by Eden Fortae
“I suppose not, since another man exposed the last of your secrets to Kya for you.”
Antonio bared his teeth with this smile. Eden could feel the heat rolling off of him. If she were a man, she had no doubt he would have put his hands on her. His balled fists were indicative of that. The permanent line his brows formed created a shadow over his eyes.
“That wasn’t my biggest mistake. Losing her was. It may be too late for us, but I still love her enough to care about what’s best for her. What about you, Eden? Are you thinking about what’s best for them? Are all your cards on the table? Are there secrets that could hurt Kya or Donny?-because you should know that after everything they’ve been through—particularly Donny—their attachment to you won’t stop me from stepping in.”
Eden mirrored his smile, looking him square in the eye. “I’m flattered you’d step in for little ole me, but before you put your cape on, understand that I know all about what Donovan’s been through and how amazing he is for overcoming it. So spare me whatever lecture or speech you thought you were about to hand down.”
“He told everything?” Even darker brows shadowed his dark eyes, pulled together in anger while his demeanor remained scarily calm. “So then you know that my cousin should be the living, breathing definition of a fuck up, right? That the shit he endured should have him strung out with no limit to what he’d do for his next fix or on some dirty street corner begging for money to get another bottle of pain-away?”
“Yes, I know.” Eden stood her ground, matching his tone. “And it’s because of you.”
“Wrong. It’s because of him. My family treated him as if he had been born to us, but he still could have clung to the fact that the two people that created him gave him up. He could have held onto the fucked up shit he went through and ended up just like those junkies. Worse, he could have taken his life, robbing my family of the piece we didn’t know we needed. But he didn’t. He cherished us. He decided to stay and fight, not run and hide.”
The last words stung. They were talking about Donny, but that was a direct swipe at her.
“Don’t you dare come at me about running and hiding. You don’t know shit about me or what the fuck I carry on my shoulders, ok? All you know is that Kya and I were friends and that I left one day and came back. That your cousin and I had a fling before I left and came back.”
“Exactly. That’s all I need to know. You run.”
“Everyone doesn’t have you, Antonio. All of us don’t get rescued from the shit that plagues us or find so much happiness that the dark cannot exist. I had Kya, but she had her own shit going on. Her mother was sick all the time. We didn’t know why. Her father was gone. I loved her way too much to put my shit on her or even force her to listen to me whine. So, I did what felt right. As much as it kills me to say it, I felt she was better off without my baggage. You can look down your nose at me all you want. I’m used to that, and there is nothing you can say that hasn’t already cut me deeply but don’t you ever try to make me feel worse than I already feel for doing what I thought was best.”
Antonio nodded, looking her over before returning his steely gaze to her eyes. “I don’t know what the hell you have going on, but you need to understand that in this family, we deal with our problems together. The woman I love calls you her sister. My sister can’t stop talking about you, and my cousin has feelings for you. That’s more than enough reason for my family to embrace you, but I’m not so sure you’re truly accepting of that. So I need you to hear me good and hear me now. If you’re not brave enough to face whatever storm is hanging over your head and trust that we’ll shelter you, then don’t come back the next time you decide to leave.”
Harsh words meant to set her straight had its desired effect. Rather than looking at the fact that he was calling her a part of the family in his own abrasive way, she saw the underlying meaning. He was expecting her to leave again. He was confident that she would and drew a line in the sand. All the worries that’d held her back resurfaced. While they’d, indeed, traveled the rocky road with her, there were still hills to climb. Still, something she wasn’t ready to face.
“Now that we’ve got that out the way, I’d like to commend you for respecting Kya despite the state of your non-existing relationship. It says a lot about you and how much you love her. You may not have the same feelings for me, but I’m rooting for you.” His brows rose with surprise. “I’m also not afraid of you and wouldn’t hesitate to kick your pretty teeth in if she lets you come back, and you ever cheat on her.”
Antonio smiled through his eyes only. This time, it was without malice. “Noted. The same goes for you. If my cousin’s good, so am I.”
“He was more than good earlier,” she mumbled under her breath, only realizing he heard her when he chuckled.
“That’s some shit I’d say.”
“Perhaps we have more in common than what’s on the surface.”
“Maybe,” he retorted, going back to whatever was on his phone. The room’s tension seemed to dissolve into a comfortable silence, and by the time he left, it was gone completely.
TWENTY-TWO
Donny was a no show. Eden stayed up as long as she could, called, and sent a text to which he didn't respond. In the morning, there was still nothing. Worried that something might have happened to him, she tried his phone again only to receive unusually short answers. The follow-up text offering her ear and shoulder was met with more silence.
It was then that Eden tried to put it out of her mind and focus on the other aspects of her life, like rebranding herself and reclaiming her life. One day of not speaking to him shouldn't have been a big deal, but she couldn't keep the negative thoughts at bay as the days went on. Adding insult to injury, Eve seemed desperate to initiate conversation, and Kenneth had somehow gotten her number. Peace of mind was as simple as not reading the emails from her sister and blocking her brother-in-law. However, the numbers kept changing. Eventually, she stopped answering calls from unknown numbers and blocked the ones that didn't leave a message.
Not having him through the trials was the ultimate test. Without his encouragement and reassurance, the only options were to sink or swim. After years of not knowing how to deal and allowing the wrong things to shape her life, Eden was done sinking. Determination to push forward became her motivation to succeed.
Filling the time vacated by Donny was sketching, researching, and sewing. She dreaded that last part but welcomed the reactions afterward. Karrina convinced her to open an Instagram account, at least. Kya seized the opportunity tagging Eden in everything from old pictures to screenshots of their video calls. This generated a following that was both overwhelming and exciting. Suddenly, there was a new reason to touch her phone without fear of who was on the other end—the only drawback being the photo set as wallpaper.
Donny took it on his birthday. The rain had destroyed her hair, soaked into her dress and Donny's shirt. He looked down at her with a smile as she'd been caught rolling her eyes. He said it was one of the times she'd been most beautiful and immediately set it as his wallpaper. The more she stared at the picture, the more she liked it. For once, she saw in herself what Donny saw. Imperfections that were perfectly fine.
The morning after her final text to establish a conversation, Eden removed the photo. It felt wrong to look at it and with an involuntary smile. He'd ghosted her. For over two weeks, now, he'd only responded to her texts to ask how she was. Once he knew she was ok, communication stopped, leaving only one conclusion. The picture was a false image and had to come down.
To say she didn't miss him would have been a lie. Memories of his voice spoken close to her ear tormented her at night. Thoughts of his tenderness squeezed her heart. But why? Why was she so caught up when he wasn't? What caused men to want her one minute then lose all feeling at the drop of a dime? That kind of thinking was dangerous for her mental health. Each time she let her mind wander to that place, the voice she worked hard to silence laughed at her gullibleness. F
or thinking, she could genuinely mean something to someone like him. And as fate would have it, the only way to cut the voice off was through voicing her concerns while punching a stiff bag.
The gym a couple of blocks from her apartment had become a second home. It was where Karrina found her the day her interview went live. As animated as always, she came in with her phone in-hand. She was jumping up and down as she pointed to the screen.
"I'm so proud of you, wifey!" Her giddiness became contagious. "This is the sexiest thing I've ever seen! Did you know she was featuring your lingerie on the cover?"
"No, but I love this!" Eden took the phone from her and looked up with a grin. The models she selected for that shoot were all women with supposed flaws. Stretch marks and prosthetic limbs weren't considered beautiful and, to some, couldn't be sexy. To Eden, it made them perfect for her brand. Sex appeal wasn't determined by how a woman looked, but how she felt. All three women of different races and body types, all the epitome of sexy to Eden. Not because of what they were wearing, but because they were brave enough to love the skin they were in.
"Me, too! And look," Karrina swiped through multiple screens. The next image she showed was on page six. The photo of Eden nearly took up the entire screen. Unlike her models, she was fully dressed. In big, bold letters beside it were the words, Making Her Own Way. Karrina pulled the phone back, swiping one more time.
"I read the entire interview between stops here and squealed. I also ordered a paper copy. I'm so freakin proud of you! The way you answered the question about your family was perfect and what you said about us," she held her hand over her heart like she was about to cry. "If you feel that about us, I can't wait for you to meet the rest of the family. I've already told my parents about you. My Aunt and Uncle heard from Donny, and they're dying to meet you."
Eden's smile fell. The bad feelings were instantly taking hold. The only way to remedy that was to go back to punching the bag. Karrina took notice and positioned herself to see her without getting hit.
"You still haven't talked?"
"Nope. It's all good, though?"
"You just kicked the shit out of that bag. You sure about that?"
"Yup. He's busy. I am, too."
Karrina nodded, shoving her phone into her purse. "I don't know if it'll make you feel any better, but I think whatever the issue is has to do with the guys. Chris and Tony have been a little off, too. I haven't seen Jay, but I'm sure he's extra douchey. I'm sure it's just some stupid guy thing. In no time, he'll be knocking at your door and drooling all over you."
"I hope not," she jabbed, striking the bag rapidly a total of four times. "This distance between us was a blessing in disguise. I get it now."
Karrina frowned, tilting her head slightly. "What do you mean?"
Eden swung at the bag several times before she answered. Her own words hurt her heart, and that type of reaction was a bad sign. "I let myself get too comfortable. I let myself feel more than I should. I'm back now."
"Eden," Karrina stepped closer to stop her. Successful, Karrina hugged the punching bag to hold her attention. "Even if you close the door on Donny, don't shut it completely. Before now, I never felt like it was my place to say certain things to you, but I think we're friends, right?"
"Yeah. You're my boo." She replied.
Karrina smiled softly, "And you're mine. That's why I want to see you happy. When you first got here, you came off as really sad. At first, I thought it was because you and Kya missed a lot of time, but things didn't change. You smiled and entertained my foolishness. I still saw sadness, though. You started hanging with Donny, and finally, your smiles felt real. You're happy now, and I don't want you to lose that."
"Rina," she sighed, feeling a lump form in her throat. In her little world, she thought her mask was as solid as the walls she built around herself. Donny proved her wrong by knocking them down, and his cousin was trying to keep it that way. "I should have known you knew. You and I are going to need to sit down over drinks so I can tell you why."
"Whenever you're ready, babe, but now that you know you can't fool me, there should be no more pretending. Got it?"
Eden cracked a smile, "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. So when we have dinner with my family, which is conveniently scheduled for your birthday, I'll know if you're pretending to want to be there."
"When we, what?"
"Oh, would you look at the time? I've got to breastfeed my kid."
"You stopped doing that last month." She tried not to smile as Karrina's eyes widened.
"I mean, I gotta go make my bed. I'll pick you up at five Monday." She dashed out the door leaving Eden where she stood, her fists balled and on her hips.
Everyone screamed, "Happy Birthday" when she walked in. Being her first actual birthday party, a teary response was unavoidable. Decorative balloons ranging from silver, gold, pink, and white were pulled together in bunches at every corner of the yard. Several white canopies hosted tables with white candles inside of pretty crystals. Everyone dressed for the warm July night, wearing white to match the theme.
Karrina led Eden by hand to each of her family members with a unique introduction. Christian and Jermaine approached her first with their parents and smirks. They wished her a happy birthday and Karrina said something to them in rapid Spanish that didn't sound nice. Both laughed.
Her mother, Elia, looked like she could be her sister. She was as warm and kind as Kya said she'd be. Her father, Javier, a preview of Antonio in twenty years. He greeted her with the simplest nod, somehow charming yet terrifying. When he spoke, it sent chills down her spine. Kya warned of that, too, but there was no real way to prepare for the accent.
Her sister, Julie, was a sweetie. She was the perfect mixture of her parents, smiling like Karrina with a commanding presence like their brother. While she used sign language with everyone else, she made it a point to speak to Eden.
Donny's parents were exactly how Eden imagined them. His father was a tall man, with handsomely dark facial features and medium length gray curls. Outside of that, he looked identical to Javier with the same killer accent. His wife, Hae, could've been a model. Her bone structure was as striking as her long black hair touching her waist. The contrast of such dark hair against olive skin was the first thing she noticed. The second was the way she grinned.
"It's nice to meet you," the couple said in unison with knowing smiles.
"Our son has told us so much about you," Hae beamed.
And yet, he wasn't there and hadn't bothered to send a text wishing her a happy birthday. "Good things, I hope."
Fredo laughed, "Excellent things."
His wife elbowed him and threw a look over her shoulder. "Way to make him look like a gossip girl."
"Did I do that, or did I imply that he's smitten?
"He made him sound like he runs to mommy and daddy about his love life, did he not, Eden?"
"Oh, I see what this is? You think you got back up, now. Where's my son? Two can play this game."
"Your son? Here you go with that shit again. You can claim him as all yours right now, but later I'll be stingy with what's all mine." Hae fired as Karrina cracked up.
"Get him, Tía Hae!" She egged her own. "You're going to love it here, Eden. Once they start drinking, it's more entertaining. It's like I Love Lucy meets Gladiator. Come, I told them they couldn't eat until you do, and I want to make sure you get to your gifts before we lose sunlight."
"Gifts? Rina, this party was more than enough."
"Pfft! This is how we do things around here. We don't half-ass a damn thing."
"I've heard those words before," she mumbled under her breath.
"Then, you should know how this is going to go."
At the tail end of that, Eden saw Karrina's eyes flicker to something over her shoulder before her eyes were covered. Instinctively, she pried them away and turned.
"Chace!"
"Happy Birthday, babe!"
She couldn't stop jumping up and do
wn long enough to enjoy his hug.
"Oh my God, I missed you!"
"I missed you, too. Sorry I didn't return your calls. Traveling with a rock band is like babysitting a bunch of teenagers. It's constant partying, and they wouldn't let me decline. When I got the text about this party, I didn't trust myself not to let it slip that I was returning for you."
Eden turned to Karrina with a huge smile that said more than words could ever.
"I'd love to take all the credit for this, but it wasn't me who stole his number from your phone or sent the invite." She bit her lip as if to withhold a smirk and tipped her head at the house.
Donny was in the doorway with Antonio, holding Karrina's baby in his arms. His eyes were already on her, studying her face initially, then traveled south. Her body reacted to that look; her mind held steady.
Eden turned back to Chace and Karrina, her smile gone. "How long are you in town? We have so much to catch up on."
He seemed unsure of what was happening but answered anyway. "I'll be flying back to Georgia tomorrow." Eden began to whine, but he held up his hand. "But, when I move here, you won't be able to get rid of me."
"Really?!" She rushed him with a hug, so excited that she hugged Karrina, too. Somehow the three of them ended up embracing each other until a tap on Eden's back separated them.
She looked back and saw no one until the little voice prompted her to look down.
"How could I forget to introduce you to my brother's clone?"
Eden bent down enough to level her eyes with the little boy. No wonder he'd stolen Kya's heart. He was already giving Eden a dimpled smile.
"Your name is Eden?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And today is your birthday?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to wish for when you blow out the candles?"
"I'm not sure. What would you wish for, Anthony?"
"Heyyyy! How do you know my name?!"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Kya told me all about you."
"You know Kya?!"
