“Luca Dante is your father.”
Enzo slowly turns his head toward Luca.
Luca gives him a smile as he squats down to Enzo’s level. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
Enzo leans in closer to me. “Why were you gone?”
That pain Luca seems to wear a lot now returns. “I didn’t want to go. If I’d known about you, I wouldn’t have.”
Those words send a new pain through me. I wasn’t worth staying for. Only Enzo would have been.
“You didn’t know about me?”
“I didn’t.”
Enzo turns to me.
I hate that I might come out looking like the bad guy. “He had to go before I knew you were coming, and I didn’t know how to reach him.”
“He doesn’t have a phone?” Enzo stares at me with disbelief.
“It’s my fault she couldn’t reach me,” Luca says. “I’m sorry for that, Enzo. Honestly. I hate that I missed so much of your life. But I’m here now.” The tenderness in Luca's voice nearly breaks me.
This is what I feared most.
Not his indifference, but his devotion.
Because how can I keep my walls up when he looks at our son with such raw love?
“Do you like to play?”
Luca smiles. “I sure do.”
“Do you like cars?”
“I love cars.”
"I have lots of cars," Enzo announces proudly, pulling away from me. "Wait here!" He races to his room.
Alone with Luca, I feel exposed, vulnerable.
"He's incredible, Katerina," Luca says softly. "You've done an amazing job with him."
"He makes it easy," I manage to say. At least most of the time. He has his father’s quick temper and impulsivity.
"He has your spirit." Luca stands, moving closer to me. "Your fire."
"And your eyes,” I say. “And sometimes, your stubbornness.”
Luca smiles and something passes between us.
Not forgiveness, but an understanding.
A shared pride in what we created together.
"I know you don't trust me.” Luca’s gaze is piercing. "But I’m not abandoning either of you.”
I want to believe him. God help me, I want it so badly I can taste it. The possibility of finally having the family we’d planned all those years ago…
