Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Noelle
"Leo, baby, no more crying."
I held my son, pacing gently around the shop, my palm stroking his tiny back. He'd just woken up and was fussing restlessly.
"Oh, my sweet boy... Mommy's here..."
The little one gradually quieted, his soft cheek pressed against my shoulder. He'd just learned to crawl and always babbled happily, reaching out his little hands for me to hold him.
The doorbell chimed softly as a customer pushed inside.
"Welcome." I greeted them while continuing to pat Leo gently.
"Tara, how much for this ceramic pot?" It was Mrs. Yoki, a regular.
"Twenty dollars."
"I'll take it. This child is absolutely adorable!" She moved closer to examine Leo. "He looks more like you every day."
"Thank you."
After the customer left, I placed Leo in the baby cradle in the shop. He played happily with his stuffed toys, giggling from time to time.
Watching him, my heart grew extraordinarily tender.
Two years now. I'd settled in Niaube under a false identity, built a wooden house facing the ocean, and opened this little shop called "Faraway Handicrafts."
All of this thanks to Lorenzo—if he hadn't known friends among the Maka people, I never would have been accepted here.
I painted the landscapes from my travels—Iceland's aurora, Norway's fjords, New Zealand's glowworm caves—onto ceramics and wove them into tapestries, creating various handicrafts.
Business wasn't booming, but it was enough to support Leo and me.
My successful escape was thanks to a code system Zoe and I had established during her obsession with murder mystery games. During the days when Kholod had relaxed his guard, I gradually transmitted distress signals through paintings and paint colors.
She contacted the Women's Aid Organization through a friend, and this place was provided by sisters in the organization.
The paintings I sent out were indeed handled by a professional framing shop.
Zoe had thought everything through carefully, even venturing deep into the mountains beforehand to paint landscapes—according to her, even hunting dogs couldn't find tracks there.
Now I lived here under the false identity "Tara," with no one knowing my past. I could finally be myself again.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The knocking came, and before I could respond, Lorenzo pushed the door open.
"Tara, I bought..." He saw Leo in the cradle and immediately lowered his voice. "Is he sleeping?"
"No, he's playing. What did you buy?"
"Roofing materials." He set down his bag. "It leaked again last night during the rain. While the weather's good today, I'll help you fix it."
"You're always going to so much trouble..."
"Don't say that." He cut me off, walking to the cradle. "Hey, little guy!"
Seeing him, Leo immediately babbled excitedly, his hands and feet dancing with joy.
"Come here, let me hold you." Lorenzo carefully lifted the child. "Tara, I'll take him to my place to play while you work."
"Okay, thank you."
Watching Lorenzo carry Leo toward the back door, complex emotions surged in my chest.
After that incident, Lorenzo had moved here too. His public identity had long since left Philadelphia, and now he lived in a wooden house not far away.
This past year, he'd constantly helped me—fixing the roof, unclogging pipes, moving heavy things, watching Leo...
He was like a reliable older brother, always appearing when I needed him. The obsession and fanaticism had faded from his eyes, leaving only quiet tenderness.
That evening, I went to pick up Leo.
"Thank you for watching him today."
"You're welcome." He handed the sleeping Leo to me. "Tara, I want to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"About that incident at the café." His expression grew serious. "I've always wanted to tell you the truth."
"The truth?"
"Yes." He nodded. "That day I got a call from Isabella saying you wanted to see me. She said you were waiting for me at Rittenhouse Palm Pavilion, that you had something important to tell me, and specifically asked me to bring flowers."
My heart sank.
"She... really said that?"
"Yes." Lorenzo's face darkened. "I was so happy at the time, I didn't think twice. Just bought flowers and rushed over."
"But the call I received," my voice began to tremble, "was her inviting me for tea, saying she had a surprise for me..."
Lorenzo's fists clenched tight, veins bulging.
"So..." he gritted his teeth, "she deceived both of us. Made me think you were asking to meet, and made you think I arranged the meeting..."
"Then had Kholod show up at just the right moment." I finished his thought, a chill running down my spine. "Making him think we were..."
"Having a secret affair," Lorenzo growled. "It was all Isabella's trap!"
We stared at each other in silence, feeling only bone-deep cold.
"She was lying to us from the very beginning," I murmured. "From the very beginning..."
"Tara, I'm sorry." Lorenzo was full of guilt. "If I could have stayed calm then, confirmed with you first..."
"It's not your fault."
"Why would she do this?" Lorenzo was bewildered. "Weren't you childhood friends who grew up together?"
"I don't understand either. Maybe jealousy? Maybe ambition? I don't know."
We fell silent for a long time.
"Forget it, let's not talk about that." Lorenzo finally broke the silence. "That's all in the past. Tara, you're safe now. I'll protect you both."
"Thank you, Lorenzo."
"Stop thanking me all the time." He smiled slightly. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yes, friends."
He turned to leave, then looked back at the door.
"Tara, get some good rest. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Days flowed by quietly. Every morning, I carried Leo to the shop to tend to business.
At noon, Lorenzo would bring lunch, and in the evening, he'd help me close the shop before we went shopping together.
Sometimes we'd share dinner, and afterward he'd play with Leo until night fell deep before saying goodbye.
This simple, warm routine almost made me forget that completely different life I'd once lived.
That day, Lorenzo finally finished fixing the roof. He climbed down the ladder, sweat beading on his forehead. "This should last a long time."
"You worked so hard." I handed him a towel. "Stay for dinner?"
"I'm actually hungry." He wiped his sweat, readily agreeing.
I prepared dinner in the kitchen while sounds of him playing with Leo came from the living room.
"Leo, come on, give me the blocks."
"Ya ya..." Leo clutched the blocks and wouldn't let go.
"Little rascal." Lorenzo laughed. "How about I trade you? This ball for your blocks?"
"Ya!" Seeing the ball, Leo immediately released the blocks and grabbed for the ball.
"What a little smarty."
Hearing their happy interaction, my chopping motions unconsciously became lighter.
At dinner, the three of us sat around the table. I fed Leo pumpkin puree while Lorenzo tasted the pasta I'd made.
"It's really good." He praised sincerely. "Your cooking keeps getting better."
"Just home cooking."
"Home cooking is the warmest." He smiled. "More comforting than fancy restaurants."
I laughed.
During our chat, I mentioned plans to set up a stall at Sequim Market next week, and he immediately offered to help watch Leo and carry merchandise.
"That's too much trouble for you..."
"Not at all." He looked at me seriously. "Tara, I'm happy to help."
Looking at him, warmth surged in my chest.
"Thank you, Lorenzo."
After dinner, Lorenzo insisted on washing dishes.
"You go spend time with Leo." He said. "I'll clean up."
"That doesn't seem right..."
"Go on, go on." He pushed me out of the kitchen. "You're tired already."
I had to go to the living room to play with Leo.
The little guy was full of energy, wanting this one moment and that the next. He reached out his little hands, grabbing at my hair.
"Ow, gentle, gentle." I laughed, moving his little hands away. "Leo, you can't pull Mommy's hair."
"Ya ya..." He giggled and reached for it again.
"You little troublemaker."
Lorenzo finished the dishes and came out, seeing us with a tender smile on his face.
"Is he bullying you again?"
"Yes," I said with mock helplessness. "This little guy has quite the grip."
"Then I'll help you." Lorenzo came over and picked up Leo. "Come on, Leo, gentlemen protect their mommies."
"Ya..." Leo squirmed in his arms.
"Good boy, let's play with this." Lorenzo picked up a stuffed animal. "Look, it's a little bear."
Leo was immediately attracted, reaching for the stuffed bear.
I sat on the couch, watching them.
Lorenzo holding Leo looked so natural, so gentle. As if Leo really was his son.
Kholod Morozov was the past. And Lorenzo—maybe he could be my future.
"Tara, it's getting late. I should go." Lorenzo handed Leo back to me. "Get some rest."
"Okay." I held Leo and walked him to the door. "Lorenzo, you get some rest too."
The next day at noon, I closed the shop and went to the backyard to see Lorenzo playing with Leo.
Lorenzo was sitting on the grass holding Leo, telling him a story.
"Once upon a time there was a little rabbit who lived in the forest..."
Leo listened intently, his little eyes fixed on him without blinking.
"What happened next?" I walked over and sat beside them.
"Then the little rabbit met a big bad wolf." Lorenzo continued. "But the little rabbit was very clever. It hid in a tree hole where the big bad wolf couldn't catch it..."
"Ee ya!" Leo clapped his little hands, seeming very happy.
Watching this scene, I suddenly felt moved. If I hadn't married Kholod back then, Lorenzo and I might really have formed a family. He would patiently play with Leo, tell him stories, be gentle and considerate with me—he'd definitely make a good father.
"Tara?" Lorenzo's voice interrupted my thoughts. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." I shook my head. "Just thinking how good you are to Leo."
"He's a lovely child." Lorenzo smiled. "Besides, I like children."
"Tara," he suddenly grew serious, "have you thought about it?"
"About what?"
"What I told you last time." He looked at me. "About us."
I stayed silent as he continued gently. "I know I shouldn't rush you, but I want you to know—I truly want to marry you, want to give Leo a complete family."
"Lorenzo..."
"You don't have to answer me now." He gazed at me. "I can wait, until the day you're ready."
His eyes were so sincere, completely different from Kholod's burning possessive gaze—full of respect and acceptance.
"Lorenzo," I took a deep breath, "you know my past. You know about Leo's parentage... you really don't mind?"
"What I mind is the suffering you endured." He said firmly. "Tara, none of that matters. What matters is that I love you and am willing to accept everything about you."
His words made my eyes well up.
"But I..."
"You don't love me, I know." He interrupted. "But love can grow. As long as you're willing to give me a chance, I'll spend my whole life making you fall in love with me."
I looked at him, at this man with scars on his face but gentle eyes.
"Give me a little more time."
"We have all the time in the world." He smiled. "Take it slow, no rush."
Leo crawled onto my lap then, his little hands grabbing at my clothes.
"Ya... ah..."
"What is it, baby?"
He pointed at the swing in the distance.
"Want to play on that?" Lorenzo asked.
"Ya!" Leo waved his little hands excitedly.
Lorenzo picked him up. "Tara, you rest. I'll take him to play."
"Okay."
I watched Lorenzo carry Leo toward the swing, their silhouettes stretching long in the sunlight.
Lorenzo carefully placed Leo in the baby swing, fastened the safety belt, then gently pushed.
Leo giggled, his little hands waving. The scene was so heartwarming it made me want to cry.
I looked down at the aurora bracelet on my wrist. Sunlight hit it, making the silver chain gleam softly. I raised my hand, wanting to take it off. But when my fingers touched the clasp, I couldn't undo it.
"Forget it." I lowered my hand. "I'll try again another day."