Chapter 26
"HOME SWEET HOME!"
I practically exploded out of the car door before the engine even stopped humming. The air here smelled different! It smelled like rain and cut grass and Mommy's fabric softener!
"Come on, Primrose! Let's go see Grandma and Grandpa!" I squealed, grabbing the pink leash.
Primrose was vibrating. Literally vibrating! Her tail was a golden blur, whipping back and forth so fast I was afraid she might take flight like a helicopter. Woof! Woof! She hopped out of the Aston Martin, her paws hitting the cracked pavement of our driveway.
I looked at the house. My yellow house!
It looked so small compared to the Mansion.
Like, you could probably fit this entire house inside Gabriel's closet.
But it was my house. The paint was peeling a little bit near the gutters, and the flower pots were a mix of plastic and clay, and the welcome mat said "Oh No, Not You Again" (Daddy's sense of humor, hehehe).
I dragged the suitcase—my pink one, not Gabriel's boring black duffel—and marched up the porch steps.
Ding-Dong!
I bounced on the balls of my feet.
"Open up! Open up! The storm refugees are here!"
The door creaked open.
"Aleesha?"
"MOMMY!" I threw my arms around her. She smelled like ginger and onions. The best smell in the world!
"Oh, my baby!" Mommy squeezed me tight, rocking me back and forth. "Look at you! You look... expensive!"
"Hehehe! I know right? Married life treats my skin well!" I pulled back and grinned.
Then, Daddy appeared behind her. He was wiping his hands on a rag, wearing his favorite faded plaid shirt.
"Pumpkin?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"DADDY!" I hugged him too, burying my face in his tummy. He smelled like sawdust and peppermint oil.
"We missed you, sweetie," Daddy said, patting my back. "But who is..."
He stopped.
His eyes went wide. He looked past me. He looked up. And up. And up.
I turned around.
Gabriel was standing at the bottom of the porch steps.
He looked... huge.
In the Mansion, he fits in because everything there is giant. But here? Against the yellow siding and the little plastic gnomes in the garden? He looked like a dark, handsome titan who had accidentally wandered into a hobbit village.
He was wearing a black turtleneck (so chic!) and dark slacks. He was holding his duffel bag in one hand like it weighed nothing. His face was blank—his usual "I am plotting world domination or maybe just what to eat for lunch" face.
"Oh," Daddy gulped. He took a step back. "Is that..."
"Yes!" I clapped my hands, pulling Gabriel's arm. "Mommy, Daddy... meet Gabby! I mean, Gabriel! My husband!"
Gabriel stepped up onto the porch. The wood creaked under his expensive shoes. Creaaak.
He towered over my parents. Daddy is average height, but Gabriel made him look like a garden gnome.
"Good evening," Gabriel said. His voice was so deep and rumbly it practically shook the wind chimes.
He extended a hand. "Gabriel Muratori."
Daddy stared at the hand. It was big. It was scarred.Daddy slowly reached out and shook it. "Robert. Robert Garcia. Uh... nice to meet you, son."
"Sir," Gabriel nodded respectfully.
Mommy was just staring. Her mouth was slightly open. She looked at Gabriel's face, then at his broad shoulders, then at his expensive watch, then back at his face.
"My goodness," Mommy whispered to me. "Aleesha... he is... very... symmetric."
"I know!" I whispered back. "Wait until you see his abs. They are like bread rolls! But hard!"
Mommy blushed. "Aleesha!"
"Come in! Come in!" Mommy ushered us inside. "Don't stand in the humidity! The storm is coming, they say!"
We stepped inside.
The living room was exactly the same. The floral sofa with the doilies on the armrests. The TV that was a little too small for the wall. The family photos everywhere—me with missing teeth, me in my ballet tutu, me graduating high school.
It was cozy. It was crowded.
Gabriel stood in the entryway, looking around. His head almost touched the ceiling fan. He looked like a panther trapped in a shoebox.
"Dinner is almost ready!" Mommy announced. "I made your favorite, Leesha! Chicken Curry!"
"YAY!" I cheered. "Curry! Curry! Curry!"
"Aleesha, come help me set the table," Mommy said, winking at me. "Let the men talk."
"Ooh! Okay!"
I looked at Gabriel. He was standing stiffly next to the coat rack.
"Gabby, you talk to Daddy, okay?" I patted his arm. "Don't be scary! Daddy likes fishing and fixing toilets. Talk about that!"
Gabriel looked at me. His eyes screamed, Do not leave me here.
"Go on!" I pushed him gently toward the living room where Daddy was sitting on his recliner.
I skipped to the kitchen with Mommy.
While we grabbed the plates (the special ones with the blue flowers!), I kept peeking into the living room.
Daddy was sitting rigidly. Gabriel was sitting on the loveseat, his posture perfect, looking like he was in a board meeting.
"So," I heard Daddy say. "You... work in... imports?"
"Logistics," Gabriel answered smoothly. "Shipping. Pharmaceuticals. Security."
"Security," Daddy nodded. "That's good. Safe. Pays the bills?"
"It is... sufficient," Gabriel said.
Sufficient! Hah! He could buy the whole neighborhood!
"My Aleesha," Daddy continued, his voice getting a little sterner. "She's... she's a handful. She talks a lot. She breaks things. She has allergies."
"I am aware," Gabriel said.
"She deserves the world," Daddy said, looking Gabriel in the eye. "She's our only girl. Our princess."
"I intend to give her the world, Mr. Garcia," Gabriel replied. His voice was calm, but super serious. "And I intend to protect her."
Swoooooon!
I almost dropped a fork.
"Did you hear that, Mommy?" I whispered, wiggling. "He wants to give me the world! Maybe he means a globe? Or a map? Or maybe actual land!"
"He seems... intense," Mommy whispered back, scooping rice into a big bowl. "But polite. Very polite. And handsome. You did good, sweetie."
I quickly made some onigiri with the extra rice, stuffing them with the tuna mayo I brought from the mansion (because one must always be prepared with snacks!). I shaped them into little triangles and put them on a plate in the middle of the table.
"Dinner time!" I shouted.
Gabriel stood up immediately, looking relieved to escape the interrogation.
We all sat down at the small round dining table. My knees bumped Gabriel's under the table. He didn't move away.
The curry smelled heavenly! Yellow and spicy and creamy!
"Okay!" I reached out my hands. "Prayer time!"
I grabbed Mommy's hand. Then I grabbed Gabriel's hand.
Gabriel froze. He looked at my hand, then at Daddy's hand which was waiting on his other side.
"We hold hands," I explained. "It connects the energy!"
Gabriel hesitated. Then, slowly, he reached out and took Daddy's hand.
Daddy looked surprised by Gabriel's firm grip.
"Bless us, Oh Lord," Daddy started praying.
I peeked at Gabriel with one eye. His eyes were closed. His lashes were so long! Like butterfly wings! He looked so peaceful, even though he was holding hands with my dad in a tiny kitchen. He looked less like a boss and more like... just a husband. My husband.
"Amen," we all said.
"Amen," Gabriel murmured, his voice deep.
"Let's eat!" I declared, scooping a mountain of curry onto Gabriel's plate. "Eat up, Gabby! You need nutrients! You look pale!"
"I am not pale," he muttered, but he picked up his spoon.
He took a bite.
I watched him closely. Mommy watched him. Daddy watched him.
Gabriel chewed. He swallowed.
"It is... excellent," he said, looking at Mommy. "Very flavorful. Thank you, Mrs. Garcia."
Mommy beamed. "Oh, call me Maria! Eat more! There is plenty!"
We ate happily. I stuffed my face with potatoes. Gabriel ate neatly, like royalty. Even eating curry, he didn't get a single drop on his shirt. How does he do that?! It's magic!
"So, Gabriel," Mommy started, leaning forward with that look in her eyes. The Gossip Look. "Aleesha told us about... the arrangement."
Gabriel paused, his spoon hovering halfway to his mouth. "The arrangement?"
"The heir," Mommy whispered dramatically. "The baby."
I choked on my water. Cough! Cough!
Gabriel patted my back firmly. Thump. Thump.
"Mommy!" I wheezed. "We are eating!"
"I am just asking!" Mommy defended. "You said he needs an heir! That is why you got married so fast! So... when is the baby coming? Do I need to knit booties? Pink or blue?"
Daddy stopped eating. He glared at his curry. "Maria, let them breathe."
Gabriel set his spoon down. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. He looked at Mommy, then at Daddy, then at me.
I felt my face turning as red as a tomato.
"Actually," I squeaked. "We haven't... you know... done the thing yet. Hehehe."
The table went silent.
"You haven't?" Mommy looked confused. "But... you live together?"
"Yes!" I nodded. "But we are taking it slow! We are building a foundation! Like a house! You can't put the roof on before the walls, right?"
I looked at Gabriel for help. Save me, Gabby!
Gabriel cleared his throat.
"Aleesha is young," he said. His voice was steady and calm. He looked at my parents with pure respect. "She has her studies. She has her life. I have no intention of rushing her into motherhood before she is ready."
He turned to look at me. His eyes softened just a tiny bit.
"I am willing to wait," he said. "The heir is important. But Aleesha's comfort and readiness are... paramount. I respect her timeline."
Oh. My. Gosh.
My heart did a triple backflip.
GREEN FLAG! GREEN FLAG ALERT!
He is willing to wait! He respects me! He put me before the heir!
"Awww!" Mommy gushed, clasping her hands. "See, Robert? He is a gentleman! A true gentleman!"
Daddy nodded, looking impressed. "That's good to hear, son. Respect is everything. You treat her right."
"Always," Gabriel said.
I kicked my legs happily under the table. He loves me! He totally loves me! He just doesn't know it yet!
After we finished eating (Gabriel ate two servings! Success!), I cleared the table.
"Okay! Presentation time!"
I ran to the living room and grabbed the First Aid Kit. I slammed it onto the coffee table.
"Ta-da!" I opened it.
"Mommy, Daddy, listen up!" I pointed to the contents. "Storm is coming! Saturday! This kit has everything! Band-aids for boo-boos! Ointment for owies! Flashlight for the dark! Chocolate for sadness!"
"And whiskey?" Daddy asked hopefully.
"No whiskey! But I put extra asthma inhalers for me, and back patches for you, Daddy!"
My parents looked at the kit, then at me.
"You are so thoughtful, pumpkin," Daddy said, patting my head. "Thank you. We feel safer already."
"And Gabby is here too!" I pointed at him. "He is the ultimate security! He is waterproof and windproof!"
Gabriel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am not a tarp, Aleesha."
"Hehehe! But you are big and strong!"
I grabbed Gabriel's hand. "Okay! Bedtime! We have a big day of... sitting around and waiting for rain tomorrow! Let's go!"
"Goodnight, Mommy! Goodnight, Daddy!"
"Goodnight, lovebirds!" Mommy called out.
I dragged Gabriel down the narrow hallway to the door at the end. My old room.
I opened the door.
BOOM.
Pink Explosion.
It was exactly how I left it. The walls were bubblegum pink.
The ceiling had glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to it.
The bed had a fluffy pink duvet and about fifty stuffed animals.
The walls were covered in posters—Disney princesses, anime characters, Hello Kitty stickers, and a big poster of a boy band I used to like in high school.
Gabriel stepped inside.
He stopped.
He looked around. He looked at the fairy lights strung across the window. He looked at the giant stuffed bear in the corner.
"This is..." he started.
"Magical?" I suggested.
"Bright," he finished.
"It's my sanctuary!" I flopped onto the bed, sinking into the fluff. Primrose jumped up beside me, curling into a ball.
"Come on, Gabby! It's cozy!" I patted the space beside me.
Gabriel looked at the bed. Small. Much smaller than his King size at the mansion.
He walked over and sat down on the edge. The mattress dipped under his weight.
I scooted closer to him. I was on my knees on the mattress, so I was taller than him while he was sitting.
I looked at his face. He looked tired. The drive, the mall, the interrogation... it must be exhausting being a grump all day.
I reached out and gently brushed a strand of dark hair away from his forehead.
He flinched slightly, but he didn't pull away. He looked up at me. His obsidian eyes were unreadable, but they weren't cold.
"You did good today," I whispered, smiling at him. "Daddy likes you. Mommy thinks you're symmetric. And I... well, I think you're pretty cool."
Gabriel stared at me. He leaned into my touch, just a millimeter.
"You are loud," he murmured. "And your parents ask too many questions."
"That's because they care!" I giggled. "Now, change into your jammies! Or... comfy clothes! Whatever you brought!"
I pointed to his bag.
"I need to brush my teeth," I said, hopping off the bed. "I'll use the bathroom in the hall. You can change here! Don't worry, I won't peek! ...Much."
Gabriel stood up. "Go."
"Okay, okay!"
I grabbed my toothbrush and skipped out.
I brushed my teeth quickly, humming a song. I washed my face.
When I came back, the door was slightly ajar.
I pushed it open.
"Gabby, are you—"
I stopped.
Gabriel was standing in the corner of the room, near my bookshelf. His back was to me.
He had taken off his black turtleneck.
Oh. My. Gosh.
His back.
It was... a masterpiece.
Broad shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist. Muscles that shifted and rippled like water under smooth, pale skin. There were scars—thin white lines. One long scar ran diagonally across his shoulder blade.
I felt my cheeks heat up. He is so... wow.
He was reaching for his pajama top (a simple gray t-shirt) from his bag.
As he moved, the muscles in his lower back flexed.
And that's when I saw it.
Right there. On his lower back, just above the waistband of his slacks.
It was a tattoo.
I squinted. The fairy lights cast a soft glow on his skin.
It was script. Elegant, cursive letters inked in black.
I stepped closer, my footsteps silent on the pink carpet.
I read the word.
N-a-t-a-l-i-a.
My heart did a weird thing. It didn't flutter. It... squeezed. Like a cold hand had grabbed it.
Natalia?
Who is Natalia?
Is it his mom? His sister?
But people don't usually tattoo their sister's name on their lower back, do they?
Is it... an ex-girlfriend?
A dead ex-girlfriend?
My bubbly happiness suddenly felt a little heavy. The pink room felt a little less bright.
Gabriel pulled the gray shirt over his head, covering the name. He turned around.
He saw me standing there.
"Done?" he asked.
"Uh-huh," I whispered.
I looked at his face. Then I looked at his chest (covered now). Then I thought about the name on his back.
Natalia.
The name echoed in my head.
I forced a smile, but it felt a little wobbly.
"You have... nice muscles," I said, my voice small.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Go to sleep, Aleesha."
He climbed into the small pink bed.
I climbed in next to him. I pulled the Hello Kitty duvet up to my chin.
Usually, I would cuddle him. I would throw my leg over him. I would talk until he fell asleep.
But tonight... I just lay there. Staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.
Natalia.
Who is she? And why is her name on my husband's skin?
I turned my head slightly to look at his back as he lay on his side, facing away from me.