Page 60 of My Heart's Doctor

“As you wish. See you tomorrow, then,” he expressed.

“Have fun,” I said, as I stood up to leave the place.

The bar was about six blocks from the hotel where we were staying, so I decided to walk. It was late November and the temperature was very low, but I didn’t care. To combat the cold, I began walking at a quick pace. As I did so, I recalled my conversation with Xavier.

Why did I care so much about him approaching Devon? What was happening to me with that woman?

I needed to analyze what I was feeling, what she provoked in me. It was time to be honest with myself, but the thought of analyzing it terrified me.

Perhaps tonight is not the best time, I told myself.

Perhaps I wasn’t ready to put a name to the uneasiness growing inside me.

Walking and reflecting, I reached the hotel entrance. As I was going up in the elevator to the floor where my room was located, I heard my phone’s ringtone. When I took it out of my coat pocket and saw it was Alba, my heart stopped. I immediately checked the time—in New York it was just past two in the morning, which meant it was past midnight in Montevideo. If Alba was calling at that hour, it was for something important. My daughter came to mind and I got off the elevator feeling great anxiety.

“Alba, what’s wrong? Did something happen to Aurora?”

“Aurora is fine,” she said, and my soul returned to my body. “I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, but I need to talk to you about something urgent.”

“What’s going on?”

“A few minutes ago, I got a call from a friend of Mateo, my youngest son, telling me that he’s in the hospital because he had an accident,” she said, and burst into tears.

“I’m sorry. Do you know how he’s doing?” I asked, concerned.

“He told me it’s not serious, but they need to perform surgery on his leg because he suffered a compound fracture. I wanted to ask your permission to travel to Canada and be with him. He’s alone there because we don’t have any family and... I need to see him,” she pleaded.

“I’m glad it’s nothing too serious. I understand and I’ll do everything possible so you can travel, but let me think about how to solve this because...”

“Sir, excuse me for interrupting, but I thought we could talk to Devon; sorry, Dr. Dulcet. I’m sure Aurora would be in the best hands and would be happy to stay with her.”

While Alba was suggesting the solution, I was thinking about Devon and what I had told her about her relationship with Aurora, and I seriously doubted she would accept. Besides, she had a complicated schedule and I didn’t think it would be possible for her to take care of Aurora.

“Alba, I don’t doubt that would be the case, but the doctor has long workdays and I don’t think she can take care of Aurora.”

“Would you allow me to talk to her? I know you told me that you didn’t want...”

“Forget what I said because I know this situation is special, but I still don’t think she can do it.”

“Could you at least try?” she asked, sobbing.

For a few seconds I remained silent, thinking of a different solution. I could put myself in Alba’s place and imagined she was desperate to be by her son’s side. On the other hand, I didn’t have anyone I trusted enough to leave my daughter in their care, except...

“Let me talk to her, it will be better that way,” I suggested, because it seemed like this was an issue that, after what I had told her, I needed to bring up myself.

“You?” she questioned, and that irritated me a bit, because that distrust was due to her assuming that if I talked to Devon, there would be little chance she would do it, and the worst part was that she might be right.

“It’s my daughter she would be taking care of.”

“Alright, sir. Whatever you say.”

“I’ll talk to her and call you back. Don’t worry about the plane tickets because I’ll take care of them.”

“No, sir, you don’t have to do that.”

“Alba, don’t argue with me on this, I’ll handle the tickets. First, let me solve the issue of who will take care of my daughter until I get back. We’ll stay in touch.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cavaller.”