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“What the fuck? When were you going to tell me?”
“Right now,” I say firmly, letting him know I won’t tolerate his raised voice. “It’s a bit last minute, but–”
“A bit? Give an old man time to prepare,” he grumbles.
“And what do you have to prepare? Last time I checked, I do the prep work around here.”
“Cambria…”
“Mr. S…”
He sighs heavily, resting his head in his hands. “It’s complicated between my son and me,” he says softly.
I pick up the game and put it away before sitting next to Raul. “I know,” I tell him just as softly. “I’m not sure what happened between you two, but don’t you think it’s time to reconnect?”
“I’m not the only one who hasn’t picked up the phone in twenty-five years,” he grouses.
“True, but you’re the parent. Whether you or your son admit it, you hold a place of power in his life—for better or worse. Don’t you want it to be for the better? Lead by example and all that?”
“You don’t have a kid. You don’t know what it’s like when you’ve fucked up as badly and often as I have.”
“That’s not fair, and you know it. It’s not fair to keep punishing yourself, and it’s certainly not fair to your son to let your pride get in the way of having a relationship.”
I know I’m being harsh, but I want this reunion to go well. Raul is a tough old man who has weathered a lot in his life, but his health has been fragile for quite some time. The numerous strokes this year took longer and longer to recover from, and this last one cost him quite a bit of mobility. It breaks my heart to think about Raul and Dante not seeing each other at least one last time.
That kind of guilt eats away at your soul, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy—even the cold-hearted, aloof Dante.
I have one last card to play, though I feel bad about bringing it up. Still, I’m doing this for the right reason.
“I know it’s hard to talk about, but wouldn’t Diane want you and your son to have a relationship?” Bringing up his deceased wife was a low blow, but I know I have him when he dips his head. “You have to try. I’m not saying it will be easy, but nothing worthwhile is.”
He nods once, then claps his hands on his knees. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice, eh?”
“That’s the spirit,” I joke, standing and helping him with his walker. “Now go get ready for bed. I’ll be in with meds in a few minutes.”
Raul waves me off before shuffling down the hall.
I let out a breath and deflate against the kitchen counter. The first two hurdles are now over. First, convincing Dante to visit, and second, getting Raul to agree. While he didn’t exactly jump for joy, I’ll take his defeated acceptance. It’s a start.
Twenty minutes later, I’m locking up the back door to the main house and heading to my studio apartment-slash-cottage across the yard. The other nurses complained about that as well. They didn’t like the live-in situation that Dante required and didn’t understand why they couldn’t go home at night.
Walking in the front door, I look around at the little home I’ve created. The nurses who managed to work for the Santarossas for a short time told me the cottage was a depressing hole in the wall, and truthfully, it was in pretty bad shape when I moved in. This place looks much more inviting with a good scrub down, some new lights, a few thrift store paintings, and a gorgeous macrame hanging I found in a dumpster. I even hung a beaded curtain to separate the living area from my sleeping area.
I don’t mind the simple living conditions. I’m only here in the evenings and don’t need much. After my mother passed, I spent the life insurance money on the funeral and medical bills. When that ran out, I sold our home and nearly everything in it to cover the rest.
I started over with nothing and no one, but I got into a good nursing school. Unfortunately, I had to take out a ton of student loans to make ends meet, even working full-time on top of classes. That’s a huge reason I took this job. If I stick with it for three years, my debt will be paid off, and I can start looking for a place of my own.
It’s a nice thought.
After kicking off my shoes, I beeline to the bathroom and turn the shower on to its hottest setting. Stripping down, I step under the stream and let the warm water ease my tight muscles.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious about Dante’s visit. He’s the mysterious benefactor who lives in New York City and has never, not once, been back to see his father. The two haven’t spoken in decades, from what little information I could get from the other nurses and Raul himself.
I’m not sure what to expect. Dante is less than thrilled to be pulled away from his busy, successful life, and I get the sense he finds me annoying. It wouldn’t be the first time, but with Dante, it feels different. His opinion of me matters, and I don’t want to think about why.
Turning the water off, I dry myself with a towel and pull on my sleep shorts and a comfy tank top. I comb through my wet hair and braid it on the side before climbing into bed. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm my nerves and get comfortable. It’s going to be a long day of playing peacemaker tomorrow, so I better rest up.
CHAPTERTHREE
