Carlos rubbed his eyes.
He knew, of course, that Nilson was not interested in marriage because he loved the woman he could not have.
Besides, he was thirty years old and it was normal for him to wish to have his own heir. Without delving further into the question, he immediately asked about what he had discovered yesterday.
-Nilson, is it true that under all the bamboos in Salamonsa are planted the tea trees I saw yesterday on the bamboo hill? Nilson was a little surprised that the scientists that Carlos had brought had come and started investigating the water, air and plants that everyone in Salamonsa was exposed to, as they had said before, and now they were looking at the tea?
Halfway through the day, Nilson said:
-Yes, it’s all planted, half of Salamonsa’s tea, comes from the bamboo forest, and tea is very versatile in our Salamonsa, every household has plenty of it. Carlos frowned and nodded.
-Focus on the evidence. Also, assign some more men to investigate what is the same about men who have lived beyond 45, down to their habits.
Nilson pondered for a moment, looking for clues in the living people who had crossed that threshold was indeed a way to find a breakthrough.
He knew that Moya could not leave Salamonsa in case Carlos wanted to stay in Salamonsa….
Thinking back to the night in the hospital room, seeing him and Moya interacting, the natural goodness that radiated from them, Nilson couldn’t help but feel for them as well….
Halfway through the day, Nilson, his heart even more cringing, told Carlos what Ian had told him when he had called him earlier:
-So far, our initial tests have found nothing wrong with the, water, air, or plants. Both men frowned, after nearly a month of tossing and turning, progress so far was really slow, they were still stuck in a complete cluelessness, and Carlos had stayed here for a precisely calculated time limit of three months, and he only had 40 days left….
Nilson clenched his fists, looked at Carlos and said:
-I suggest, Carlos, that you scratch your head and leave Salamonsa for now, and call on me to leave the research to me while you channel new scientists every two months or so and replace the ones here. We must be prepared for a prolonged war. Carlos’ heart squeezed silently….
Downstairs, Diego borrowed Micaela’s cell phone and called QueridaPaula, then went upstairs to the study as well to join their conversation.
Without direction you have to create direction, Carlos would never give up a glimmer of hope, a situation like Salamonsa, the self-generation of poison, foreigners staying here three months or leaving and dying, there has to be a reason for all this!
After ten o’clock, Nilson got up to say goodbye and left to return to Ciudad Pesla.
Mrs. Echave and Yerma have returned to Villa Echave and Micaela has gotten a driver to take Lluvia back as well.
Carlos accompanied Nilson down the stairs and Nilson felt a little sad to think that he would not be able to hug Estela again.
After driving for a while, he realized that there was no water in the car and, when he passed the grocery store, Nilson went downstairs to buy water for him.
In front of the store, he saw a woman sitting on a stool with a child about Estela’s age in her arms, his eyes fell on the little baby who looked just as beautiful and he found himself not even thinking about hugging that child….
Nilson was a little suspicious. If you like children, don’t you feel good when you see those children and want to hug them?
At least that’s what you feel when you see Estela….
Half-heartedly, without giving it much thought, he bought some water, got into his car and drove off.
At the villa, Carlos pushed open the master bedroom, where the woman was in her pajamas putting Mike to bed.
She had just finished a video chat with her Salamonsa friends, explaining that she and Carlos had been stuck in the Bamboo Mountains yesterday and that was why she hadn’t contacted them.
She talked about it with Lluvia, and then with Alba and the girls, and Micaela was able to recite it.
Mike was squinting and about to fall asleep when he saw Carlos walk in and Micaela held up her hand in a little shhh gesture. Carlos didn’t make a sound, he went to wash up, put on his pajamas and came over, the girl had taken care of moving Mike, to his cot.
Carlos lies down, turns off the light and takes the woman in his arms.
Micaela senses that something is not right with Carlos….
Carlos squeezed her arms, kissed her forehead and, without waiting for her to ask, said in a resolute sigh:
-Micaela, give me half a month to get ready and I will give you a big wedding and make you officially my Mrs. Aguayo, and then, I will take Mike to Ode Nation. Micaela’s heart moved, and her heart immediately swelled with a strong feeling of sadness and reluctance, her little face buried in his wide arms, hugging him tightly….
Carlos knows, the girl cries….
And why shouldn’t she be sad, he can’t imagine a day without the girl at all…..
His hand caressed the girl’s cheek, and he lowered his head, his thin lips moved over her cheek, kissing her tears, his low voice sounding slow:
-Micaela behave yourself, as you said, we’ll leave the remaining 25 days for later, for when we think of you like crazy, and then we’ll see each other again. This time apart is for the future together, I’ll find a way for us to get together, trust me, eh? Micaela is getting sadder and sadder that the day of separation is still here….
She took several deep breaths before stifling a yes….
Carlos was anguished, hugged the person and cooed softly:
-Dear, time, space distance, can’t stop me from loving you, you only have one thing to do, take care of yourself and wait for me to get to you, huh? Micaela snorted, trying to control her emotions, and agreed, thinking that he had just said he was going to Ode Nation with Mike, and asked:
-You, Carlos, didn’t you say before that you would send Mike to be taken care of by Tomas and Bianca? Carlos rubbed his head and sighed.
-I’ve changed my mind, I’m going to be with Mike so that when you miss me, you’ll look for me, and when you miss Mike, you’ll look for me. Micaela’s nose hurts and she wants to cry even more. This bad man, while cajoling her not to cry, says things to her that make her unable to stop crying…..
She got distracted thinking about it, even though she only had half a month left to spend it happily with Carlos….
Then the thought of the wedding in half a month came to her mind and an idea went through her mind, she turned around and took the cell phone from the bedside table, opened the chat application, looked for Alba’s avatar, typed it quickly and then showed it to Carlos, asking him
-May I?
Alba and Ernesto never got married with a license, waiting for her to come home and fulfill that promise to get married together?
Carlos raised the screen and kissed her forehead.
-All in agreement with you. Micaela pressed send.
The dialog box read:
Alba, would you like to come to Salamonsa? Can our promise to celebrate our wedding together be kept here?