CLICK, CLICK, ZIIIIIP. XXV.- THE OLD LABORER 👨‍🌾

Additionally, he confessed to me that he had driven the 80 km to Madrid crying uncontrollably.

My father-in-law, who was all about positivity, seemed devastated.

Geez, poor guy.

But it was what he needed to be perfect.

Because perfect was not what we all thought we perceived about him.

We all knew how he had arrived in Madrid at 18 years old, with only the support of his two sisters who took turns letting him sleep in their homes, and how he had overcome all obstacles, year after year, month after month, and day after day, until he owned 5 properties and two houses in Madrid and another in my mother-in-law's hometown.

He was a self-made man, and yet, we couldn't see any scars from the suffering he had endured every day for those 20 years.

We thought he was made of steel. He had an armor that made it impossible to see him cry, but he was doing it.

So, as I was seeing, being perfect is not about not crying, it's the opposite. It's about showing strength and courage, but deep down, when no one is looking, being able to cry. That's what makes him even greater, having feelings.

It was sad to see him cry, but what a beautiful image it was to see him when he did.

I started crying too. It was beautiful to see him show that sentiment and share it with him.

I hugged him.

A: Oh, dear friend, son, son-in-law, father of my grandchildren, and lover... Why are you crying?

As I was kissing away all the tears from his eyes and kissing his face, I replied, with a touch of humor and pretending to downplay it, but making my feelings clear.

T: Nothing, it's nothing. I was just chopping onions and I must have touched my eyes now.

(There's nothing better than showing a feeling while avoiding it, as if there was no real reason, and blaming it on the onions)

He said:

A: You too?

(Geez, that was another sign of his delicacy, sensitivity, and intelligence; we weren't addressing the issue, and we both ended up blaming it on the onions, which, by the way, we had run out of at home)

A: Well, we're in a good situation. Come with me to the car, and I'll fix this in a jiffy.

Surprised but excited, with the intrigue of knowing what he had in the car for me, I wiped away my tears as best I could and went down to the car with him.

The elevator wasn't working, and his apartment was on the sixth floor, so we started walking down.

As we went down each floor, I realized what a beautiful moment I was experiencing. I, who just a few minutes before was going to end our sexual relationship that had become just about sex... and I wanted to end it...

When we reached the third floor, I stopped him for a moment, hugged him, and started crying again for a brief moment.

We arrived at the basement level, and before we left the stairs, I cleaned my face of tears...