Each time she wakes up next to her, Javiera knows. Something precious lies in the sight of the early sun on Flavia's distended face, on her body covered by the always fresh sheets, on her soft hair that shines like copper. Mornings kiss Flavia's lips and she stirs. Waking up like this is a blessing and every day Javiera can't help recalling it: this woman is going to be her wife.

Since they moved back to Flavia's house she started to see a new therapist, she often came home with her eyes red and swollen but it's inevitable when you undertake the process of letting it all out so Javiera was confident. Flavia was tired, yes, but she is a fighter and, despite ups and downs, she was getting better each week.

Last night, after her therapy, she came home with a bright smile and Javiera held her, pressed countless kisses on those gorgeous lips of hers, leaving them only the time to say "te amo". Javiera didn't know what was responsible for this shift in her mood but opened herself to it.

Flavia told Enrique, her therapist, about Javiera, they had quite a long conversation, actually, about how this relationship was doing her good and how she had to leave guilt aside, with her more than with everyone else, because Javiera chose to be by her side, because Javiera loved her, that's why she was concerned. Javiera decided to stand by her in the gloomiest period of her life and she was aware that it wasn't an easy task, nonetheless she stayed, because she felt like it, because she wanted to. Javiera saw her livid, broken, scared and proposed to her, when anyone would have run she promised to stay, as long as Flavia wanted, or "until death did them apart", to keep it classic.

He was right, Flavia knew, she felt like she was ruining Javiera's life by throwing at her all of her misery, but Enrique made her see that she was wrong, that the best gift she could give herself and to that marvellous woman was getting back on her feet and taking control of her life again. So Flavia made a promise to commit to this goal, to enjoy the quiet happiness she had with Javiera and to stop feeling sorry for herself.

They made love last night and it felt incredible, each touch, gaze, word, sigh was proof that they were there for one another, that what they had was the most precious treasure of all.

This morning Javiera left those greyish blue eyes closed, that delicate, naked skin loosely covered by the ruffled sheets and got ready to work. One kiss on those lips and Flavia's eyes opened with all of the brightness of her gaze in the morning. Flavia pulled the other woman down with her arms around her neck, with her fingers playing in those ebony curls. They kissed until it got late and the inspector had to rush to work but it was worth it.

This scene replayed over and over in Javier's mind. Flavia's smooth skin, the scent they leave among the sheets when they make love, the inspector thinks about it all with a warm excitement running through her veins, she is so looking forward to calling Flavia her wife. Her rational side tells her that nothing is going to change when they're married, except for the strictly legal part of it, which is romantic in a way, but still anytime she looks at Flavia her mouth foretastes the flavour of that word.

When Javiera thought about getting married for the first time it was with Mariela, they didn't get there, they couldn't, but when the inspector thinks about marriage she pictures the warmth she had with Mariela, the one she has with Flavia now. Mariela was Javiera's life, she was her home and when she died Javiera promised herself that she wouldn't have married anyone else unless she made her feel the same. She cannot explain it now, the way Flavia makes her feel, how her arms seem to be the safest place in the universe, how she found everything she was missing in that gentle, deep, charming gaze of hers.

Javiera wasn't sure at first, and this is an understatement, she viewed Flavia's choice to go back to the house with suspicion but now she sees that she was right. Now the ghosts are gone and every room only sounds like Flavia's voice, like her laughter and like her whispers, and Javiera feels like she belongs to all of them, to all of this.

A red traffic light makes the inspector stop the car and she looks around absent-mindedly until a sign catches her attention and leads it to some neatly arranged pieces of elegant jewellery, shining behind the clear glass of a shop window.

Once back in the car, there is a blue box inside of her backpack, anxious to make its appearance.

With the light in the cabin now turned off Javiera plays with the box with trembling fingers, this is another thing she did without thinking but now she has to decide what the next step should be. Is she proposing tonight? Where? How? Isn't she supposed to take Flavia out, given that she's willing to do this properly?

She has no idea of what “doing it properly” means, to be honest, but the whole dinner at a fancy restaurant thing seems too stereotypical for them. The first time Flavia accepted to be her wife she was hospitalised and it was good, more than good, it came natural and unexpected, there was no ring but it was perfect. Javiera doesn’t really know why she’s asking Flavia to marry her again, but it’s undeniable that a part of her fears that she accepted in the heat of the moment, that she’s not ready to make this step again, not yet at least. In the past few months they never mentioned any plan, there were other priorities and Javiera respected it. Flavia’s well being was her first concern and before last night simply asking her about the topic felt like pressuring her. Javiera is not surprised anymore of how fast things can change, if every detail of her relationship with Flavia is proof, still she stands in front of the Betancourt mansion, incredulous, with her stomach clenched.

What if Flavia asks her to wait? What if this gesture ends up ruining their newfound peace?

When Javiera steps inside, the house is not aware, so is Flavia, but somehow it seems like everything is holding their breath. A delicious smell welcomes the inspector and the most beautiful woman on earth is mixing something in a pot on the stove, her day clothes half covered by the apron.

“Hola amor” She beams “Persè que iba a llegar antes.”

“Me demorè, perdon” Javiera says before kissing her.

“Se estaba haciendo tarde y no quería arriesgarme a que no estuviera listo a tiempo. Parece que has llegado en el momento perfecto, una vez más.”

Javiera can’t help smiling at this, as much as she can’t help asking why their kitchen looks like the one of a restaurant. As a good assistant she washes her hands and helps Flavia take the dishes to the already set table and only when everything is safely turned off and they’re sat, the lady of the house starts explaining. Isabela, the new maid, is teaching her how to cook, at least she’s trying, because Flavia is not a great cook but she's more keen on lingering in the kitchen when in a good mood and more if it leads to a positive outcome.

“Llegò el momento de cambiar” Flavia vows as Javiera holds her hand tighter, picturing the ring she bought on her finger.

After cleaning the kitchen up they head to the bedroom. Javiera has a shower first and Flavia uses the bathroom after her. When she’s out she’s in her white silk nightgown, the one she had the first night that they spent in this same bedroom, covered by the same long wrapper, and she already looks like a bride. The blue box is clenched in the inspector’s sweaty palm when the other woman notices her nervousness.

“Todo bien?” She asks and sits on the bed in front of her.

Javiera nods before getting up and reaching Flavia's side of the bed, she's doing this, and she's doing this now. She kneels on the floor, hiding the box between her feet, so takes Flavia's hand and gently kisses it.

"Sé que ya hemos hablado de esto" she starts.

"Y sé que todo fue tan rápido que ninguna de las dos tuve la oportunidad de pensarlo bien" she keeps going and Flavia tenses on the bed.

"No sé si lo has pensado pero yo sí, últimamente he pensado mucho…Sucede que algunas decisiones se toman demasiado rápido y terminas cambiando de opinión, y está bien, cambiar de opinión está bien" she adds, making sure that Flavia won't feel obligated to say yes again only because she did it the first time, if she's not ready they can wait.

The inspector is not aware of how it sounds to someone who has no idea of what's going on, though, and in fact Flavia doesn't know what to think, but the lump in her throat is telling her that Javiera changed her mind, that they're going too fast and she's willing to step back.

"Tal vez te hiciste la idea de que no estaba hablando en serio la última vez, pero sí, sí, estaba hablando en serio, mi amor" Javiera gulps and Flavia frowns, confused. She tries to ask but her voice fails her.

"Ya no puedo imaginar una vida sin ti, no puedo pensar en una cama, una casa, una familia en las que tú no estás" Flavia holds a breath and her eyes go wide, the lump in her throat melts and she feels like crying.

"Cuando te pedí que te casaras conmigo fue un impulso, pero amo que tú sea la última cosa que veo cada noche y la primera cada mañana, amo no poder esperar de estar de vuelta a casa, amo que esta sea mi casa, que tú sea mi casa…y quiero que siempre sea así." She pauses and kisses Flavia's hand again.

"La primera vez no tenía un anillo pero ahora lo tengo." Javiera's shaking voice lets out, as she takes the blue box from the floor and opens it.

Flavia doesn't know what to say, doesn't know if she's able to say something. The ring is beautiful, but Javiera is more, kneeled before their bed in her pyjamas, with both hope and fear in her magnificent, green eyes, with her heart pounding in her trembling hands.

How can Flavia say no? How can she refuse the life Javiera is offering her?

"Flavia, mi princesa, mi vida" the inspector nervously giggles "¿Quieres ser mi esposa?"

Like the first time an overwhelming joy explodes in Flavia's core as she enthusiastically nods, her eyes shining with tears and the purest happiness.

"Sì" She says "sì, quiero" an pulls Javiera, her future wife, her family, her saviour, the one that made her come to life again and for the first time, in her arms.

Javiera is laughing now, as holding onto Flavia's delicate body.

With a watery smile they look at each other, shaking fingers encouraging shaking fingers to distend, so they can receive the symbol of a vow as old as love.

"Es maravilloso" Flavia whispers, contemplating on her hand the image of the future that awaits her. "Todo esto es maravilloso, mi amor."

"Que hermosa es la vida y nunca me di cuenta." Flavia says as if talking to herself. "No tengo idea de cómo lo haces, pero sigue haciéndolo, sigue mostrándome lo bueno que hay en el mundo" she asks Javiera instead, caressing her beautiful face, and another too loud thought escape her lips: "mi ángel".

Somehow they slip under the sheets, because beds seem to be made to hold one another, to entangle bodies, to bind hearts. Javiera laid down in this bed months ago, already in need to feel Flavia close. She visited this mattress and these sheets as a guest, when she couldn't dare to hope she would have stayed there for the rest of her nights.

If Flavia thought that a stolen kiss on these lips would have led to this, she would have stolen a thousand more, if Javiera knew that the foxy eyes that bursted in her life asking for help would have saved her, she would have given it all up that very first time. None of them knew back then but they do now, and none of them is willing to fall into oblivion ever again.

The horizon is bright at dawn, it is when you're not turning your back.

What's the difference this time? What's a ring after all?

It's just a promise wrapped around a finger, renewed with every heartbeat.