dame amor ↝ steve murphy [✔]

forty nine. new

2009

"Mateo! Hurry, you're going to be late! I don't want you to miss school!" Eviana yelled from the bottom of the stairs. It was an early morning for the Murphy/Herrera household and it seemed like it was going to be a good day.

"Sweets, he's not going to go any faster if you keep yelling. That boy takes his time in the bathroom. Who is he getting ready for anyways?" Steve grabbed a piece of toast from the plate Eviana had put down on the table.

"Probably his girlfriend from Biology," Flora Murphy teased.

Mateo heard the teasing coming from his sister and scoffed. "I don't have a girlfriend. What about you?" He took the chair from her and sat on it before she had the chance to.

"What about me?" She kicked his leg.

"Do mom and dad know about Brad from health class? You know Brad, the one with the motorcycle who skips gym class and hangs out under the bleachers and always smells like
weed-" Before Mateo could continue, Flora kicked his leg harder.

"Woah! Guys, stop! Now shut up and eat your food before it gets cold. Now, Flora, who's Brad?" Steve sat up.

Flora munched on some bacon quietly. Steve asked again. "I thought you told me to shut up and eat my food?"

"Smartass. This isn't over," Steve mumbled, grabbing his coffee and drank from it.

"Do you two remember the one rule I have about dating?" Eviana asked her children.

"You and dad have to meet them before anything else. . ." Mateo and Flora said uninterested in the conversation.

"Yes, but not today. I have to meet Javi for something very important that doesn't involve any of you. Got another group of crime obsessed college kids that want to know what went down in Colombia." Steve sighed. He loved sharing his story, but sometimes he wished he could stay in bed longer with his wife and enjoy a day in. It seemed like everyone was eager to hear what happened with Pablo.

"Again? Don't they read or what the news? It's everywhere. Madison from my English class always asks about Mateo's-"

"Flora, are you finished with your food?" Steve interrupted her before she finished her sentence. The almost mention of Miguel Ángel was still a sensitive topic in Mateo and Eviana's life. She did talk to Steve about her past lover, but Mateo never brought him up. The last time Mateo ever saw his dad was also the first time.

"Right. Sorry, I have to go. I have an early meeting with student council. Mateo, I'll meet you in the car," Flora got up from her seat and walked to her parents to give them a kiss on the cheek and left to go outside to get car.

The remaining family members were quiet as Mateo ate his cereal. He didn't look up from the bowl as Eviana started to clear Flora's spot.

Steve watched the teen boy get up from his chair quickly and wave shyly to both him and Evi. Mateo grabbed his backpack from the couch and hurried outside as if nothing had happened.

"I'll talk to Flora later," Steve stood up from his chair and helped Eviana clean up the table. "We can go somewhere for dinner tonight if you'd like, get his mind off of things." Steve suggested.

"I have to talk to him about his dad eventually. He has all these feelings bottled up, it's not good for him or me. We'll have a nice family dinner here, invite Javi and whoever it is he's seeing now. I'm making something you haven't eaten before." Eviana smiled at her husband then kissed him.

"I can't wait. I love your cooking, maybe that's one of the reasons why I married you." Steve said, grabbing Eviana's left hand. He looked down at the wedding ring then back at his wife.

"Really?" She chuckled. "I definitely married a a hopeless romantic. You're going to be late and Javi is a pain in the ass when he's angry so go." She gently pushed him away playfully.

"I love you!" Steve called out, grabbing his keys from the key holder.

"Love you more."

As Steve walked out of his house, he noticed Flora's car still parked outside in the driveway. He looked down at his watch, Flora was supposed to be in school already with Mateo. He walked closer to the car and saw Flora with her head on the steering wheel with her eyes closed. Either she was sleeping or she was crying. Steve really didn't know, but he was determined to figure out what was wrong with his daughter.

He knocked on the window, he fully expected for Flora to jump from the sudden noise, but she didn't. She opened her eyes and sat up then rolled down the window. "Hey dad." She said in a low voice.

"Look, I know you didn't mean what you said this morning, but you have to be more careful when your brother is around. His life isn't easy, you know that. I'm not mad at you, just be careful. Your mom isn't mad either so don't beat yourself up." Steve said to Flora.

"I feel like an asshole, dad. I just say things without thinking. Mom says I get it from your side of the family." Flora replied which made Steve crack a smile.

"Yeah, wish it wasn't true," Steve looked around, he saw that Mateo wasn't even in the car. "Where's your brother?"

"He wanted to walk instead. I apologized, but he said it was okay. I'm going to talk to him at school when I get the chance."

"Alright, but after school, you kids come right back home. Your mom is cooking some dish we haven't eaten and Javi is coming over. Don't be late, your mom hates that shit." Steve said, giving his daughter a kiss on her forehead as he made his way to his truck.

Steve loved his truck, no doubt about that. Eviana suggested to sell it or give it away. She just wanted the old truck gone, but Steve wouldn't let her do it. He wanted to fix it up, clean it and give it to Mateo as a birthday present once he turned sixteen, but that gift quickly backfired when a new car showed up on their driveway with a single letter addressed to Mateo written in Miguel Ángel's handwriting.

Mateo didn't accept the gift from his dad. He gave the keys to his mom and went up to his room and stayed there for the rest of the night.

After learning he was going to be a father again, Miguel Ángel had arranged several gifts to be given to his son at certain ages. No matter where he was, Miguel Ángel made sure his son had a gift from his father.

An: hehe ester exposito as flora murphy yoooo