When We Were Young

Chapter 31

Rafael trudged up the stairs to his room, feeling emotionally drained and tired. That's how his recent dealings with Paula left him feeling.

For a whole week, he barely slept. His daughter weighed on his mind. He wasn't able to focus at work. He loosened his tie as soon as he reached his room.

His hands stilled from unbuttoning his shirt when he heard a wheelchair approaching. He closed his eyes as he drew small circles on his already aching forehead. He knew that Hazel was there to reprimand him.

"Are you really going to force Paula into marrying you?," she started in a stern voice.

He let out a frustrated sigh as he start to remove his cufflinks.

"I am not forcing her to do anything, tio. I gave her options and she is responsible for the choice she makes," he replied in a tired and annoyed voice.

Her wheelchair approached him.

"What happened to you, Rafael? You used to be so nice,so considerate and now l can't recognise you anymore."

He felt a prickle of guilt at the hurt in her voice. He turned to face her for the first time since she came into the room,pain clouding his dark eyes.

"I am not the bad guy here!," he whispered, his heart twisting in anguish.

"In Nina's eyes you will be. If you take full custody of her, she will grow up hating you for separating her from her mother and if you force Paula into marrying you, she will grow up hating you for making her mother unhappy."

He dropped his hands to his sides,a defeated look on his face.

"She got to see Nina's first smile, hear her first word and laugh. Fuck! I couldn't even hold her hand as she took her first step. I didn't get to experience anything with my daughter for her first five years. I am like a stranger to her," he exploded.

Hazel laid a hand on his arm,unshed tears shining in her eyes.

"Oh my child! I get your pain. I am not justifying what she did but we can't ignore the fact that she is still the mother of your child. Whatever problem you have with her, you have to work it out for the sake of Nina."

Tears rushed into his eyes, but being the proud person he was,he held them back. He rarely showed his vulnerable side and that's one of the qualities that helped him get ahead in business.

Only two people were fortunate enough to see his emotional breakdown and that was Paula and Hazel.

"This is the only way l get to be with my daughter, tio. If l don't do this, Paula will get married in the future probably to Leandro. Leandro hates me he will make sure l don't get to see my daughter much. Nina is already fond of him."

Hazel arched an eyebrow at his words.

"Is this still about Nina? Or its now a battle for Paula with Leandro?"

"I don't care if they are screwing each other. Just as long as he doesn't come closer to my daughter. I never trusted that snake," he gritted out.

Hazel's face became serious again as she regarded him with stern eyes.

"Don't go through with this charade of a wedding. If you do, the two of you are going to be unhappy and it will only make you hate each other more. This is end up affecting Nina ."

Rafael stuffed his hands deep in his pockets as he paced the floor, his mind in turmoil. After some minutes, he turned back to Hazel who was quietly observing him.

"Then tell me what l should do,tio?," he asked in a defeated voice.

~****~

Paula paced around the sitting room,her hands nervously rubbing her arms. The wedding planner was due to arrive in ten minutes and she wasn't sure she could go through with this charade. Just thinking about it made her nauseous.