Love in the Dark

Chapter Two: Grieving

Taking a deep breath, Carlos reached out for the cot and gently picked up Kaia, carefully bringing the little girl to his chest. He stared into her wide brown eyes, which stared back at him with innocent curiosity. A small smile broke out on his face as he noticed just how much she resembled Matteo, even down to the long lashes.

He took a long breath, gently stroking her short black hair, grateful that she was safe and sound. The thought that the next time he could have seen her might have been in a small coffin, being buried beside her parents, filled him with dread. Yet, as grateful as he was to hold her healthy in his arms, he pitied her deeply. This little girl was bearing an immense loss at such a young age, all while being blissfully unaware of the tragic events unfolding around her.

He glanced at Charlese, who stood there with her arms crossed, listening intently to what the social worker, who brought Kaia, was speaking. They decided it was best to bury Matteo and Esme tomorrow and then they would have to face reality, something neither of them were prepared for.

"What will happen to Kaia?" Charlese asked worriedly. The little girl was all that she had left of her sister and brother-in-law, and if the situation demanded, Charlese was happy on taking her in.

Carlos placed a soft kiss on top of Kaia's head before looking at the social worker, he had no idea what Matteo had prepared for her, but whatever it was, he hoped it was the best for her.

"You will have to contact Mr. Reyes' lawyer for that," The social worker replied with a sad smile, to which Charlese nodded, before sharing a look with Carlos.

Watching as Charlese walked away to show the social worker out, Carlos turned his attention back to Kaia, who was still quietly settled in his arms, staring up at him.

"It will all be okay," Carlos whispered to her, bouncing her softly in his arms. She smiled and giggled, enjoying the gentle motion. Carlos smiled back, his heart warming at her laughter. He continued to walk back and forth with her in his arms, occasionally bouncing her and savoring each giggle she let out.

Returning back to the living area, Charlese quietly watched Carlos with Kaia and her stomach churned at the thought that after a few days Carlos will have to return to his normal life again which would leave her alone with Kaia to navigate their paths ahead.

___

Charlese observed as Carlos declined another call on his phone. She was now feeding dinner to Kaia after they had spent the whole day at her sister's house. She couldn't help but notice how the Spaniard was constantly ignoring his ringing phone.

"Everything okay?" Charlese asked, watching as Carlos looked at her, thinking for a moment before nodding.

"It's just my team," he shrugged, making her nod as she swallowed. She knew Carlos couldn't stay long, and there was little chance she would see him again. He was a big-time racing driver, while she was just a photographer. Their worlds were vastly different, and she wondered how long his presence would linger before he was swept back into the fast-paced life he led.

"I talked to the funeral directors for tomorrow," Charlese informed him before standing up and walking to the kitchen sink to put Kaia's bowl in it. "Everything is prepared," She muttered, proceeding to wash her hands. Her back was still facing Carlos, but he could see her subtly trying to wipe away her tears.

"How are you?" Carlos asked gently. She turned to look at him, her eyes lifeless. She glanced at Kaia before lowering her gaze to the floor. Carlos had lost a close friend, but Charlese had lost the only family she had. He couldn't imagine how incredibly painful it must be for her to cope with such a profound loss.

Charlese placed her hands against the sink, her head still slightly down as she closed her hazel eyes, wishing there was some way she could explain how she felt. She hated that this wasn't another one of her sick dreams and that she had to bear the loss of the last family members she had left.

"I'm fine," Came her obvious lie. She was anything but fine. "It's just..." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"It's just that I still expect them to walk through that door, joking about how Matteo still didn't know the directions," She whispered, finishing her sentence with a sad scoff as more memories flooded her mind. She took a deep, shaky breath, knowing she couldn't afford to fall apart now, especially when she had to remain strong for Kaia.

"He was bad with directions," Carlos agreed, a small smile creeping up on his face at the memory of his friend.

"Terrible," Charlese corrected with a faint chuckle as she walked over to the fridge and poured herself a glass of water, chugging it down in one go.

Carlos walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly. He wished he could fix this, somehow bring Matteo and Esme back. But no matter how hard he wished, he knew he couldn't make the pain go away for Charlese.

"It will be okay," He whispered, placing a light kiss on top of her head. Charlese stood still, controlling her sobs as she gave in to the embrace. She let out a few tears but didn't seem to mind, finding comfort in his warm arms.

Carlos held her close, refusing to let go, gently stroking her silky hair. Breathing in her floral scent, he closed his eyes and gently tightened his embrace. He admired how much she tried to keep herself together despite being broken, not letting him or anyone else see through the tough facade she put on. Carlos had no idea how things would unfold for them in the near future, but he hoped Charlese could trust him and share her grief with him. She had already lost so much, and the world kept taking more than she had to give.