I Don’t Know What He’s Thinking

RICHARD

Mandy hadn’t answered the phone since yesterday. I’d been trying to reach her. It seemed very strange to me. So, I closed the gym early and headed to her house. I parked the car at the entrance and got out.

I walked to the door and opened it. This house, since Marcelo lost the title, is empty and silent. Never in my life would I have imagined this result.

I walked into the living room and saw Mandy in her pajamas. She was sitting on the couch with some newspapers and magazines on the coffee table.

I approached her, and in order not to scare her, I let her know that I was there. “Mandy, dear.” She didn’t turn or move.

That worried me. I walked toward her. Mandy had her eyes glued to a magazine. I went closer to see what was all about, and what I saw was an article about Marcelo.

I took my glasses out of my pocket so I could read. Then I grabbed the magazine from the table and read it. I dropped it to the ground the second I knew what it was about.

My stomach heated up and all sorts of thoughts started spinning in my head. I sat next to Mandy and put my arms around her shoulders.

I went over to kiss her head, then I told her, “I’m so sorry, daughter. I am so sorry.”

Mandy just rested her head on my shoulder. The silence was terrible. I couldn’t believe what Marcelo was doing.

“Marcelo hasn’t come home for the last five days. The first few nights I told myself that he needed space. That when he settled his feelings and realized that it wasn’t the end of the world he would come back.

“But I was so wrong, Dad. I was terribly wrong.”

I grabbed the other reports from the table and read them carefully.

“Former heavyweight champion Marcelo Walker was seen leaving a hotel with a beautiful blonde hanging from his arm.” Another said, “The night is hot.”

There was a photo of Marcelo and a gorgeous brunette sitting in some armchairs. They were kissing in a nightclub with a table full of bottles of alcohol in front of them, and surrounded by people I had never seen before.

I couldn’t look at this anymore. Crinkling the article, I tossed it on the floor.

“I thought he loved me. That nothing in the world would separate us. Not even death. But how blind was I?

“Losing his title was the only thing he needed to get away from me. To show me the reality of his feelings. How weak he has always been.”

I took Mandy by the shoulders and put my face in front of her. “Do not say that. You know that he loves you. But this was a terrible blow to him. You can’t think that way, Mandy. Don’t give up on him yet.”

Mandy’s eyes flashed with fury. She straightened her back and yelled at me, “Are you justifying his fuck-ups now, Dad? Are you doing it because he was the son you never had?

“What about me? I count too. I have to put up with everything. I dedicated myself body and soul to him every day since I met him, because I loved him.”

Mandy hit her chest with her clenched fist. “I loved him madly and passionately. And this is how he repays me?”

Mandy stood up, abruptly kicking the newspapers and magazines off the floor. Then she fell to her knees with her hands hiding her sobbing face. Her cries pierced my soul.

But she was right about something. Marcelo was weak. He was not strong enough to fight for his life and his family. He just turned his back, running away like a coward.

I walked over to Mandy, helping her up and putting her into my arms.

“You are right, my girl. Marcelo is a coward. He’s weak. He’s not like you. You take the storm facing straight ahead, and you always come out victorious.

“You have kept this family always united and happy. But this is not your fault. You couldn’t have prevented it. In the future, Marcelo will realize the damage he caused to us and himself at the same time.

“Everything will fall into place under its own weight,” I said while I kissed Mandy on the head.

Then she looked me straight in the eye. “Dad, I’m pregnant.”

The impact of those words left me perplexed. My eyes widened completely. “How did you find out?” It was the only thing I could formulate.

Mandy wiped away her tears and went to the dining room table, where she grabbed some papers. Mandy gave them to me and I took them, taking a look at them.

To my amazement, I saw what it was. An ultrasound. The black-and-white images showed only black spots that I did not understand at all.

Realizing this, Mandy pointed her finger at a circle.

“This is the baby. This spot here is the placenta. The doctor told me I was two months pregnant. I didn’t believe it at first, but my stomach has been constantly churning for a week now.

“Any smell made me nauseous or upset. So I made an appointment, and that’s when we realized that I was expecting a baby. Two days ago I found out.

“And while I was with the doctor learning this news, the father of my baby was getting drunk and fucking around on me.” Mandy’s hands began to shake. She was very affected.

But this news changed everything.

“Mandy, no matter what happens, you have to stay on your feet. Your baby is the priority now. Your mental state can be detrimental to your pregnancy. Please, forget about Marcelo for a while.

“Don’t read the newspapers or any reports about him. I know his betrayal has hit you hard. But for your baby’s sake, stay strong.”

Mandy’s eyes sparkled with a flash of unusual brilliance. I realized at that moment that it was understanding.

I kissed her forehead, telling her, “I am very proud of you, my girl. And I’m sure this baby will have the best mom and the best grandpa in the world.”