Rafael

Chapter 48 - Eff My Life

"Raf, Thank God you're okay!" Rafael's mom exclaimed, and I quickly pulled away from Rafael's embrace.

He frowned.

"Sorry," I mouthed to him as his mom, Adeline, ran into the room to see if her son was truly alright.

"I have never wanted to be a bird so bad! Do you know how hard it was, being on that plane, wanting to be here with my son, not able to do anything but sit and wait? That was the longest plane ride of my life! I am never going to Dubai again, I'm serious," She cried hysterically, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the look of horror on Rafael's face when she kissed him multiple times all over his face as if he was a baby.

That's what you get when you scare your mother.

I couldn't even begin to imagine what my mother would've done if it were me who got stabbed and almost died.

"Mom, I'm okay," He said, rolling his eyes.

I narrowed mine.

He was acting as if he got a paper cut or something.

Rafael's mom turned to look at me after she had cemented in her mind that her son would be okay.

"Thank you so much for shooting that son of a bitch when you had the chance. I am so sorry that he almost ruined your life like he did ours," She said, her voice choked up with emotion, and then somehow we were hugging.

I didn't know half of what she had to go through but I knew it wasn't easy, especially because a child (Rafael) had also been caught in the crossfire.

"I know it's wrong but I feel so relieved that he's dead, for real this time. If he had been shipped off to some prison, it's sad to say, we wouldn't have been safe. Not when he could escape at any minute."

I could see where she was coming from.

I was suddenly grateful for my weird, sex-crazed parents.

At least they weren't abusers or serial killers.

Ahem, Prometheus.

I would have to call them later and tell them how much I loved them before it was too late. 

"I'm sorry you both had to deal with having someone like him in your life. I guess I can say I'm glad he's gone too," I said with a wry smile, feeling a little weird about rejoicing in someone's death.

This was exactly the type of thing that brought on bad karma.

Gareth limped into the room before I could get too caught up in my thoughts.

"Hey, Gareth," I greeted him and he gave Adeline and me a small wave before going to talk to Rafael.

Why was he walking like that?

"Man, I'm so glad you're alright," He smiled, but it had a weird air to it like he was mad at Rafael about something.

Maybe I was looking too much into it.

"Yeah. Me too," Rafael said gingerly before they both sighed and then hugged.

"Water under the bridge?" Gareth asked.

"Forgotten. I shouldn't have suspected you," Rafael said cryptically before they hugged again.

What were they on about?

 "I'm going to leave now. You understand why."

Rafael nodded with a grimace.

Almost immediately after that exchange, Lucca and Enzo walked into the room.