Stupid Wife- Lembre-se de Nós (English Edition) by Nathalia Sodré.

Chapter 38:Finally Complete

- "You can't help but look at them that way, can you?"

I look to my side and see my best friend sitting down, with little Francisco on her lap. A smile appears on my lips, and I quickly pick him up, cradling him in my lap.

- "What are you talking about?"

- "The three loves of your life." My eyes automatically go to the other side of the yard, where my wife, our two children and nephews are sitting under the shade of a tree while having fun.

- "How are things?"

- "Well. I haven't slept much, because of Gabriel, but I'm not even complaining. I love the feeling of being a mother and knowing that this little one needs my care."

- "It's really good, it's one of the most beautiful loves in the world. I didn't plan to have Francisco, but today I'm grateful that I chose to keep the pregnancy. I didn't know I missed experiencing all of this so much, even though the nights are exhausting."

I quickly agree with her statement. Having such a small child at home is a sacrifice. You spend the day tired, and the night even more tired, because a child will always need you. Furthermore, I have Leo, who also needs my attention and care, even though he is a smart and more independent boy. Even with the help of my wife, I remain connected to two hundred and twenty, because, every second, I am on alert to be there, in case my children need me.

That's what being a mother is, right? Being close, observing and paying attention to your children's every step.

At this moment, the excited Igor approaches the children and takes Toni and Leo in his arms, throwing them both on his shoulders. Harry tries to climb over his uncle, grabbing his waist, while my brother-in-law gestures, as if explaining to him that he can't hold the three of them. This makes my best friend and I laugh. Looking at that scene, a doubt arises in my head, which I never had the chance to bring up during a conversation with Duda, and I think this is the perfect moment.

- "Duda, I want to ask you something. I'm sure we must have talked about this a lot, but you know... I have this little difficulty."

Little Francisco makes cute noises with his mouth, briefly catching my attention, and I smile at him, arranging him better in my arms.

- "What exactly are you talking about?" she asks, curious, and takes a sip of her pineapple juice, before placing the glass on the small table next to us and leaning back on the lounge chair.

- "Do you find it strange that Igor was the donor? Like, he donated the genetic material that made it possible for me to become a mother?"

Duda frowns and looks forward briefly, and I do the same, seeing that my son is now sitting on Igor's shoulders while he holds Harry and Tony on his biceps. My brother-in-law is very strong, and the little ones are having fun.

- "If I say that at first it wasn't strange, I'd be lying, because it was a lot, and for a year, we had a lot of conversations, including with you two. Despite being the first to suggest this, I still thought about how things would be."

- "I've been thinking about it, you know? Valentina is calm, but I wonder if she ever felt sad knowing that she needed her brother to give me something that she couldn't."

The mere thought of imagining that my wife might have felt inadequate somehow, to me, makes me feel terrible. I know about our troubled past and I imagine how much it may have disturbed her. I wonder if I noticed any changes and if I did anything to make it better.

- "Knowing my sister-in-law as I do and knowing all her insecurities, I believe that, at some point, she felt incapable, but I think deep down she knew that nothing would change. Him donating the genetic material does not take away the merit of any of you, Leo is your son and hers, no one can change that."