Our ending | Simbar © (English version)

I look at myself in the mirror as I finish combing my hair.

It’s not vanity. It never was, even though for years everyone thought it was. It’s a habit.

It’s that inevitable second when you face your own reflection and decide whether to accept it or not. For a long time, I couldn’t.

The woman staring back at me is not the perfect girl I was for so long. There is no longer a mask ready to go out into the world.

I have soft dark circles under my eyes, a tired smile, and eyes that are shiny for reasons I don’t quite understand.

And suddenly, I get emotional.

Because I fought hard to break free from the reflection, from the demands, from the idea that I had to be perfect.

When in reality... I was broken. Broken and scared. And alone, even when surrounded by people.

I feel arms wrapping around me from behind.

Simón kisses my neck.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks me softly.

I smile.

“About everything it took to get here.”

I look up and our eyes meet in the mirror. I no longer mind seeing myself reflected.

For the first time, I feel like the woman on the other side is me.

───Thank you.

He frowns a little.

───Why?

I turn and look him in the eye, as if I need to make sure he’s there, that he’s real.

───For saving me when I was in complete darkness. When I didn’t know how to get out of myself and you took my hand, even when I didn’t want anyone to touch me.

I swallow hard.

───You pulled me out of that reflection. Out of believing that I had to be perfect... when in reality I was broken and scared to death.

Simón says nothing. He just looks at me with those eyes that never judged me, even when I judged myself.

He caresses my cheek and then kisses me as he always did when he understood that words were not enough.

───Thank you ───his eyes shine───. For not giving up, even when the world hurt you.

His voice breaks slightly. He tries to hide it, but I know him well enough to know that he’s about to get emotional too.

───You didn’t have to save me. It wasn’t your obligation. And yet... you did. With your silences, your anger, and your fears.

I feel tears falling from my eyes.

───I saw you break a thousand times ───he never stops looking at me as he speaks───. And yet, you got back up. I just accompanied you, Ámbar. You were always the brave one.

We closed our eyes at the same time, as if we needed to rest there for a second.

The whole journey was long and hard. And at the same time, it was worth it.

───You don’t know what it meant to me to see you shine again ───adds Simón───. To see you look at yourself in the mirror without hatred.

A tear escapes me and falls on his hand.

───I was afraid,─── I confess. Afraid that if I showed myself as I was, you would leave.

Simón shakes his head.

───You never needed to be perfect. You just needed to be you.

He kisses me softly, almost trembling. Then he kisses me a little deeper.

It's a long kiss, the kind that wants to last forever. My hands cling to his neck and I cry unashamedly against his chest.

───Simón, thank you for staying. For not leaving when I wanted to disappear myself.

He hugs me tightly, as if he wants to protect every version of me that existed before this moment.

───Ámbar, thank you for choosing us. For choosing this life and being the light of this family. You light up Dulce and me.

I smile through my tears.

───Our family... ───it fills my soul to say that.

The door opens slowly, with that unmistakable sound of little feet that don't know how to walk quietly.

───Mom?

Dulce pokes her head out, still half asleep, her blonde hair all messy and her eyes half closed.

───What's wrong, sweetheart?

───I heard voices,─── she says, rubbing her eye.───I thought you were talking without me.

Simón smiles and crouches down a little to be at her height.

───Sweetheart, we would never do that. Come here ───Simon stretches out his arms and she slowly comes over.

She stares at us both as if she's considering saying something important.

───Are you crying, Mom?

───A little.

She wrinkles her nose.

───Does something hurt?

I shake my head immediately.

───No, sweetheart. They're beautiful tears.

───Can tears be beautiful? ───she asks, confused.

Simón laughs.

───Yes ───he says───. They're the ones that come out when your heart is full of good emotions.

Dulce thinks for a few seconds and then hugs me tightly.

───Then I’ll help you make them beautiful tears. That way you won’t cry alone, mommy.

I bend down and kiss her cheek.

───Thank you ───I love you so much. You are my light───. Do you know that you are the best thing that ever happened to me?

Dulce smiles proudly.

───I was born to be your light ───she says, and it’s absolutely true.

Simón and I look at each other. We’re both moved.

He saved me from my inner darkness, but our daughter saved us both from the darkness.

She is the light that dispelled the shadows of the past, and she is the light that shines in our lives to give us a new heaven. The heaven that for many years was only hell.

───Our light ───he says───. Every day.

Dulce stretches out her arms and points at us.

───Family hug. Now ───she orders us.

Simón hugs me first, then her, and the three of us end up squeezed together in an awkward and perfect embrace.

───Mommy and Daddy, I love you ───says Dulce, with that tenderness that gladdens my heart.

───We love you, I reply.

───Very much. Today and forever, adds Simón.

Dulce pulls away and looks at us seriously.

───When I grow up, I want to love someone like that, she says, leaving us confused. The way you love each other.

I feel my heart breaking and mending at the same time.

───You already do ───I say, moved───. And you do it better than anyone, my sweet daughter.

Dulce smiles and hugs us again.

And there, with my daughter hugging me tightly and Simón holding us both, I understand that it wasn’t the mirror I had to break; it was the darkness.

And here we are, the three of us loving each other.

My family.