While you were Sleeping

36. Stay with me

Juliana lay silently beside Valentina, watching the even rise and fall of her chest as she slept. The redness around her eyes had faded but dark circles had now formed beneath her eyes.

Juliana would remember that awful moment for the rest of her life.

Valentina, the happiest, most positive person Juliana had ever met, had fallen shakily into her arms as she sobbed. Valentina had been so distraught; she could barely speak. It had taken Juliana a long time to get any kind of explanation for her tears. Bottom line, her father had kicked her out of her own home.

Lupe had been great. She ushered Valentina to the sofa before finding her a box of tissues, and a bottle of water. She even sat with them for a while holding Valentina's hand, telling her she was safe and could stay with them as long as she needed. Juliana wasn't sure if that extended to her bed, but Lupe hadn't said anything when Juliana guided Valentina into her bedroom to rest.

An exhausted Valentina had passed out around midnight, her arm draped over Juliana's stomach and her face buried in Juliana's neck. It had been a long day for them both but Juliana couldn't sleep, she was worried about her girlfriend and her siblings.

Leon Carvajal was a powerful and influential man in Mexico. But what would people say if they knew how he behaved? The man who threw his own children out of their home. Yes, they were adults, capable of fending for themselves but he had no idea where they had gone and as far as Juliana was aware, he hadn't bothered to find out.

Juliana reached for her phone as the alarm sounded. She'd chosen one of the most annoying and grating chimes to help wake her tired brain.

"What's that noise?" Valentina groaned, her head burrowing further into her pillow.

"Just my alarm, go back to sleep." Juliana placed a kiss on Valentina's cheek before scooting to the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Valentina whined as she reached to pull her back.

"To the bathroom, I need to get showered. I'm working today." Juliana pouted as she looked down at Valentina's sad face. "I assume you aren't going to work today, so relax, go back to sleep. You can text me later when you wake up."

"I don't want you to go." Valentina pouted, blinking heavily as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I don't want to go either," Juliana laughed, "but I can't let Javier down." Juliana placed a kiss on Valentina's lips. "Go back to sleep, I'll be back soon."

* * * * *

Valentina smiled as she breathed in Juliana's scent from her pillow. The bed was surprisingly comfortable but she wished Juliana was here, she loved waking up to find her girlfriend wrapped around her. But it was Tuesday and Juliana was working. Usually, Valentina would also be at work by now...

The realisation brought back the events from previous day. Her father hadn't reacted well to her relationship, which was no great surprise but she hadn't expected him to throw her out of her own home. She had never seen him so angry. She had stood speechless as her father refilled his tumbler and downed a second glass before his steely gaze turned to Valentina and her siblings again.

After another rant about ungrateful children who didn't deserve the life he gave them, the siblings had filed out of the house to return to their cars. Lucia had followed them outside making excuses for her husband but no one stuck around long enough to hear them. Their father had shown his true colours when he told each of his children exactly what he thought of them.

Valentina lifted her phone from the floor peering at the time. She had three missed calls and a message from Eva, along with a message from Juliana. She immediately opened Juliana's, a smile splitting her face as she read.