**Personal Diary**
My world collapsed the day my husband, Adrián, left me. He took all our savings to buy an apartment in Madrid and disappeared, leaving me alone in a rented apartment with our six-month-old daughter, Lucía. I didn’t know how to move forward until my mother-in-law, Carmen Soler, showed up unannounced. We had always had a tense relationship, full of recriminations, but that day, instead of mockery, she surprised me with a gesture I’ll never forget:
“Pick up your things. You and the girl are coming to live with me,” he said firmly.
I tried to protest. How could I possibly accept her help after years of arguing? Until then, I’d seen her as an enemy, but at my worst, she was the only one who reached out.
My own mother denied me refuge. She lived under the thumb of my older sister and her children, and she didn’t want to get involved. The pain was immense, but I managed to murmur:
—Thank you, Carmen. I really don’t know how to repay you for this.
It was the first time I spoke to him honestly, and something inside me broke.
“Enough with the formalities! You’re not a stranger,” he replied, scooping Lucía up in his arms. “Come on, darling. Let your mom pack, and you and I can chat. Would you like to live with Grandma? Of course… I’ll read you stories, take you to the park, put your hair in pigtails…”
I heard her sweet voice and couldn’t believe it. The same woman who years ago accused me of “stalking” her son with a pregnancy was now cradling my daughter as if she were her own.
We moved into her house in Seville. Carmen gave us the largest room and moved into a smaller one.
“What are you looking at? The girl needs space,” she grumbled. “I live alone, I don’t need that much. Rest; we’ll have dinner in an hour.”
That night he served steamed vegetables and chicken, adding:
—You’re breastfeeding. If you prefer something else, let me know, but this is better for the little one.
In the fridge I saw little jars of baby food.
“It’s time to start with the purees. If you don’t like them, we’ll buy others,” she said with a smile.
I couldn’t hold back my tears. His kindness, sudden and genuine, tore down all my defenses. No one had ever cared for us like this. He hugged me and whispered:
—Calm down, darling. Men are like that, they go where the wind takes them. I raised Adrian alone; his father left when he was a baby. I won’t allow my granddaughter to grow up without support. Dry those eyes!
Between sobs, I confessed that I never expected such humanity from her.
—Thank you… Without you, I don’t know what would have become of us.
“It’s my fault too,” she sighed. “I didn’t raise my son well. I’ll try to fix his mistakes. Now, rest. Tomorrow will be better.”
The three of us celebrated Lucía’s first birthday. After putting the baby to sleep, we had tea and cake in the kitchen. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Carmen opened it.
“Mom, meet Laura, my girlfriend,” she heard Adrian say. “Can we stay for a few months? I can’t find a job and I don’t have any money for the rent.”
My heart sank. I was afraid she’d throw us out for them, but Carmen burst out:
—Get out of here! You steal from your family and now you’re asking for favors? And you, Laura, open your eyes; sooner or later he’ll leave you just the same!
I was wrong about her. Today I’m ashamed of my prejudices. She became my true mother. We lived together for six years, until I remarried. At my wedding, Carmen took the place of honor. Lucía is now in school, and the next one is a boy. My mother-in-law is eagerly awaiting her new grandson. I know she will care for him with the same love she gave my daughter.
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