“NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY”

AS expected, her father was surprised when she told him about her sudden marriage to Joaquin. But because Rodolfo is just a simple person and he has no other desire but for her and Callie to be well, he didn't complain. Instead, he hugged her tightly and greeted her again.

That is despite the fact that she also sees in his eyes the sadness because of their impending separation.

After all, that shouldn't be a big deal. Because she can visit him anytime. But it's only now that they will be living in a different house so somehow, she is also really sad.

Joaquin bought a simple white dress for her the same day they went to the mall. Because their wedding will be the next day in the afternoon that is the only option that they have left. To buy it from the mall.

That night when Joaquin delivered her to their house, she caught up with Leandro at their house who was eating dinner with her father and Callie.

"Good evening," Leandro greeted her with a smile, and Joaquin who was then behind her.

Lara nodded then kissed Callie on the cheek and then her father next. “Fortunately, we even caught you eating because we bought some ice cream,” said Lara as she laid a gallon of chocolate-flavored ice cream on the table.

Callie immediately applauded when she saw that. Then she happily got down on the chair she was sitting on and hugged her and then approached Joaquin whom she kissed on the cheek.

"Have you eaten your dinner already?" Rodolfo asked them.

"Yes, Papa," Joaquin replied with a smile and then looked back at Lara.

Rodolfo just smiled at Joaquin's answer although it was obvious from his aura that he liked Joaquin calling him ‘papa’.

"By the way I want you to meet Leandro," Rodolfo said to his boyfriend.

Leandro smiled and nodded to Joaquin and the latter did the same. Then Rodolfo spoke again as he finally finished the meal.

“He has agreed to live with me,” her father told her.

That was when Lara looked up at her boyfriend who also turned to look at her. “Leandro sleeps in the church. He is close to Papa so we thought of inviting him to live here,” she explained.

Joaquin just nodded and then took a chair and sat there.

"How old are you, Leandro?" Joaquin asked the boy.

Leandro drank some water before answering Joaquin's question.

"Eleven," he said.

"Do you go to school?" Joaquin asked the boy again.

"Before, only when I ran away from my mother's husband did I stop," was his polite reply.

"Where is your mother?" Joaquin asked again then glanced at her.

In those moments, Lara's admiration for her boyfriend really intensified. Not for whatever reason. She knew Joaquin was handsome and almost physically perfect. But what she sees in his eyes now for Leandro is the real reason why she feels that way.

A man with a strong will. It's just a bonus that he is handsome after all.

"Your mother is dead?" Joaquin's clarifying question.

Leandro nodded. “She had an accident, hit and run,” said the boy, who was obviously saddened not only by the tone of his speech but also by the emotion she saw in his eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Joaquin said to the boy. “Anyway, if you will stay here with Papa, I want to help you. Just in case do you want to study again?”

Lara was really surprised by what her boyfriend said.

"Joaquin," she said uncontrollably.

Joaquin did not answer her again. Because once more he just turned to her then he smiled.

"R-Really?" Leandro asked with watery eyes.

"Yeah, just think that's my way to say thank you because you agreed to accompany Papa here," replied her boyfriend.

When Lara glanced at her father, she saw him staring at Joaquin. Nor does it speak though in the aura of his face is the pleasure in everything that he heard.

"Thank you very much. Promise I will study hard!” said Leandro who no longer hid the pleasure in the tone of his voice that eventually brought the boy to tears.

When Lara saw Leandro crying, she quickly approached him and then tapped him on the shoulder. She no longer noticed that Callie approaches the boy who at that moment was scratching his eyes with his fist while sobbing.

"Don't cry, big brother," Callie said kissing Leandro on the cheek.

Lara smiled at what her daughter had done. “Yeah, don’t cry. If you go to school again, we will enroll you at Callie's school, so that she has someone with her,” she said after recovering.

That’s when Leandro started wiping away his tears. “Thank you, I promise I will study hard. I will give my best when I come back to school so that everything you spend on me will not be wasted,” Leandro said.

That was when Joaquin and Lara exchanged sweet smiles. And when the young lady glanced at her father she saw the same thing on his lips although he was looking at the boy.

“Study well son, for yourself. For you to have a good future. To make your mother proud of you, wherever she is now,” Rodolfo said in his usual kind tone.

Leandro sniffled and nodded. Then he completely dried his tears.

“Don't think that you are different from us. Because you are now a part of this family, son,” Rodolfo continued.

“I will be your sister, so you will call me just Lara, okay? And since Joaquin and I are getting married tomorrow, you will call him a brother or just Joaquin,” Lara added to what her father said.

Leandro just nodded at what she said.

“And I will be your niece! But I will call you, big brother, or Leo!” Callie's small, shrill voice next interrupted the conversation.

“Yes! Now, time for ice cream!” Lara said cheerfully and then took cups from the cupboard.

"Yey!" Callie's lively cry.

In those moments there was really nothing to contain the happiness in Lara's heart. Not only because she knew that Leandro's life would be fine but also the fact that her father was happy. And that is what she is so grateful for.

"Thank you, sweetheart," said Joaquin.

After she handed him the ice cream in the cup.

"No, thank you," she said.

Joaquin just nodded and then winked at her. At that moment Rodolfo and the two children were in the living room watching TV. She had already taken over taking care of cleaning the dishes in the kitchen.

Joaquin laughed softly as he stared at her blushing face. "If you really want to you know give something to me in return I’m sure you know what I prefer, don't you?" he said smiling mischievously.

The heat on both of Lara's cheeks intensified because of that. But instead of allowing herself to be swallowed up by the shame that she feels at that very moment, she chose to ride on her boyfriend's mischief.

"All right, just wait until tomorrow," she said with a wink.

Lara saw the immediately registered surprise on Joaquin's face. Then he devilishly smiled again as the corner of his lip lifted.

"I can't wait for tomorrow and make you my wife," he said meaningfully as his eyes glowed with the seemingly small flames of longing and passion that she saw there.