TO THE MOON & TO SATURN | shawmila

six.

After thinking it over, Camila decided not to tell Luna that Matthew had called. She didn't know how she was supposed to explain to her why she didn't get a chance to talk to him.

Either she was the bad guy for not waking Luna up—and she refused to make herself the bad guy after everything she'd been through.

But the alternative was telling Luna that Matt was the one to hang up, that he didn't want to talk to her, and she couldn't bear to see the heartbreak on Luna's face.

She ranted about it when her mom called the next day. Camila had been trying to take her mind off of everything by doing some chores, but when she saw her mom's name come up on her phone when she was washing dishes, she couldn't help but let out all her feelings with the phone on speaker, resting on the counter as she scrubbed forcibly at her dishes.

"He's just such a coward!" Camila growled, squeezing the dish sponge in her fist. "He won't even talk to her! He can't face the fact that he abandoned her!"

"Is he still paying child support?" Sinu asked.

"Yes." Camila said. "But I wish he'd miss just one payment so I'd have an excuse to drag him to court. I'd force him to look me in the eye and tell me why he left—"

"I'm so sorry, Mija."

"She just wants to talk to him." Camila sighed, her voice shaking just slightly. "It would make her so happy to talk to him for just a little bit, but he can't even do that. Instead, I have to hear her keep asking when he's going to call. I hate him."

Camila couldn't believe she just said that. She could get so mad at Matt, but she never before thought she hated him. Even when he left, she was just severely disappointed.

But seeing what he did to Luna, it made her hate him.

It was so weird to hate something she used to like so much. Camila couldn't ever remember thinking she loved him, but still, it was a jarring change in a way to feel.

"Luna is still asking about him, then?"

"Yes. I mean, she'll ask for a few days until I promise to try and call Matt, then she lets it go, but never for long. After a few more days, she's right back to asking again."

"I know it's hard, but maybe he'll call back."

"Maybe. I doubt it."

"Well, where is Luna now?"

"Outside playing with Seth in the backyard." Camila could see them from the kitchen window. "At least having a friend keeps her happy and distracted."

Speaking of distracted, Camila could see Shawn outside with them. She was unable to hold back the slight smile as she watched him playing with the kids.

He was such a good dad. Sadly, it only cemented more and more in her mind what Luna was missing out on.

"Um, I'm gonna go." Camila turned the water off. "Thanks for listening to me, Mami. I feel a lot better now."

"Of course. Tell Luna we love her."

"I will."

Camila hung up the phone and began drying the dishes. Without the water running, she could clearly hear Shawn and the kids through the slightly open window.

She found herself watching them as she dried the dishes. Luna was sitting on a deck chair, eating a popsicle and giggling as she watched Shawn attempt to teach Seth to ride his bike.

"I wanna ride out front!"

"No way." Shawn said. "You're not going anywhere near the street until you actually learn how to ride. I can put the training wheels back on if you want?"