Page 10 of Marcelo

She steps closer, eyes searching mine. "Is this how it's always going to be? Every time we face something, will you be off answering a call? I need to know before I get too invested."

Her words sting, not because they're unjust but because they're true. "Winnie, I want to be here for you, for us. But right now, there are people out there in the water. They need my help."

She exhales sharply, the weight of both her own challenges and our shared tension evident. "I understand duty, Marcelo. But we need to figure this out. Because I can't always come second."

Every interaction with Winnie deepens the complexity of my emotions. There's undeniable warmth, a connection that feels destined, but it's also tinged with anxiety. I'm fearful of letting her down, of not being enough in the many roles I've taken on. In such a short time, she's become the anchor to my wandering soul, but I'm torn between the man I am and the man I want to be for her.

"I promise we'll talk. I don't want to leave things like this."

She nods, her eyes glistening. "Go. Do what you need to do. We'll talk later."

With one last lingering look, I turn and head out, the pull of my duty as strong as the pull of my heart.

Chapter 7

Winnie

Biting back a curse, I accidentally knock over a stack of clean bowls as I set up for the animals’ breakfast. The shelter’s hum of activity does little to distract me from the previous night's events. Marcelo. The thought of him brings a tangle of emotions, from the highs of unexpected chemistry to the bitterness of feeling sidelined.

The familiar chime of the shelter's door sounds, and my best friend Charlie bursts in, clutching two coffees.

"Morning, firecracker," she jests, sensing my mood from a mile away. "Figured you'd need some caffeine to fan those flames."

Accepting the coffee, I raise an eyebrow. "It’s not the storm that’s got me riled up. It's Marcelo de Leon."

Charlie's eyes widen in surprise. "The EmergenSEA guy? I thought you barely knew him?"

“That was true until yesterday," I sigh. "We spent the evening here, and things... happened. But then came a phone call and his sudden disappearance. The worst part? He never came back, Charlie. No word, nothing."

She takes a moment to process. "Okay, so a rollercoaster of a night. But knowing you, this there’s more to it. What’s really eating at you?"

Gesturing around the shelter, I let out a breath. "I get it. His work is life-saving. But I felt overshadowed, like an afterthought. How can someone be so present one moment and then just... disappear?"

Charlie sips her coffee thoughtfully. “Dating an EmergenSEA guy has its challenges. Lennox can be all over the place. But he’s also completely dedicated when he's with me. Still, I see where you're coming from. Being sidelined doesn’t sit well with you.”

“It’s not just that,” I continue. “I think people have always seen me as flighty, not 'serious' enough. I don’t want to be the fun distraction before the real work starts.”

Charlie’s eyes are full of understanding. "Maybe you need to lay it out for him. Give Marcelo a chance to understand where you're coming from."

“I don’t know,” I say, shaking my head. “It just feels…”

We’re interrupted by the voice of Mr. Jensen, the shelter’s most seasoned volunteer. “Winnie, I need some advice,” he says with a mild note of urgency.

I look up, a bit surprised. “Of course, Mr. Jensen. What’s going on?”

He nods to a younger dog named Scout, who's been pacing restlessly, growling every time another dog gets close. “Scout here is having a tough time. He’s grown protective of his space after he was bullied in his previous shelter. He won't let anyone in, even if they mean no harm. It's like he's built walls all around him."

Charlie watches intently, her fingers tapping her coffee cup. "Poor thing," she murmurs.

I study Scout, watching his defensive posture. “He's scared,” I conclude.

Mr. Jensen nods. “Exactly. He’s reacting based on his past, not giving the present a real chance. It’s going to take someone patient and understanding to get through to him, to show him that not every approach is a threat.”

The parallel isn't lost on me. With his structured, by-the-book attitude, Marcelo might have seemed like a threat to my freer, more spontaneous nature. Was I pushing him away, like Scout was with the other dogs, without giving him a real chance?

Charlie seems to catch onto my line of thought, giving me a pointed look. I just exhale, absorbing the lesson in front of me.

“I’ll work with Scout,” I say after a moment, reaching out to pet the wary dog. “Thanks, Mr. Jensen. Sometimes, we all need a little reminder to look beyond our own fears.”