“You want to move?”
“Yes. I mean… only if you want to. No pressure.”
“Where?”
Damian shrugged. “Somewhere. A house with a garden? It would be good for the kid… and for us. And we should get married… you know, to be all legal and shit.” His eyes smiled. “So you don’t doubt me anymore.”
“I don’t…”
“But you do. And it’s perfectly fine. Back here, where we both got scorched.” His eyes drifted back to Armando, seeing how tired he was, so he walked close and held his hand out. “Let’s go. We’ll come back. Say bye-bye.” He grabbed his hand and waved to the old woman whose dark eyes had gone to Damian.
“Le debes. Levantalo bien.”
Damian cocked his head to Gabe, who just sighed. “She says you owe ‘her’, and to raise him well.”
Damian looked back at the old woman. “I don’t owe her shit.”
He left, tugging the little boy, not even waiting for Gabe to finish translating, hearing him rush on his heels. Mad, that boiling anger flowing free at her words. He stepped out into the sun, breathing in deep. Looking down at Armando, who had started crying.
He scooped him up and held him tight, softening his voice when he only wanted to howl. “It’s ok… we won’t come back if you don’t want to.”
Armando just whined in his neck, holding him tighter. Damian walked to a park he had spotted from the taxi, letting Armando loose on the playground, his pain forgotten when he rushed to play with other kids.
They sat on a bench in the sun, watching him play.
A small pang in Gabe’s heart, seeing those fall roses all around them, that picture of those black orchids floating in. “You never bought me flowers here.”
Damian knew, his lips twisting into a sour smile. “I gathered you plenty on the island.” Remembering those mornings when Gabe had been asleep, and he had come back, his bag full of flowers he’d found on his hunt, pouring it all over him in the bed. Making love in that heady perfume and soft petals. “But I can buy you flowers if it would make you feel better.”
“No… it’s fine.”
Damian turned to him and cupped his chin, meeting his eyes. “But it’s not fine, right? Don’t lie. The trouble is, if I buy you some flowers now, it will be tainted because you sort of asked for them… so I’m a bit stuck on how to make this up to you.”
Gabe grabbed his hand and kissed it. “You don’t have to make anything up.”
He just pursed his lips, but left his hand in Gabe’s, his eyes drifting to the kids playing, climbing high on a structure made of thick ropes, and he almost got up and joined them, that urge to climb high bubbling up. He clenched his fist. “Let’s go. We still have a good trip back.”
Gabe rose. “When are we coming back?”
“If it depends on me? Never. But I’ll let Armando decide what he wants.”
“He’s five.”
“Precisely.”
He whistled, and Armando climbed down, rushing to them. Holding their hands as they walked to the street.
Chapter 27
“Youhaveeverything?”
Armando looked up at him, nodding. His small backpack on his back, his hands clenched on the straps. Eyes wide, his lips pinched to keep them from trembling. Kindergarten. The word rang foreign. Even if Papá had talked about it, he had no idea what he’d meant. Kids. Toys. A nice lady as the teacher. Watching Papá walk back to their room and come out, holding Walter in his hand. Handing it to him.
“Take Walter. He’ll keep you company during your nap.”
Armando clutched the pig tight, smiling with relief. His eyes on Papá who had crouched down to his level.
“It’s going to be fine. You’ll make lots of friends and won’t want to come home.” Armando’s eyes went wide, so Papá smoothed his palm on his cheek. “Hey… of course you’ll come home… ok? But big boys go to school, that’s how it goes.” He nodded, his eyes following Papá straightening, tilting his head back to look up at him. He was so tall. Strong.My Papá. A bit proud, grabbing that held out hand. Smiling up at his smile.
