Page 34 of Hook, Line, Infinity, Part 3

Rein

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS - LUKE CHAPPELL

“Abuela,will you please just stop for second and listen to me?” I plead, following my Grammy around the living room as she furiously fluffs up the pillows on the sofa.

“Listen to what, huh?” She demands, spinning on her heel to glare at me, her eyes all wide with fury and full to the brim with disappointment. “Listen like you listen to me? My words bear no significance to you! You’re imprudent mi hija, just like your mother was. Your father broke her heart over and over again and like nothing happened he would come back, whisper a couple of sweet words to her and like a fool your mother believed him every single time.” She argues, placing the cushions on the sofa and walking over to the kitchen.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and curse inwardly before I follow her. “Abuela, it’s not like that with Talon. He is nothing like my father, he actually loves me and I believe he’s sorry.”

My Grammy places her hand on her forehead, “Ay, it’s like I’m watching history repeat itself. You sound just like your mother. Your father said the same things to her. They would break up and he would come back a couple of days later with his tail between his legs begging for her forgiveness. He’d make some empty promises and like a fool she would believe him. How quick you are to forget the devastated state his lies left you in. We were picking you up off the floor for months.”

I rub my hands over my face and groan, “Will you stop comparing me to mum, this is about my life, my choices Abuela.” I argue back heatedly and watch her pick up a disinfectant spray and clean the already immaculate worktops. Us Valdez women have this need to clean when we’re angry or feeling frustrated.

“How do you expect me to not compare you to your mother when I can see you making the exact same mistakes she did! You both continue to defy the sage advice of your elders and follow your own intuitions and look where it got you both.”

I roll my eyes and start folding the clean basket of clothes she hands me. “Talon is a good man, yes, he made a mistake, a big one but he’s proved not once but on many occasions that he truly loves me. He gave up his life and followed me here Abuela. Just like Abuelo did with you. If you would just meet him, you will see that he is nothing like my father and our relationship is nothing like theirs.”

Grammy spins and glares at me hard, her eyes brimming with tears. “Don’t you dare compare some boy to my Matteo. Your grandfather was a great man, he sacrificed his life and gave up everything to be with me. He was honourable and there was not a day that he would say an unkind word that would hurt me, let alone lie and deceive me like that good for nothing boy did to you!”

“That boy is the father of my child and whether you accept him or not that is not going to change, Abuela. Talon is here and he wants to fight for our relationship and be there for his child, what part of that is dishonourable to you?”

“If a man can keep secrets and lie once he is never to be trusted because he will do it again, mi hija. Don’t be foolish, protect your heart because this boy is going to be your ruin just as your father was your mother’s.”

I slam the basket down on the table, “Damn it Abuela, my so-called father didn’t kill mum, her psychotic boyfriend did! I know you’ve never forgiven him for walking out on mum while she was pregnant, but you can’t paint Talon with the same brush as him. Talon didn’t leave me, I left him and yet he’s still here fighting to win me back. If I’m choosing to forgive him that’s on me. You don’t need to trust him, but you need to trust me to be able to make decisions regarding my own life. I love him and all I’m asking for is a chance for you to meet and see yourself that he is a good man, Abuela.”

My Grammy’s shoulders drop, and she sighs watching me intently for a long while. “Bueno. Invite him to dinner tonight and we’ll see if this boy is as noble and worthy of your heart as you say he is.”

My stomach does a somersault, “Really?” I ask excitedly and she nods.

“Si,” she confirms, and I drop the clothes in my hands and rush over and hug her.

“Thank you Abuela, you have no idea how much this means to me.” I pull back and see the sadness behind her eyes and my heart clinches. “I know you’re worried for me, but he really does love me and you’re going to see that when you meet him.” I assure her and she sighs. Deep down I know my Grammy means well and her heart is in the right place when it comes to our happiness. She’s had to sit by and witness her girls get their hearts torn to shreds by one undeserving arsehole after another, so naturally, she would be wary and protective especially after losing a child to one of those toxic arseholes.

“Mi hija,” she calls out to me, I turn and look at her. “I truly hope your instincts are right about this boy.”

I smile and nod, “I’m following my heart, Abuela.”

“I know you are, but that heart beating inside your chest once loved him too, remember that.”

I stare at her for a long time before I turn and walk out of the kitchen. Well, she’s successfully managed to plant that seed of doubt in my head again. Before I call Talon to invite him over for dinner, I fire up my laptop and open google. I stare at the cursor blinking on the search box. What if these feelings I have for Talon aren’t really my own? What if they’re Taylor’s feelings? Is that even possible? Would a heart remember ones love for another?

“Oh God, please don’t let it be a possibility.” I whisper and slowly type in the search bar.

‘Does heart transplant change personality of the recipient?’

I hit enter and scroll through the various articles and stop when I find one. I click on it and read the first line,

Personality changes following heart transplantation include accounts of recipients acquiring the personality characteristics of their donor…

“Oh my God.”

All this time I’ve been questioning Talon’s feelings toward me, but what if it’s my feelings for him that are disingenuous.

My eyes brim with tears, while I sit there mutely staring at the words on the screen. What if this is the reason I’ve been acting so out of character? Why I haven’t felt like myself since the accident. I slap the laptop shut and curl my fingers in my hair. My heart starts to race, and an insufferable ache spreads across my chest as I try catching my breath. The pounding of my heart in my ears is almost deafening.

Calm down, Rein, just breathe, there’s no truth to it, your feelings are your own. You love Talon.

“Rein!”

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