❛❜Why him and not her?❛❜
❛❜She told me being a monster isn't a bad thing, but he convinced me I could be good.❛❜
°∘❉∘°
- in which, an old family secret thought buried
gets threatened to be exposed,
but then a girl who lost her memories is...
❝ Mama and Papa. They're hiding something from you. ❞
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☽✰☾
Marco sighed as he sat on his bed. His eyes remained fixed on a picture he kept hidden in a shoe box on the top shelf of his wardrobe. It had been years since he last took it out and reminisced about that day. The memories were too painful to remember yet, but that picture will forever hold a special place in his heart. Even if it brought tears to his eyes, Marco loved to stare at it and hear his daughter's laughter.
Luna was only two when her mother photographed her and Marco, though her smile had yet to change. It had been long since anyone witnessed it, but it was unforgettable. That day, it appeared when her father taught her lacrosse for the first time. She could barely walk straight, and still, she wanted to play with Papa in their backyard. Marco's dimples were pronounced as he grinned so hard his cheeks hurt. Sharing his passion with Luna was his best souvenir of their family before her mother left. One of the woman's curls had fallen into the frame, reminding him of his first love's face.
Seeing Luna leave earlier for the game made him nostalgic. Deep down, he knew their strained relationship was his fault. The beliefs he grew up with caused a dent in the bond he and Luna shared. Harsh words expressed without second thoughts ruined the peace they established after her mother left. Marco knew if she was still here, she would scold him about his unfair treatment of their daughter.
A knock echoed as Marco wiped away a single fallen tear. Tara stared at him with sadness, hating the unspoken tension between him and Luna. They spent years walking on eggshells when the subject tried to come up, but neither attempted to solve it. If the Calaveras shared one particular trait, it was the inability to communicate their emotions. Apart from Ruby, even the youngest children struggled to explain themselves and their feelings. He and Tara usually were the problem solvers.
"You know you don't have to hide from me, mi amor," Tara voiced gently. She sat beside him, looking at the picture. "What's been bothering you? We've been here for weeks, and you've been acting differently. Is it because of Magnus?"
She didn't expect Marco to be honest. It wasn't in his nature during this kind of conversation. However, the full moon brought back memories which made him vulnerable. He couldn't help but let his thoughts drift to easier times before the Hale fire and before he failed his daughter.
"Sometimes I wonder how life would be for Luna if Lesia didn't leave," Marco admitted. Tara's brows raised in surprise. "I don't know how to raise her, Tara. We both don't. You and I grew up learning that Downworlders shouldn't be trusted or should be killed when they disrespect the accords. Luna lost control so many times. She hurt so many. I thought taking her memories would help, but it didn't. What if she remembers everything, and we return to the starting line?"
