Page 19 of Hook, Line, Infinity, Part 3

Rein

DON’T MESS WITH MY MIND- EMO

“Ugh stop,my life is so dull in comparison. So? Spill it Chickita. How are things going with your hunk of great barrier beef?” Paris questions, her brows wagging. We’ve been catching up over FaceTime for the past four hours. We text non-stop throughout the day but trying to setup video calls with time difference is difficult. Though, I must admit, seeing her gorgeous face really makes me miss her and her shenanigans.

“Horrifically awkward,” I sigh and shift to lean back against my headboard. “I spend most of my day plotting ways to try and avoid seeing him. I’m still not convinced that he didn’t track me down somehow.”

Paris nods sipping on her vanilla frap, “You think he planned it?”

I shrug and chew on my lower lip contemplatively, “You don’t? Come on P, what are the odds of him getting a job teaching at the same exact school as me? It was obviously planned.”

“Hmm,” she hums stirring the red paper straw through the thick creamy beverage. “No, it does sound a little outlandish and a wee bit stalkerish… which I totes dig by the way. I mean I get tracking down where you live, but how would he know where you’re working?”

“Ugh God, I don’t know,” I groan dolefully, “I really hate that I can’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth. I’m constantly questioning everything he’s saying to me. What if he’s only back because of… her?”

Paris sets her drink down and moves the phone closer to her face, “Rein, I can promise you this, that gloriously gorgeous man is head over heels in love with you, babe. I saw the way he looked at you and the state he was in after he lost you.”

I wish it were that easy to forgive and forget. “He’s adamant on getting me back but I can’t let myself go there again. I’m still picking up the pieces after he wrecked me, I won’t put myself through that hell again.”

Paris nods glumly, “I don’t blame you; I would be hesitant too.”

I sigh and gingerly rub my stomach; my son stirs under my touch. “The only thing that matters to me is this baby. I’m going to give him all my love and I hope he’ll be the one to heal the gaping wounds his father left all over my heart.”

“Of course, he will, the same way you did your mother.” Paris affirms with a smile. “Can you please tell me about this drama with your Grammy arranging you to marry some rando?”

I roll my eyes recalling the countless arguments I’ve been having with my Grammy. Just like she did my mother, she’s trying to force me into a relationship with one of her friend’s grandsons who is in his early forties might I add. The backward mentality of the older generation honestly baffles me. “Oh, don’t get me started on that. She’s convinced I’m doomed to eternal damnation. She’s driving me bloody nuts with all her hail Mary’s…”

* * *

It'stwo in the morning and I’m sitting alone in the kitchen with a glass of warm milk and a plate of milk chocolate chip cookies. The baby is restless and if he’s not pressing on my bladder, he’s kicking up a storm in my uterus. My Grammy and aunt Dani are both fast asleep—at least I thought they were until I heard noises coming from the back door. In a panic I look around for my phone and curse inwardly when I remember I left it on charge on my nightstand. I grab the first thing I see, which is a steel pan hanging from the shelf and slowly move toward the back door. My heart is racing so hard and fast I couldn’t catch my breath. This is by far the most senseless idea I’ve ever had. I should just run upstairs and call the police but no, I’ve chosen to pummel the intruder’s skull in with my Grammy’s paella pan.

I wince and say a prayer under my breath when I hear the door lock click and slide open. I swear to Jesus I can feel my soul getting ready to depart as the door handle slowly turns. “Dios, ayúdame,” I whisper making the sign of the cross.

My eyes flitter over to the stairs as I contemplate bolting up them, but my knees are shaking uncontrollably, I’ll never make it up there. Fuck, it’s too late. I’ve got no choice but to see this through till the end now. I’ve got this, this arsehole has picked the wrong house to break into. The door creaks as it opens, and I lift the pan ready to strike the thief. I hope you’re hungry, because you’re about to eat some steel, bitch. The door opens and I pull the pan back ready to bash his head. The intruder starts to scream and so do I.

“Ahhh! Stop, stop, it’s me, it’s me!” Wait a minute, that’s a woman’s voice. I lower the pan and open my eyes to see my aunt standing before me, eyes full of fear and her hands up in the air.

“Tia?!”

My aunt takes the pan off me and presses her hand to her chest. “Ay you scared the bejesus out of me!”

I scowl at her and press myself back into the wall by the door to calm my pounding heart. “I scared you?” I iterate scornfully. “I almost shat this baby out right here, Tia. What the hell are you doing sneaking in at two in the morning? I thought you were in bed!”

Aunt Dani pushes the door shut quietly and locks it before turning to face me again. “Shhh, tone it down, will you? You’re going to wake Abuela up.”

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her irritably, “Would you care to explain where you snuck off to in the middle of the night like some shifty teenager?” I question and follow her through to the kitchen.

“If you must know, I was with a friend.”

I snort. “Oh? I’m going to need more than that,” I kick the chair and gesture to it. “Sit.”

“Fine.” She relents with a huff and sits in the chair. “I might be seeing someone.”

“No kidding?” I drawl sarcastically and she tosses an unamused glare my way. “Who is he?”

She reaches over and steals a cookie from my plate and dunks it in my warm milk. “Just some guy I met a while back.” She states vaguely and shoves the whole cookie in her mouth.

“So, he’s your boyfriend?” She nods a slowly while chewing on the cookie, “Why the sneaking around then?” I question her and frown when she sticks her index finger up requesting a minute while she chews and swallows the food in her mouth.

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