After on and off heat spells and storms keeping them inside, Ricardo and Alicia are relieved to wake up to a nice, sunny but not excruciatingly hot day. Twins in a duo stroller, Andre holding resolutely to Sofia's hand, the group of them head out to a nearby park.
It is a lovely day, Ricardo muses, holding Alicia's free hand while they walk in tandem, pushing the stroller before them. "So I was thinking," he says after a moment, noticing when she glances over at him.
"Oh? Anything in particular?"
He smirks vaguely, squeezes her hand. "I know you want to tell your side of the story," he says slowly. "And you deserve to. I'll support you no matter what," he hastens to add as she tries to slip her hand free of his. "I just... you are aware of how talking worked out for me."
She nods slowly. "I do."
"I want you to be careful," he says. "Sometimes I still feel like I'm rebuilding my reputation, and it'll never be back to what it was before. I know you haven't decided entirely what your next steps will be professionally but I don't want you to make the path more difficult than they need to be."
She exhales. "I know, what you say makes sense, it's just... I feel like people deserve to know, especially with the way things have gone the last few years for me."
"Sometimes they'd rather shoot the messenger than hear the truth," Ricardo cautions her. "I Just want you to put yourself first. Yes, telling your truth is important, but things are still kind of new, in a way, and I don't want you to trouble the waters and get yourself in actual trouble, you know?"
Alicia nods, mulling over his words. "I know," she says softly. "And I understand. We have too much to lose." She gazes over their children, the peacefully sleeping little girls in front of them, their joyfully laughing son a few feet away. "I would never risk this. Risk them."
Ricardo smiles at her, stroking her knuckles. "I know you wouldn't." He leans in and kisses her. "I trust you."
"Thank you," she sighs, gazing at him adoringly.. "Now come on, let's put this aside for now and enjoy the rest of this beautiful afternoon."
"Yes, ma'am!"