Serena #3
“She’s a little girlier than I am, and she and my mom clicked a little better. My mom was less critical with her, always reminding me instead of everything she gave up and all the things I ‘owed’ her.” I air-quoted the word, hoping it conveyed how my mom always emphasized it my entire life.
“My biological father is nothing more than a name on a birth certificate. Albert, my stepdad, whom I consider my real dad, came into the picture when I was still a baby and raised me.” It was hard to keep the resentment at bay when I thought about this part of my life.
“I had all the basics needed to survive, never anything more. That went to my little sister when she came along a few years later. The apple of my parents’ eye.
I was never enough for my mom while my sister got a gold star just for showing up.
It took me a while to recognize how toxic that was. ”
“What do you mean, toxic?” he asked.
“It’s small, throwaway comments. Sometimes about my weight, hair, or clothes.
She hates my job and thinks it's a waste of time, yet I make more money than her and Albert combined. Charles cheated on me, and the second I found out, I filed for divorce. Mom thinks I should’ve stayed and dealt with it. ”
“You should never let anyone disrespect you,” Enzo said. “That’s not how families treat each other.”
“I know.” I sighed. “What about you? Are your parents back in Italy?”
“They died in a car accident a little over eighteen years ago,” Enzo said softly.
“Oh.” I had stuck my foot in my mouth. Backtracking out of this conversation because no one wanted to talk about their dead parents, I said, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“It gets easier each year, but there are times when missing them hits me out of nowhere,” he said. There was a wistfulness in his voice as he spoke of his family that made my heart break.
“Are you an only child?” I asked.
“Yeah,” was all he said. Despite our differences, I couldn't imagine not having someone to complain to when Mom got out of hand.
“What about Charles? Everything okay there?” I took his questions as a sign to move on. Talking about dead parents was hard on a good day.
In turn, I huffed a laugh. “Nothing is ever okay with Charles. He showed up at the apartment, even though his weekend was last week and he didn’t bother to exercise his visitation then, to ask where we were and drop his casual threats on me.
” The more I talked, the more riled up I became.
“As if he thinks I don’t know our custody agreement backward, forwards, and sideways.
He doesn’t need to know where Harper and I spend our time.
Technically, there was no emergency I was required to tell him about, thanks to you.
Until I decide where my new permanent address is, he doesn’t need to know.
“I made sure our custody agreement had everything I could think of, down to the day-to-day, outlining the ‘can and can’t’ actions.
Like, he can’t take her out of the state or country without notification.
Or he can’t make healthcare decisions without my consent.
We can’t introduce our partners without first warning the other party.
And,” I put up four fingers, “that relationship has to be continuously monogamous for four months.”
“Why that many months?” Enzo tilted his head, and I couldn’t help but smirk.
“Charles has a new woman every few months. They never last more than three months.” I shrugged.
“And he’s never been monogamous. Those two put together ensure he won’t introduce a new woman to Harper and confuse her.
He might be with Apple, but they still cheat on each other all the time.
They’ve been off and on since high school.
“Apple doesn’t like that Harper exists. She’s a constant reminder that Charles moved on. She’s rarely around when Harper is, so I don’t worry about her, in that aspect at least.”
“Do you have any idea what a fucking idiot Charles is?” he murmured, the words meant only for me. “Someone as brilliant, strong, and stunning as you deserves to be treated with respect and adored for everything you are. Not whatever he was giving you.”
Heat flushed my chest at the raw honesty in his voice, his nearness making it hard to think straight. His eyes glimmered in the dim light, softer somehow but still holding a lethal intensity that always had me both on edge and completely undone.
He tilted his head slightly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You don’t have to deal with idiots like him. Not today. Not ever.”
“Yeah, I know.” It was easy to say but harder to put into action when the idiot in question was my daughter’s father.
“The men will be here in the morning to bring in your stuff. They’re at your mercy, so put them to work. The faster you set up and are comfortable, the faster you can get to work.” He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning on.
He opened the door, and I followed. As I walked past him, a gentle hand on my arm stopped me.
“If you want Charles to leave you alone, let me know. I’ll handle it,” he said.
“Handle it how?” I asked because I didn’t think he meant he’d bring in lawyers and push Charles into a corner the way I knew Charles had done to others.
“How I see fit. If he isn’t listening to you or respecting your wishes, let me know, and I will make sure he understands what you want.”
“I don’t know if I’ll take up your offer, but thank you for making it.” Again, he was sliding into my life, giving me more support than I’d ever received.
Enzo nodded, and we headed back to the house, walking side by side.
In the darkness, I pretended we were holding hands, knowing it would remain a dream, but allowing the vision to filter through my mind anyway.