Deep love: insatiable lover

-Mum.

Seeing Cecilia, Vanessa forced a smile, sat up with the help of the bed and reached out her hand to her daughter.

-Candy, come to Mummy.

Cecilia took a few steps towards the bed and Dylan followed, bending down to pick up the girl and sit her on the edge of the bed. Mother and daughter were side by side and Vanessa gently wrapped her arms around her daughter, kissing the top of her head uncontrollably.

-Did Candy behave last night?

Vanessa’s voice was especially husky and nasal.

-Yes, Candy was very good last night.

Cecilia nodded vigorously, showing that she had behaved very well and had not caused Aunt Josephine any trouble.

-Good girl.

Vanessa smiled softly, hugging her daughter in her arms, thinking that she didn’t know what it was like to be old, sick and dead at such a young age. How should she explain to her daughter that her grandmother was no longer with us?

Vanessa’s heart shrank again at the thought.

I hadn’t seen Mercedes’ body since she passed out the night before. It was surprising to think about it now, but there was something about being close to home. The thought of seeing her mother motionless was too much for her and her heart hardened.

-Mum, Candy and Dad will be with you.

Cecilia, though still small, tried desperately to comfort Vanessa by wrapping her arms around her.

It was heartbreaking to see how well he behaved and understood.

Vanessa suddenly realised that she shouldn’t go on like this, that she had to pull herself together. Her daughter was just a child and knew how to behave like that, she was an adult and a mother, she had to be stronger.

-Yes, mum and Candy with dad.

Vanessa’s mood calmed and she gently released her daughter and looked at her with a smile.

-Candy, Mummy wants to tell you something now.

-Hmm.

Cecilia nodded her head, showing that she was listening obediently.

Dylan knew what he was going to say and walked over and sat down, taking his daughter’s other hand.

It was as if the three were one.

-Mum’s mother, Candy’s grandmother, passed away not long ago. Passing away means that… she leaves us forever in a happier and happier place. Even though we won’t see her again, Grandma will always watch over us.

Even if a child doesn’t know anything, it’s time to tell them these things.

Sometimes it is better to confess than to hide or deceive.

Although Cecilia did not understand what it meant to die, she knew she would never see her kind and loving grandmother again.

His eyes reddened and there were tears in them, but they did not come.

-Grandma has gone to a happier place, so she must be happy.

Neither Vanessa nor Dylan expected Cecilia to say something like that.

Especially Vanessa.

She was an adult, and it was surprising that she didn’t see things the way her daughter did.

-Yes, grandma is going with grandpa and she is especially happy about it.

-Then we should also be happy for grandma.

Cecilia said fervently.

-Yes, we should be happy for grandma too.

At this point, Vanessa’s mood was completely calm. We all have to face old age, illness and death, and as we cannot avoid them, we must accept them.

The end of life is not a new cycle.

Dylan was relieved to see that Vanessa’s mood had improved. He gently squeezed his daughter’s hand and looked at her lovingly. It was true that his daughter had a big role to play and should have been allowed to come earlier.

-How do you feel? Do you still feel uncomfortable?

Dylan asked as he lifted Cecilia onto his lap and cradled her, looking at Vanessa.

-Much better.

Seeing the greenish black under Dylan’s eyes, Vanessa’s heart filled with guilt.

-Get some rest. You’ve already been on one continuous flight and you’ve come back without a break…

Dylan wanted to refuse, but changed his mind at the thought of who would be with Vanessa for the rest of the day if he didn’t rest and freshen up. Luckily, the room was high class and Dylan had used his privilege to get it and it was a suite.

-Then rest a little longer while I take Candy outside.

-Let Candy stay with me while you concentrate on resting.

-Good.

It was good to have her daughter with her, so maybe Vanessa wouldn’t have time to ramble.

Dylan kissed his daughter’s face and then Vanessa’s and said:

-Have a nice day, I’m going to rest.

-Yes, I’ll be good.

Cecilia said with a serious look on her face.

Then Dylan went to rest and let mother and daughter spend some time together.

As Felipe and Mercedes had no family, and as she had never been involved in Cazalla’s business and preferred to keep things secret, the funeral was very discreet and simple.

Enrique flew as soon as he received the news, and the funeral was attended only by him, Dylan, Vanessa, Cecilia and Josefina.

It was quiet and solemn.

With Mercedes’s ashes in her hand, Vanessa tries to bring a smile to her face.

-Mummy, I’ll take you to Daddy’s house.

Philip’s grave is in Pacifica City, and it was natural for Mercedes to be buried with him.

Dylan used his privilege to get a private jet and flew the family back to Pacifica City with the ashes.

It was three days before the trip was completely over.

When the peace and quiet was total, memories of the past returned unchecked from time to time.

Vanessa is often in a daze and sometimes forgets what she is doing while washing the dishes. The water keeps running in the hose, but she stands still. Sometimes she is reading a newspaper, but her mind wanders to some unknown place.

Dylan was particularly distressed to see her like this.

He kept trying to do something to help Vanessa get her head back on straight and overcome her pain. But it never occurred to him what to do.

-Candy, Mom has been very upset about Grandma’s death. Look, she’s always in a daze and doesn’t hear us when we call her, so Candy will work with Dad to find a way to cheer her up.

-Yes.

Cecilia nodded vigorously, she too was worried about mum.

-Shall we take mum for a walk? Find nice places with good views and see lots of fun things.

Cecilia suggested.

-Of course.

It should be nice to go for a walk and take a break.

Once they had made up their minds, father and daughter began to think about what they could do to get Vanessa to agree to go out with them.

-To Dad’s office?

-Yes.

Cecilia nodded and said:

-I miss daddy. Mum, do you want to go with me and dad?

Vanessa looked at her daughter and saw the little girl’s pleading face, and couldn’t help but soften.

-Well, Mummy will take you to fetch Daddy.

Vanessa gathered her things and took her daughter out.

Cecilia begged Vanessa to go with her to look for her father, and Vanessa agreed.

When they arrived at their destination, Vanessa discovered that the driver had taken them to a ranch on the outskirts of the city.