Second Chance (Julián Álvarez)

Chapter 13

Natalia and Julián had been spending almost all of their free time together, but he still wasn't completely happy because they hadn't been on a proper date just the two of them. So he had spent the last couple of days trying to think of the perfect plan.

While googling about fun date plans in Manchester, he saw there was a bowling alley. They went bowling once in Madrid because Natalia mentioned she really wanted to try it out. To pretend she was in one of the American movies she liked.

Julián: date night tomorrow. Wear something comfortable. X

Natalia: what do you mean by that?

Julián: I don't know. Jeans and a jumper? And comfortable shoes?

Natalia: where are we going?

Julián: it's a surprise.

Natalia: ok then...

Natalia: I have to go back to work. Love you x

Julián: love you more x

**

The next day, Julián left the house wearing some jeans and a jumper so he would also be comfortable. And then he drove to Natalia's work, so he could pick her up.

He was early again but hoped the kids would behave this time. The first kid he saw, and who saw him, was the one who had screamed the last time. So Julián brought his fingers to his lips to let him know he should be quiet, and the kid nodded and smiled.

Natalia was sitting at the piano with one of the kids, teaching her something that was probably too simple for her but seemed incredibly complex to Julián. He was always fascinated by how fast her fingers moved while playing. But they were also so elegant.

She lifted her head to look at all the other kids who were busy doing different tasks and saw Julián standing by the door. He waved and she told him to go where she was with her hand.

"Hi!", he said, standing next to her and not knowing how to act. He was used to always touching her now. Whether it was hugging, holding her hand or playing with her hair...it was weird to be so close and not be able to touch her. But she was working. It wouldn't be very professional and she cared about her job a lot.

"Hello, I'm Alice. Who are you?", said the little girl that was sitting on Natalia's legs.

"Hi Alice, that's such a pretty name. I'm Julián".

"Ju...ju...", the little girl couldn't be older than 5 and was really struggling with the strong Spanish sound for the letter J.

"Look, like this", said Natalia, using the piano to explain to her the sounds of Julián's name.

Dear God, if he wasn't in love before, he would have fallen head over heels in love with her then. The tenderness with which he treated the little kids made Julián smile. It made him imagine that would be the way she treated their children in the future. Not a near future but...he could still dream about it.

And the way she said his name was always beautiful, but when she turned it into a song... she was perfect.

"I want to learn more Spanish, miss!", said Alice in between giggles.

"Oh yeah? Well, we can learn songs in Spanish if you want to. I learned a lot of English by learning songs".

"You had to learn English?"

Her little shocked face was hilarious.

"Of course, I wasn't born speaking it".

"But you speak it so well, miss".