Umberto sat beside her, listening to her talk on the phone and taking her fleshy little hand in amusement.
Albina was concentrating on the phone, but Umberto’s fingers caught her attention, then she unconsciously averted her gaze downward.
She watched Umberto’s long, pretty fingers gently caress her hand, pinch her flesh and meet hers from time to time.
Her own hand in his hands was like a toy he played with nonchalantly, but, when he brushed her hand, the atmosphere was full of amorous ambiguity, making people blush with just a glance.
-Boss?
The seamstress noticed that Albina was slow to respond and called out to her in confusion.
Only then did Albina realize she had been distracted, so she coughed slightly embarrassed, ordered her a few more things and told her they would talk tomorrow at work.
After hanging up the phone, she finally couldn’t contain her urge to put Umberto’s index finger in her mouth to bite it hard.
-Umberto, you interrupted my call, it’s your fault.
Umberto saw Albina using his finger as something to chew on and felt funny. He used his other hand to hold her chin and forced her mouth open. He saw Albina’s saliva sliding down his mouth, but without feeling disgusted, he pulled a paper towel from the table and wiped his mouth.
-Even though I washed my hands, you still have to pay attention to hygiene. Besides, you’re pregnant, be careful what you put in your mouth.
Albina gave him an ambiguous look and said:
-Why didn’t you say that last night?
Umberto froze for a moment, then he reacted with what she said and his handsome face flushed instantly, even his ears tinged red.
Albina hadn’t seen him so shy in a long time and she let out a laugh.
Shy and annoyed, Umberto pinched Albina’s cheek.
-Stop laughing, when did you become obscene? Who taught you this?
-Who taught me? -Albina looked at him -Only you taught me, I was pure and innocent before I was with you.
Seeing her provocative and naughty look, Umberto wanted to pinch her cheek again, but he was afraid of hurting her. For he knew how sensitive Albina’s skin was, which bruised at the slightest pressure.
-Okay, it’s all my fault, I taught you wrong.
Umberto held her in his arms, remembering the phone call with Hector, and suddenly asked:
-Albina, have you ever thought about your parents and biological relatives?
Albina squeezed Umberto’s pretty fingers and said nonchalantly:
-No, why are you asking me this question?
-Why haven’t you thought about it?
Albina leaned against his chest and tilted her head to look at him with a puzzled expression.
-Since my parents were very kind to me, I didn’t have time to think about my biological family at all. Besides, they abandoned me, why do I need to think about them? Your question is strange.
Umberto pursed his lips.
-What if the truth is that they didn’t abandon you, but that you were stolen by someone, and they took many years looking for you and missing you? If that were so, would you want to see them?
Albina hesitated, leaning against her chest, frowning.
It was true that she had not thought about this, because she felt no sorrow in her life, except that her parents had been killed. John and Marisa were not her biological parents, but they were like her real parents and had given her all their love.
Even if they were still alive, Albina would not want to find her biological parents, she would only want to spend her life with them and take care of them.
In her opinion, the gift of adoption was greater than the gift of life.
But in the case of Umberto’s assumption, if her loss was accidental and not the subjective act of her birth parents, and they had searched for her for so many years….
Albina frowned anxiously and pondered for a while before saying:
-If they didn’t abandon me on purpose, I might agree to see them. Although I cannot treat them like my parents, I would visit them often and give them an allowance. If they live happily now and my presence bothers them, then I would not be in their lives.
Umberto’s heart softened at her words and he stroked her long hair, looking tender.
He was still thinking about how to convince Albina, but he didn’t expect her to be so reasonable, which made him feel sorry for her and also admire her more.
While Umberto was meditating, Albina suddenly looked up suspiciously.
-Umberto, I remember you asked me this question before.
-Yes? Why don’t I remember?
-I remember that! -She looked excited and lifted her head from Umberto’s chest- -It was the day I found my father’s diary and learned that I was adopted, and then you asked me if I wanted to find my biological parents.
Umberto pretended to remember now and rubbed a handful of her hair admiringly.
-They say people get dumb after pregnancy. I never thought you still had such a good memory.
Hearing his compliment, Albina lifted her chin proudly, then reacted, slapping his hand away and looking at him with her arms crossed.
-Don’t try to change the subject, you still haven’t told me why you asked me this question all of a sudden,” Albina looked him up and down. When you came into the house, I took a look at you and I felt that you were worried about something. Tell me, what happened to you today, did you find my real parents?
Umberto didn’t expect Albina to be so perceptive, but she wouldn’t let him know the truth until Hector settled the matter with the Espina family.
She didn’t show anything unusual apparently and let out a light laugh.
-Quiet, sit down first and listen to me.
Albina leaned back on the sofa, but her eyes kept looking at Umberto with distrust.
Umberto felt embarrassed by Albina’s gaze, so he coughed slightly, averted his eyes and took a banana from the table to give it to Albina.
-It’s been a while since we visited your parents at the cemetery, and today I passed by the flower shop, and suddenly remembered this, so I thought some more.
He saw that Albina was seriously eating the banana and a joy shone in her eyes.
-If you are willing to search for your true family, it is not impossible to find them with the skill of the Santangel family. I fear that you will be lonely without the company of your own family when you give birth to the baby.
Albina growled.
-Why will I be lonely? Mr. Sergio, my in-laws and you are all very worried about me. When I deliver the baby, they and you will be with me and I won’t feel alone.
If she really felt lonely, she would think of her parents who had passed away, not of the family who were only related to her by blood and had never met.
Albina finished her banana, put the peel in Umberto’s hand, went up to him suddenly, wrapped her fingers around his ear and gave him a tug when he didn’t notice.
-Umberto, do you think I’m going to believe your nonsense? Tell me everything honestly. Why did you ask me this question today? What are you hiding from me?