The Spanish Love Deception

Aaron reluctantly peeled himself off me and pressed the yellow button on the panel. The elevator resumed its descent. “Yes, earlier today,” he admitted almost guardedly. Just like every time he talked about Richard.

I knew Aaron hadn’t let go of part of the guilt he carried around, but father and son had come a long way. And they both knew Richard didn’t have much time. This past year had already been a gift.

“He and Martha should be getting to the house in a few hours.”

Martha, his caregiver, was another gift sent straight from heaven. She was amazing to Richard and always kept us updated. We trusted her fully, and having her constant support and company not only reassured Aaron and me, but also soothed Richard.

“I’ll check on them again while we wait for your family at the airport.”

The elevator doors opened in front of us, and we stepped out at the same time.

“Everything will be all right, amor,” I told him, breaking my rules and reaching for his hand in the middle of the lobby. “Your dad will make it to Montauk safely, and he is going to love everyone. Just how everyone will love him.”

Breaking his own rules too, he brought my hand to his mouth, his lips brushing the backs of my fingers. “I know, baby,” he whispered just for me. “Everything will always be okay, no matter what. You know why?”

We stepped out of the building, right into one of New York’s overwhelming summer days.

“Why?”

“Because it’s you and me.” He smiled down at me then, meeting my gaze with the conviction his words held. Just as he held my heart in his hands. My love. My whole world. Confidently and completely. “And no matter what comes our way, we have each other.” That Aaron smile, which was just for me and never failed to make my heart skip a beat, widened. “We are in this together, for the long run.”

The End