Page 83 of Mafia And Maid
He doesn’t move, and I slowly push the plate toward him. “I won’t eat them all,” I tell him. I would, but he doesn’t need to know that. I’ll just grab a bar on my way to the casino tonight. “It’s okay.”
He tentatively picks up a cookie, adding it to his plate. That uncomfortable feeling in my chest burns, and I rub at it, clearing my throat. I take a cookie myself, giving what I hope is a comforting smile before popping it into my mouth.
He nibbles on his, testing it out. I hate how tentative he is with his food. How unsure he is.
Silence fills the space. This is normal. I’ve come to accept it. Ethan continues to munch on his food, and I watch him as I polish off another cookie.
“Can we…” He stops, looking down.
“Can we?” I prompt, my voice as soothing as I can make it.
“Can we walk around?”
“The house?”
He nods.
“Sure. You didn’t when you first got here?”
Another shake of his head.
“Well then, you’ve missed the best part.” I slowly stand from where I’ve rested on the floor for the last hour. “We’ve got the best playroom for miles.”
My knees and joints are stiff from sitting so long, but it was well worth it. My hand extends down to his small figure, and I wait for him to decide if we’re going to hold hands or not.
He frowns. “What’s that?”
“What?”
He points to the back of my hand.
“It’s a tattoo. It’s like a drawing on my skin.”
Luckily, the hand that faces him doesn’t display the more macabre of the artwork that crawls up my wrists and arms.
He stares at my hand for a minute before his tiny fingers latch onto mine. My heart stops in my chest, and I’m not breathing.
Something warm and sweet slides through my body. Some emotion I can’t put into words but want to as Ethan squeezes my hand tightly. Damn if it doesn’t feel so right.
I catch Rosa’s soft smile and a shine in her eyes as she passes the room and sees us together.
Soon, I can tell that Ethan is getting tired. I suggest that we watch a movie, something calm and quiet so that he can relax, and he agrees.
I pick Ethan up and gently put him on the couch, tucking him up with a blanket as he curls up against the cushions.
Mr. F lumbers up and settles down next to Ethan, while I sit on the other side, keeping a little distance to give Ethan his space.
As the movie plays, after ten minutes, I notice that Ethan’s eyes are drooping, and before long, he’s fallen asleep, his head resting on Mr. F.
His little body is completely relaxed, one hand still tangled in Mr. F’s fur. And the dog stays perfectly still, as if he knows that his job right now is to keep Ethan safe and warm. He’s even taken to spending every night sleeping outside Rosa and Ethan’s bedrooms with me as if he’s reluctant to let Ethan out of his sight, and a part of me realizes how much the animal wants to take care of the little boy and make him feel comfortable here.
Maybe I was a little harsh before when Mr. F ate my lemon and coriander chicken—plus when he finished all the bacon before Rosa could cook me any. I know I’m a grumpy fucker at times, but there are also plenty of times when I buy toys for Mr. F and take him for walks, and maybe I need to up that a bit to show him my appreciation. Because I do appreciate Mr. F—he’s a part of this family now, and it wouldn’t be the same without him here.
At night, the animal even wants to snuggle up with me when we’re both sleeping outside Rosa and Ethan’s bedrooms. Maybe I’m going soft because I find myself looking forward to having his soft fur next to me.
And as I sit there and watch them both, I can’t help but smile. Ethan’s trust is still fragile, but this is another step in the right direction.
CHAPTER 20