One Thursday afternoon I received a message from her:
“Are you free this Sunday? I want to give you an invitation.”
I didn’t have to open the envelope to know what it was.
I barely slept three hours that night.
On Sunday, I drove to an elegant hacienda in Puebla. I sat at a table in the back, not wanting to see or be seen.
Until she appeared.
Mariana, in a shimmering white dress, smiling in a way I hadn’t seen in years.
My chest burned.
Then her boyfriend came out.
And I almost collapsed.
It was Alejandro.
My brother for life. My buddy since college.
The one with whom I shared tacos de canasta, failed exams, and youthful dreams.
Him? Could he…?
My head was spinning.
I wanted to scream, to hear myself, or to disappear.
Suddenly, Alejandro looked at me.
And his expression… wasn’t one of pride or satisfaction. It was painful.
Mariana whispered something in his ear, and they both walked toward me.
I clenched my fists under the table.
“Congratulations…” I managed to say.
Alejandro raised his hand, his voice breaking:
“Brother… forgive me.”
Mariana took a deep breath:
“Santiago, you’re misunderstanding everything. Ale and I… we’re not together like you think.”
“Then what is this?” I managed to ask.
Alejandro took out a thick envelope and placed it in front of me.
I opened it.
It was medical testing. The diagnosis was written in letters that felt like they were burning me:
“Advanced Carcinoma – Terminal Stage.”
Patient’s name: Alejandro Ruiz.
I felt like the world was collapsing.
Mariana said, her voice breaking:
“Ale found out three months ago. He didn’t want to tell anyone.” But when he knew he didn’t have much time left… the first thing he wanted was to talk to you.
Alejandro lowered his gaze:
“I always knew I owed you something. Ten years ago… I fell in love with Mariana first. But when I saw the way you looked at her, I stepped aside.
I thought I’d moved on… until you divorced.
And I felt guilty. I thought maybe… I had unwittingly influenced things between you two.”
I immediately denied it:
“No, brother. I was the one who messed up.”
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