Chapter 16: Chapter 16
“Here we go...” Miguel said as he returned to Camilla, kissing her on her forehead and putting down the bottle of wine and two glasses he brought with him. “What are you doing?” Miguel asked when he saw the look on Camilla’s face and the picture she’s holding in her hands, his heart suddenly tearing apart because he knew what she was doing right now. He came here for a vacation with her and now this.
He recognized the picture, it’s her daughter’s picture, and he remembered she cried a lot before holding the same picture when his dad brought her to their place from the orphanage. He could still remember how pale she looked the first day they met, his dad had explained everything about her to him and he could not believe how unfair life had been to her, maybe that’s when he started falling for her because since then he had wanted nothing but happiness for her, he wished he can bring her daughter to her and make all of her pain go away.
Camilla said nothing, rather tears gathered in her eyes as she still gazed at the sea. “No, no, no, my love, don’t do that, no more tears, no tears my love.” Miguel said as he sat down close to her, pulling her into his arms immediately too and stroking her back softly. She had cried enough tears already and he did not expect her to be like this now and wonder why she became like this after he left her just a few minutes ago to go and get wine for them to drink. She was happy when he left, he recalled.
“I miss her so much…, I’ve missed my baby so much Miguel, for how long will I continue to bear this pain? I can’t even hold by baby.” Camilla said as tears that gathered her eyes came running down her to her cheeks. She does not know for how long she was going to continue to bear this pain.
Miguel could feel the hot tears of Camilla on his chest as he held her face against his chest, who would have known that this beautiful and gorgeous lady looking so strong on the outside could cry and be in pain like this, she is the role model of so many women and young girls, he bit his lower lip as he felt his chest tighten with anger at the thought of this, especially since he can still do nothing to help her. He had heard about her husband from Camilla and knew how dangerous the man was, he had tried to fight her battles legally for her but the law still does not seem to allow it especially back at her home town where the system seemed to favour the likes of her husband, Lucio Affonso.
“I know my love, I know how you feel, but your daughter… she is all grown up now and that restraining order can no longer stop you from reaching out to her since she can make decisions for herself now, why don’t you call her, set up a meeting with her or maybe go on a vacation or something, I think it’s about time you do that my love.” Miguel told her softly, still holding her in his arms and stroking her back softly.
“That is the point Miguel… that is the point.” Camilla said loosing herself from his embrace. “She is all grown up and I have missed her growing up, I was not even there for her, we have nothing, no relationship, we are practically strangers to each other, what are we going to talk about Miguel? And that Lucio, do you think he is going to let that happen?” Camilla asked, shrugging her shoulders, the words oozing out of her mouth and she sounded so devastated, “do you think Lucio will allow Lora to freely meet me… let alone go on a vacation with me… he did this, he did all of this Miguel, he just wanted to get back at me for leaving him, I know it, he was mad and he did this to make me pay for leaving him...” Camilla continued, sounding so bitter as she felt that was Lucio’s doing to make her pay for her decision to leave.
Miguel just sat still, watching as cool breeze swept her beautiful hair back and forth sending the fragrance from her hair into his nostrils and how the words came out of her mouth, her gorgeous mouth making him feel the urge to kiss her right away on the lips, as if kissing her would make all her pain go away. He pushed the thought of kissing her away from his thought at the moment, knowing that this was not the time to think about that, and wished things where different.
He wished he had met this woman before that bastard Lucio, who is the reason for all her pain she had to go through, maybe he would have been the father of her daughter Lora and their family would have been the best there is, if only she would let him give her the happiness she deserves… if only he was enough to make her feel all the happiness there is.. he would have given her so much happiness that she would not even have the time to shade any tear. He thought and tightened his jaw muscles as anger swept through him seeing how much she was hurting.
“Don’t you think it’s time you give it another try?” Miguel asked rather calmly, gently taking her hands in his hands and gazing into her eyes.
“Time for what Miguel?” She asked in return, this time a little slower than the speed she spoke in before when she poured out her heart, sounding and looking a little confused too as she does not know what Miguel was talking about at the moment.
“Do you not think that it is time you told her everything in details, the reason why you had to leave her, who her dad really is, I mean she is a grown woman now, and it is time she heard your own story and not what she believed was the truth or what her dad had told her.” Miguel said, squeezing her palms tenderly, still gazing into her eyes.
“And what difference will it make?” Camilla asked, shrugging her shoulders a little bit, and gazing into his eyes too. “Look Miguel, I do not think that would make any difference you see.” She said again, pulling her hands slowly away from Miguel’s hands as her gaze went back to the sea. “I couldn’t even talk to her on the phone, how then do I do that in person? You needed to hear our conversation just now when my daughter called me, I mean, I am her mum but I cannot even speak with her, how then, can I do that in person?” she added, and then turned back to look at him.
“I guess you should give it a try love, if you did not leave when you did, who knows maybe she would have become motherless,” Miguel said and paused immediately afterwards, frightened by his thought just now. “My God, who knows… Lucio would have killed you by now if you had continued to stay in that toxic relationship for the sake of your daughter and she probably would not get the opportunity to hear the truth about you, her mum, because they could just tell her whatever they feel like telling her and probably too hide to truth about how you had died from her and she may never find out about the truth so you need to stop thinking that way and think passively about the situation.” Miguel added and continued immediately afterwards again before Camilla would speak.
“Look at you… you have made something of your life at least, so it is still worth it. Miguel said holding her hands again and gazing into her eyes, he could see the sorrow behind those beautiful eyes of hers and he felt his heart ache with pain because he did not know how to make it all go away and hoped that his words could at the very least ease some of the pain.
“All these achievement means nothing to me without my daughter Miguel.” Camilla said, gazing at Miguel. “Yes I have made something of myself and I have so many wealth to my name, I have even acquired some properties in my daughter’s name, but all these things means nothing if she can’t have and enjoy them with me.” She said pulling her hand away again from Miguel feeling more frustrated now that he reminded her of her achievements.
“My daughter is rich and has so much, but she doesn’t know how to live and enjoy the wealth she has, maybe if I were to be by her side she would have learnt, because she would have the best to tutor her,” she said angrily this time as she recalled her daughter’s way of dressing the last time she saw her and wondered what her grandma Rosa was doing watching her daughter dress in that manner, when she had claimed to be high and mighty or did she allow her to continue dressing that way to punish her too for leaving her daughter? She could not help but ask inwardly now that she thought about it.
“I think my daughter is wasting her youth Miguel, this is the time she has to explore and live like other children her age...” She paused for a while as if letting her words sink into the ears of her listener.
“Have you seen how my daughter dressed? I am the queen of fashion for crying out loud, and she does not dress like the daughter of a fashion star.” Camilla continued folding her arms under her breasts, peering from Miguel to the sea as she felt another wave of bitterness.
“It’s not your fault love, you need to speak with your daughter.” Miguel said as he drew her close to him and hugged her tightly so that she could not pull herself away again, he could see that she was in that sort of mood where she would usually tell him that she wanted to be left alone and would not feel good if she told her that at this very moment, he thought.
“She will learn, your daughter will learn, you just need to speak with her first and clear things up, Lucio can’t stop you now because she is of age, and can make decisions for herself and you have me too my love, just let me know when you need something, if you need anything at all.” Miguel said still hugging her and stroking her back at the same time, hoping that she would let go of her anger now and allow herself to have a little fun other than crying and brooding over her daughter, Lora.