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She giggles, and I swear I could listen to that sound for hours. "We're such opposites."
I tickle her gently. "That's what makes it so great. We have so much to explore with each other and tons of stuff to argue about. It'll take up a lot of time."
She giggles again, and I feel my chest swell with love for this woman.
But after a moment, her expression grows pensive, and I know she's retreating into her own thoughts. I can't let her dwell on whatever's bothering her, not when we're finally getting some peace.
"Hey," I say, nudging her. "What's going on?"
She hesitates before answering. "I'm still thinking about what you said – that you don't believe in God."
"Ah." Of course that didn't sit quite right with her. "Don't think too much about it."
"I can't help it," she says, frowning. "It makes me sad that you don't have anything to believe in."
"Hey, I've got plenty to believe in," I assure her. "I just don't have faith in some omnipotent being."
"Like what?" she asks, genuinely curious.
"Us," I say without hesitation. "You and me, together. That's something I can believe in."
Her eyes soften, and I know I've said the right thing. "Okay, but what about some higher power?" she asks.
"Alright," I say, deciding to engage her in the debate. "Why do you believe in God so strongly?"
"Because I've seen and felt His presence in my life," Raven replies, her tone gentle but firm. "In my darkest moments, when I thought I had nothing left, I could feel something greater than myself guiding me."
I snort. "Sounds like a convenient way to avoid taking responsibility for your own actions."
"Teddy," she chides, shaking her head. "It's not about avoiding responsibility. It's about recognizing that there is something more powerful and loving than we could ever comprehend."
"Or maybe it's just a coping mechanism," I counter, my words laced with bitterness. "Something to cling to when life gets too hard."
Raven sighs, clearly frustrated. But instead of snapping at me, she reaches out and takes my hand. "Even if you don't believe in God, Teddy, I know He still loves you. He sees the good in you, even when you're unsure of it yourself."
"Is that right?" I laugh, trying to brush off the sincerity in her voice. "Well then, does God also believe in breakfast? Because we should go get some."
"Sure," she says, her smile returning. "Let's go."
We get up and make our way down the hall to the kitchen, hand in hand. As we enter the room, Enzo and Carmine are there, their faces somber. They both look up at Raven as we walk in, their eyes filled with suspicion.
"Hey, what's going on?" I ask, trying to keep my anger in check because I distinctly remember throwing them both out of my house not too long ago.
"Teddy, we need to talk," Enzo says, his voice heavy with concern. Carmine just nods in agreement.
"About what?" I press, my grip on Raven's hand tightening instinctively.
"Later," Carmine replies, his gaze still fixed on Raven. "For now, let's just have breakfast."
I exchange a worried glance with Raven before reluctantly taking a seat at the table. The tension in the air is thick as we all begin eating in silence. My thoughts race, wondering what could possibly have them so on edge.
"Look, if you guys have something to say, just say it," I finally blurt out, unable to stand the suspense any longer. Enzo and Carmine exchange glances, then Enzo clears his throat.
"Teddy, we'll discuss this later, okay? Just... enjoy your breakfast for now," he says, his voice strained.
"Fuck no," I finally say. "I'm in charge and I've had enough of the silent treatment," I demand, slamming my fork down on the table. "What the hell is going on?"
Carmine steps forward, his somber face revealing the gravity of the situation. "Teddy, our munitions warehouse was raided earlier this morning and burned to the ground. There's nothing left."
