Treat You Better

Chapter Twenty-eight: Shopping Trip.

Chapter Twenty-eight: Shopping Trip.

"I've set up several baits with cameras around the hotel to see if Buttercup will take any of them." Paul whispered to me as we had lunch at the dining table.

"You mean that thing could be anywhere?" I whispered back and suddenly raised my feet off the floor. "Even under the table?"

"She's not a thing, she's my best friend!" Paul corrected with a sad pout.

"Not weird at all." Camilo chipped in from Paul's other side.

"Your best friend is your baby sister!" Paul hissed back.

"His what?" Elena said from my other side.

"Shhhh!" I warned and gestured to Tía Monica.

"You know I could just tell her, right? About your missing safety hazzard" Camilo asked, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

Paul gulped, adam's apple bobbing, "Y-you're bluffing!"

"Yes...bluffing," Elena smirked, matching her older brother's expression.

"You guys are getting noisy..." Pedro murmured in a singsong voice, his nose hidden in a book as he ate.

"All the better for Paulito." Camilo grinned roguishly. Once again, Susan's type of guy.

"Okay, sorry!" Paul said, rolling his eyes.

"Is that how you apologize?"

Paul gave him a part of his chicken thigh.

"Nu-uh, the whole thing."

"This is the last one!"

"Oh Mama...!" Camilo sang and Elena giggled.

"Okay!" Paul hissed and grudgingly put the other half in his brother's plate.

"What is it, mi hijo?" Tía Monica asked, looking across the table from where she was discussing with her husband.

"Nothing Mama, I love you." Camilo grinned and Tía Monica narrowed her eyes.

"Camilo, what did you do?" She asked.

His jaw dropped open. "I didn't do anything!"

"Hmm..."

"Honestly! Can I not express my love for my own mother out of the blue?" Camilo asked, grabbing his heart dramatically.

I shook my head with a small smile and looked across the table to find Angelo's eyes but he was staring down at his food, chewing slowly.

My ears tuned out the talking around me as I watched him, I couldn't exactly tell how I noticed there was something up with his mood because he had his usual deadpan and was still shoving food into his mouth but he didn't seem to be as into his meal as always.

You had to be an expert to notice subtle changes about Angie here, really.

Just as I was about to whisper-yell his name from across the table, Tía Mónica stood up with Tío Damien who sent a small smile my way.

I waved back shyly with my cast arm.

"Alright everyone, like I said at breakfast, you all would be doing shopping for Día de los muertos which is happening this weekend. Angelo and Violet were not here but that is fine... Paul, put the phone down."

Paul sighed and did as his mother asked.

"Damien and I would be visiting the cemetery today, make sure you all follow the lists, is that clear? Pedro, please supervise."