by Hart, Rye
“Your eyes are beautiful,” he said.
“Blue!” Ana exclaimed.
“Yes, you have blue eyes,” he said. “Wonderful, sky-blue eyes.”
“Just like her father,” I said.
He looked up at me and I could see a world of possibility swimming behind them. I started to wonder if the family he’d been going on about was something that could really happen. I figured he was just talking about a fantasy he once had—longing for a family that maybe he’d already lost.
But as I stood in my rundown kitchen and watched him talk lovingly with our daughter, I wondered if it could be possible.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN – CAMILLO
I drove behind Rose all the way up to her house, but the farther we got from the diner, the more uneasy I became. We were getting into a part of town that was known for its run-down homes and I started to sit on the edge of my seat. Where in the world was my family living? As I pulled up behind Rose and parked my truck, I saw her scramble into the house.
She was embarrassed about where she lived and what she could provide, that much was certain. I sat in my truck and took deep breaths, taking in the run-down, two-story home. I could tell it once stood proudly, maintained well, even though the paint was peeling. It had strong bones, just like my beautiful little songbird but, inside, it was probably in poor condition. Tired. Neglected.
Just like Rose.
I took my time getting out of my truck. I wanted her to know she had all the time in the world to present her life to me. I took a deep breath, allowing the cold to seep down my lungs. Then I shut my truck door loudly. I wanted to alert her to the fact that I was coming and I wanted her to understand that I didn’t care where she lived.
If this was what she could provide, then she was doing a wonderful job. If she sacrificed herself and her dreams to put a roof over her family’s head, then that meant family was just as important to her as it was to me. I slowly approached the door, hearing a scramble behind it before Rose’s soft voice wafted through the wood.
The moment I stepped into the house and saw the little girl in her arms, my hard heart roared back to life.
The small girl’s big blue eyes were glowing while they stared at me. I stepped into the house and shut the door behind me, no longer caring about what the house might look like. I could see the worry in Rose’s eyes, even as she cooed softly into the ear of our daughter. The strength of a mother, even in times of worry, astounded me, and I was being shown just a fraction of the strength my beautiful princess had within her.
I talked with the girl and reached out for her. She grabbed my finger, and I melted right there into the palm of her tiny little hand. I saw Rose’s eyes dancing around my face when she mentioned she had her father’s eyes and I held her gaze with a steely intensity that came naturally to me. She was willing to at least mention the idea of a father in front of her, which told me her stance had changed.
The doubt and worry she had been experiencing slowly dissipated as I drank in her eyes.
But then, she did something I didn’t expect. Ana held out her hands and launched herself at me. Rose’s eyes widened and she moved to catch the flying little girl, but I cradled her against my chest before Rose could get a handle on her.
I planted kiss after kiss on top of her head as I took in her scent. She smelled like freshness. Like innocence. Like a purity even her mother didn’t quite exude. The weight of her in my arms felt like feathers floating against my body.
And all the while, this small little treasure was nestling into my warmth.
I could tell Rose was shocked, but she made no move to take the girl from me. Ana looked up at me with her bright blue eyes and her wide smile and she started babbling sentences that made little sense to me. I could catch some words here and there, but her toddler’s tongue twisted around others. It was like she was trying to hold a conversation, pausing and waiting for me to answer.
So, I answered her as best I could.
She continued talking and I continued nodding and, when Ana busted out in a fit of giggles, I couldn’t help but laugh with her. Her eyes sparkled with a life still unlived. With hopes and dreams still forming themselves in her mind’s eye. I was entranced by the whole of her. My eyes peeled over to Rose’s and, in an instant, I wanted to know everything.
How much did she weigh when she was born? When was her birthday? Was she sick as an infant? Did she sleep well for her mother?
I wanted to know all the little details I had missed out on.
“Anastasia,” she said. “But we call her ‘Ana,’ for short.”
Anastasia. In Greek, the word roughly meant “resurrection.” And honestly, I couldn’t think of a more fitting name. This child was an opportunity for the resurrection of what hung between Rose and myself. She was the binding force between us, something that I thought had been lost the moment I left her with that note in my bed. I hung onto Ana tightly while she continued to smile up at me and, in an instant, my eyes were back down onto my child.
My beautiful, perfect child.
This was a moment of resurrection for Rose and me. A resurrection of our passion and our past. A resurrection of our connection and our blossoming curiosity about one another. It was a resurrection of a life we never thought possible with one another, a life we thought was lost when I left that room and she left the city.
How fitting that the perfect combination of the two of us would embody that ideal.
This was a chance for us to be reborn. As I looked into the eyes of my daughter, I felt myself being filled with something I never thought was possible in life.
I felt myself being filled with the idea of a second chance.
This idea thrilled me. The prospect of raising this daughter and watching her grow alongside the beauty and perfection that was her mother was thrilling. For the first time in my life, I felt I was trekking into new territory. I felt as if I was living out ideals and notions I thought were only possible in my dreams. But I knew the obstacles would be great. I knew my past was still out there, chasing me down while I ran from it. I knew my present would provide an even greater challenge, for living off the grid wasn’t for everyone.
Would the mistakes and the enemies I’d made allow me to have a future with my family? Would the moves I’d made over the past few years be enough to keep them safe?
How in the world would I convince her that a future was possible? How in the world would I ever convince Rose that I wanted a future with them? That I could provide it for them?
Suddenly, I heard a commotion come down the stairs and I saw Rose’s face grow panicked. I handed Ana back to her and stood poised, stepping in front of them as the door flew open. I didn’t know what had her so nervous and I didn’t know what flooded that fear into her eyes, but I was determined to put a barrier between it and her. The door flew open and I recognized the two people standing there: the boy from the park and the young woman who had been beside Rose on the bench. They stood there, looking at me with their mouths parted in shock and it was then I felt Rose step out from behind me.
“I need to take Ana to the potty,” she said. “Kevin, could you look after our guest for me?”
I watched the boy’s eyes widen as Rose pushed between the two people standing in the doorway.
“You’re Ana’s father,” he said.
“I am,” I said, nodding. “I was just coming to meet Ana.”
“It’s you,” the young woman said breathlessly.
I could tell by the way she was looking at me that she wasn’t just talking about the statement Kevin had just made.
“It’s me,” I said.
“Cassie,” she said as she held out her hand. “This is Kevin. Ana’s brother and my cousin.”
I could tell the boy was distrustful. His eyes had the same hesitancy Junior’s always had when meeting new people. I remembered the ramble Rose went on that evening about her home and her life and how something had happened to her in college.
She’d
dropped out of culinary school because of something.
I looked into Kevin’s eyes and noticed a familiarity in them. The light bags underneath his eyes and the hazy stare, the way he positioned himself slightly in front of Cassie, even though she was much older and more mature. His protective instincts were kicking in, even if he didn’t realize it, and the last piece of Rose’s life fell into place.
She’d lost her family.
That’s what had caused her to drop out of school.
Cassie was looking at me with wild eyes. I heard Ana giggling in the background and Rose cooing at her, telling her to stand still so she could get her clothes back on. I wanted to help her, to show her that I could be the father and man she needed me to be. She’d played this role for way too long by herself. She’d sacrificed more than most people had in a lifetime.
I wanted to change all of that for her as quickly as I could.
But in order to do that, I had to win over the trust of the family standing in front of me. Her brother and her cousin, two people who were actively guarding her with their lives. Even though Rose had lost her parents, she was still surrounded by people who loved her. People who cared for her, just like she deserved.
They were important to her. That much, I could tell. If I wanted to become important to her, they had to become important to me. As Rose pushed back through them and came to stand beside me, I made another vow to myself. A vow I would keep for all eternity, no matter the consequences to myself.
I would protect and keep all of them safe. I would give my life to make sure they were taken care of and wanted for nothing. And, in return, all I would ask for was a life with my daughter.
A life with the woman I’d created her with.
A life with this beautiful family who loved Rose and Ana the way I intended to from this point forward.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN – ROSE
I pushed past Kevin and Cassie as I made my way back into the kitchen. I knew this was going to come as a shock to everyone, having Camillo here, but the more he was around, the more I realized how much I’d missed him. I’d clung to that night for months after the encounter that changed my life. No man that approached me at the diner ever compared to the beauty and strength he showed me that night and the very memory of his body against mine got me through the worst of times. There were nights where I would lay in bed, clinging to that note he’d left me, hoping I could conjure his presence. And now, here he was, plucking our daughter from my arms while I shooed him into the other room, telling Camillo to go spend time with his daughter so I could try to salvage dinner.
Kevin stood in the doorway and gawked at the two of them playing, while Cassie stood next to me at the fridge.
“He’s here,” she said.
“All we can really do is a salad,” I said.
She ignored my comment. “I mean, he’s actually here. With Ana. In his arms.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that.”
I bent down and started grabbing vegetables. I threw them on the counter so I could get to chopping, throwing everything into a massive bowl. I opened up the freezer and pulled out a microwavable package of grilled chicken, inwardly groaning at the fact that I’d be feeding this rich man microwavable chicken.
He had tasted the delicacies of the world and now he’d have to choke down my pathetic salad.
“Aren’t you scared he’ll take her away or something?” Cassie asked.
“Nope,” I said. “He just wanted to meet his daughter. I had to give him that.”
“Oh, you just had to. Right. Gotcha. You want me to throw this in the microwave?”
“No, I want you to set it in there, set the timer for five minutes, and let it cook.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” she said sarcastically.
“If you hadn’t burned soup, I wouldn’t feel the need to tell you how to microwave chicken,” I said, grinning.
I saw Cassie taking glimpses of Camillo, with Ana in his arms, while Kevin slowly made his way toward them. Kevin didn’t trust anyone. He didn’t make friends easily at school and he kept to himself. I tried to get him to open up and even invite kids from school over, but he never did.
So, the fact that he was approaching Camillo was a massive deal.
“Holy shit, Rose. Kevin just sat down beside him.”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
I tossed the rest of the lettuce into the bowl before I poked my head around the corner. Kevin was staring warily at Camillo, who was now bouncing Ana on his chest. He leaned back into the couch and Ana was jumping up and down on him like he was some sort of trampoline or couch cushion.
And all the while, Kevin was slowly scooting closer to him.
“How the hell did he find you?” Cassie asked.
“If I told you, I’m not sure you’d believe me,” I said. “Let’s just say he lives around here now.”
“So he moved here for you,” she said. “Why the hell else would someone want to live in the Poconos?”
“For the skiing?”
“Look at him. Does that beard and those muscles look like someone who skis regularly?”
Camillo was watching Kevin out of the corner of his eye but he made no move toward my brother. I had considered the fact that this man wanted Ana. I had considered the fact that he might take her and I’d never find her again. But the moment I saw his eyes light up with love for her, that same innate trust I’d felt for him years ago came rushing back. Despite the rumors of his ties to the mob and despite the warning his note had left for me, I knew he would never hurt me.
I knew he would never hurt his daughter.
I threw the rest of the cut-up vegetables into the bowl just as the microwave went off. I dumped the chicken on top of the salad and covered it in mandarin oranges while Cassie set our small table to hold five. I pulled out juices and sodas we could all drink and put them in the middle of the table, then I dished up salad for everyone’s plate while Cassie grabbed the salad dressings. We danced around one another, stealing peaks of Camillo in the living room while we did so.
“Whenever you guys are ready, dinner’s on!” I called out.
“Five more minutes?” Kevin called out.
“The chicken’s gonna be cold by then,” I said as I walked into the living room. “What’s taking you—”
I saw that Kevin had the television on, with Minecraft going on the screen. He was showing Camillo all the things he had created and was in the middle of trying to blow something up. Ana was curled into the crook of her father’s neck, her little eyes fluttering open and closed while she breathed against his chest. Kevin was talking Camillo through the game and he seemed to be listening intently, his eyes dancing across the screen while he watched Kevin pull out all the stops for his own entertainment.
The scene brought tears of shock to my eyes as I watched my brother interact fluidly with this stranger.
“Five more minutes,” I said. “Then, it’s dinner time.”
“Okay,” Kevin said.
“I’ll start the countdown,” Camillo said.
My eyes connected with his as a tear dripped down my face. His eyes grew stern, studying me as I turned back and headed for the kitchen. I was overwhelmed by the sensations I was experiencing. Overwhelmed by all the emotions that were flooding my chest.
My hands were trembling as I counted the minutes down on the microwave clock. I heard Kevin laughing while Camillo kept asking questions and, soon, Ana’s small little snores could be heard all the way into the kitchen. Just before I was about to call out the fact that five minutes was up, I heard Camillo talking quietly with Kevin.
Then, the three of them came into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
Ana was passed out on his shoulder as he sat down in a seat. I fought between waking her up to eat and letting her sleep peacefully and I realized Camillo wouldn’t be able to eat like that. I walked over to him and tried to take Ana from him, but he simply shook his head.
“I can eat with one arm. It’s
okay.”
I was enamored with the attention he was paying Kevin. I was overwhelmed by the way he cradled our daughter while he dressed his salad. I was impressed with the way he didn’t flinch at the fact that he was eating microwaved grilled chicken and, all the while, my hands were shaking in my lap.
I was enjoying this too much and it scared me.
“Why were you gone so long?” Kevin asked.
“Kevin,” I said, scolding him.
“No, it’s all right,” Camillo said. “My work took me away for quite some time. Things got very busy, and I didn’t want to bring that stress into your sister’s life.”
“But you’re here now,” Kevin said. “Are you staying?”
“That’s enough,” Cassie said.
“I promise, his questions are fine,” Camillo said.
“So, are you?” Kevin asked.
I sighed and allowed my gaze to fall to my lap. I knew the dinner was going to be awkward, but I didn’t realize Kevin was going to take so well to Camillo.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“Well, I do live in the area and I’d like to be a part of Ana’s life now. But that mean’s I’ll also be a part of yours somewhat. Are you okay with that?”
“Maybe you should pose that question to Rose first,” Cassie said.
I snapped my gaze up at her before my eyes drifted toward Camillo. I shot him a silent apology as Cassie rolled her shoulders back. She braced for a fight every single time a guy came into our lives. Though I loved that she was protective of me, it sometimes annoyed me to no end.
“How about we talk about that later?” Camillo asked.
“Okay,” Kevin said, defeated. “What questions are okay to ask?”
“You could ask me about where I grew up,” Camillo said. “Or what I like to do for fun.”
“What do you like to do for fun?” Kevin asked.
“Sleep,” Camillo said, grinning.
I couldn’t help but giggle at his answer while Kevin’s eyes lit up.
“Hey, me too!” Kevin said. “What else?”
