Peppermint Omega

27

'Aunny, do you like this?' 

Poor Enzo wanted me to badly to be invested in his new remote-controlled car. I couldn't help but be worried about the two of them. There was no noise. No screaming or yelling, so I knew he didn't try to take her. She sat on a small child's chair. Right next to her, he sat cross legged on the cold patio. Both of them slowly moving in and out of conversation. Some of it seemed one sided while other times they were both invested. She even smiled and laughed a few times.

'Enzo, I'm sorry, honey. Show me again.' I tried to salvage my little thread of hope from my nephew, trying to hide that he was being ignored. He proudly showed me his car doing a figure eight and I clapped loudly. 'That was soo cool! Can you make it do other tricks?'

He shrugged and tried to make the car move in different ways. After few minutes, he was bored of showing me the same tricks over and over. He wanted his moon-moon. Running straight outside the living room, he ran past his omega father.

'Don't run, hijo!' Santos called after his boy and saw me coming with the boy's coat. 'Hey, Quin!'

I stood there, giving him a passive look. 'I know you know. Don't play dumb. This whole family is a damned game of telephone.'

He chuckled, humor playing in his dark eyes. 'You know my wife and father.. They have to tell anything they know. Also, Kyle is going to be calling too.'

I grunted and looked down at the floor. Santos placed a hand on my shoulder. 'We are all just worried, for you both, and ready to fight.. if shit gets nasty.'

'I know,' I uttered softly. This collection of individuals had become more of a family for me than.. those who have abandoned me. 'How was work?'

I asked to shift the conversation away from me as we headed outside. Santos was a nurse at one of the teaching hospitals. 'I am seriously considering quitting..'

'Pffttt..' I chuckled as I was engulfed in a hug. 'Don't you say that every single day?!'

His eyes narrowed as they twinkled with mischief. Moonie tightened her hold around my waist. 'I love my patients. It's just management.'

'I know. I know. You don't have tell me nothing,' I let my tone darken. We looked like we were conspiring something, but we both do our jobs for the patients, not for the bottom line.

'Where is my beautiful wife?'

I hacked, making a sound like I was vomiting. He counters with a 'Hey!'

'I love you, Santos, but I have to question your choices..' I chuckled as I held on to Moonie. She was uncharacteristically quiet.

'Uncle San, she's in the kitchen with primo,' her voice sounded muffled since she was hiding my against my sweater.

'Thank you, Moonie. You know,' he said as he got to her level and patted her head, 'I love you way more than your mami.'

She smiled big and nodded. 'Yeah, I know.'

Santos winked at her, then left us in search of his wife, after introducing himself to Lucian who decided to head over toward us.

Lucian reached out but hesitated to touch me since Moonie was in my arms. Looking down at her, I stroked her hair and asked softly, 'Did you have a good talk with your.. fath.. dad?'

She nodded her head and gingerly peeked up at him. 'I want to meet his family,' she announced nervously.

I nodded. Emotions clogged my throat. 'Oh.. yeah? That.. uhh.. is great.'

I never thought she would have wanted to meet them so soon. My heart cracked as my nerves frazzled. I blinked back, trying to hold back tears. Turn toward Lucian, I asked and tried to keep my voice from cracking, 'When?'