Arriving on the island – their island – felt like a dream. The water was bluer, the sand whiter, the sky brighter than anything he'd imagined, but that wasn't the best part – the best part was that he was here with her, it was taking her hand and looking out over the water, it was waking up next to her and knowing they were here… they were together… they were safe. They chose a hotel to stay in, and Paula and Marivi spent their days at the hotel pool while Sergio and Raquel drove around the island to look for a house. They wanted a place that was quiet and private and by the ocean, because Paula liked the beach and Sergio enjoyed the sound of the waves. After a week of searching and not finding any suitable houses, Sergio was starting to feel frustrated, so Raquel suggested they take the afternoon off and just enjoy the island. They turned off the main road onto a much smaller road that dove straight into the jungle. The sun was coming out after a spell of rain, and for a while, they drove along in silence, windows open, as mist began to rise from the forest floor and bird calls echoed through the trees all around them. The air was sweet with the smell of wet earth, and Sergio found himself breathing in deeply.
They reached a quiet village by the sea, children and dogs playing in the street, little stalls at the side of the road selling fruit and flowers and food that smelled amazing.
"This is such a nice place", Raquel said. "Let's get out and take a walk."
Sergio was hesitant to try food from the street vendors, but Raquel persuaded him and, after tasting it, he was glad she did. They took their lunch out to the beach, where they sat down on the trunk of a fallen palm tree and ate companionably side by side, their shoulders and knees touching. Sergio constantly had to remind himself that this was real, this was happening – he'd never lived like this, so freely, so casually, without rules or restrictions, doing whatever he liked just because he felt like it. He caught Raquel's eye and she smiled at him, then leaned in for a kiss.
"What are you thinking?" she asked him.
He shook his head. "That I'm not used to this."
"To what?"
"Well…" he gestured at their surroundings. "This."
"Going on holiday?"
"Yes", he said. "I've traveled a bit, but I was always working. I've never actually gone on… holiday."
"Better get used to it", she smiled. "This is what the rest of your life will look like."
"Yes", he mused. "Yes, I suppose. It's difficult to believe."
"It must be strange", she said softly. "To work on the plan for the heist for twenty years, and then suddenly, it's all over and done."
He nodded. "Very strange." He took her hand and gazed at her earnestly. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't know what I would have done with myself. I'm so grateful you're here."
She gave him a soft smile. "Me too."
There was so much more that he wanted to say – that he could sense the gaping emptiness life would have been without her – that their little family was giving him a wonderful new purpose – that, after the heist, after his brother's death, she was the anchor that was keeping him steady. But he didn't know how to put that into words, so he carefully brushed a lock of hair away from her face and kissed her, confident that, even without words, she knew.
They got up and started walking along the water, leaving the village behind until all they could hear was the rustling of the palm trees and the gentle rhythm of the waves on the sand. After about fifteen minutes, though, he started shooting worried looks at her.
"Let's turn back."
"I'm fine, darling."
"You shouldn't overexert yourself yet."
"It's been a month, I'm so much better."
"You're still in pain, though."
Her wound was healing well, all things considered, but it took time for muscles and nerves to regenerate. On the journey here, he'd taken care of her shoulder three times a day, but once they'd arrived on the island, that hadn't been necessary anymore. She had limited use of her arm again, but she still had to be careful, she still had to take pain killers sometimes, and it would still be a while before she regained the full range of motion for that shoulder – if she ever did. He still felt a stab of guilt whenever he thought about it, and he desperately wanted to protect her from any further harm.
"You have to be careful, you're not fully healed yet."
"Healed enough to take a little walk."
"Please, Raquel", he said quietly. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."
She stopped and gave him a soft look. "I'm fine, I promise."
"You don't know how tired you'll feel by the time we get back though."
"Just a little further?" she wheedled. "Just around the next bend?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I suppose if you get too tired I could always carry you back to the car."
Her eyes sparkled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hmm… maybe I do feel a little tired."
He chuckled. "Why don't I believe you?"
She looked up at him with a dreamy look in her eyes. "I just have very fond memories of you carrying me. Remember the time when I sprained my ankle and you carried me home in the rain?"
"Of course", he said softly. "It was the first time I got to hold you."
"Who would have thought back then that we would end up here?"
"I certainly didn't", he said, looking down at her. "But I've never been more happy to be wrong."
She smiled and stoop up on tiptoe to kiss him, and he carefully – still so carefully – wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Then they continued along the beach. When they walked around a clump of bushes, they suddenly saw a house, half-hidden among the trees, a 'for sale' sign at the window. They looked at each other, excited, and went closer to take a look: it was a large, low house, with a thatched roof and lots of wood and open spaces. When they turned around, the bay stretched out in front of them, the ocean only a few paces away, the water an inviting shade of blue, and large green islands on the horizon. Raquel took his hand and squeezed it.
"I think this is it."
"Yes", he said. "This is it."
They moved in three days later.
…
Sergio had expressly forbidden Raquel from lifting anything, so she directed the movers and decided where she wanted the furniture – it didn't matter that much to him – while he walked in and out of the house with boxes. He was still having trouble grasping – really grasping – that they were starting their life together as a family, exactly the way they'd dreamed it would be. Looking back over the past month, everything since they'd left that hangar seemed a bit of a blur to him: moving from one ship to the next, traveling over land for a while, going from hotel to hotel to make their trail as hard to follow as possible, then on to another ship. It had been chaotic and exhausting, and only now that they were moving into their house did he feel like things were finally settling down. Life after the heist was taking shape. As he carried in box after box, his thoughts drifted back to the gang, and he wondered how they were settling into their new lives.
Saying goodbye to the others was harder than he expected. They spent one last night together in Casablanca before splitting up and going their separate ways, and he hadn't realized how much he had come to regard them all as family until he was faced with the prospect of never seeing them again. At the end of the night, there were many tearful goodbyes, hugs, last conversations. Nairobi called for Sergio to give a speech, like he'd done the night before the heist, but he couldn't – the thought of losing this little family so soon after having lost his brother made him unable to speak. So they'd hugged him, one by one, saying words of farewell and thanks – bear hugs from Oslo and Helsinki, off to Argentina – then Denver, Moscow and Monica, ready to start a family in Indonesia – Tokyo and Rio, seemingly closer than before, going to an island paradise of their own in Panama. The last person to say goodbye to them was Nairobi, who would be going with Oslo and Helsinki. She spent a while in quiet conversation with Raquel, and he felt desperately sad as he watched the women give each other a long, warm hug. Then Nairobi walked up to him, and he swallowed hard.
"Nairobi… thank you. For… for everything."
She grinned. "You're welcome, Profe. Don't screw things up with her now that I'll no longer be around to save your ass, okay?"
"I won't", he assured her seriously.
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, and after a moment's hesitation, he carefully hugged her back.
"Good luck with the next step", she whispered, then released him.
"What… what next step?"
She laughed and patted his cheek. "I think it's time you figure things out for yourself. Goodbye, Profe."
His throat was tight. "Goodbye, Nairobi."
There was a last round of goodbyes, then he'd taken Raquel's hand and watched them all walk into the night. It felt very strange to hope that he would never see them again.
He was snapped back to the present as Paula ran up to him, breathless with excitement.
"There's a lizard in my room!"
"Oh", Sergio said. "Is it a big lizard?"
"No, a tiny one. He's on the ceiling!"
"Do you want me to come and chase him out?"
"No, I want to keep him! His name is Pablo."
Sergio couldn't help but laugh as he watched Paula race off to tell her grandmother about Pablo. He'd never been around kids before, and he hadn't been sure he liked them, but Paula was… well, she was a wonderful child. Her curiosity, her enthusiasm, the sense of wonder with which she approached the world… it amazed him, and though he felt that it would take some more time before he felt completely comfortable around her, he genuinely liked having her around.
The next moment, Raquel walked by him, carrying a small box, and he hurried after her.
"Raquel, we said you wouldn't do any of the moving!"
"I can use this arm."
"You're supposed to rest."
"It barely weighs anything."
"That doesn't matter", he grumbled, putting down his own box and taking hers from her. "If you want something moved, you ask me. Where do you want this?"
He kept a close eye on her for the rest of the afternoon, regularly intervening when she tried to carry things, insisting she sit down when it looked like she was getting tired. He just wished she would rest more, he wished she would let him take care of things more. Watching her direct the movers, picking up things here and there, he was so scared she would hurt herself. It would take at least another month before her shoulder would be fully healed – he wished he could wrap her in bubble wrap and keep her safe.
Finally, the truck was empty and the movers were ready to go. He went out with them to pay them, and they shook his hand.
"This is a nice place", one of them said appreciatively.
"And you have a really lovely wife", the other one added.
He felt a warm glow of pride as he smiled to himself. His wife. He liked that.
He returned inside to find Marivi and Raquel unpacking boxes.
"I'm only using my right hand!" Raquel said quickly as she saw him come in.
"Alright", he said. "But tell me if you get too tired."
"Don't worry", Marivi chuckled, patting his arm. "I'm keeping an eye on her."
"She just doesn't know when to stop."
"She's always been like that", Marivi smiled. "Ever since she was a child."
"Will you two stop?" Raquel said, amused.
"If you refuse to take care of yourself, we have to do it for you", he said.
She laughed. "I'm not dying."
A memory flashed across Sergio's mind, of kneeling in a pool of her blood, pressing a soaked shirt to her chest. Hold on, my love. Hold on.
Raquel looked up at him and her smile disappeared.
"It's alright", she said gently, reaching up to touch his cheek. "It's alright."
"I think I'll go get something to drink", Marivi said, tactfully retreating to the kitchen.
He opened his arms to Raquel and she walked into them, tilting up her face to press a kiss against his cheek.
"I'm okay, Sergio."
He nodded. "Just let me hold you for a bit."
She leaned against his chest and he kissed the top of her head and breathed her in. So close, he'd come so close to losing her… The thought of it still made it hard to breathe, and he hugged her tighter without thinking, but then a small gasp from her made him let go immediately.
"I'm so sorry!"
"It's nothing", she smiled reassuringly. "Just a twinge."
"I'll be more careful next time", he said contritely.
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then turned back to the box she was unpacking, putting several empty picture frames on a cabinet.
"Why did you buy picture frames?" he asked. "We don't have any pictures."
"Not yet", she smiled. "But we'll make some soon. I want a nice family picture of us."
He smiled. "That sounds good."
She looked up at him, hesitating. "You know… if you want, we can put up a picture of your brother as well."
He looked at her in surprise, then nodded. "Yes. I'd like that."
Paula's voice suddenly sounded from outside, calling for her mother, and Raquel walked out to check on her, leaving Sergio to gaze thoughtfully at the empty picture frames. A picture of his brother. That was so thoughtful of Raquel – but of course, that shouldn't surprise him.
I love you, little brother. Don't you forget it.
"Andrés!"
He woke up with a start and sat up, shaking, panting, his heart racing frantically. The semi-darkness around him disoriented him – he didn't recognize anything – but then there was a soft hand on his arm and a familiar voice in his ear.
"It's alright, my love. It's alright."
"Raquel?"
She was stroking his back. "Yes, I'm here."
His hands were still shaking as he rubbed them over his face.
"I… I couldn't help him, Raquel. I couldn't help him."
"It was just dream", she murmured.
"It… it wasn't though", he said, swallowing hard as the terrible realization hit him all over again. "It really happened… he's really gone."
To his embarrassment, tears started sliding down his face and he could do nothing to stop them.
"He's gone, Raquel. He's gone."
"I know", she whispered, wrapping her arm around him and shifting closer. "I know."
He turned towards her and buried his face against her unhurt shoulder, and she held him as he cried, while the boat rocked them gently. When his tears finally dried up, he wiped his face and glanced at Paula, who was sleeping in the bunk on the other side of the cabin.
"Did… did I wake her?"
"No, don't worry", she smiled. "She's always been a sound sleeper."
She lay back down into the pillows and pulled him down too, so they lay close together.
"Tell me about him", she said softly. "Tell me about your brother."
That had been the first of many nightmares and many midnight conversations as they slowly made their way across the world, and she was always so gentle with him – so patient, so kind, even when he woke her up night after night. He turned to see her walk back into the house with Paula by the hand, talking enthusiastically about seashells. She looked up and smiled at him as she crossed to the kitchen, and he smiled back. You have a really lovely wife. He really did, didn't he? Though, he realized, technically she wasn't his wife. He suddenly heard Nairobi again: Good luck with the next step, and all of a sudden something clicked in his brain. Oh! Of course, of course… that's what she'd meant.
He shook his head in amazement – how had he not thought of that before? They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, weren't they? And yet, maybe it wasn't so surprising that it hadn't occurred to him. He'd watched his brother get married six times, and he'd attended all of those weddings, but he never, not once, had thought that one day it might happen to him. It was simply inconceivable to him, that he could meet someone he'd want to share his entire life with. He'd listened to the wedding vows, and he hadn't understood. He'd never understood how someone could want to commit to another person in that way, promising to love them forever. How could they know, how could they be sure? But he was sure now – more sure than he'd ever been of anything in his life. You have a lovely wife. It wasn't true, not entirely. He wanted to make it true.
…
That evening, Paula slept in her own room for the first time. All throughout their journey, on the various boats and in the various hotel rooms, she'd always slept in the room with them, unwilling to sleep apart from Raquel. Sergio had understood – after six months of thinking her mother was gone forever, of course the child wanted to stay close to her now, and he suspected that Raquel didn't want to be apart from Paula either. Nevertheless, he was glad when Raquel said that Paula should sleep in her own room from now on – he'd missed their privacy. Thankfully, the girl seemed happy to comply, chattering on about Pablo, who seemed to be a permanent resident in the room.
Marivi decided to go to bed right after Paula, leaving Raquel and Sergio talking on the porch as the sun disappeared below the horizon and the first stars came out. Once they were alone, she came to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Maybe we should go to bed too", she suggested with a smile.
"Yes", he nodded. "It's been a busy day, you must be tired."
She leaned in to nuzzle his ear. "No, I'm not that tired."
"Then why do you want to go to bed?"
She laughed. "I know it's been a while, but please don't tell me you've forgotten what other things you can do in a bedroom."
He frowned. "Raquel… no, that's not a good idea."
She nuzzled his ear again, and he felt a sudden stab of longing.
"Why not?"
"You're still recovering, we have to be careful."
"Then we'll be careful."
"Raquel, I… I'm afraid I'd hurt you."
"You wouldn't hurt me."
"I hurt you before when we were just hugging!"
She chuckled. "Then don't squeeze me this time."
She started kissing his neck, and his longing for her intensified to such a pitch that he had to push her away.
"Please… please don't."
She sat up with a sad look and murmured: "But don't you miss it?"
He gave her an anguished look in return. Did he miss it? Could that word even remotely capture what he was feeling? Could it ever cover the depth of the longing he felt, for that closeness with her, that intimacy, that breathless ecstasy… After a month of sleeping in pajamas and barely touching her, he was aching with the need to feel her skin, to cover her with kisses, to lose himself completely in the wonder of her. Did he miss it?
"Desperately", he whispered.
She immediately leaned in to kiss him, eagerly, hungrily. "Then let's go to the bedroom."
But he steeled himself, and she made a small sound of frustration as he pushed her away again. "Sergio, I'm fine!"
"You're not", he said seriously. "You won't be fine for another month at least."
"I'm fine enough for this! We can be careful, we can find a way to make it work…"
"Raquel", he said quietly, and the look he gave her made her pause. "You got hurt because of me. I hurt you so badly – I can't bear the thought of hurting you again."
She put a hand against his cheek. "You didn't hurt me, though."
He shook his head. "I did."
"Sergio", she said gently. "It's been a month. You have to forgive yourself for what happened."
He looked at her, then slowly slid the strap of her top off her left shoulder so the fabric slipped down below her collarbone and revealed the scar there, still healing, still an angry red. It would turn white eventually, but it would never fade away, and his throat felt tight as he traced a careful finger over it. The history of his failings, forever written on her skin.
"This is where I failed you", he whispered.
She took his hand and moved his fingers to the crook of her elbow, where the tiny mark of a needle was still just visible.
"And this is where you saved me."
"You wouldn't have needed saving if…"
She put her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes, and he fell quiet.
"That wasn't the first time you saved me, you know", she said softly. "The first time you saved me, I was in the back of a dark van, in handcuffs, on my way to several years in prison. I was scared and angry and desperate, but you found me and you gave me a chance to fight, because you believed in me. You gave me a new life. That was the first time you saved me."
He remained silent, listening.
"The second time you saved me, you probably didn't even realize it. We'd been in the house for several weeks and nobody would talk to me. I'd lost everything I'd ever known and I felt completely alone in the world. I was having nightmare after nightmare, and I was… I was at the edge of what I could bear. But then there you were. You were kind to me, you comforted me, you gave me your name. You probably don't remember it, but… you told me I wasn't alone. That's the second time you saved me."
He swallowed. He remembered that night, of course he remembered it, he remembered it so clearly. She smiled at him, a warm, soft smile.
"After that, I lost count. All summer long, you saved me over and over again. I was so lost, my love. I was…" her voice shook, but she recovered herself, "… I was so broken. But with every kindness from you, with every touch, with every look, you saved me from loneliness, you saved me from despair. Then when we finally really found each other, when you finally took me in your arms and told me you loved me, you saved me from heartache and pain and so many bad memories."
She looked around at their house, at the beach, the ocean.
"Everything I have today, this wonderful life, my family,… you made that happen. What is one mistake compared to that? I grant you that mistake, Sergio. People make mistakes. I accept it, and I don't love you any less for it. I have no regrets. I wouldn't change a single thing if I could."
She touched her scar with light fingers.
"If this is the price I had to pay, I pay it willingly, I pay it gladly, and I'd pay it all over again. I forgive you, and now you have to forgive yourself, because the impact you've had on my life is overwhelmingly more positive than negative. You can't keep feeling guilty, I won't have it. Okay?"
He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but love there. His throat was so tight he couldn't speak, but he nodded, and she gave him a sweet smile and pressed her lips softly against his.
"Now please take me to bed", she whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes", she said, giving him an appealing look. "Sergio, maybe you can wait another month, but I can't, I can't."
He knew what she meant. The heist and its consequences, and then traveling here with her family, had created a frustrating distance between them in many ways, and he was as eager as she was to bridge that gap again.
"Please", she repeated softly. "I so want to be close to you again."
How could he resist her? He'd never had the strength. Ever so carefully, he gathered her in his arms and she sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her into the bedroom. He pushed aside the thin white curtains around their bed and gently put her down on the mattress, then joined her. He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her, illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window: her hair fanned out over the pillow, her eyes dark and warm as she looked up at him. After not having had any real intimacy for so long, this felt like a very significant moment, and he suddenly felt a little nervous. Would it be different now, would it be awkward? He remembered how in sync they'd been in the house in Toledo, before it all happened, and as he felt the difference now, he wondered if it would take time to get there again.
The time before the operation… it seemed like a lifetime ago. They had lived through so much since then – the events of the heist testing their relationship over and over again, leaving them scarred in so many ways. Would they still be the same as they had been before? He loved her more than ever, but he couldn't deny that the heist had unbalanced them. In their warm bubble in Toledo, they had fit together so seamlessly, sharing a deep, wordless connection which had seemed entirely unshakeable – but it had been shaken nonetheless, and due to the circumstances of the past month, they hadn't been able to try and see if they could reclaim it. Now that things had settled down, now that they had some real time alone together for the first time since the heist, he wondered what they'd find.
So he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, tentatively, testing, trying to feel out that closeness between them, which had always been there before and which he felt most clearly whenever they made love. Kissing her felt like a good start – how he loved kissing her – he would never get tired of it. He kissed her slowly, sweetly, taking his time – they had time, they had all night, and he wanted to do it right. Of course they'd kissed in the past month, even if they hadn't been able to do anything else, but not like this: tasting, exploring, discovering each other all over again. After so long, he was more aware of her than he'd ever been, and when they deepened the kiss, he felt himself come into the moment as she swept him away. Had he ever fully realized before how soft her lips were? Had he ever really noticed just how sweet she tasted? She was his only reality as they sank into kiss after kiss after kiss, slowly attuning themselves to each other again.
They lost themselves for minutes on end in these kisses, and gradually the rest of the world fell away, until they were only aware of each other. They undressed each other, unhurriedly, and with every item of clothing that dropped to the floor, they were removing the layers of themselves they used to navigate the outside world: for him, it was the Professor, cold and calculating – for her, the responsibilities she had for her family. In the intimacy of their bedroom, they revealed themselves, only to each other, in all their vulnerability, and when they lay down together, skin against skin, they were just them, open and uncomplicated and truly together.
In the moonlit darkness, they touched each other with gentle hands, remembering the way over muscles and soft skin. He was so careful with her, so sweet, and with every kiss, with every touch, their relationship was further reduced to its essence, pure and simple and beautiful. Physical nearness turned into a deeper closeness which left no room for guilt or regret – there was only acceptance and love, all the emotions generated by the conscious mind making way for the emotions of the heart. The divide between them faded away as they offered up their truest selves to each other, only to be met with tender recognition – you, I know you. There you are.
Completely wrapped up in each other, free from distractions and external pressures, they were able to feel their way beyond the turbulence at the surface of their lives, and as their bodies came together in tenderness and joy, they discovered that the connection between them was even stronger than before, crystallized by everything they'd been through, like a diamond formed under extreme pressure. As they moved together in easy synchronicity, their bodies fitting together perfectly, they felt it in every heartbeat. They were united in this moment, the barriers between them falling away one by one until nothing separated them anymore, until he felt completely in tune with her, sure that he was feeling what she was feeling, her pleasure adding to his, amplifying every sensation, every emotion, taking him closer and closer to the edge. When they finally fell, they fell together, joyfully, and for one breathless moment they were no longer two people but beautifully, gloriously, one.
Afterwards, they stayed close together, holding each other tight. They were separated again, but only by their skin – the distance between them had vanished completely, their connection intimate and golden and stronger than ever.
"Oh", she whispered, pressing her forehead against his, "I've missed this, I've missed this so much."
He could only nod, too overcome to speak. What he shared with her was beyond words.
They lay together in silence, just enjoying each other's company, and he slowly felt things return to normal – though normal with her was still extraordinary. After a while, she turned to him and said softly:
"Do you remember the night we had that date during the heist?"
"Of course."
"You pulled the sheet over our heads and said we could be anywhere we wanted to be…"
He smiled. "I remember."
"And I said I wanted to be in our home, in Palawan." She lifted her head and smiled at him. "And now we're here, Sergio. I can't believe it. We made it."
"Yes", he smiled back. "We made it."
Her eyes turned more sober. "There were moments when… when I thought we'd never get here. You and me, I mean. There were moments when I thought that heist would break us."
He shook his head. "Never. What we have is too strong for that."
"Yes", she whispered. "There was so much going on that… that sometimes I couldn't feel it anymore, but you're right. What we have is…"
She looked at him, and he nodded. Unbreakable.
She tilted up her face and pressed a tender kiss against his lips, then murmured:
"I'm so happy to be here with you, my love. I don't think I could be happier."
He looked into her eyes, and as the golden feeling of connection inside him swelled again, a question rose to his lips and he almost asked her then and there… At the last moment, though, he restrained himself and kept it in. He had to do it right, he had to do it properly – she deserved that. So he just kissed her and pulled her close, and she smiled at him and settled back down with her head on his chest.
Soon, she was asleep in his arms, and he lay looking up at the ceiling, too excited to sleep. How would he ask her? What would she like? It had to be great – it had to be perfect – she deserved no less, because she was perfect. As he looked down at her sleeping face, he was struck by the realization of how completely he loved her, how he loved every part of her. He loved her when she was laughing, he loved her when she cried. He loved her when she was hard and he loved her when she was soft, when she was fierce and when she was loving, when she was angry and when she was teasing, when she was strong and when she was vulnerable. He loved her when she was right and he loved her, much more rarely, when she was wrong. He loved her when she was everything, because she was everything. A woman like that deserved the perfect proposal, and he would try his hardest to make it happen.
…
Three weeks later, their little family had settled comfortably into their new life. Paula spent every waking moment on the beach, they had hired a nurse to help them take care of Marivi, Raquel spent her days playing with Paula and researching charities they could donate to, and Sergio watched it all with a sense of wonder. He'd never lived like this, surrounded by a family of his own, and he was surprised by how much he enjoyed it, surprised by the little moments of joy scattered throughout the day, surprised by the laughter. At first, he wasn't sure how to fill his days – the heist had always occupied most of his time before. However, Raquel invariably seemed to sense when he was beginning to feel a little lost, and then she'd be at his side, saying she wasn't about to do all the cooking by herself and he'd better start learning, or asking him to teach Paula to play chess, or suggesting a walk along the beach, and he couldn't be more grateful. So they cooked together, they played games together, they took walks and went swimming and spent hours making love, and he realized that, slowly but surely, she was teaching him how to live.
In the meantime, he'd been arranging things for the perfect proposal, trying to be as subtle as possible so she wouldn't start suspecting he was up to something. He drove along the coast looking for the right place, knowing immediately when he found it. He called a few people, arranged a few things, bought a new suit – everything went smoothly. There was only one thing that kept him up at night: he had to find her an engagement ring, and he had no clue how to go about it. He wanted it to be the perfect ring, but he knew he was hopeless when it came to things like that, and what if she didn't like the one he picked out? Finally he decided that this was too important, and he needed help.
So one day when Raquel and Paula were out snorkeling, he approached Marivi, who was reading at the table outside.
"Can I… uhm… can I join you?" he asked, rather nervously.
She looked up, surprised – they hadn't spent much time together – but then gave him a warm smile.
"Of course."
He sat down and pushed his glasses up his nose, unsure of how to start.
"I would like to ask for your help with something."
"I'll gladly help you any way I can."
He took a deep breath. "You see, I would like… I would very much like to… to marry Raquel."
A radiant smile appeared on the old lady's face. She leaned forward, took his face between her hands and kissed him twice on each cheek, leaving him red and flustered.
"Oh", she said, sitting back and giving him a fond look. "I was hoping you would. This is wonderful news!"
He gave her a shy smile. "I'm glad you approve."
"Of course I do! She's going to be so pleased."
"So you think she'll say yes?" he said hopefully.
Marivi smiled at him. "I don't think you really doubt that, and neither do I. So what do you need my help with?"
"The ring", he admitted. "I don't know how to choose one she'll like. I don't even know where to start."
"Hmm", she said thoughtfully. "I think your best choice would be to order some brochures, and then we can look through them together."
"That's a great idea", he said, relieved. "Thank you."
Marivi shook her head and reached out to put her hand on his with a serious look.
"No, thank you, Sergio. I've never seen Raquel this happy."
He felt a warm glow. "Really?"
"Really. Her life hasn't been easy over the past few years."
"I know", he said soberly.
"I'm so glad she's found you. You're right for her. You're right for each other."
He smiled. "I couldn't agree more."
…
He opened the car door for her, and as she got out, he couldn't help but stare. She looked so lovely in the evening light, wearing a new dress and a few touches of makeup, her hair falling in soft waves over her bare shoulders.
"Sergio, where are we going?" she asked him again, but he just shook his head with a mysterious smile and took her hand to lead her along a path between the trees.
"You can't just tell me to dress up and not tell me why", she said. "What if I'm not dressed right for where we're going?"
"Don't worry", he said, glancing sideways at her. "You look perfect."
He was filled with nervous anticipation as they walked along the path, the ring in his pocket, the things he wanted to say in his head. He'd rehearsed his little speech over and over again – he had to get it just right. Tonight had to be perfect.
They finally came out of the jungle and she gasped. They had walked out onto a cliff, overlooking a bay with water of the brightest turquoise, little forested islands dotting the bay like emeralds. The sun was low on the horizon, giving everything a warm golden glow, and in front of them was a little table set for two, surrounded by flowers.
"Sergio", she said, her eyes wide. "What is this?"
Her reaction was everything he could have hoped for, and he smiled.
"I felt like we should celebrate", he said.
"Celebrate what?"
"The end of the heist. Being here. Our new life together."
She reached up and kissed him. "That's so sweet of you. This is such a wonderful spot."
They sat down at the table and a waiter came and poured them champagne, then brought them plates of food. She looked at him in wonder.
"How did you arrange all of this?"
He shrugged. "Anything is possible if you have enough money."
She laughed. "I suppose I still have to get used to that idea."
Throughout the meal, he became increasingly nervous, going over his speech in his head over and over again. It was a tropical night, hot and humid, and he was uncomfortable in his suit. Finally she reached out and touched his hand.
"Are you okay? You seem a little distracted."
He gave her a tense smile. "I'm fine, I was just thinking."
"Well, you're missing the most spectacular sunset."
He looked out over the bay to see that the setting sun was painting the clouded sky all kinds of colors, from the brightest orange to a deep, flaming scarlet. The effect was quite dramatic. Right on cue, the waiter came to clear their plates, and a violinist appeared next to their table and started to play. She looked at him in surprise.
"You really went all out, didn't you?"
"It's no less than you deserve", he murmured.
He looked at her, his mouth dry. He was so nervous that he wasn't sure he'd be able to do it right, but the sun was setting and he'd have to do it soon. She frowned at him in concern.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
He rather wished the violinist could have been a little further away from the table, he rather wished the setting sun wasn't so bright, he rather wished she wasn't sitting so far away from him. He was sweating in the heat and his head was spinning from the champagne, but it was now or never. He supposed he should kneel, but he'd feel ridiculous, so he just took a deep breath and started.
"Raquel…"
A raindrop suddenly fell on the table between them, and Raquel looked up at the sky.
"Uh oh."
He looked up too, to see that big, dark clouds had gathered above them, and he cursed inwardly. Seriously, now? They looked at each other – they'd had some experience with the rainfall by now – then wordlessly got up and started hurrying back towards the car. They'd only taken a few paces when the heavens opened and an absolute downpour came down on them, soaking them instantly.
"Come on!" Raquel shouted as she started running, and he followed her down the path through the jungle, which had turned slippery with mud. When they finally reached the car, they collapsed in their seats, wet to the skin, covered in mud. Raquel was laughing, but Sergio felt a sinking sense of disappointment. He'd wanted it to be perfect – he'd planned everything into the minutest detail – and now his plans were ruined by the weather.
"Cheer up, darling", Raquel smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "That's the risk of a tropical climate. And at least we were done with dinner."
After a few minutes, the deluge stopped as suddenly as it had started, and Sergio silently started the car and began the drive home. Now he had to start all over again – find a new place, a new setting, a new plan. He'd have to wait another few weeks at least, and that wasn't an appealing prospect at all. He sighed. He'd never been an impatient man, but he just couldn't wait to get a step closer to marrying her.
…
When they got home, Sergio answered Marivi's raised eyebrows with a quick shake of the head, and she nodded and stayed quiet. They both changed out of their wet clothes and took a shower, then Raquel put Paula to bed and the three adults settled out on the porch. The rain had broken the heat of the day, and the air was much more pleasant now that the sun was gone and the first stars appeared. Sergio let his thoughts drift as the women talked, until Marivi announced that she was going to bed.
"The moon is so bright tonight", Raquel remarked idly after her mother had gone in. "You can see almost as well as by daylight."
He nodded absently. "It will be a full moon tomorrow."
She turned to him. "I think I'll go for a swim."
"What?" he said. "Now?"
"Yes, it's been such a hot day and it's still quite warm. Do you want to join me?"
"No thank you", he smiled. "I've been quite wet enough for one day."
She laughed and went inside to change into her bathing suit, dropping a towel on the table as she passed him on her way back. He looked at her retreating back for a moment, then picked up the towel and followed her barefoot onto the beach so he could keep an eye on her in case anything happened. He settled himself against a palm tree, perfectly content to just watch her swim.
It didn't take long before she came back out of the water and walked towards him, and his breath caught in his throat. She was a vision in the moonlight, drops of water rolling down her silvery skin, soft shadows emphasizing the curves of her body, her eyes shining.
"That was amazing", she said, pushing back her wet hair with a smile.
She dropped down to the sand and he wrapped her in the towel, then she came to sit between his legs and leaned back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and together they looked out at the sea. The air was fragrant with the smell of the flowering bushes nearby, a fresh breeze rustled the leaves of the palm trees, and the near-full moon was reflected on the ocean. Above them, the velvet sky was covered in stars.
"Have you ever seen a more perfect night?" she whispered happily, settling more comfortably against him, snug in her towel.
As he kissed her cheek and gently tightened his arms around her, he felt a serene sense of peace settle over him. He wondered about it, this deep, warm feeling he always experienced when he was holding her, this feeling of things being exactly right. Having her in his arms, just the two of them alone on this beach, on this beautiful night… well, it was just perfect. He suddenly realized that he never wanted to let this feeling go – he never wanted to let her go. Ever.
So he bent his head and whispered in her ear:
"Raquel… will you marry me?"
She turned her head and looked at him in wonder, then the most beautiful smile appeared on her face.
"You want to marry me?"
"More than anything. Do you want to marry me?"
"Yes", she said, her eyes radiant. "Yes, Sergio, yes!"
He laughed, a blaze of happiness kindling in his chest as he pulled her in for a kiss. She turned around, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him so enthusiastically that they fell back into the sand together, her body on top of his, and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. He felt giddy with joy, a bright, sparkling flood of it, suffusing every part of his body.
"Are we really getting married?" she said, looking down at him, slightly breathless.
"As soon as possible, as far as I'm concerned."
She laughed and shook her head, and he frowned.
"You seem surprised."
"I didn't think you'd ask me."
"Why not?"
"I wasn't sure if you'd want to…"
He sat up so they were face to face.
"If I'd want to what?" he asked quietly. "Commit to you? Spend my life with you? Promise to love you forever? Really, Raquel? After all we've been through?"
She gave him a soft look. "You really think you'll love me forever?"
He looked into her eyes, serious. "Raquel, I can't promise that I'll be a perfect husband. I can't promise that I'll always be the man you deserve." He gently touched her scar. "I can't promise that I'll never hurt you. But I can promise you that I'll love you with all of myself, for as long as you'll let me. I never thought I'd know a love like this, and I know – I know – that I couldn't feel it for anyone but you. The world is so big, Raquel, and yet I found you. I'd be a fool to ever let you go again."
The way she was looking at him made his throat feel tight as he continued softly:
"You deserve more than I could ever give you… but everything I have is yours."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he poured every feeling of his overflowing heart into that kiss: bright, shining joy – pride that she would be his – an aching and overwhelming tenderness. He felt it again, more clearly than ever: that connection between them, blazing bright and golden and true. It was too much to contain, and he took her face between his hands and covered it with kisses until she laughed in delight – then her laugh turned into a sigh as he started kissing her throat. His hands were in her hair, on her back, pressing her close to him, and she tilted her head and sighed again as he pressed kiss after kiss to her silky skin. He couldn't get enough of her – he would never be able to get enough of her – of kissing her, of holding her, of giving her pleasure in every possible way until she was trembling in his arms. He suddenly wanted her desperately, to feel that ultimate closeness to her, to consummate the promise they had just made to each other.
She clearly felt the same way, because she twined her fingers into his hair and tilted his head up so she could kiss him deeply, hungrily, a kiss that took his breath away. Her fingers were flying down the buttons of his shirt, and the next moment he shrugged out of it, her hands on his shoulders and chest making shivers run down his spine. He dipped down his head and found a hard nipple through the fabric of her bathing suit, and a moan escaped her lips as he pulled at it with his teeth. Then her mouth was hot on his again, until she pressed her hips against him and bit his bottom lip, and he pulled back with a gasp.
"Take it off", he said urgently, and she obeyed him immediately, maneuvering out of her bathing suit to straddle him, naked in his arms. The moment it was off, he closed his warm mouth over a nipple and sucked hard, making her moan again, her hands in his hair keeping him there, there, right there. Meanwhile, his hands were roaming down her back, over her buttocks, caressing her hips and thighs until she was squirming with longing. Finally she couldn't take it anymore – she reached down, unbuttoned his pants with nimble fingers, and he groaned softly as she drew him out.
"Oh", he whispered, his breathing quickening as she ran her fingers up and down his length. "Oh, Raquel, I want you so badly."
She nodded, lifted her hips, then bit her lip and looked straight into his eyes as she slowly sank down on him, making him shudder – she was so unbelievably sexy, she felt so good around him, and when she started riding him, he had to use every last ounce of restraint not to come immediately. He drew her head down and kissed her hard, then he slipped one hand between them, fingers searching for the right spot. She moaned against his lips when he found it, and he firmly kept himself in check, attuning himself to her pleasure while they rocked together. Soon, her every breath was a moan, then suddenly she tensed, looked into his eyes and whispered: "Yes!"
That was all he needed. They held each other tight as the wave rushed through them both, lifting them up together and sweeping them away.
Afterwards, he let himself fall back onto the sand, feeling dizzy with the sheer bliss of it, and she slipped off him to wrap the towel around herself, then she nestled herself against him, making soft sounds of utter contentment as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Oh", she sighed happily. "God that was good. I'm still tingling."
He smiled. "If this is what happens after proposing to you, I can't wait for the wedding night."
She laughed. "I can guarantee that, on our wedding night, you're going to get very lucky."
"I'm already lucky", he said softly. "Luckiest man in the world, in fact."
She smiled up at him. "I'm feeling pretty lucky myself at the moment."
He lifted his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, and she stroked his cheek as she kissed him back.
"I wanted to ask you earlier", he said when they broke apart. "On the cliff, at sunset. I'm sorry, you deserved a proper proposal."
"No", she whispered, giving him a soft look, luminous with happiness. "No, don't apologize, this was perfect."
He smiled and kissed her again, and she shifted closer. Lying close together, they were silent for a while, looking up at the stars. It really was the most perfect night.
…
He woke up in the first light of dawn and blinked a few times in confusion. Why were there palm leaves waving above him? Then he turned his head and saw Raquel, still sleeping peacefully on the sand beside him, and he realized they'd fallen asleep on the beach. A slow smile appeared on his face as the events of last night came back to him: he'd asked her – she'd said yes – soon she'd be his wife. He suddenly realized that one thing was missing. Careful not to wake her, he got up, walked into the house, and returned a few minutes later. He sat back down on the sand and looked at her as she slept. The soft morning light made everything seem a little unreal, like the world was emerging from the night only half-formed and malleable, like he could change anything he wanted if he just reached out and tried. He didn't move. He didn't want to change anything.
Life had taken him in such an unexpected direction, but as he gazed down at her sleeping face, it felt exactly right. He thought back to the first time he'd seen her, fresh out of handcuffs and yet with that fire in her eyes – he'd liked her immediately, but he hadn't suspected for a moment what she'd become to him. He remembered those first weeks in Toledo, always seeking her out, drawn to her by a force as irresistible as gravity. He remembered the first days after they'd gotten together, how he'd felt as if he'd been handed something so precious and fragile, and he had no idea how to care for it. She'd shown him the way, she'd taken his hand and guided him through it all, and in the weeks that followed, they had gotten ever closer, and their bond had grown into something stronger than he'd ever experienced. The heist had tested them in every possible way, bringing up imperfections and insecurities, but in the end, it had only brought them closer together. They had been through fire, and they had come out stronger.
He still couldn't quite fathom how much she'd changed his life, how much she'd changed him. She hadn't just impacted the physical realities of life for him, but his fundamental state of being. For as long as he could remember, he'd always been assessing every possible outcome, calculating risks and probabilities, weighing his options. His life had been made up of escape routes and Plan B's. Now, he was shedding that part of himself. With her, he needed no escape route. With her, he had no Plan B. There was no risk-assessment of this situation, because there were no different options. In the ever-shifting circumstances of existence, she was his one certainty – the certainty he would build his life on.
The still-hidden sun was tinging the sky a delicate pink, and the birds in the jungle behind them were singing their hearts out by the time she finally stirred awake. He smiled as she shifted, sat up, rubbed her face. When she turned towards him, he was holding the open ring box.
"Good morning", he said. "Do you still want to marry me?"
Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Good morning. Yes, I still want to marry you."
"I forgot to give you this last night."
She held out her left hand and he took out the ring and slid it onto the fourth finger, where a small vein ended that ran down into her hand and wrist, up through her elbow and shoulder, to pass right by the scar underneath her collarbone. It didn't stop there, however – it continued on to her heart.
"Do you like it?" he asked tentatively as she examined the ring, and she looked up at him with shining eyes.
"I love it."
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "What a perfect way to start another day with you."
"It's still early. Do you want to go inside and sleep for another hour or two?"
"No", she murmured. "No, let's stay here and watch the sunrise."
So they settled comfortably against a palm tree, his arm around her shoulders so she could lean against him, her arm around his waist. Once again, he was filled with that warm sense of rightness that had prompted him to propose last night, something that he'd only ever experienced with her. Then, suddenly, he recognized what it was… it felt like home. It was the most extraordinary feeling, and it filled him with wonder. Throughout his adult life, he'd lived in many cities, many apartments, always looking for a place where he'd feel at home and never finding it. Now he realized that 'home' would never be a place for him – it was a person. He'd found where he belonged: it was with her, and he felt with a great sense of certainty that, no matter where, no matter what the circumstances, as long as she was beside him, he would always be home.
He turned his head and kissed her hair, his throat tight.
"Raquel… I'm so lucky you found me."
She looked up at him with soft eyes. "And I'm lucky you found me."
He dipped his head and kissed her – his love, his partner, his heart.
"Sergio", she whispered against his lips. "You make me so happy."
He was happy too – happier than he could ever remember being, happier than he ever thought he could be. They sat together on the sand, and watched the sunrise.