Roads That Cross...

... With Distance

Ever since that day, Ámbar started working from home.

What she told Simón was that there was too much noise in the Roller, and with everything she had to prepare for the Día de los Muertos Roller Jam, she would rather be somewhere quieter. If she had told him that a week ago, Simón would've believed her without question. After all, he'd often times wondered how she managed to concentrate with all the music and people moving about. After the visit from that unknown woman though, Simón had his suspicions.

He asked Ámbar straight out if her decision had anything to do with the accountant associated with Sharon. It was too much of a coincidence, and Ámbar was clearly upset after that woman left the Roller, but upon his question, Ámbar just assured him it wasn't about that and put the topic to rest.

To tell the truth, it gave Simón whiplash, this back and forth. One moment he felt like he and Ámbar were closer than ever, like she was even making decisions thinking of the two of them, and then something like this happened, and she raised walls so high around herself that he sensed that if he even dared to go near them, she would shoot cannons at him.

Of course, Ámbar apologized for what happened after that woman left, and Simón knew Ámbar well enough by now to understand that it was nothing personal against him, that she just found herself overwhelmed by the situation.

That didn't mean it was right, or that Simón liked the way she pushed him away. All he wanted was for her to trust him.

"Love," he cradled her hands in his the night she told him she'd be working from the mansion, "you know you can tell me anything, right? I know that it's hard sometimes, but if anything's bothering you, I'm here to listen. If there's anything I can do, I would love to help. Truly."

For a second, that look had crossed Ámbar's face, and something inside Simón screamed.

What is it? What's wrong? I know there's something; just tell me.

But Ámbar had just smiled, looking at him with affection, and squeezed his hands in hers. "Thank you. But I'm really not escaping from anything. I just really think that this is the best decision, at least for now."

Simón had no other choice but to let it go then. If Ámbar was going to be more at ease at her house, for whatever reason, then that was what she should do, and he had to support her.

He missed her though, now that she no longer went to the Roller. Her presence used to be comforting, calling to him like a beacon each time he passed by her work table. Even if both of them were busy doing something else, he could see her, and she could see him, and it was nice. Now he found his eyes straying to her table many times throughout the day only to remember she wasn't there.

They started texting more as a way to compensate for it. Not a lot either, but that was to be expected— they were both busy. Simón guessed he had to get used to this. After all, most couples couldn't spend the whole day together— They had just been an exception.

It wasn't really the physical distance that worried him though. He felt like there was a barrier he couldn't break through. First this weird look in Ámbar's eyes she got from time to time, then this thing with the accountant, then the sudden idea to stay at the mansion.

Simón had promised to wait, but he was starting to get anxious.

He just wished he knew what that look meant, at least. He'd been seeing it on her a lot lately. They could be just lying in bed, talking and holding hands, and then Ámbar's eyes would turn... sad, almost. It was always gone in a second, but not quickly enough for Simón not to notice. He had asked her, more than once now, if something was the matter. But each time, Ámbar just smiled and told him everything was okay.