Page 81 of Love Unwritten
Tía y Tío: Aunt and Uncle
Ellie leans forward and gives my shoulder a squeeze I didn’t realize I needed. I turn to look at her, noting the sympathy pouring out of her in thick waves.
She briefly mentioned her bad dad in passing while trying to make me feel better, but I don’t think I truly processed what she meant until now. We share a matching look full of festering pain that never seems to fully go away, no matter how much time passes.
With every whispered confession, Ellie collects another one of my heartstrings in the palm of her hand, keeping me permanently tied to her.
I’m already struggling with attraction, so if she were to break through my emotional defenses, I’d be a lost cause.
I break eye contact first and meet my son’s watery gaze. “I don’t like to talk about it, mostly because I’m okay now, but that’s the reason I like saving hurt animals. Because I was hurt too, so I know what it’s like.”
My son surprises me as he hops off his chair, crawls onto my lap, and wraps his small arms around my neck. His embrace warms the cold part of my heart that has always dreaded the idea of having a conversation like this with him, in part because I didn’t want him to see me as weak or broken.
I want him to view me as a strong, capable parent who will always be there for him, even in the worst of times.
“I’m sorry you got hurt, Papi.” Nico hugs me.
I return his hug with one of my own. “It’s not your fault.”
“I know, but I’m still sorry. And sad.”
I look over at Ellie to find her staring at us with misty eyes.
“You’re a real-life superhero,” she says.
I’ve never considered myself to be a hero in anyone’s story, least of all Nico’s, but Ellie’s statement makes me wish I were.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Ellie
I volunteer to put Nico to bed. When I step outside of his bedroom after two bedtime stories, I find Rafael sitting in front of the piano. He hesitantly hits one of the keys before pulling his hand back, acting like he was caught doing something he shouldn’t.
Damn. It’s kind of cute to see him so out of his element.
“If you’re worried about waking Nico up, don’t be. He sleeps like the dead,” I say, startling him.
He smiles to himself. “I know.”
“Are you interested in learning how to play?” I ask without thinking much of it.
He stares at the keys. “I’m not sure yet.”
I walk toward the piano bench and motion for him to scoot over. Our sides brush as I take a seat beside him, and his thigh remains permanently pressed against mine as I run my hands across the keys. “The piano was the first instrument I learned to play.”
He turns slightly to get a better look at me. “It was?”
“Yup. My mom taught me herself.”
“I thought your stepdad taught you.”
“Not at first. He did later, once my mom and I moved to Lake Wisteria.”
Rafael’s head tilts with interest. “You weren’t born there?”
“No. I’m from Lake Windermere. Once my mom filed for divorce, she wanted a change of scenery, but she couldn’t go far because of custody reasons, so Lake Wisteria was the obvious choice.”
“Hm. Close, but not too close.”