Chapter 22:
The next day was a Friday. Ricky's fifth birthday was scheduled for tomorrow.
Miguel would arrive then. I couldn't wait.
I was all set. Gwen was going to help me with my makeup. Jessica was going to
choose me a great outfit to wear, something eye-catching. And lastly, Beth was going
to make sure every single piece fell into place, such as me having a private
conversation with Miguel and the like.
I know that Gwen, Beth, Jessica and I were acting like teenagers, getting me
ready for my first date or whatever but I couldn't help it. I wanted EVERYTHING to
be perfect when I talked to Miguel again.
Sometime in the afternoon, I called Pilar's house.
"Hi, Pilar, it's me Kay," I told her when she picked up.
"Hi, honey," she answered.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Good," she replied. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to ask if you had the chance to tell Miguel about Ricky's fifth
birthday," I said.
"As a matter of fact, I did, honey," she answered. "And he can't wait to see his
son again. But he did end up asking me about you."
I drew in a long breath before asking her for details about what Miguel said.
"Well," she continued, "he was wondering if you were back. That was pretty
much all he asked honey, I'm sorry."
I shook my head like oh it's ok, but I realized that Pilar couldn't see my face.
"Umm, it's ok, Pilar," I told her. "Thank you for your help."
"Anytime honey," she replied.
We hung up.
Hmm, I thought to myself. Miguel doesn't seem too interested to see me. But I
know him too well. It's just a front he's putting up. He misses me. He can't wait to see
me.
Meanwhile, back in Castleton where Miguel and Charity lived.....
"Miguel?" Charity asked, surprised to see him in their bedroom, packing
clothes into a small suitcase. "What are you doing?"
"Oh Charity," Miguel said, walking towards her, taking her hand. "Kay and
Ricky have returned to Harmony after all these years. It's Ricky's birthday tomorrow
and I'm just going to go see my son."
But Charity was aware of what was going on. He wasn't just going to see his
SON. Oh she knew that he was going to see me, too.
Miguel inched closer to his wife, holding her in an embrace. "Don't worry
honey," he said soothingly, "I will be back in a few days. Ok?"
She nodded, but couldn't help feeling worried.
This was one time where she couldn't influence Kay's behavior. When Grace
had first died, Charity had vowed that she would leave Harmony and never come back.
And she wouldn't. Not even for Miguel. The place held too many painful memories for
her. Besides, she had no one there she could go to for support.
After Miguel was ready, he gave his concerned wife a hug and a kiss. He got in
his car and began driving to Harmony, which was only an hour and a half away. As he
drove in the freeway, with his favorite music blaring from the radio, the air conditioner
turned on full blast, all he could think about was seeing Kay.
He had to admit it to himself, she was still very much in his life. He still loved
her with every fiber of his being. How could he stop? Even when she refused to see
him, or call him even once to let him know how she was doing. That didn't matter. His
love for her still burned strong. But he began to wonder if she felt the same way. I
mean she had pretty much kicked him out of her life (and Ricky's life for that matter),
but ... well.... I guess he just hoped that I still loved him.
The drive to Harmony gave him a lot of time to think. Especially since he got
stuck in the afternoon traffic.
Miguel's mood seemed to change considerably as thought about how I had
prevented him from seeing his son for four years. How Ricky did not even know who
his father was. How Miguel did not know what Ricky looked like now. It made him
very mad when he realized that as much as he loved Kay, she had taken that much
away from him. His son. The life they three could have shared as a family. The
happiness. The love.
I love you so much, Kay, Miguel thought to himself. But you obviously do not.
How could you since you deliberately took my own son away from me?!
I'm here to see Ricky, Miguel continued to think, NOT Kay. The only
connection I have to her now is our son. Nothing more. I am a grown married man and
I have to start acting like it. No more chasing after past loves. I think I will give Kay a
piece of my mind once I see her. Miguel exited the freeway and made his way over to
his mama's house. He would see Ricky and Kay tomorrow. Little did he know how
things were going to play out.....
The next day was a Friday. Ricky's fifth birthday was scheduled for tomorrow.
Miguel would arrive then. I couldn't wait.
I was all set. Gwen was going to help me with my makeup. Jessica was going to
choose me a great outfit to wear, something eye-catching. And lastly, Beth was going
to make sure every single piece fell into place, such as me having a private
conversation with Miguel and the like.
I know that Gwen, Beth, Jessica and I were acting like teenagers, getting me
ready for my first date or whatever but I couldn't help it. I wanted EVERYTHING to
be perfect when I talked to Miguel again.
Sometime in the afternoon, I called Pilar's house.
"Hi, Pilar, it's me Kay," I told her when she picked up.
"Hi, honey," she answered.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Good," she replied. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to ask if you had the chance to tell Miguel about Ricky's fifth
birthday," I said.
"As a matter of fact, I did, honey," she answered. "And he can't wait to see his
son again. But he did end up asking me about you."
I drew in a long breath before asking her for details about what Miguel said.
"Well," she continued, "he was wondering if you were back. That was pretty
much all he asked honey, I'm sorry."
I shook my head like oh it's ok, but I realized that Pilar couldn't see my face.
"Umm, it's ok, Pilar," I told her. "Thank you for your help."
"Anytime honey," she replied.
We hung up.
Hmm, I thought to myself. Miguel doesn't seem too interested to see me. But I
know him too well. It's just a front he's putting up. He misses me. He can't wait to see
me.
Meanwhile, back in Castleton where Miguel and Charity lived.....
"Miguel?" Charity asked, surprised to see him in their bedroom, packing
clothes into a small suitcase. "What are you doing?"
"Oh Charity," Miguel said, walking towards her, taking her hand. "Kay and
Ricky have returned to Harmony after all these years. It's Ricky's birthday tomorrow
and I'm just going to go see my son."
But Charity was aware of what was going on. He wasn't just going to see his
SON. Oh she knew that he was going to see me, too.
Miguel inched closer to his wife, holding her in an embrace. "Don't worry
honey," he said soothingly, "I will be back in a few days. Ok?"
She nodded, but couldn't help feeling worried.
This was one time where she couldn't influence Kay's behavior. When Grace
had first died, Charity had vowed that she would leave Harmony and never come back.
And she wouldn't. Not even for Miguel. The place held too many painful memories for
her. Besides, she had no one there she could go to for support.
After Miguel was ready, he gave his concerned wife a hug and a kiss. He got in
his car and began driving to Harmony, which was only an hour and a half away. As he
drove in the freeway, with his favorite music blaring from the radio, the air conditioner
turned on full blast, all he could think about was seeing Kay.
He had to admit it to himself, she was still very much in his life. He still loved
her with every fiber of his being. How could he stop? Even when she refused to see
him, or call him even once to let him know how she was doing. That didn't matter. His
love for her still burned strong. But he began to wonder if she felt the same way. I
mean she had pretty much kicked him out of her life (and Ricky's life for that matter),
but ... well.... I guess he just hoped that I still loved him.
The drive to Harmony gave him a lot of time to think. Especially since he got
stuck in the afternoon traffic.
Miguel's mood seemed to change considerably as thought about how I had
prevented him from seeing his son for four years. How Ricky did not even know who
his father was. How Miguel did not know what Ricky looked like now. It made him
very mad when he realized that as much as he loved Kay, she had taken that much
away from him. His son. The life they three could have shared as a family. The
happiness. The love.
I love you so much, Kay, Miguel thought to himself. But you obviously do not.
How could you since you deliberately took my own son away from me?!
I'm here to see Ricky, Miguel continued to think, NOT Kay. The only
connection I have to her now is our son. Nothing more. I am a grown married man and
I have to start acting like it. No more chasing after past loves. I think I will give Kay a
piece of my mind once I see her. Miguel exited the freeway and made his way over to
his mama's house. He would see Ricky and Kay tomorrow. Little did he know how
things were going to play out.....