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A breath leaves me. “I understand,Mamma.”
“You’ll do right by the woman you love,” my mom says fondly, brushing some hair from my forehead. She leaves and I just stare for the longest time. Eventually, I make my way to our room. She’s sleeping so peacefully, and since I can't find it in my heart to wake her up, I slide in beside her instead. She shifts in her sleep, her head coming to rest on my chest. My arms go around her and, for the first time in months, I let out an easy breath.
I wake up to soft blue eyes. Daniella’s staring at me, her eyes roaming my face like she’s trying to imprint it to memory.
“You came back,” she breathes.
“Of course I came back,” I grumble, sitting up and resting against the headboard. “It’s my house.”
Her lips twitch but she doesn’t smile. “Do you want me to start with the apology or the explanation?”
“Explanation. Why the hell did you think it was a good idea to hide your pregnancy?”
“Look me in the eye, Christian, and tell me you wouldn’t have asked me to come back the minute you found out I was pregnant.”
My jaw tightens. I would have gone to Europe and dragged her back myself if I knew she was pregnant. But only because I wanted to take care of her. Only because I would have been scared out of my mind having both her and my child so far from me.
“Exactly,” she says softly. “I needed that retreat, Christian. I needed to stay. And I hate that I kept it from you. You don’t think it tore my heart out every day when I had to do it?”
“And yet, you did it!” I say, pain slashing across my heart. I slide out of the bed and head over to my closet. Daniella stands as well. I grab something and walk over to her. Her expression is carefully guarded.
“Take it,” I say handing her keys. She looks at me for an explanation. “Those are the keys to a building I bought a few months ago. I thought it could be an art gallery. Your art gallery. To show your work and other works you purchase. I never want you to think I don’t support your passion, Daniella. I would never hold you back.”
Her hand tightens around the keys and her eyes fill with tears.
“I know you support me. You’re the biggest support I’ve got.”
“Then why?” I question desperately. “Why couldn’t you have trusted me?”
“I’m sorry I hurt you Christian but I did it for me. I needed time,” she says crying. “Maybe it was stupid and immature and I’m so sorry, but I can’t show up for this baby, or even for you if I can’t show up for myself. I am a better woman because of that trip.”
She has no idea that the sight of her in tears has the power to unman me. My eyes flutter closed and I let out a deep breath.
“You’re lucky I love you,” I say jokingly.
Daniella’s eyes widen as they meet mine.
“What?” she breathes.
“I said I love you. I know you love me too.”
She sniffs. “That’s presumptuous of you.”
A joke, finally.
I walk closer until I’m standing in front of her. I brush away all her tears.
“I don’t know when it happened, but I fell completely and irrevocably in love with you, Daniella Evans. Unfortunately, that means I can’t live without you, which also means being angry with you would be such an epic waste of time. I’m sorry I exploded. I’m trying to understand you and all your shits just like you’ve accepted me and all of mine.”
“So, we’re good?” she asks hopefully.
"I guess I should ask you that?"
She nods. “We’re good.”
“I’m sorry, I hurt you. I promise it won’t happen again,” I say.
“I’m sorry too, Christian.”
