SHADOWS OF THE PAST
1060 Words
Mariana woke the next morning to the soft light streaming through the hotel curtains. Her children were still asleep, their small bodies tangled in the white sheets. Tomas clutched his rabbit, while Mia and Marco were sprawled across the bed, their faces peaceful despite the confusion and disappointment they had felt the day before.
But Mariana’s mind was restless. The encounter with Eduardo played over and over, like a film reel she couldn’t stop. His face—the face she had loved, trusted, and mourned—was etched into her memory. She couldn’t shake the way his cold words had cut through her, the way he had turned his back on his own children.
The question that haunted her most was why. Why had he left? Why had he denied their existence? And why was he back now?
After leaving breakfast for the children on the small table near the window, she slipped out of the room, her heart heavy with the decision to dig up a past she had tried so hard to leave behind.
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The Café of Memories
The streets of the city were familiar yet changed, like an old friend whose face had been weathered by time. Mariana’s feet carried her to the café she and Eduardo had frequented in the early days of their relationship. It was a small place tucked into a quiet corner, the kind of spot you might miss if you weren’t looking for it.
The bell above the door chimed as she stepped inside, and a wave of nostalgia hit her. The aroma of fresh coffee and baked goods enveloped her, and for a moment, she was transported back to those carefree mornings when life had been full of promise.
“Mariana?” a voice called, pulling her from her reverie.
She turned to see Rosa, the café’s owner, emerging from behind the counter. Rosa’s face lit up with recognition, her smile warm and inviting.
“Rosa,” Mariana said, her voice tinged with emotion. “It’s been so long.”
The two women embraced, and for a moment, Mariana felt a flicker of comfort. Rosa had been a witness to the early days of her love story with Eduardo.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Rosa said, leading her to a table by the window. “It’s been years. How have you been? And the children—are they with you?”
“They’re good,” Mariana replied, smiling faintly. “We just arrived yesterday. Starting fresh.”
Rosa nodded knowingly. “A new beginning can be a blessing. But something tells me that’s not the only reason you’re here.”
Mariana hesitated, then leaned forward. “I saw Eduardo yesterday. At the airport.”
Rosa’s smile faltered. She lowered her voice. “Eduardo? Are you sure?”
Mariana nodded. “It was him. He looked… different, but it was him. The children thought so too. They ran to him, calling him ‘Daddy.’ But he denied them. He denied me.”
Rosa’s brow furrowed, and she glanced around the café as if ensuring they wouldn’t be overheard. “I’ve heard whispers that he’s back in the city,” she admitted. “But I don’t know much. After he disappeared… well, no one really knows what happened.”
“Do you know why he left?” Mariana asked, her voice trembling.
Rosa hesitated, her gaze distant. “There were rumors. Something about trouble with the wrong people. Debt, maybe. Or something worse. But nothing was ever confirmed. All I know is that one day, he was gone.”
Mariana’s stomach churned. Trouble? Debt? This wasn’t the Eduardo she had known. Or was it? Had there been sides of him she had never seen?
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A Visit to the Past
After leaving the café, Mariana found herself walking through the neighborhood where she and Eduardo had lived. The streets were lined with memories: the park where they had picnicked, the bookstore where they had spent lazy afternoons, the small apartment building where they had dreamed of a future together.
She stopped in front of the building, staring up at the second-floor window that had once been theirs. The curtains were different now, and the balcony was cluttered with someone else’s belongings, but in her mind’s eye, she could still see Eduardo leaning against the railing, smiling at her.
The landlord, Mr. Vargas, was sweeping the front steps when he noticed her. “Mariana?” he called, his eyes squinting in recognition.
“Mr. Vargas,” she replied, offering a small smile.
“What brings you back here?” he asked, leaning on his broom.
“I… I was just in the neighborhood,” she said, hesitating. Then, unable to hold back, she asked, “Did Eduardo ever come back here? After he left?”
Mr. Vargas shook his head. “No. He disappeared without a word. Didn’t even come to collect the things he left behind. I had to clear out the apartment myself.”
“Did he ever say anything to you before he left? Anything about why?”
The old man sighed, his expression softening. “No. But I remember the last time I saw him. He looked… scared. Like a man running from something he couldn’t escape.”
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The Weight of Memories
That evening, Mariana returned to the hotel feeling more lost than ever. The fragments of Eduardo’s past she had uncovered only deepened the mystery. What had he been running from? And why had he chosen to leave her behind instead of confiding in her?
As she tucked the children into bed, their soft questions broke her heart.
“Will we see Daddy again?” Mia asked, her voice small.
Mariana hesitated, brushing a strand of hair from her daughter’s face. “I don’t know, sweetheart,” she said honestly.
“Why didn’t he want to talk to us?” Marco asked, his big brown eyes searching hers for answers.
Mariana forced a smile, though her heart ached. “Sometimes adults make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.”
As she sat by the window that night, staring out at the city lights, she resolved to find the truth—no matter how painful it might be. Eduardo’s reappearance wasn’t a coincidence, and she wouldn’t let him walk away again without answers.
- Writer
