Clover Undercover

CLOVERS ARE LUCKY

When Elliot and Bella are finally asleep, I tip toe downstairs and plop down on the couch beside Luca.

"So, what's up?" I ask.

He lowers his iPhone and sighs, "We've got a problem... I have an unexpected business trip the same week you're going to tour Irvine."

The same week I'm catching mom's killer... why does the universe hate me? 

I shake my head. "I'm sorry, Luca, but it's one of the final tours... I have to go."

"I know, I wouldn't ask you to cancel your trip. I just wanted to let you know that I'd be gone as well."

I start to nod, but then a thought comes to mind. "What about Eli and Bella? Who would watch them if we're both gone?"

Luca lays his head back on the couch cushion and stares up at the ceiling. "My mother."

The way he says it so dejectedly makes me want to laugh.

"Your mom? Why do you sound so upset about it?" The humor of the situation is zapped when I gasp, "Wait.. is she mean? If she's mean you are not leaving—"

"She's not mean," Luca interrupts with a huff, as if he's irritated by me saying such a thing.

"Then what's the problem?"

"She doesn't know about them yet."

I stare at the side of his face as he apparently battles a war within himself. It makes sense that not everyone he knows, knows about them. Finding out you suddenly have two children is a mental load I don't think many could bear. I'd imagine it takes time to work through such a shock.

"Then how do you know she'll come watch them while we're gone if she doesn't even know exist?"

He turns his head and stares at me with those intense green eyes. "Because I know her."

I sink further into the couch and exhale deeply. "Then I'm not understanding the problem..."

Luca pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes as he shakes his head. "She's gonna kill me when she finds out she's got grandkids."

I quirk an eyebrow at that. "Soooo.. does she not like kids? You're doing a terrible job of convincing me she isn't mean, Luca."

"Oh God no, she loves kids. She's gonna be over the moon.. just.. ya know.. after she kicks my ass for not telling her right away."

Relief that all he's concerned about is fessing up to not immediately sharing his children with his mom eases my worries. My lips curl in on themselves as I do my best not to smile at his obvious distress.

"It's not funny," he grumbles without even opening his eyes, and I burst into laughter.

"It's hilarious, honestly."

He turns to watch me and a slight grin erases all of the stress from his face. "You have her laugh."

His words catch me off guard and a sharp stab of grief digs into my chest, but I let it sit there. I breathe, staring into his eyes and let the feeling bleeds into a comforting warmth. He remembers her in a way I didn't think he would and I'm even more determined to bring all of this pain to an end.

"I'm actually leaving earlier than expected..."

Luca blinks, taken aback by the sudden change. "Oh."

"Yeah.. so, um, I'll meet your mom when I get back."

He nods once and I'm on my feet, ready to go pack my bags.

"Clover," he calls after me.

I pause with one foot on the bottom step of the stairs and regret turning around to look at him. There's a pain etched into the creases of his eyes that makes me want to tell him I'm sorry for pulling away. That my distance has nothing to do with him, but I can't. I can't say it because I know something he doesn't and putting distance between my knowledge and his lack thereof is the safest thing to do right now.