Episode 2

The dawn arrived with the same weariness as always. Madeleine got up early, as she had done every day since she was alone. That morning, she had no one to leave her daughter with, so she would have to take her to work.

"Mommy, I want to keep sleeping..." Valentina murmured, tangled in the blankets.

"Good morning, my love. Today you're coming with me to work. Come on, get up, we're going to be late. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Cooked egg with patacones... and cheese."

"That's what we'll have then. Get dressed quickly!"

Minutes later, they left for the small restaurant where Madeleine worked. As soon as they arrived, she started preparing breakfast and getting everything ready to open the place. Valentina ate quietly at a small table, her little face still half asleep.

"Good morning, Madeleine. Ready for another day of war?" her boss greeted as he entered.

"Yes, boss. Here we are."

The day went by like so many others: orders, breakfasts, lunches, cleaning. Madeleine didn't stop for a second. When they finally closed, the afternoon gave them a small respite.

"Mommy, can we go home now?" Valentina asked, hugging her backpack.

"Yes, my love. At last."

On the way home, they stopped by the bakery and bought bread and coffee, a custom that mother and daughter had turned into a ritual. As they walked down a lonely street, Valentina stopped dead in her tracks.

"Look, Mommy... there's someone lying over there. He looks hurt."

"Don't go near him, my love. It could be dangerous. Let's go."

"But there's blood, Mommy... we have to help him! You always say we have to help."

Madeleine sighed with resignation. She knew that her daughter had a huge heart, so big that it sometimes got her into trouble.

"Ugh... alright, but you're going to get me into trouble for being so good. You take the bread. I'll try to lift him."

As she approached, Madeleine shuddered. The man was unconscious, his shirt covered in blood, covered in blows. He was tall, strongly built, with beautiful features even among the blood. He didn't look like a vagabond.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" she asked in a low voice. She got no response.

With effort, she lifted him. Valentina opened the door to the house and ran for the first aid kit.

"Mommy, put him on your bed. Don't leave him on the floor."

"Oh my God, this man weighs like five sacks of rice!"

She managed to lay him down, while Valentina was already bringing scissors, water, and gauze.

"Cut the shirt, Mommy. That way you don't hurt him more."

"Good thinking, little nurse."

The blows were deep, but not lethal. Madeleine cleaned him carefully, disinfected the wounds, and bandaged his torso.

"Can I clean his face, Mommy?" Valentina asked, tenderly.

"Okay, but be careful. I'm going to check if he has any identification."

She checked his pockets. There was nothing. Only a number written on a crumpled piece of paper.

"No name, no wallet. How strange..."

"Well, I'm going to give him one," Valentina said, determined. "His name will be Alan."

"You call him that, not me. Hopefully he wakes up soon so he can leave. We don't know if he's dangerous."

"I don't think so. He has the face of a sleeping angel."

Madeleine gave her daughter bread and coffee, while she prepared a simple soup. After a while they were already eating when someone knocked on the door. They looked at each other in surprise: they never received visitors.

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