Page 202 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

Dexter and Graciela continue their honeymoon phase. They haven’t gotten married, but I’m sure it won’t be long before they do.

After seeing Juan Alberto’s express wedding to my sister, Dexter’s mother can only dream about her son’s nuptials. I know she’ll get her wish, and we’ll be there, as their friends, to accompany them.

Flyn and Luz continue with their mischief. What one of them doesn’t think up, the other one does. They loaded the wedding cake with a firecracker and were saved from being punished because it exploded in the kitchen and not in the living room. I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened if it had burst in front of Raquel and her new husband. I laugh just thinking about it.

My child, my precious baby, my little Eric, is passed from loving arms to loving arms during the wedding. Everyone wants to cradle the beautiful little boy, and he loves it. He doesn’t cry, so I’m able to enjoy my sister’s wedding with my love, the most wonderful man in the world who loves me madly.

Of course, we still argue. We’re still like night and day, and when one of us says white, the other says black. But as Malú sings in our song, we give each other love, and we give ourselves life. Without him, my life would no longer make sense, and I know it’s the same with him.

At the end of August, after spending several days in Jerez, Eric and I, together with Simona and Norbert, the little ones, and the dogs, return home. Some respite before starting the school year and going back to work is good for us.

Surprisingly and without my prompting, Eric asks me if I’ve considered working for Müller again. Honestly, I’ve thought about it, but now with my little one, I don’t want to. I know I’ll go back in a while, when he goes to preschool, but for now I want to stay home with him and enjoy it before he grows up, goes out with girls, looks at dirty magazines, and smokes joints, as my sister says.

Knowing my decision, Eric smiles and nods. It makes him happy.

One morning in September, we go out with our two boys to walk around Munich. It’s a good day, and we want to take advantage of it. We’re a family, and we’ve planned a surprise for Flyn.

Ever since little Eric came home, Flyn calls us Mom and Dad. His happiness is ours, and, on more than one occasion, we’ve had to hide so he doesn’t see us get excited like two fools when we see them together.

When we park the car, the four of us walk around until we reach Kabelsteg bridge, where our lock is hanging. Eric and I walk hand in hand, while Flyn guides the stroller with his brother.

“Wow, so many locks!” he says, surprised.

Eric and I look at each other and grin. After locating ours, we stop.

“Look, Flyn,” I say. “Look at the names on this one.”

“Is that you?” he asks, amazed.

“Yes, it’s us,” I answer, bending down to his height. “This is one of Munich’s love bridges, and Eric and I wanted to be part of it.”

Flyn nods.

“What do you think?” Eric asks.

He shrugs.

“All right, well, if it’s a love bridge, it seems good your names are here.” He looks at the other locks. “Why are there smaller locks attached to the bigger locks?”

Crouching next to us, Eric explains. “Those smaller locks are the fruit of the love of the big locks. When couples have children, they include them in that love.”

Flyn nods.

“So, we’ve come to put a love lock here for little Eric?”

I shake my head, and then my love, taking out two smaller engraved locks from his pocket, shows them to Flyn.

“We’ve come to hang two locks. One that says ‘Flyn’ and another that says ‘Eric.’”

He blinks.

“That one has my name on it?”

I smile and hug him.

“You’re our son in the same way Eric is, darling. If we don’t hang two more locks, our family won’t be complete. Don’t you agree?”

He nods.

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