Let Me In

Chapter 43 - Drunk Daniel

Everyone deals with death differently.

I tried to cry it all out the night I returned home, although that didn't do much. Raphael stayed again, he held me until I fell asleep, which took a long time. The rest of the week leading up to now, my thoughts were filled with a lingering background pain.

Raphael however, did not speak one word of his father. Every time I asked him about it, he would shut me down, saying it was fine when that was a lie. After a while, I left him alone. When he was ready to talk, he would. I didn't want to nag him.

Leo cried more than I did. Considering the way he was, no one expected anything else. I attempted to calm him down the best I could since I was the only one who ever supported him.

Lorenzo was the worst out of everyone. He was closer to Luca than any of us, his method of grieving was something else entirely. Instead of dealing with things quietly, he turned all of his emotions into a rage.

It took him three days, but he managed to question every single person that worked for us. When he got no answers, Enzo flew off the handle. He ended up putting someone in the hospital, so Raphael had to step in and stop him.

My father, though, shocked me the most. After Raphael and I delivered the news about Silas, he shed a tear. One single tear for the death of his best friend, something I thought I would never see. I didn't even know if he cried over Luca, but it didn't matter now. Nothing could change the past.

And my mother, I saw her. Once my father knew, he went straight to her. I watched from the kitchen. She was making food and dropped the glass of water she was holding. It shattered on the floor, where she fell to her knees and screamed.

Part of me was angry about that. Of course, she reacted the way she did, losing a son would be hard for anyone. I just didn't think she deserved to feel. That's probably because of my built-up anger and hatred for her, yet I couldn't stop myself. When was she there to care for her children before?

I couldn't stop thinking about how Raphael would be alone. I assumed he lived in the same flat as his father. Now, every day he would return to an empty home.

That also gave me my next idea. The funeral was in a couple of hours. So I got ready and opened the door to face him.

"You look nice," he said, offering a small smile.

He looked so...empty. And I didnt even know what to do. How could I get through to him? Let him know that it's ok to grieve, that I was here for him. He refused to let me do any of that.

Raphael dressed in a black long sleeve dress shirt that hid all his tattoos and black pants. Even when he was sad, he was so handsome. One of the most beautiful men I had ever seen.

Our gazes met and held. I almost forgot why I opened the door in the first place. "Would you like to move up here for a while? I can ask my father, I'm sure he would find a room for you."

Not that he would be needing it anyway. If Raphael was going to be in such proximity, I doubt he would be sleeping in any room other than mine.

"Yea..." he trailed, the smallest bit of happiness flashed across his face. That was enough for me to know. "I would love that."

"Then it's settled." I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around the large man.

Even if he wouldn't talk to me, I could still touch him. He seemed to like hugs, and so did I. Raphael didn't hesitate. He rested his chin on my head and relaxed his tense body. He smelled so good, it was a challenge to let go.

"Are you ready?" he asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Yes."

We made our way down the hall and to the stairs, he put a hand on the small of my back to usher me forwards. Lorenzo was already waiting since he was driving with us. My mother, my father, and Leo must have left.