The Secrets She Kept

Chapter 10

I'm not sure what the right answer is, but I've come up with a plan. A temporary plan, until I come up with something better. For now, Leah and I will remain in Luca's life. We will pretend nothing happened. Antonio can't touch Leah, she's Luca's daughter. Right? I think maybe Leah is safer right now than I am. I need to talk to Robbie though. I called Robbie and Delilah into the living room, once I made it back. I needed reinforcements, and only Robbie and Delilah could help me find her. "I've come up with a plan. And I need your help. Both of you." They glanced at each other and nodded in understanding. "With as many people who love and care about Leah, I've decided she is safest at her father's side. Antonio can't touch her right now." I yawned a little realizing I hadn't slept. "What about you?" Robbie asked. "I'm getting to that, hold on. If something happens to me once Antonio returns, Leah will stay with Luca and Kate. If something happens to Luca, Delilah, you and Robbie will take Leah and Kate, and run. You and Kate have connections, together you'll be safe. Robbie, you need to have some kind of plan in motion if you leave. A plan for your parents I mean. When you both asked me who all knew, I forgot one other person. And I need your help finding her." I told the last part to Delilah directly. "Who?"

"Carla Santiago."

"Carla?" Delilah seemed to know her.

"She's been gone for a while but I can make a few calls and get her back here. How do you know her?"

"She was in the girls' home with me. She's the closest thing I have to a sister. If I want to be prepared to protect Leah and myself Carla is my best hope."

"I'll see what I can do." Delilah gave me a stern nod. "What about Luca?" Robbie asked. "I will tell him when the time is right. I'm not causing a war right now." I responded while yawning. "Just preparing for one?" Robbie asked in a half joking, half nervous kind of way. "Exactly. Delilah, when will Antonio be here?"

"Sometime this week. I'll find Carla today." A knock at the door caused a complete silence to fill the room. Was Robbie expecting someone? Robbie stood and slowly made his way to the door. "I was hoping to speak to Lana." Kate's voice filled the room, once Robbie opened the door. "Oh sure, come in." Robbie stepped out of the way allowing Kate to enter. "We were just reading out." Robbie nodded to Delilah, who quickly made her way to the door. Once they were gone, Kate took a seat next to me. "Go on, spill." Kate sighed while making herself more comfortable. "What?"

"What's been going on? Alexa couldn't be the only reason you left." Kate looked at me in a motherly way, it made me want to fold and spill everything. I might've if I were sixteen again. "I just don't know how to slide back into my old life here."

"You can't." Kate chuckled a little.

"What?"

"You can't slide back into your old life hun, you left that life five years ago."

"I know that, I just feel like I don't belong here anymore."

"Why? Because you have a daughter? Or because of Luca?"

"I don't know, both." What I was telling Kate wasn't exactly a lie, I just wasn't telling her everything.

"I'm going to give you a piece of advice. Leave the past where it is. Stop worrying over things that happened years ago. Let it go. Focus on what you've got right here. You're home, with family. You're where you belong."

"Kate, I don't know how to protect Leah.

"I thought the same thing when I had Luca. This is your life now babe, we live in a different world than the rest and we do what we've got to, to survive. Don't let fear destroy what you and Luca have. My husband and I always had a plan, we were prepared for the worst at all times, but that didn't mean we didn't have a normal life, and that Luca didn't have a normal childhood. You were there, you know that. You've always been the daughter I never had. I promise you Luca will always protect you and Leah. He has a plan the same way his father had a plan. Trust him. Things will never get better if you don't." I knew she was right, but how do I do what she did? How can I trust Luca with my daughter's life? "How can I just trust him?" I sounded more defeated than I meant to. "That love that you have for Leah, he has for her too. He cherishes her the same way you do. She is his daughter too." Maybe she was right? Maybe I have been a little hard on Luca. He does love Leah, I can see that when they are together. Maybe I had just gotten so used to not sharing her. She was mine for five years. Maybe it's time I start thinking of her as ours.