AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I process this, trying to make sense of it. The world is full of people. Why did I catch his eye?
“Did he take me to punish you?” I ask.
“What? You think I’d—”
“It’s a strange coincidence, don’t you think? That he’d harm our family not once but twice?”
“Do you think I’m lying?” She pulls her hands out of mine.
“I’d forgive you. You know that. And I’d rather he punished me than you a thousand times over.”
“But you think I’m lying.”
I shake my head, guilt creeping in. I don’t believe in coincidence though. Never have.
“You think I had a choice and let him take you?” she asks. Her eyes are saucers and tears spill freely from them.
“No. No, I don’t. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to infer that. Stop crying, Mom. I don’t want to make you cry. This is bad enough.” I take her hands again.
“It’s actually a relief that someone besides me knows.”
“But you’re sure Caius doesn’t?”
“He can’t know, Santos. I don’t want to think what that would do to him. Where did you get the report?”
“Doesn’t matter. I will destroy it.”
My mother’s cell phone, which is sitting beside the bottle of wine, rings. She looks at me before answering. I glance at the screen. It’s Cummings. “Go ahead,” I tell her, getting up and turning my back to give her some privacy.
She sniffles, steeling herself I suppose, and answers. She sounds like herself, not at all like the woman who just broke down before my eyes. She tells him she’s delayed and she’ll be there soon.
“You two dating or something?” I ask once she disconnects the call.
“He’s not a bad man.”
“If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you. Go ahead. Go on your date.” I walk to the door.
“Santos?” she calls, standing.
I turn.
She walks to me, hugs me. “You’re a good son. I’m lucky to have you and Caius both.”
I hug her back. “Thanks, Mom.”
19
MADELENA
Odin, Caius, and I sit at the kitchen counter. Caius is the only one of us who seems to be enjoying himself as he digs into a sandwich even though it’s late afternoon.
“Settling in all right?” he asks.
“I am, thanks. You and your mom?”
He takes a bite of his sandwich. “To be honest, we both prefer it. A little more lively than this place. More people buzzing around.”
“Hmm.”
