Their friends' laughter faded into the background as Ricardo's hand trailed slowly down her arm. The touch electric. Lucia's body responded, leaning into his warmth, her eyes fluttering closed for a heartbeat.
"It's okay," he whispered, "will you come...?"
She nodded, opening her eyes to meet his again.
They moved slightly away from the gathering, finding a secluded spot beneath a blooming arch of flowering vines. The air was thick with the scent of blossoms and the promise of something tender yet fierce. Ricardo's lips brushed softly against her neck, tracing a path that sparked a shiver down her spine. Lucia responded with a muffled moan. Her hands weaving into his hair holding him close. Her body pressing against his.
Every sense was heightened. The softness of her skin beneath his fingertips, the warmth of their shared breath, the intoxicating sound of her voice caught between whispered sighs and sighing desire.
"Ric...," she mumbled.
"Lucia.. please...,"
He kissed her deeply, slowly, savoring the sweetness and the fire of the moment. Ricardo realized it was her first time. He tried hard to surpress his raging needs and gave her all the love and care he had. The outside world seemed to hush. A blending of two young souls, daring to cross over the boundaries of norms and traditions.
Several months gone by. Ricardo sat quietly on the edge of the bed, the heaviness of the last match settling over him. But he was happy. The early days of passion had blossomed into something deeper and profound. A connection neither had anticipated but both embraced with an open heart.
He wondered why Lucia hadn't arrive yet. She usually popped up in the morning, on the way to her office. A quick fix of their longings before their daily routine. Then moments later, Lucia came to his apartment, and entered his room. Her eyes meeting his with a blend of nervousness and hope. She held a small envelope in her hands, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Lucia!"
Ricardo jumped at once and gave her a bear hug. Yes... he missed her so much even tough they've been together almost every day back then. He was about to kiss her when he felt something odd.
"Hey, what happened? Are you ok?" He already noticed her demeanor was a bit different for the past week.
"Come, sit.. what happened? Care to share it with me?," Ricardo felt a chill on his spine, afraid that she would found out about his shameful past.
"Ricardo," she began softly, "I went to the doctor couple days ago."
He looked up, sensing the weight in her voice.
"Yes.. and..?" asked Ricardo while Lucia handed him the envelope.
"I have the result here... I'm pregnant."
For a moment, the room was filled with silence, the walls holding their breath alongside them.
Ricardo's heart raced. Not from surprise, but a burst of emotions that rushed through him all at once. Fear. Excitement. Love. Fierce protectiveness. He reached for her hand, bringing it gently to his lips.
"Lucia," he whispered, then ramblings excitedly, "this changes everything... and yet, nothing. Lucia, I want this. I want to have this with you. We'll figure it out together. Oh wait, I should ask you first.. Uhmm.. do you want to keep it? Damn what a silly question, but ugh... do you want this with me?"
Tears welled in her eyes, relief flooding her features. "I was so scared... but hearing you say that..."
He pulled her close, their foreheads resting together. He chuckled and said, "hey, we're a team now. And this little fella... it's the start of our forever."
Somebody stumbled onto his table, which made Ricardo snap back to the present. The hustle and bustle of the dining hall suddenly felt distant and hollow. His lunch sat largely untouched before him. The taste gone bland as his mind wrestled with the memories. Those tender moments with Lucia, the warmth of new beginnings, and the crushing weight of his own unresolved remorse. He couldn't swallow the guilt that gnawed at him. He was in the wrong. Yet his pride and denial wrapped around him like armor, refusing to give way to regret.
With a surpressed sigh, Ricardo pushed his plate aside and stood. He chose to spend the remainder of his lunch break in the common room instead. Inside, a few colleagues lounged lazily. The familiar haze of cigarette mingling with casual laughter. Among them were two women he knew well. Friends. Companions in fleeting pleasures. Fellow players in a game of deception and desire.
As Ricardo settled onto the worn couch and lighted his cigarette, the conversation picked up immediately.
"Hey, Ric," one teased, a sly smile tugging her lips. "How's the divorce saga coming along? Still spinning those tall tales?"
Ricardo smirked, masking the unease twisting inside.
"Yeah well, I have to create some reasons. So I told them that I have to divorce Lucia because she could only give me two daughters, no son at all. And I said I realized I had to continue my lineage. With my own surname, free from the Padilla clutches."
"Bahahaha, too classic Ric... never knew you were so ruthless, using your daughters as excuses," a man joined with a smirk. "Blame it on the family. Works like a charm."
Laughter erupted around him, sharp and merciless, skewering the Padillas and Lucia with reckless jabs.
"You always knew how to bail, huh? The mighty goalkeeper running from the game," a voice taunted.
Ricardo's chest tightened, but he retorted with a grin, "Better to jump than drown."
A woman leaned close, her voice playful yet seductive, "So Ric, any new conquests? Or still playing the lone wolf?"
He raised his hand, "A man's gotta live, can't let one bad hand break the streak."
"Just like you couldn't let Lucia break your streak," she quipped, eyes sparkling with wicked delight.
Ricardo's shame screamed louder in his head. My greed. My cowardice. How do I face them? My wife, my family. I'm the one who ran and left everything behind.
But outwardly, the laughter continued, the facade holding firm.
Then through the open doorway, he caught sight of her.
Corrine.
She froze in the hallway, eyes wide with disbelief and disdain.
The noise faded around him as the weight of unspoken truths settled between them, crushing and raw.