Daniel

Daniel is Sofía’s son, born from an arrangement with her former partner Tom that gave her the child she wanted while leaving him responsible only for occasional visits. In the narrative, Daniel appears through the practical rhythms of family life: a long journey to Cadaqués and a crowded summer house where he sleeps beside his mother.

Identity and Family

Tom had been Sofía’s partner when they were young, and the two remained friends after their relationship ended. As Sofía approached an age when having a child would become increasingly difficult, she went to him and asked him to father one. Tom, who had since married, had two daughters, and separated, agreed that the child could bear his surname and that he would see him from time to time. He made clear that the child would belong to Sofía alone: he was already actively raising his daughters and did not want another child to care for. Sofía accepted the arrangement gratefully, aware of what Tom was giving her.

The Journey to Cadaqués

Daniel travels with Sofía and the narrator’s family on their expedition to Cadaqués. He rides in the back of the car with the other children and the nanny while the narrator drives and Sofía takes the front passenger seat. The journey situates Daniel within a family group organized around shared care and travel, even as the adults occupy different roles and households.

Life in the Summer House

At the summer residence, Daniel shares the bunk room with Sofía. One night, after the others have gone to bed, the narrator slips into their room and climbs into Sofía’s bed, saying she cannot sleep. Daniel stirs in his own bed; Sofía quietly warns the narrator not to wake him. The brief exchange gives Daniel a presence in the scene without making him its speaker: his sleep sets a boundary around the adults’ late-night conversation and the close quarters of their communal summer life.