By not reacting at all.
Dante’s eyes narrowed just slightly at my lack of comment and I saw the grin on his mouth thin just a little.
“Dante,” Matty said excitedly and Dante ripped his eyes from me and dropped to his knees and embraced the little boy, mindful of the central line on Matty’s chest. While Matty and the rest of us had gotten used to the two cannulas that protruded from his small body, I couldn’t wait for the damn things to be removed. It would be proof that my grandson was well on his way to a complete recovery and I wouldn’t have to face the fear of losing him on a daily basis. But for now, he still needed regular rounds of medications and the central line was the most effective way to administer them.
“I brought you something,” Dante said and he produced a package wrapped in newspaper. “Merry Christmas, Matty,” he offered as he handed the present over.
Matty’s eyes went wide and he quickly looked up at me. “Can I open it, Pop-pop?”
I nodded and then held the door open wider for Dante when he looked at me questioningly. I may not like the man much, but he’d been kind to Matty in the months he’d been protecting him. My thoughts drifted to the day before when Storm had accidentally knocked Matty down during the wedding ceremony. I hadn’t known what to expect when Dante had helped Matty to his feet and then whispered something to him that’d had the crestfallen boy doing a one-eighty and smiling happily despite the upsetting event.
Dante followed Matty into the living room and sat down next to him on the couch to help him unwrap the present where there was just a little too much tape. Matty’s eyes went wide when he saw the doll. “It’s Magneto!” he cried out excitedly.
“I heard you really wanted him to add to your collection,” Dante said.
Matty nodded. “Thank you!” he said as he threw his arms around Dante before ripping into the plastic to try and work the dollfree. Dante took it from him and began opening it so Matty wouldn’t hurt himself on the tough plastic.
“Why’d you want him?” Dante asked as he worked. “Isn’t Magneto the bad guy?”
“Nah,” Matty said as he tugged at some loose tape on the box. “He’s really a good guy, but sometimes he just does bad things.”
I watched in surprise as Dante paused in what he was doing. It took him several long seconds to focus again and when he shot me a quick glance, I didn’t see any of the usual cocky arrogance I’d come to accept as part of the man’s genetic makeup.
Dante increased his efforts to get the doll loose from its housing and then he was handing it to Matty.
“Thank you,” Matty said happily and he gave Dante another hug.
“You’re welcome,” Dante whispered and I saw him drop his mouth to the top of Matty’s head like he was going to kiss him. A look of pain shimmered in his gaze just before he closed his eyes and just held on to Matty for a moment.
The whole thing lasted no more than ten seconds, but it left me feeling shaky, though I wasn’t sure why. Dante pulled back from Matty and studied him for a moment before his eyes shifted to me. I saw the moment a curtain fell into place and Dante’s solemn expression morphed into the ‘I don’t give a shit about anything’ one that I hated.
“Have a good time at Disney World,” Dante offered to Matty as he stood. Matty merely nodded, too enraptured with his new toy to do much else.
“See you soon, Pop-pop,” Dante said to me in a low drawl before turning and walking out of the house. I cursed myself for allowing the man to have me second guessing myself for even a moment.
Dante Thorne was an asshole, through and through.
And I was stuck with him for the next few weeks or for however long it took to close one last chapter in my life before embarking on a new journey.
“Okay, Matty, bed time,” I said as I sat down next to him andput his pajama top on him. He took my hand in his and led me to his bedroom. I’d already pulled his covers aside so he climbed into bed, the Magneto doll still in his hand.
Once I had him settled under the covers, I reached for the two books he’d selected for me to read to him.
“Pop-pop, can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course you can,” I responded as I put the books on the bed and gave him my full attention. He’d finally started to put on some weight in the month that he’d been out of the hospital and I could see the slightest shadow of hair growth on his head.
“I’m going to marry Leo someday.”
I smiled at that. “You are?” I asked.
Matty nodded.
“Does he want to marry you?”
Another nod and then Matty was sitting up. “We talked about it. He’s my best friend like Daddy is Papa’s best friend. And I’m his.”
“Okay, is that the only reason?”
