The Thread of life

would not be the ones knocking on his door, and for that he thanked his parents w

player; he was obsessed with the ball, so much so that he wanted to play soccer at

te role? G

ta Claus for a pair of goalkeeper's gloves,

r small town, where Mateo would learn so much and prove to the coaches that he was already a marvel despite his very young age. The parents were so pr

ypen born a few years earlier to tell him about everything he had done as well, also explaining why the role of the goa

the goal thrilled him, motivated him, and made him feel, indeed, like a hero: the goalkeeper

d at those eyes he inherited from his father and smiled broadly, clutching his parent who was a little confused by that show of affection. "Are you okay?"he asked him and the child nodded, "Yes, Dad, I just

re." He thought before falling

my super cannons! You're just a Chick an

and looked at his older friend who cross

ove Dad Ramón right, after the latter heard Ignacio singing Mateo's praises wh

probably out of pride) but Rafael, seven, tried to dissuade him, draggi

he younger one who threatened to te

ho

tu.

stay o

, but as Ignacio always told him: "you always have to overcome obstacles head-on" And so he mustered up his courage, took out his new gloves (his other ones were tight on him, so Mom and Dad had decided to give him a new pair). The children waited

t the child felt strong, a lion

"big kids" that he was not

the little boy shrugged. Then he concentrated and kicked the ball as hard as he could; the children gasped at how s

the goalkeeper would never mak

eo was

s if he had wings and they spread ou

he

ing with him was his little brother, who, frightened, approached Mateo and called out to him several times, crying; the eldest screamed with all the voice he had in his body and all the childre

up to go to Uncle Pau's bar, and on the way he finally met the janitor, Santi

re you doing all alone?

ll the children were at the playground, secretly, even though practice had been over f

ve said to Tatu, woul

, who approached him to reassure and comfort him; it was only in that way that he wrested a confession from the child, and the janitor decided to run to the bar to call the two c

ave you s

who was still sobbing. Santiago explained everything to Davìd's father, who angrily headed toward the playground so he could scold his son. At

has happened? And wh

he child resumed crying, once again forcing Sant

ehead appeared that vein that Rafael knew well and h

of the club and like Ramón just before, h

e it up? I'll take

Besides, it's all your fault, Davìd! You wante

ou are

ul

dare to hurt the little ones. Mother says we are all brothers, and since I am grown up now, I have a duty to protect t

with all his heart to tell those children to shut up, that

t from God. You are a special child because in addition to giving yourself to us God has given you the str

the child. He wiped his face, stood up, and finally there was silence around him. Incredulous, his friends ma

like a lion he was going to face that obs

im lose his newly

as P

streak that had so frightened Rafael earlier was

was all right, and the son shook his head softly; then he looked

af

one of voice had become cold and stern, a sign that despite ev

did w

his gaze down, having realized he had done it. Edoardo, his coach, put his hand on his knee to reassure him even though moments earlier he ha

his hair. "We have to choose our challenges, Teo. Look where this one has brought you! Now, if you're not care

rse it

Although... he had to admit that there was a sense of happiness and

! Don't think you're getting away with it just because you have a fractured shoulder, Mateo Roberto Garcìa. And you even got your brother involved!"The child's eyes filled with tears not so much from the pain but from the words expressed by his mother: he had let Mami

out playing soccer. Mat

remained in religious silence as his father explained that he was going back to the workshop and to wai

ocus on those daily noises of his small town: Mrs. Alba shouting after her nephew, Mrs. Juana proba

very corner of that small town. He loved that l

at

ce, and it approached him somewhat hes

m, telling him that it was no one's fault. "These things happen. Besides

, thirteen y

girl! And she

s baby girl in his arms as he cuddled he

giggled as she heard her son's happy tone and she too

told your Toubab that she has to wait

ay

't do anything stupid. I don't like that woman and she will

perficial she was with Babacar only out of interest; he was a talented 28-year-old boy, an aspiring mu

n't even know how to cook what is she doing wi

flight you said? Are you

now, son? She's

et and was only calmed by hearing her father's voice as he h

re you tod

to her grandmother and laughed before she was distracte

orce was still going on, and Fatou feared that the child would be scarred b

r side, not letting the child ou

really looks like a prin

daughter". The tone used by the woman made the boy worried and h

ay

n't pay much attention to it because she wasn't well in her mi

his was interrupted with her who, because of this gift, became insane and was ostracized by everyone. The truth i

ing about! This is nonsense

e everything your grandm

e predict ab

into our family and will be blessed with three gifts: she will have the voice of a mermaid, she will see the future, and she will be able to cr

gic because he knew how dangerous that world could be an

didn't

tion it to her"he s

ger they became.At seven years old, she had her first taste, foreseeing her estrangement from her father because of her mother. It was an unforgettable moment for the l

om

eyes - totally different from her own "beautifully blue" the woman's own wo

urious eyes, however, did not stop shining and made Maria shiver

d because Grandma say

ignoring the little girl's question "Your father is a jerk, he doesn't know how to

it mean..

e! Go away and play

dered why Maria treated her th

uestions about her mother's behavior toward her. She saw mothers at school coming to pick up their child

rly l

was

turned permanently to Senegal because "living in Italy without being able to see you hurts me too much" and because he had become the guitarist of a renowned Senegalese singer. Sofia eagerly unwrapped the gift, read her father's note, which she jealously kept with the others, and smiled sadly. She had never ha

ld's drea

the guitar next to her and fell as

side when she saw that child with his ba

fael who kept talking in his sleep. And now he was in a s

row looked at the little girl with a face fr

that lit

s she clutched that stuffed animal tightly against h

id of me?" as

there? Only she had access to it and sometimes so did Nonna who taught her to concentrate on

ok a few steps forward toward him to touch his arm: in response, Mateo

exclaimed, after driving awa

rthday" to her, only to remember that tw

razy coi

y! But...what'