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Leo snarled and practically leapt forward, landing on Fernando with a roar as he put him in a headlock. Ramón and Jose struggled to both break them up and drag them into the house. To my surprise, Jose was unexpectedly strong for being in his sixties, and he was the one who managed to rip Leo off Fernando as I lost sight of them.
I went to follow him, but Judith put her hand on my shoulder and easily held me in place. “No, this isn’t for your eyes.”
The sound of fighting soon filled the night and I trembled, imagining Leo being beat up.
Unable to stand it, I tried to get up again. “Let me go! He might get hurt! I have to help him!”
The sounds of brawling grew distant, like the combatants were moving deeper into the house, and Judith looked at me with an arched brow. “What do you think you can do to help him? Unless you have some martial arts training I’m unaware of?”
“I could have knocked someone in the head with a vase or something.”
“You mean you could have knocked my husband or sons out?”
Flushing, I looked away, pretending to study the flowers in the middle of the table. “If necessary.”
I might have been more convincing in my tough act if my voice hadn’t cracked.
“Well, I’m sure we’re both glad that won’t be necessary tonight.”
I took another gulp of wine, draining the glass. “Why are they fighting? And why was Fernando saying all those mean things? What’s wrong with him?”
When Judith sat, it was without any grace; she looked weary and beaten as she toyed with the edge of the table. “A little over a year ago, Fernando lost his wife and son in a terrible accident.”
I sucked in a breath, my hand going to my mouth. “Oh—oh no. That’s horrible.”
“It is. He’s had a very hard time dealing with the loss, and I’m afraid he’s turned to alcohol to try to drown his pain. Earlier today he was sober, and I thought he was having a good day, but evidently I was mistaken. Please don’t take to heart anything he says. He’s just…not himself these days.”
My heart hurt for her and I reached out, placing my hand on hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. What he’s dealing with, what you’re all dealing with, isn’t easy. I was too young when I lost my sister to even consider using alcohol as a Band-aid, but I don’t judge Fernando. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” She gave me an odd look. “Leo didn’t tell you about it?”
“No. He probably didn’t feel like it was his place to share your business.”
“Yes,” she said in a tight voice. “He’s very good about not sharing our secrets. Goodness knows there are those who would use anything they could against us, including Fernando’s grief. He’s having enough issues dealing with the situation alone; I can’t imagine what it would do to him to have the gossip columns hounding him about being an alcoholic. We’ve managed to keep it out of the papers so far, and they’ve kept their distance out of respect for his mourning, but his fans won’t stay away for long.”
“His fans?”
The side of her mouth, the lipstick now wearing off unevenly, quirked up. “Yes, my Fernando was—no, is a very successful race car driver, among other things.”
“Wow.”
“He always loved going fast, even when he was a boy and riding his bicycle downhill at full speed. Jason, my…my grandson, was the same way. They went skiing together in Aspen every year, scaring me half to death as Fernando zoomed down the smaller hills with Jason, but oh how he loved spending time with his father.”
I swallowed back tears, the hollow feeling in my chest growing as my mind began to build an image of what Jason must have looked like, been like. There was nothing I could really say to make things better so I just kept quiet, being there for her while she fought to compose herself. My mind went to Leo and I hoped that he was okay, and that he hadn’t hurt Fernando too much. Or vice versa, though I don’t think Fernando could outbox a fly in his current state of inebriation.
“We’re not normally like this, you know.” Judith sighed and gestured to the table and our surroundings before subtly wiping at the few tears that had managed to escape. “Please don’t let our drama scare you off.”
Laughing, I smoothed my dress. “Don’t worry; my mother could give all of you a run for your money when it comes to drama. I’m used to it.”
“That surprises me.”
“Why?”
“With as calm as you are, as peaceful, I would have thought your mother would be the same.”
I shrugged. “I’m not usually this relaxed, I normally have a lot more anxiety, but Leo…he…he makes me a better person. I know I’m not supposed to say that, because the only people that can make us better are ourselves, but honestly, since I’ve met him, I’ve been in a better place emotionally than I’ve ever been before. He makes me feel solid, feel like I have someone at my back, someone who cares about me. I can’t tell you what a positive difference he’s made in my life.”
