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'