Floating Upon This Surface

Sophia walked back with Lucas holding her hand tightly, his body shivering from the fog beginning to fall.

“Mama, will we go back home?”

Sophia looked down at her son, and bent down towards his face, “Not tonight Lucas, Manuel’s upset and I don’t think he wants us there tonight.”

“He doesn’t want us there? Forever?”

“I don’t know mi amor,” she whispered, “but don’t you worry your pretty mind okay? We’ll figure something out if he does.”

“Will we go live with Abuela?”

“Maybe, would you like that?”

He giggled excitedly, “yes! She’d bake me cookies all the time!”

Sophia kissed his cheek lovingly and lifted him up into her tired arms, “she loves you so much doesn’t she?”

“Yes, because I am her favorite,” he replied reclining his head against her shoulder. She snuggled close to him, keeping his body warm from the fog that thickened as they made their way back. Her hope was diminishing with each step she took. Her only resort now would be that she could return to the hotel and stay in one of the vacant rooms.
Her legs began to shake under the weight of Lucas and the length of her walking. She walked toward a ledge and placed Lucas on it while she took out her phone.

“Who are you going to call mama?”

“Abuela,” she sighed softly, “I don’t know why I didn’t sooner. My minds, clearly not in the right place tonight.”

Sophia brought the phone to her ear, and bit her lip through the ringing

“Halo?”

“Hola, Marie, es Sophia.”

“Hola mi amor! Guess what!”

“Sergio’s in town.”

“How did you know?”

“Well, first Christina booked a suite this evening and then Sergio ran into me waiting for Manuel, and he met Lucas.”

“He met Lucas!”

“He did, and I told him and he was so happy Marie. But Manuel wasn’t, we got in a fight and I decided I wasn’t going home with him tonight, or leaving Lucas with him.”

“Where are you right now?”

“In the middle of the street. I didn’t realize he had driven so fast and so far, from my work that I find myself, unable to get back to the hotel…has Sergio gotten back?”

“Mija! Por dios, why would you be so foolish? Please tell me at least Lucas is properly covered, he will catch a cold in this fog. And no Sergio hasn’t come back.”

“I just got so mad with Manuel, he accused me of under appreciating him, of using him. He wants me and Lucas to himself! He sees Lucas as his, and the truth is, Lucas is only mine. And I am the only one who will decide what he needs and doesn’t in his life. But the root of his damn rage is Sergio. He was quick to catch on that, that was Lucas’s real father. And he leaped to the conclusion that once me and Sergio make amends, I am going to leave him and throw him away.”

“And are you?”

“Marie, Manuel has been good to me and Lucas, you saw how that man loves Lucas. He would do anything for Lucas, and for that I am utterly grateful. But there is no doubt, that I will give Sergio all the rights he rightfully owns with Lucas, and I believe that is what upsets Manuel the most.”

“I think you’re mistaken there Sophia. Manuel does love Lucas, but that isn’t why he’s so upset. He’s upset because he knows you still love Sergio and he saw that tonight. He knows that if you and my son were ever to make amends and rekindle your love, he wouldn’t stand a chance to keep you.”

“But I have never been his to keep.”

“Well what else would he have given you everything, if he did not think you had rightfully given yourself to him?”

“Dios mio Marie, what am I going to do?”

“You love Manuel admit mija, its normal, he gave you shelter and love and protection when you needed it. And loved you like his woman. Now my son walks in, and yes I do see why Manuel would react so violently like he did. Because, you and Lucas are everything he has, and his only family. To have someone just walk in and threaten to take what you most love in a single blow is terrifying Sophia.”

“I am just so confused Marie, I want desperately to go back to Sergio, I love him, I love him with every fiber in my body and soul Marie and I will always love him for he is the father of my son! Yet I love Manuel, though not with the same intensity , the love is there and it hurts me to have him believe I am capable of throwing him away. Yet I cant help but feel he’s telling the truth, and I don’t know how to stop it or change it.”. By this point, Sophia couldn’t stop crying, her body shook with each sob she released into the cold. Lucas holding on to her, trying to comfort his mother.

“Don’t cry mama, please don’t cry”

“Sophia, mi amor. In love and war, someone always has to get hurt. That’s the way of life. No matter what you do, someone will always get hurt. What you have to look for is, if that person is going to be you. Lucas of course comes first, but you know that boy is in good hands with which ever one you choose. So now its your turn to see in which arms you’ll be happy with, and I think you already know who you want.”

“I just wish it was that easy to break away.”

“Life and for that matter love, is never that easy. Or how else would it be able to be such a powerful force? But right now Sophia, we have to find a way to get you here.”

▲▼

It took Sergio five minutes, to drive from the hotel to where Sophia and Lucas were. He didn’t care that he had left Christina in mid sentence, or that she had begun to throw shoes at him. He didn’t care, or worry about the five tickets he had probably accumulated on the way there. All he cared about was his family and their safety. And right now, he wanted to take them home, warm their chilled bodies and tuck Lucas in for the first time. He smiled at their tired faces as Sophia buckled a sleeping Lucas in the back seat of his black Aston Martin, raising her eyebrows in a mocking gesture as she got into the passenger side.

“I told you to let me take you home,” he whispered softly as she closed the door.

“I should’ve listened,” she replied leaning against the soft leather, “and this car is ridiculous Sergio.”

“No te gusta?” he asked as he began to merge into the traffic. His eyes drifting from the road to her face.

“It’s so flamboyant, its too much for me.”

“Well what would you want?”

“A Saab,” she yawned, her eyes closing. “They’re reliable.”

“Ah, you’re a Saab kind of woman, and what color would you like it?”

“Cherry red.”

“And a cherry red Saab, isn’t too flamboyant for you but a black Aston Martin is?” he said squeezing her thigh.

Sophia sat up, at the sensation of his hand on her thigh. Her eyes wide open. Sergio laughed and kept his hand on her thigh. Sophia relaxed, and held his hand.

“No cherry red Saabs aren’t too flamboyant for me. They’re just perfect.”

“Like you?”

“Just like me.” she laughed and kissed his cheek.

“Kiss me again.” he asked at the stop light.

“Again?”

“Again and again please”

Sophia leaned over and kissed him, this time on the lips and let him lead their kiss. She smiled and pulled away
“The lights green.”

“There’s no one behind us.”

“In that case…” Sophia leaned back and took his face in her hands, his tongue rediscovering her sweet mouth. She let herself go, and kissed him with all the love she had.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered into her lips, “Dios Mio Sophia, I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

“I missed you more.” she whispered pulling away. He kissed her one last time and left the stop light. The rest of the way home was silent, for Sophia had fallen asleep too, her head resting against the cool window just like Lucas. Sergio smiled at the duo, so alike in their gestures that he saw as much as her in Lucas as he saw himself.

“Mi amor,” he whispered as he shook Sophia awake, “we’re home.”

Sophia looked at him sleepily, her body limp with exhaustion, “oh.”. She stretched her arms and legs before unbuckling her seat belt and leaning over to get Lucas.

“Don’t. I’ll get him, you can go inside.”

“You sure?”

“Sophia, of course I am sure.”

Sophia smiled at him, and let him take out Lucas, who still slept, and curled close to Sergio. They walked in together, Sophia and Sergio’s hands intertwined.

“Mama,” Sergio called out softly as they walked into the living room, “we’re home.”

“Ah! Mijo, you’re home.”

“Shh Lucas is sleeping.”

“Ah mira lo!” Marie laughed, and then looked at Sophia and at their hand-holding. “Well, I bet we’re all tired tonight. So Sergio, you’re room is all set up. You can stay with him Sophia, I know you want to, and I’ll take Lucas okay?” Sophia pulled away from Sergio, and turned bright red under her gaze.

“Mama, you’ve embarrassed her!” Sergio laughed

“Anda, come on, Admit, you wanted her to sleep with you tonight too!”

This time it was Sergio’s turn to blush, and cover his face. Sophia laughed at him and pried away his hands.

“Come on, lets go to bed,” she giggled, leading him to his room, “Thank you Marie, for letting me stay.”

“How could I not Sophia, you’re like my daughter. And plus, you gave me this blessing.” she said gesturing to Lucas asleep in her arms.

“Gracias. Goodnight.”

“Just keep the volume down.” she smiled.

Sophia and Sergio, laughed at her comment and walked away, their arms wrapped around each other. Sergio closed the door behind them. Sophia yawning and eying the bed before her happily.

“Sophia,” Sergio started hugging her. “Will you stay forever?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“What if I told you I wanted to stay, only if you would let me stay with you and Lucas para siempre.”
“Sergio…I don’t know what to say?”

“Say that you will. Say that you will and that we’ll be together, and be happy, and make even more babies!”

“More babies!”

“More and more babies,” he replied tickling her, “So I can have a house with a beautiful wife and lots of children laughing and running around when I get back home.”

“Are you aware of how hyper, just one child can get? Why do you think I don’t give Lucas sugar after five pm?”

“Fine, dos mas. Just two more.”

Sophia looked at him, her eyes staring directly into his, “do you really want Lucas and me to stay with you forever? Do you really want that? Do you really want me?”

“I do. I want you , I want him. I want a life with you. I want a house, with you and Lucas, and the other children we’ll have. I want to go home to that. I want to know that in the end I’ve done my job. I’ve made right with you and Lucas, even though I know. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me the most, or for the first five years of his life. But I want to be there for the rest of his life and for the rest of yours to love you and take care of you properly. I do want you Sophia, so badly.”

Sophia brought her lips to his and kissed him. Kissed him for as long as she could, until she broke away for air. “I would want nothing more than that Sergio.”