Hours after he went to visit Mateo, Pricilla, and her daughter’s grave, he took a week's holiday off from work and all the drama happening around him. The pressure his dad has been putting him through coupled with the anxiety of Joan not calling to take the offer was taking a deep toll on him.
He needed a way to just stay in a place that somehow gave him peace, a place where he could forget himself and just forget about the world and all the problems it brings. The one place that he and his late brother come to whenever they take those little trips.
The place was located inside a garden in Madrid, Mateo was the first person to discover the place when they were still young teenage boys. At that time, they were living in between Madrid during holidays and the USA during school days.
He was feeling so down, and since his brother’s death anniversary was coming soon, it’s even more depressing for him. This period is often the most difficult time of the year for him and the pressure he is getting from his dad isn’t helping him so, in his defense, he needed this break.
Many thoughts clouded his mind, it was about his late brother whom he had always looked up to right from time. Santiago was a really stubborn, hard-headed kid as he grew up so, Julian had no choice but to be hard on him, but in the midst of all his mischief, Mateo never was hard on him.
Mateo would give him a taste of his medicine once in a while but while at it, he would talk to him more, try to tell him of his actions, and let him know that he was doing the wrong thing. Even with all his strong-headed behavior, he will maintain himself because of his older brother, Mateo.
He didn’t even inform his dad till he reached this place and he was also glad that Julian had no clue of this place else, he would have to look for somewhere else to hide.
Letting out a sigh, he looked at the last picture he and his brother took, some days before he said he was leaving. He stared at their smiling faces, they looked so happy when they took the picture and he began to remember all the good old days they had together.
It was funny and shocking how fast you can lose someone you love so dearly, in a matter of seconds, poof! They’re gone, it was just so crazy, unbelievable, and unacceptable.
“I so wish you were here Mateo” he sighed then closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch, trying to stifle a groan. “It’s just so hard for me when you’re not here, I feel so alone and bothered” he opened his eyes that held unshed tears.
He looked at their picture again then placed it on the table and leaned his head back on the couch again. “You made Dad promise you that he wouldn’t meddle in my life and wouldn’t work me up,” he chuckled “Well, he is doing that… a hundred percent”
He sits up and then frowns as he looks around “How did all these happen? How did things turn out to be? I was being on my best behavior, I closed lots of deals in the past years since your demise and yet it still feels like it’s not enough for dad… like I’m not enough for dad” his voice broke when he said those last words.
He shut his eyes to keep the tears from coming then sniffled and shook his head “I am frustrated, so frustrated and I just don’t want to do it. It’s so tiring Mateo, so tiring”
Santiago stayed that way for a moment and unexpectedly, Joan’s face came to his line of vision. He couldn’t explain why but he suddenly felt calm at the thought of her, then it made him wonder what she was doing at the moment and if she would ever reconsider his offer.
He shook his head at that thought, opened his eyes, and cleaned them with the back of his palm.
“No more deceit from women, no woman will occupy my heart” he shook his head yet again “I was careless to trust her and she let me down in ways no one thought about. So, no, no to any form of feelings,” he muttered then picked up his phone to talk to Daniel who is probably buried in work.
Daniel answered on the third ring “How’re you doing now? You calm already?” he asked.
“Probably, where are you?”
“Work and reconsidering throwing myself from the top floor” Daniel sighed.
“At least, you should let us have your last meal together before doing that,” Santiago said, already knowing why he felt that way.
You don’t have to be from a wealthy family to face the challenges he faces. Daniel’s family isn’t as influential as his but he too has his fair share of problems.
Daniel laughed “We could have that if you don’t disappear like you did now” he responded.
“I’m sorry”
“I know… you need it much” he said with understanding.
“I feel like aside from Mateo and my mum, you get me also” he chuckled.
“Oh please, don’t feel too special, I get paid to watch over you, remember? I’m only doing my job” they both laughed.
“I see” he lay back on the chair and then closed his eyes. Joan’s face came to his line of vision again and he let out another sigh.
“What other troubles are you having aside from the one your dad’s giving you?” Daniel asked.
“How can you be so sure it’s not just my dad?”
“I’m your babysitter, remember?”
“I met someone”
“Someone? How about Stacy? Thought she is a nice girl?” he asked.
“She is a nice girl, I just don’t like her dad… seems greedy” Santiago comments.
“You don’t like most people” Daniel states.
“Well, I like her”
“What’s not to like about her, Stacy is a really nice girl”
“Not Stacy, the lady I met… I… I’ll let’s talk about something else”
Daniel was quiet for a while before he spoke “What is with Stacy that makes you disinterested in her?”
“I said already, I don’t like he-”
“It’s not her dad, it’s something else… remember I know you Santiago and even though it’s been a long time since you actually liked someone, I know how you sounded when you were telling us all about… her, your ex”
“This is different, this lady feels different” he heard a gasp from his friend “No, I haven’t been that close to her, she’s tough… wouldn’t even have a meal with me if I didn’t beg her”
There was silence before Daniel burst out laughing.
“Okay, forget I told you anything, bye” he was about to disconnect the call but Daniel held him off.
“Sorry, I am just amused that you would beg a lady to have a meal with you, considering that you are the ‘ladies’ man’ you know?”
“Shut up, I need to get some rest”
“You already had enough, come home soon, I don’t want your dad drilling me on something I don’t know of”
“Well, you deserve it” Santiago snorted.
“See you later man”
“You too” he was about disconnecting the call when Daniel spoke again.
“You better tell me all about her when you are back else I’m gon-”
Santiago immediately disconnects the call with a laugh then he puts his phone down. Joan came to his mind once more and he knew that if he didn’t go to meet her now, he’ll go mad and that’s what he did.
…
After a long trip from Madrid to the United States, Santiago took a taxi straight to Joan’s workplace. Upon getting there, he noticed that she was locking up the shop and he checked his time to see that it was already way past five in the evening and the day was already closing in. He stopped the taxi at a distance so that he could watch her for a moment before walking up to her when she was done with locking.
“I am glad that I was able to get to you before you left,” he said when he came from behind her.
A little cry left her lips as she turned to look at him with her eyes wide open and her palm clutching her shirt.
“Don’t ever do that again” she warned then composed herself and stood straight. She looked him up and down then raised her chin up “If yo-”
“I’m not here for that” he interrupts her then stepped closer “I am here for something else… important, I can say” he smiled and she raised a brow at him.
“What do you want? We are closed already” she points to the locked shop.
“Oh no, that will be for another time… I… I” he cleared his throat then sighed “I just need a hug,” he said to her.
Joan looked at him strangely, her brow still up in question.
“Why?” she asked feeling a sense that something was probably wrong.
“I… I just need one,” he said with pleading eyes “You were the only one that came to my mind,” he said.
There was a warmness that spread in her chest when he said that and she couldn’t understand what was going on but she badly wanted him to have that hug he requested for. So, letting go of any feelings attached, she opened her arms for him to get in there and she could pat his back.
“Better?” he hummed and sniffed her hair then rested his head on her shoulder.
After a few minutes, they pulled away from the hug and looked at anyone but themselves.
“Feel better?” she asked when the silence had long stayed.
“Yeah, thanks” he looked at her then opened his mouth to say something but shook his head instead and smiled. “I’ll catch you later” he grinned then waved and turned to leave.
Joan stared at his back as he walked away and she let out the breath of air she didn’t know she was holding then buried her face in her palm.
“What just happened?”