Dulcina Calvo was playing at La Villa Rouco for a long time, not leaving until almost nightfall.
It wasn’t long before the sound of a car engine sounded in the yard.
Estrella Berrocal looked out the floor-to-ceiling window to see that it was Adán Rouco who had picked up Paulita and was returning.
Paulita got out of the car and rushed toward the house with her small school bag in tow.
“Star!”
Estrella Berrocal approached her holding her somewhat swollen back, Paulita was more impulsive and let herself be dragged by Adán Rouco, who followed her from behind, as she ran alongside Estrella Berrocal.
Adán Rouco covered Paulita’s forehead, fearing that Paulita’s head would hit Estrella Berrocal’s stomach.
“Be careful, Estrella is pregnant.”
Estrella Berrocal gave it no importance and said with a slight smile, “It’s okay, you must not be very nervous.”
Estrella Berrocal took Paulita’s hand and headed into the living room, “Are you tired from reading today?”
“Yes! I wish I could stay home for a few more days!”.
Estrella Berrocal stroked the little girl’s head, “You will be able to play for two months after the summer vacation.”
“Star, where are we going on summer vacation?”.
Adam Rouco immediately said, “Estrella is going to be discharged in half a month, so I won’t be able to go out with you for a while.”
Paulita didn’t quite understand the meaning of downloading and asked with a pout, “Download? Download what?”
Estrella Berrocal rubbed her belly: “In half a month the baby will be born”.
Paulita’s soft little hand touched Estrella Berrocal’s bulging belly, “Estrella, does it hurt to have a baby?”.
“Yes, but I’ll get over it.”
“Then Estrella shouldn’t have a baby, it hurts too much.” Paulita said with a white frown.
Estrella Berrocal’s heart melted into a puddle of water, a soft mess. “It’s okay, it won’t hurt later, and Paulita won’t be alone when the baby comes out.”
Paulita’s little hand gently caressed Estrella Berrocal’s belly and innocently told the baby inside her: “Be good, little one, you mustn’t hurt Estrella, okay? If you don’t, my sister will be very bad later”.
Estrella Berrocal almost burst out laughing as she looked at Paulita’s face: “Bad? Like a kitten?
Adán Rouco looked at the two empty juice glasses on the coffee table and asked, “Has anyone been here?”
“Yes, Dulcina came to play this afternoon and just left. I was going to stay with her for dinner at our house.”
Adán Rouco asked nonchalantly, “Isn’t she a food lover? I’m surprised she didn’t stay for dinner.”
“Dulcina said she didn’t want to bother us.”
“And she knows she’s a lightning rod, nice and sensible.”
“…”
Estrella Berrocal looked at the haughty man and the corners of her lips curved unconsciously.
…
After dinner, Adán Rouco went to the studio to attend to his work.
Estrella Berrocal cut a plate of fruit and brought it to him.
“Have you been busy with work lately?”.
Adán Rouco took her in his arms and sat gazing at her white face, which had grown a few freckles as a result of pregnancy. “Tomorrow I have to go to San Francisco on a business trip.”
Estrella Berrocal said sympathetically, “It’s okay, it’s half a month before I give birth, and when you return from your trip, it will be a week before mine.”
Adán Rouco nodded with a slight “hmm”, “I’ll be back in five days, take care of yourself during those days”.
“I know, don’t worry, don’t you have Felipa at home?”.
Adán Rouco reached out and touched her belly, sighed softly and said to the girl, “Wait until daddy comes back.”
Estrella Berrocal laughed softly, “Adam, when did you become such a mother-in-law?”.
He had only been on a business trip for a few days and was still not out of accounts, he seemed particularly worried.
“Since I’ve had you and Paulita, I have a weakness.”
His lighthearted words made the tip of Estrella Berrocal’s heart flutter. “Then I’ll take care of me and Paulita and try not to let you worry about your weak spot, okay?”.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and sat in his arms, her eyes shining like stars, the little freckles on her face adding to the cuteness of her face, and Adán Rouco reached up to close the laptop, scooped her up in his arms and walked out of the studio at a steady pace.
Estrella Berrocal asked curiously, “Don’t you work?”.
“I’m leaving in the morning to keep Mrs. Rouco company tonight.”
Estrella Berrocal arched her eyebrows and leaned her head into his arms.
…
The next morning, when Adán Rouco left, Estrella Berrocal wanted to say goodbye to him, but Adán Rouco didn’t give it to her, he just leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“You go on sleeping, you don’t need to fire me.”
Lest the pregnant woman be in a bad mood and have to cry again during the little farewell.
In reality, Estrella Berrocal wasn’t about to get up either and continued to sleep for another hour, curled up under the covers.
When he woke up again, Adán Rouco was already gone.
However, the day after he left, Adán Rouco gave him a surprise.
Lupita Vasconcellos and Andreo Fanta had gone to see her at La Ciudad Santa, and even Ciri Garzón had come to see her.
As soon as she entered La Villa Rouco, Lupita Vasconcellos hugged Estrella Berrocal and missed her.
“Star, how have you been, have you had a good appetite? You must be very tired with your pregnancy”.
“Mom, I have a good appetite, I’m not tired, Adam is taking good care of me.”
Lupita Vasconcellos smiled and said, “I think so, Adam is a good man, he is on a business trip and has asked us to come and keep you company.”
Estrella Berrocal was slightly astonished, “Adam … asked you to come?”.
“Yes, your brother and I thought we’d come to see you and Paulita, where’s Paulita?”
Estrella Berrocal shouted: “Paulita, come here, we have a visitor in the house. Come and see who is here”.
Paulita came running in her little train and blinked at the sight of a room full of people and stood next to Estrella Berrocal, her little hands gripping the hem of Estrella Berrocal’s skirt, “Estrella, who are they?”
Lupita Vasconcellos, overwhelmed by the sight of Paulita, approached and took her in her arms, “Paulita is very pretty, Estrella, she looks just like you! I am the grandmother, Paulita”.
Paulita didn’t recognize her and her little voice called out to her grandmother: “Hi grandma”.
“Grandma bought you a little dress for the first time, come, open it and see if you like it!”.
As soon as Paulita received the little gift box, her big teary eyes filled with anticipation, “Grandma can I really open it?”
“Yes, come on, Grandma will open it for you.”
Once the box was opened, inside was a delicate little pink dress, “Do you like it?”.
Paulita said with wide eyes, “Yes!”.
Estrella Berrocal added: “Paulita, here, this is Tio, call Tio”.
Andreo Fanta was handsome, and children are all born with a face, so Paulita walked over and stood next to Andreo Fanta’s long legs, staring at him with her cute little face.
Andreo Fanta smiled slightly and looked at the little bundle of milk, “Paulita, what are you doing looking at Tio?”.
“Man, how handsome you are, you’re as handsome as daddy.”
Paulita’s serious face amused the whole room!
Even the usually unsmiling Andreo Fanta smiled and bent down to pick up the small lump of milk. “You’re so sweet, Tio didn’t bring you any presents.”
Paulita hugged Andreo Fanta’s neck and the little boy gave her a kiss on her pretty face, “Uncle kisses him!”.
Estrella Berrocal smiled and said, “You’re such a kid, bro.”
Paulita pointed to Ciri Garzón and asked, “Tío, is that pretty sister your girlfriend?”
Ciri Garzón: “…”