Alejandro looked at Lupita, who had looked down again. «Mateo, come here,» Alejandro said, kneeling down to his son’s level. The boy approached, leaning on his crutches.

«Do you like Lupita a lot?»

«She’s my best friend.»

«Why is she your best friend, Mateo?»

He thought for a moment. «Because she plays with me, she listens to me when I talk, and she’s never in a hurry when I take a long time to do things. And she believes that I’ll be able to walk just like the other kids.»

«And am I your friend too?» Alejandro asked, his heart aching.

Mateo hesitated, and Alejandro saw a sadness in his son’s face that cut him like a knife. «You’re my dad, not my friend,» Mateo said softly. «Dads are important, but friends are the ones who are with you.»

Alejandro felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. He looked at Lupita, who was also visibly emotional. «Mateo, I would really like to be your friend. Would you teach me how?»

Mateo’s eyes lit up. «Really, Dad? Really, really?»

«Yes, really, really.»

«Then you have to play with me, listen to my stories, and come see my exercises with Aunt Lupita.»

Alejandro smiled, feeling an emotion he hadn’t experienced in years. «It’s a deal. Tomorrow morning, I want to see those exercises.»

«Really?» Mateo jumped for joy, almost losing his balance. «Aunt Lupita, did you hear? Dad is going to watch our exercises!»

Lupita smiled, but Alejandro noticed a look of concern in her eyes. «Mr. Alejandro, you are not usually home in the mornings.»

«I’ll be here tomorrow,» Alejandro said firmly. «In fact, I think I need to reconsider some priorities.»

Mateo hugged his father, still leaning on his crutches. «Dad, now I have two best friends: you and Aunt Lupita.»

Alejandro hugged his son, feeling a love so strong it almost suffocated him. How had he allowed this wonderful child to slip away from his life? «Now go to sleep, champion. Tomorrow will be a special day.»

After Mateo went up, Alejandro turned to Lupita. «Thank you,» he said simply.

«For what, sir?»

«For taking care of my son when I didn’t know how to.»

Lupita smiled shyly. «He’s a special boy, sir. Anyone would fall in love with him.»

«But not just anyone would dedicate their free time to helping him, and not just anyone would have the patience and knowledge that you have.»

«Mr. Alejandro, can I ask you a question?»

«Of course.»

«Really, tomorrow morning?»

Alejandro paused to think. He had three meetings scheduled before nine a.m. He had a video call with investors from the United States at eight. He had a report to finish before noon. «Yes,» he said, surprising himself. «I’ll be here.»

That night, Alejandro went up to his room, thinking about the conversation. Gabriela had not yet arrived, so he took the opportunity to go into Mateo’s room. The boy was sleeping, but his crutches were carefully propped up on the nightstand, ready for the next day.

Alejandro sat on the edge of the bed and watched his son sleep. How had this child grown so much without him realizing it? When had Mateo become this brave and determined person? He took out his cell phone and canceled the three meetings for the next morning. Then he wrote an email explaining that the video call would have to be rescheduled. For the first time in his career, Alejandro was putting family first.

When Gabriela arrived home around 11 p.m., Alejandro was waiting for her in the living room. «You’re home early today,» she said, taking off her shoes. «What happened?»

«Gabriela, we need to talk.» She sat on the sofa next to him. «About Mateo, about our family, about what’s happening in this house.»

Gabriela sighed. «Alejandro, if this is about more doctors for Mateo, I already told you…»

«It’s not about doctors. It’s about Lupita, the employee.»

«What about her?»

«Did you know she does therapy exercises with Mateo every day?»

Gabriela looked away. «I knew.»

«And why didn’t you tell me?»

«Because you worry about responsibilities, lawsuits, all those things you always worry about.»

«Gabriela, she’s helping our son walk better.»

«I know, Alejandro!» Gabriela burst out. «Do you think I’m blind? Do you think I don’t see Mateo is happier? Do you think I don’t notice his progress?»

«Then why didn’t you tell me?»

Gabriela got up and started walking around the room. «Because you’re never here, Alejandro. Because when you are, you want to know if Mateo took his medicine, if he went to therapy, if he did his schoolwork. You never ask if he laughed today, if he had fun, if he was happy.»

Alejandro was silent, absorbing his wife’s words. «And Lupita,» Gabriela continued, «Lupita makes Mateo smile. She makes him believe he can achieve anything. So I let her continue because my son needs that.»

«Why didn’t you ever tell me you felt that way?»

Gabriela stopped walking and looked at her husband. «Alejandro, when was the last time we talked about something that wasn’t work or Mateo’s doctors?»

Alejandro tried to remember, but he couldn’t. «I don’t remember.»

«Me neither. And do you know why? Because you’re not here. Physically, maybe, but mentally you’re always in the office, on the phone, on the computer. I raised Mateo alone, Alejandro, and now Lupita is helping me do it.»

Alejandro felt the guilt expand in his chest. «I didn’t know you felt that way.»

«Because you never ask.»

They remained silent for a few minutes. Alejandro processed everything that had happened that day. First, the revelation about Lupita and Mateo. Now, the revelation about his own negligence as a father and husband.

«Gabriela, I want to change that.»

«Change what?»

«Everything. I want to be present in Mateo’s life. In your life. I want us to be a real family.»

Gabriela looked at him skeptically. «Alejandro, you’ve said that before. Do you remember when Mateo was born? When he was diagnosed? You always say you’re going to change, but work is always first.»

«This time is different.»

«Why?»

«Because today I saw my son for the first time. I really saw him, and I realized that if I don’t do something now, I’m going to miss the most important years of his life.»

Gabriela sighed. «Alejandro, I want to believe you, but I need actions, not words.»

«Then tomorrow morning, come and see. I’m going to watch the exercises that Lupita does with Mateo.»

«You canceled your meetings?»

«I canceled them.»

Gabriela’s eyes widened. In fifteen years of marriage, she had never seen Alejandro cancel meetings for family reasons. «Maybe… maybe it really is different this time,» she murmured.

«It will be, I promise you.»

The next morning, Alejandro woke up at 6:30, showered, put on casual clothes—something he rarely did on a weekday—and went down to the kitchen. Lupita was already there preparing breakfast.

«Good morning, Lupita,» he said, surprising the employee.

«Good morning, Mr. Alejandro. You’re up early today.»

«I am. Where’s Mateo?»

«He’s still sleeping, sir. He usually wakes up at 7:30.»

«And what time do you do the exercises?»

«At 8:00, sir. After he has breakfast.»

Alejandro looked at the clock. 7:15. «Can I help with anything?»

Lupita looked surprised. «Sir, the breakfast? Can I help prepare it?»

«Oh, of course, sir. Mateo likes pancakes on Mondays.»

«Pancakes? I didn’t know that.»

Lupita smiled. «He says he needs extra energy to start the week with the exercises.»

Alejandro watched Lupita prepare the pancake batter, noticing the care with which she did everything. She wasn’t just preparing food; she was preparing something special for Mateo.

«Lupita, can I ask you a question?»

«Of course, sir.»

«Why do you care so much about Mateo?»

Lupita stopped stirring the batter and thought for a moment. «Mr. Alejandro, when I was a child, I saw my brother Carlos being rejected by other children because of his difficulties. I saw the sadness in his eyes when he wanted to play but couldn’t keep up. When I look at Mateo, I see the same look that Carlos had when he was little.»

«And what did you do for your brother?»

«I was his best friend. I invented games he could participate in. I encouraged him to try new things. I celebrated every one of his small victories as if it were the greatest achievement in the world.»

«And it worked?»

Lupita smiled, and Alejandro saw pride in her eyes. «It worked. Today, Carlos is in his second year of high school. He works, helps support the family, and is one of the most determined people I know. He still has limitations, but he never lets that stop him from living.»

«And you want the same for Mateo?»

«I want him to be happy, Mr. Alejandro. I want him to believe that he can achieve anything. Because with this privileged family he has, with all the love and support you can give, he can go much further than my brother ever dreamed of.»