First Flower

Is there any way to get out of this?

Zulema's Pov

Inspector Castillo. I just couldn't believe in what my eyes were seeing, but unfortunately it was true, he was standing right in front of me and there wasn't any way to get out of this. It was the second time in my life where I didn't have a plan, but unlike the first time I had a feeling that I wouldn't be that lucky. As my mouth was getting dryer I glance at Maca and Saray to absorb their expressions. Saray. She was only here because of us and she didn't do anything, yet she might get into as much trouble as us, even though all she tried to do since she came out of prison was to live a honest life. And then there was also the baby, what would happen to the child? Probably the same thing that happened to Estrella and just that thought made my heart break a little. I couldn't allow that to happen, to be separated from the baby and probably from Maca as well.

"How did you find us?" Was the first thing I was able to say.

"Oh it wasn't easy believe me. Quite the work you and Maca have been doing these past few years. I wasn't expecting to see you two together still."

"Well I guess it's true what they say, the opposites do get attracted to each other. Very attracted to each other." Maca says with a smile, probably to transmit that she was calm and collected, but knowing her the way I do I know she isn't even a bit calm.

I also noticed that, because Maca was still behind the kitchen's counter, Castillo hadn't noticed yet that she was pregnant. Maybe that would be our card to make him show a bit of mercy. Because I know that under those cranky eyes and awful tattoos, there was a good heart.

"You two? Dating? You'll never stop surprising me." I ignore his words.

"Would you care to come in inspector? Please make yourself at home." Saray says.

Limping, he slowly walks towards the couch and sits down in one of the corners. Maca finally decides to get out of behind the balcony, exposing her belly, that it seemed like it was getting bigger by the day. When Castillo notices it, he stares at it during what it looked like an eternity, as if he was trying to decide what to do next. Hopefully it was really that.

"Fuck." He simply says, looking at the three of us.

"What? You're gonna say that Zulema is the father, right?"

"Something like that, yes." Saray says laughing.

Maca continues walking towards Castillo, and when she finally reaches him, she simply leans down and hugs him. My initial thought was that she was just trying to win him over, but then I remembered how their relationship was back then. Castillo felt guilty for the death of Maca's father, so he felt the need to get closer to her, to protect her, and I couldn't blame him for that, because in some way I was doing the same thing. He corresponds to the hug, wrapping his arm around her tightly.

"You're here to arrest us?" Maca says quietly.

"To be honest I don't even know anymore. Since the first heist my team has been trying to found you two but we never got any close. Until now. Somehow I had a feeling that you were going to be here, since it was the most unlikely place you would be, so I told them I would come alone."

"Castillo I can't raise my baby in jail. I just can't. You can't do this to us, we are laying low now, we're simply living here in peace, we aren't doing anything wrong." She finally shows how desperate she was, and I was just as desperate, but I simply could disguise it better.

"Think about it inspector, you probably will retire or even die any time soon so you won't be losing anything." He laughs as he rolls his eyes at my words. "Just tell your team that we weren't here, they will definitely believe and won't come here again. Just tell them. We can pay you as much as you want."

"You should know by now that the bribing card doesn't work on me Zulema." He says with a serious expression.

"If I actually agree with this, it's only because of Maca and the baby, I'm not doing this for you."

"I wouldn't wish it in any other way." I say with a smile on my face. I just couldn't believe that we would be that lucky. Suddenly the future seemed brighter and all the anxieties I was having disappeared.

"Thank you. I promise you won't regret it." Maca says hugging him once again.

"I really hope I won't."

"We always knew you were an angel." Saray says between laughters.
"Would you care to stay for dinner? It's the very least we can do." Maca asks him.

"I can't, I probably should be going, or they will suspect of something. But thank you."

He starts walking to the door and Maca walks behind him. He once again takes a quick glance at the three of us.

"The three of you are the most crazy women I've ever met, and that's saying a lot. Specially you over there." He says looking at me. I smile, and he smiles back, switching then his stare at Maca.

"Despite the circumstances I wish you the best. I know your father would be very proud of you, just like me. And I beg of you, be careful, because if there's a next time, I will have to arrest all of you." He says as he's opening the door

"Don't worry, we'll be careful."

Castillo gently touches Maca's face before exiting the door, and we are finally able to breathe.We would never have that kind of luck, so we really needed to lay low for good, at least until the baby is born.

"Maca, can I talk to you in our room?" I say as an impulse, even though I knew exactly what I was going to say.

"Yeah of course, you can start eating if you want to, Saray."

"No that's fine I'll wait, I'm gonna call Mariza while you two talk."

Once we enter the room, Maca quickly closes the door, looking at me with a tense expression, like she was waiting for bad news.

"What is it? Did something else happen?"

"No, you don't need to worry about anything else right now. I just wanted to tell you that I thought about your "offer", and my answer is yes."

With a blink of an eye, her expression switches to a glorious smile, hugging me afterwards.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me."
"I can say the same thing. This baby we'll be the best thing to ever happen in our lives. I'm sure of it."