We Took the Fall

Shifting a little, Catalina pushed a hand back through her hair, stuck for anything to say to the man who was sat beside her, shifting with equal uncertainty. It had been a while, after the altercation between Fernando and Alicia, Catalina had seen remarkably little of either of her parents, and she didn’t quite know what to say to her father, even if she wasn’t angry with him, she couldn’t seem to find the words.

“You look good” Santiago noted “I mean, you can’t have given birth long ago, but you look spectacular, Cat” he babbled softly.

“3 days” Catalina mused softly.

Santiago nodded. “You had a boy” he noted gently “Fernando said that you decided to call him Felix?” he posed, trying his hardest to spark some sort of conversation. It didn’t surprise him, after months of fleeting phone calls and the occasional visit, he wasn’t surprised to find Catalina a little off with him, but he wanted to make amends, even if it was going to take more than one visit, he wanted to try and put things right between him and his youngest daughter.

Catalina nodded quietly. “Felix Louis” she noted softly.

Santiago smiled. “It’s a lovely name” he enthused.

“It is” Catalina confirmed “But you’re not here to talk about him, are you?” she posed softly.

“Catalina…”

“I am not angry with you, papa” Catalina interrupted softly.

“You’re not?” Santiago posed.

“I stopped being angry a long time ago” Catalina confessed, carefully tucking some of her blonde hair behind her ear “I just wonder why it has taken you so long to come around. I know that things have been on your plate, your divorce from mama is final, yes?” she posed.

Santiago nodded his head. “It had been for a couple of weeks now” he confirmed softly.

“Are you sad?” Catalina posed softly.

“I was when I first left her” Santiago mused gently “But it was the right decision. She showed her true colours when the situation between Alicia and Fernando panned out and I realized then what sort of woman I was with. I should have done better that, Cat” he mused softly.

“You were right” Catalina shrugged “The timing was wrong. Fernando and I, we got together too quickly and you couldn’t have defended that. It looked suspect” she confirmed softly.

Santiago quirked a small, half-hearted smile, something which made Catalina reach her hand out, squeezing his gently. “It’s going to take a little time, papa” she noted softly “But I don’t want to fight. I’d love to have at least one of my relatives on side” she added, peeking up at him shyly.

Santiago peeked down at their hands for a moment before he offered hers a small squeeze, something which made Catalina smile a little. “You came here for something?” she posed gently.

“I have something I wanted to tell you, and something I wanted to ask you, but before I do, you should know that I will not take offence if you say no. I wouldn’t blame you” he babbled softly.

Catalina tilted her head. “Papa?” she teased.

“I’ve met someone” Santiago blurted out.

Catalina blinked at the sudden statement.

“We work together” Santiago spluttered “We have done for years, but when I decided to divorce your madre, we went out a couple of times and now she wants to start meeting one another’s families and I figured I could start with you and Fernando. I’d have asked your sister…”

“Papa” Catalina interjected “Take a breath” she added with a small laugh.

Santiago offered her a small look before he took a calming breath, a nervy smile on his face. “I’d like you to meet the woman that I am dating” he mused softly.

Catalina nodded. “Can you tell me what she is like?” she posed softly. It felt a little odd, the idea that her father was seeing someone that wasn’t her mother, but a part of her was glad to see him moving forwards, even if it would take a little getting used to.

“Her name is Julia” Santiago noted gently “She works with me and has done for a few years. She’s divorced and has two children, a son who is a little younger than you are and a daughter who is about the same age. I think you’d like her, Cat. She’s clever, thoughtful, kind, and she was a great sense of humour” he enthused, a warm smile on his face.

Catalina smiled. “You really like her, don’t you?” she posed.

“I do” Santiago confirmed, his expression turning a little bashful.

Catalina smiled at him softly before she nodded her head. “I’d like to give it a couple of weeks, but I would like to meet her, papa. We should have dinner some time” she enthused softly.

“I would like that a lot, Catalina” Santiago smiled softly.

Catalina offered him another smile before the sound of Fernando’s footsteps, accompanied by Felix’s sniffles, caught her ears. “I ought to get back to…”

“You should” Santiago quipped, nodding his head “I will see you soon, though, won’t I?” he posed.

Catalina nodded her head. “I would like that, papa” she enthused softly before she stepped towards him, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. “Adios, Papa” she added.

Santiago offered her a warm smile before he collected his jacket, ducking out of the room as Fernando stepped into it, Felix in his arms. “You OK?” he posed softly.

Catalina nodded. “I am” she confirmed softly “It’s going to take a little while, but I think it will be alright” she added gently.

“Are you sure?” Fernando posed as he moved to place Felix into her arms, something which made the little boy snuffle a little.

“I think so” Catalina noted as she moved to sit down “I mean, it’s going to take a little work, but it would be nice to have him around. I love your family, but it is not quite the same” she noted.

Fernando nodded his head before he moved to sit beside her, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder as she cooed softly to Felix who stirred a little in her arms. “You know, whatever happens, you’ve got me, right?” Fernando posed softly.

Catalina smiled and leant up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I know” she confirmed gently.