I nodded slowly.
Then I pulled into a gas station.
Bright lights.
People.
Noise.
Something normal.
Something grounding.
I turned off the engine.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I turned to him.
“Listen to me carefully,” I said.
He looked at me, eyes still red.
“You did the right thing,” I said.
His lip trembled.
“I was scared you wouldn’t believe me.”
“I believe you,” I said, without hesitation.
And in that moment—
I realized I did.
Not every detail.
Not the full picture.
But the fear in his voice?
That was real.
And I trusted that.
“Are we in danger?” he asked.
I took a breath.
And this time, I chose my words carefully.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “But we’re going to be smart.”
He nodded.
Trying to be brave.
Trying to be older than he should be.
And something inside me hardened.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Clarity.
I called Daniela.
It rang twice.
“Dad?” she answered.
Her voice was normal.
Too normal.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“At home. Why?”
“Is Héctor with you?”
A pause.
Small.
But there.
“Yes,” she said. “Why?”
I looked at Emiliano.
He was watching me like everything depended on my next words.
“Put me on speaker,” I said.
“Dad, what’s going on?”
“Just do it.”
A click.
“Okay,” Daniela said. “You’re on speaker.”
I let a second pass.
Then—
“Héctor,” I said, “we need to talk.”
Another pause.
Then his voice.
Calm.
Measured.
“I’m here.”
I leaned back slightly in the seat.
“Where are you planning to be tonight?”
Silence.
Then Daniela again.
“What kind of question is that?”
I didn’t answer her.
“Héctor?” I repeated.
“I’ll be home,” he said. “Why?”
His tone didn’t change.
Not even slightly.
That was the problem.
“Stay there,” I said.
Then I hung up.
Emiliano blinked.
“What now?” he whispered.
I looked at the gas station lights.
At the reflection of my own face in the windshield.
