Page 32 of Return To You

Tears fall as I get to my dad's Mercedes, my wrist tingling where his name is inked. Instantly, I hate myself for feeling this way, and hate it even more that he’s seen me in his black button-down shirt, something I can’t seem to make myself throw out.

I quickly climb in before he can see my emotions and what he does to me, placing the cake on the passenger seat before starting the car up, quickly reversing from my spot, and driving away, not once looking in the rearview mirror.

Twenty minutes later I sigh as I walk into my father’s home. It hasn’t changed much since I left; there are a few toys in front of the couch that he bought for Diego, which is the only difference.

“Sweetheart, how was Clark’s? Were there any problems? You took a while,” Dad asks as he walks out of the kitchen without my son.

I furrow my brows and look around, saying, “I went to see Cal first. Where’s Diego?”

Dad smiles. “He’s in his highchair, munching on cucumber sticks. The boy loves them.”

I snort, passing him the box, which he takes willingly. I reply, “Yeah, Mrs. Cannon is obsessed with them, and she was determined to get him to like them. Clark put the instructions on the cake. You need to place it straight in the freezer.”

He nods and smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. Sadness fills them, but I won’t feel guilty. He gave me an ultimatum, and I chose my son.

He sighs. “So did Clark give you grief about leaving town?”

I half smile and walk toward the kitchen with him. "They did, but they weren’t the problem. I bumped into Noah on the way out." Dad stops and looks at me with shock, and I admit, “I didn’t speak to him; I just walked past. Dad, I uh, I don’t know why he’s in town, but while he is, me and Deigo shouldn’t be.”

Dad instantly shakes his head and denies, “No, you promised me this, Rose. I’ll make sure he stays away from you, I swear. He’s doing his last tour date on the fifteenth, but he won’t bother you or Deigo; I’ll personally see to it.”

The fifteenth…. His birthday….

I swallow hard and follow my dad into the kitchen. I instantly smile when I see Deigo munching on his cucumber, but I scowl with anger when the backdoor opens.

“Dad, what was so important that you had us rush over here,” my big brother asks, but he stands still when he hears Diego giggle, and looks his way.

The urge to grab my son and run hits hard.

“Dad is that…?” Alejandro starts but is cut off as Vanessa smashes into him.

“Al, what on earth…?” She cuts herself off when her eyes go to Deigo, and she gasps, “Oh my, he’s the spitting of Noah….”

And that snaps me back to reality.

I shove past my father, and lift Diego from his chair. He squeals, seeing me, squeezing his fists, and I smile, placing him on my hip. His left hand instantly grabs the necklace Noah bought years ago, while his right keeps hold of his cucumber stick, shoving it back into his mouth.

“Rose, please,” my dad starts.

I shake my head. “No. You hadno rightto invite them here, knowing my stance on the situation.”

I look toward my brother when I see movement out of the corner of my eye, and glare at Vanessa when she whispers, “Rose, please, I-I?—”

I cut her off, “One word out of you where my son is concerned, and I’ll break your nose.” Her eyes widen, and Al steps forward but stops when I sneer at him, “What, going to let your wife hit me again, only this time instead of being pregnant, I’ll be holding my son?”

“Rose, please, sweetheart, I just wanted my kids in the same room together again; they made a mistake,” my dad whispers, trying to ease my anger, but I shake my head.

“That wasn’t your call to make. You kicked me out, remember? You gave me an ultimatum, get an abortion or be cut off, and I chose my son.” He swallows hard. I rasp, “I don’t want anything to do with them, Dad, and I certainly don’t want them anywhere near my son. I’d like for you to take us home, please.”

Alejandro speaks up, “This is your home, Rose, yours and his….”

I laugh. “His, you don’t even know his name, do you?”

He looks down regretfully, and pain and fury fill me. He has no right to feel shame. This was his choice. He knew me and what I felt for Noah, yet he believed a lie.

Shaking my head, I walk out of the kitchen with Noah in my arms, my dad pleading, following me, “Rose, please don’t go. His birthday is in two weeks. We’ve got the cake, a small bounce house, and everything for him. Please, I just want a chance to fix what I broke….”

I swallow hard and look back at my dad, a teary-eyed Vanessa standing behind him with Al holding her because, yeah, sure, why not support your wife who hit your sister?

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