He stood there for a few minutes, staring at the dark sky, before saying, “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Daniel, but I don’t know if there’s anything that can help me right now. Every day I wonder if keeping Alicia like this is fair. Not just for her, but for us too. Maybe, maybe the doctor was right. Maybe disconnecting the machines is the only way to bring her and all of us peace.” Ernesto’s voice trembled, but it was firm, as if he were finally admitting something he had been holding onto for a long time.
Daniel felt the impact of those words, like a punch to the gut. He knew Ernesto was serious and that this was more than just a venting of frustration. It was a decision forming, and he needed to act quickly to prevent the man from going down a path of no return. But at the same time, he knew that forcing Ernesto to change his mind at that moment could make everything worse. “Ernesto, I understand you’re trying to do what you think is best, but we need to think things through calmly.”
Alicia is still here. She still has a chance, however small. Don’t make that decision alone, Daniel said with a tone of urgency and sincerity. The conversation ended with Ernesto stepping out onto the balcony while Natalia continued gazing out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Daniel remained in the living room, feeling that despite everything that had been said, nothing had truly changed. He knew the next few days would be crucial for Alicia’s future and for the dynamics of that family.
I need to find a way to reach Ernesto before it’s too late. He’s on the verge of giving up, and I can’t let that happen, Daniel thought as the sound of the balcony door closing echoed through the house. The sound of the balcony door closing brought Daniel back to the present moment. Ernesto was gone, but the weight of the words spoken in the living room still hung in the air.
Natalia remained near the window, holding the now-empty teacup, but her eyes, fixed on the darkness, revealed that her mind was elsewhere. Daniel took a deep breath, still processing Ernesto’s outburst, and felt this was an opportunity to understand more about the family. If Natalia was here, perhaps she could help fill the void Ernesto had left open, Daniel thought, moving toward the sofa. He sat down next to Natalia, who remained motionless, the cup in her hands.
The tension in the room was palpable, but he decided to break the silence, believing it might lead to a meaningful conversation. “Natalia, you already carry so much in this house, but you never seem to really talk about how you feel. Maybe it’s time to let it out,” he said in a gentle but direct tone. Natalia glanced at him briefly, as if hesitating to reply, before setting her cup down on the table. She took a deep breath and began to speak, her voice low and heavy with emotion.
The truth is, Daniel, this house was never the same after my sister, Alicia’s mother, died. She was the pillar of everything here. She was the one who kept Ernesto grounded, who made Alicia feel safe and loved. When she left, everything fell apart. Ernesto lost the will to fight, and Alicia—”Well, she lost both her mother and her father at the same time,” Natalia said, pausing for a moment to wipe away a tear that was starting to roll down her cheek.
Daniel remained silent, absorbing every word. He knew Natalia was revealing more than just memories. She was sharing the weight she had carried for years. Natalia continued, her voice now a little firmer. “Alicia’s accident—there’s something you need to know. Ernesto always tells the same story: that he was there to pick her up, but the truth is, I was there too. I should have gone. That day, Alicia called me asking me to pick her up, and I told her I would, but I was delayed by things I don’t even remember now.”
When she tried to cross that street alone, it was still minutes before I arrived, Natalia revealed, her voice growing weaker with each word. Daniel felt a knot in his stomach, realizing that the whole family was consumed by guilt, each in their own way. “And why doesn’t anyone talk about this, Natalia? Why do you let Ernesto carry that guilt alone?” Daniel asked, trying to understand the dynamics of that house. Natalia looked at him, her eyes glistening, but without looking away.
“Because it’s easier for him to think it’s all his fault. Ernesto doesn’t know how to deal with the fact that maybe I failed too. I thought that by taking the blame after the accident I could somehow make up for it, but the truth is that nothing I do will bring Alicia back to the way she was,” Natalia replied with a sincerity that almost broke Daniel. Daniel felt that this was the first time Natalia had truly let her guard down. She seemed so strong during the day, taking care of everything, but now she stood before him, vulnerable and filled with regret.
You’re doing the best you can, Natalia. That guilt you feel isn’t going to bring your sister back, or change what happened to Alicia. But you can still make a difference. Alicia is still here, and she needs you, he said, his voice full of conviction. Natalia looked away, seeming to fight back the tears that threatened to fall again. Do you think I don’t know that? she replied, her voice almost a whisper. But every time I go into that room, every time I see Alicia hooked up to those machines, I wonder if I’m really helping or just prolonging something that has no solution.
And when Ernesto talks about unplugging the machines, part of me wants to scream that he’s wrong, but another part, another part thinks he might be right. Natalia stopped talking, pressing her hands to her face, as if she wanted to erase those thoughts from her mind. Daniel felt the weight of those words and knew he couldn’t just let the conversation end like that. You’re fighting, Natalia, even if you don’t realize it. There are no easy answers to what you’re facing, but what matters is that you’re trying.
“As long as Alicia is here, she needs to feel that you’re with her, even if it means facing these fears and doubts every day,” he said, trying to bring some comfort to this complex situation. Natalia moved her head slowly, as if trying to absorb what Daniel had said. She glanced at the empty cup on the table, but didn’t seem to really see it. Sometimes I wonder what my sister would do if she were here. She always knew what to say, how to get Ernesto out of his own head, and how to make Alicia feel loved.
“I tried to fill that void, but there are days when I feel like I’m failing more than helping,” Natalia admitted with an honesty that made Daniel see how lost she was too. Silence filled the room again, but this time it seemed less heavy, as if the conversation had eased some of the burden Natalia carried. Daniel watched her as she leaned back on the sofa, clearly exhausted, but with an expression that suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, she had found a little clarity.
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