentence, Mercedes looked out the window of the mansion and saw Edmund’s car pull into the garage. My handsome nephew, look at him driving, Adriana’s sister said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Outside, Edmund parked the car.
Mariana turned to Manuel and gave him one last instruction. Tell your mother that you have a new friend for her to meet, then bring her here. Manuel nodded, his heart pounding.