"She's dying you know.. Davi should at least kno-"
"How can you say that? He's a child, Rafa."
"Ney.. I know.. But he should know his mother may not be with him for much longer. It's not fair for him-"
"It's not fair for anyone. But life isn't fair. He is my son and I decide what he should and shouldn't know."
Rafaella sighs, walking away. Neymar groans once she's out of sight. His son is way too young to understand what is going on. He'll deal with it when the time comes.
//
"Cmon Thiago.. Stop it!"
"B-but dad.. He's sad," Thiago says softly
"You can't just show up at his house in the middle of the night baby. You can go see him tomorrow. "
Thiago gives him puppy dog eyes but Lionel doesn't fall for it.
"Go to sleep, Thiago."
"Fine!"
Lionel sighs. He doesn't know what's going on but he will definitely find out.
//
Thiago doesn't see Davi the next few days. He doesn't show up to school or anything and it gets Lionel worried. He remembers that he has Carolina's phone number so he calls her.
"H-hello?"
"Hey.. What's going on? Thiago misses Davi," Lionel says
Carolina smiles.
"I miss him too," she says softly
"Where are you, Caro?"
"I'm sick, Leo."
Lionel swallows thickly. Life isn't fair.
"Please.. Promise me one thing.. Promise that you'll take care of him. I know we aren't that close but.. You are the only person I can trust enough with my child," she says desperately
"What about his dad? Where is he?" Lionel asks
"Neymar has too much on his plate. I don't want him to carry my burden," she says crying
Lionel wishes he could be there to hold her. But he's frozen in his spot when the name falls out of her lips. Neymar? He's the father?
"W-what happened between you two?"
"I'm dying Leo.. I just couldn't.. I couldn't do that to him.. He hated me for hiding it from him. And I got so scared.. I.. I forced him to stop seeing our baby."
Lionel stays quiet. He can't process everything. It's too much for him. Neymar has a child. He can't judge because he has one too.
"I'll take care of him."
"Thiago and Davi are going to be brothers.. I'm so glad."
Lionel smiles. He's glad too.
"I'm so sorry it had to be this way," he says
"I've lived my life well."
"You're so young.. You have so much more left to live."
"No Leo.. I'm happy with the life I lived. I'm happy with the decisions I made.. The man I loved.. I wouldn't change a single thing. Yeah... I'm dying. But I feel so good. I will leave this world without any regrets. I don't even regret every cruel thing I ever did. Every heart I broke.. Every bitter word I ever spoke... Every lie I ever told.. I take it all with me. "
Lionel smiles. She's such a strong woman. He wishes they could've had more time together.
