48 hours to fall in love

Part 49

During the rest of the day, Vilma behaved very distant with her husband; at lunch, she barely spoke to him, at tea time, she preferred to drink it alone, and when they were supposed to go together to see how the preparations for the dance were coming along, Vilma gave up and preferred to stay in her room.

In the afternoon, when David was coming out of rehearsing for the second and last time the dance steps with Susan, a servant intercepted him.

-Queen Vilma vehemently requests your immediate presence in her room," said the servant.

David, puzzled, was surprised that Vilma would send a servant for him, what was going on, he didn't know, but in a few minutes he would find out.

He took a fleeting shower so Vilma wouldn't see him all sweaty and smelly and dressed in comfortable clothes. He already knew Vilma wasn't well, something was wrong with her, she had never behaved distant with him, it was the first time, and they would have their reasons. The first reason David imagined was that Vilma was upset about Greta, but it didn't make sense, because during lunch she talked with Isabel and Fabio, and exchanged two or three words with her sister Greta, but she barely spoke to him, so it couldn't be that. David was dying of anxiety, he needed to get to the room right away to talk to his wife.

There were two knocks on Vilma's bedroom door.

-Please come in," she exclaimed.

David entered.

-Love... -he said, in a muffled voice.

-Ah, David, it's you," said Vilma, blandly.

-You sent a servant for me, what's the matter? -David wanted to know, somewhat distressed.

-Sit down, please," asked Vilma.

David sat down on the bed, a meter away from his wife. He didn't feel confident enough to sit next to her, let alone touch her.

-What is it, Vilma? -said David, looking directly into her eyes.

-Today I found out something that I think you should have told me on your own, David. How were you able to hide such an important part of your life? Really, never in a million years would I have expected you to be a thief. Remember that time we got mugged in the suburbs? Well, you spoke very badly about those guys, but, now I ask you: what was the difference between them and you? Surely it was because that day you felt the desperation and worry that your victims felt every time you assaulted them," said Vilma, with tears in her eyes.

David was stunned, how Vilma had found out, it didn't matter, it didn't matter, now she knew and had to act.

-Vilma, my love....

-No, don't tell me, my love. No wonder you hid from me, you knew that if I knew that you were an evildoer I would never, never in a million years, have married you. For me the welfare of the kingdom is more important, and a thief should never rule. For the good of the kingdom I did not give my crown to Greta, but apparently I had evil in front of me and I never realized it, how stupid I was, you do not love me, a thief cannot love, a thief only wants money, and that is what you were looking for, you saw the opportunity to be my husband and, neither slow nor lazy you took it, how could you, David? -said Vilma, furious.

-Love, please, listen to me, I can explain it to you. I... I admit it, I was a thief, but I'm not anymore, love, I stopped stealing, and I promise I'll never do it again. Do you know why I stopped stealing? Because one night I almost killed my own brother, that night I knew I had reached my limit, that I had to choose a new path, the path of good. And that's what I did, I chose the path of good. And, yes, it is true, you are right, I should never have hidden this part of my life from you, and you don't know how sorry I am, but.... You said it yourself, if I had told you, you would never have married me, which means you would never have married your soul mate, love, because you and I, even if you deny it, we are soul mates, we were born to be together. And maybe not in the best circumstances and, in my case, not with the best past, but I promise you that I will never steal again, that's in the past, and you don't know how much I regret having kept this from you," David pleaded, crying his eyes out, his voice breaking with despair and uncertainty.

Vilma dodged his eyes, which sought his gaze with tribulation.

-I don't believe that repentance, David, now I don't trust you anymore. I will think that every word that comes out of your mouth will be false. I... you will stop sleeping with me, I will tell my servants to find you another room, I cannot sleep next to a thief. And... also, I will ask you for time, time to reflect, to think, time to decide. Perhaps giving the throne to Greta is the best I can do now, the throne is not for me, it is too heavy a burden," said Vilma, crying disconsolately.David was truly suffering. He never thought he would regret what he had done so much. But he had always heard that in life everything has a bill, and perhaps giving up being with the love of his life was the price he had to pay for having been a thief all his life. Tears kept welling up in his eyes.

-Do what you think is necessary, I'm not the one to object," said David, with his head down and regretful as could be.

-I'm going to ask you to leave my room," Vilma requested.

As David walked towards the door, full of shame and disgrace, Vilma said:

-Tomorrow is the royal ball in honor of Greta. I will dance with you just to keep up appearances in front of the kingdom, is that clear?

-Yes, your highness," said David, and left the room.