Time and place.
This wasn’t the time nor the place, but there would be a time and place that I’d have a sit down with my father. He had crossed over a line.
A man without boundaries was no man at all.
He was the one who’d instilled that in me.
I knew he challenged me at times to see the animalistic side of himself come out in me. His flesh had created my bones. His blood pumped through my heart. Since he put my buttons where they were, he knew how to fucking push them. And he knew he couldn’t get much of a rise out of me unless it had to do with my family.
Luca sat down, taking Maggie Beautiful’s hand in his, kissing it.
Maggie Beautiful.
Another point of contention.
He took issue with me calling her by the name she insisted that I call her after he’d been sentenced to hard prison time. He had gotten in my face until she intervened, explaining to him that I called her that because she’d made me.
After he’d been sentenced, and she cracked, she legally changed her name. I’d called her mamma until then.
She hated him. She loved him. She couldn’t figure out who the hell she was without him. The crack he’d caused in her life had never been mended.
Time would only tell who she’d become next to him. So far, this was the most put together I’d ever seen her. Even with Aberto, the fissure had been apparent.
The group started to stand after Luca had, a few people stretching after the meal. Scarlett was busy piling all Mia’s layers on again. Instead of smelling of roses and lavender, the thick smell of maple syrup wafted off of my daughter. Her tongue kept darting out to see if any was left on her lips.
“Scarlett.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s still me next to you, baby.”
Those words stopped her. She handed Mia her lion to keep her entertained.
Finally, she shook her head, coming back to herself. “My husband left that day, but he hasn’t come back. He’s still in those woods.”
“That’s not me. You’re thinking of the lion.”
What the hell was the obsession? She was the lesser one on the food chain. A fucking snack.
She was about to haul Mia up from the seat, but I stopped her.
“I don’t want you picking up anything heavy.” I swooped the little parrot up, giving her fat kisses on her cheeks. “It’s not safe for you or the new baby.”
Grabbing her bag from the table, Scarlett muttered something underneath her breath, but I wasn’t sure if I’d heard her correctly.
“I am thinking of the lion,”it sounded like she’d said in Italian.
I let it go; there was no sense to be found in her response.
21
Scarlett
There was a lot to do in Zermatt that didn’t involve shredding ice or wearing skis on the feet.
I wasn’t skiing, so a few from our group took the cable car to enjoy the stellar panoramic views.
The snow was so pure that it was blinding.
