Found and Forgotten

Chapter 36

Zeta POV

Our day at the dog park has been peaceful. Boone is running around with all the dogs having a blast. He's going to be knocked out. I'm enjoying watching her. It's nice to be out. Mass doesn't like me going out with one of the brothers. Enzo is sitting on the other end of the bench we are on. I can tell he wants to talk but is trying to give me space. I can also tell he's super bored even if his face is emotionless.

I appreciate that he's doing this for me with no complaints. He is showing me with his actions he cares. He checked up on me while they were away. He checks on me on the mornings he's gone. He cleared the gym for me this morning. Yes I'm mad he forgot my birthday. I'm hurt, really. But I can see he's trying a lot more than the rest of them.

And as I've expressed before, I hate silence. So I decide to break it. "Thanks for clearing the gym for me this morning. That was a much needed workout" I say.

A usually stoic Enzo had a hint of surprise on his face. He nodded first then said "Anytime, Z. You deserved the space more than we did." Another pause followed. Queue the awkward tension. Enzo saved me from saying something dumb by apologizing .

"Z, I'm so very sorry we forgot your birthday. I was so focused on finishing our work and getting home to you that I wasn't even paying attention to dates. I was so mad Massimo didn't reach out to you, and, after you didn't answer my call, I was only focused on being there for you because I knew you were feeling alone. I don't expect your forgiveness so easy, but I need you to know I feel horrible and I will keep showing you how sorry I am and also how much I am there for you. And I know the others feel the same."

That was more than I was expecting. To be honest, I've pretty much forgiven Enzo. He has shown effort. The only one that has. He communicated with me and also acted as my punching bag.

"Sorry I tried to hurt you during our sparring. I spent days building up anger towards you all. I just kind of lost control."

I know he deserved my anger, but I shouldn't have been violent.

Enzo wrapped his arm around my shoulders , pulling my head to his shoulder. "I deserved it. Still probably do"

I slightly nod, but sit comfortably leaning against him. We sit in silence again, but this time it's comfortable.

"I'll forgive you on a few conditions. You take me somewhere cool to eat and then we get ice cream. And you don't tell me to forgive the others, because they have to work for it." I've clearly forgiven him, but I want to be out of the house as long as possible.

"Deal" he says squeezing me tighter.

We sat comfortably for a while longer before we decided to head out. Boone feel asleep almost immediately in the car. Enzo called a driver to take Boone home and we headed out to eat.

Enzo took me to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. It was so cool and so much fun. We mostly talked about different food and made small talk.

Until Enzo asked a deeper question. "Why did you pretend to sleep that day?"

I stilled. "Not sure what you're talking about." I said.

"C'mon Z, talk to me. You've been so distant even before we left. And your appetite is disappearing again. Something's up." I hate that he's right and that he knows this.

"Why should I trust you? I know you're forgiven, but it doesn't mean you didn't hurt me." I know I shouldn't get defensive, but I do.

"Fair enough. But I didn't tell anyone else about you waking up from nightmares per your request. That's something, right?"

He has a point. And honestly with my only friend dead, Enzo is kind of all I have right now.

"You guys were just so busy.  I feel abandoned again. All alone. Like I was that little girl being left at the orphanage again. Except this time I was so close and still felt like no one cared" I expressed sadly.

"Yeah. We're kind of assholes for that. I want you to know it's not intentional. We're new to this and have always been work instead while you were gone. But that's no excuse. I hope you know you can come to me when you're feeling like this. I can fix it." This is the most I've ever heard Enz speak.

"This will probably sound stupid, but I don't want to have to come to someone always. I want someone to notice I'm there. I don't want to feel like I'm asking for attention. I want someone to give me attention because they actually want to, not because I ask for it" I explain.

"That doesn't sound stupid. It actually makes a lot of sense. I promise to be more attentive" he says.

"Uh oh. Observant Enzo is about to be Extra Observant Enzo." I say laughing. He cracks a smile too.

We head out to a small little ice cream shop afterwards and are joking around as we wait for our cones. As we sit and eat, I am just thinking about how thankful I am for Enzo and this day.

"Enzo" I call out randomly. I see him look over to me. "you know you're my favorite" I say with a smile.

"You're my favorite too, Zeta. Just don't tell your brothers. Or do, I don't really care" he says with a smile.

"Want to know something else?" I ask.

"What's that?" He replies.

"I constantly miss Akira and she'll always be my best friend. But-- you're kinda my best friend too" I say.

We clean up our table and start heading to the door. We head home with music playing around us. I start to become anxious knowing I have to face the rest of my brothers when we get home.

Between my early conversation with Beckett and my day with Enzo, I feel better knowing I at least have a couple people looking out for me. I value it more than either go them could know.

We pull up to the house and hear tons of commotion behind the door. Very strange.

I look at Enzo, but he's emotionless as always. Ugh. Annoying. We park the car and make our way to the front door.

As I open the door, I see balloons everywhere. There is a happy birthday banner in the entryway. I guess this is for me? I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Xander comes through with more decorations looking quite frazzled. He seems to snap out of it when he notices me.

"Oh. You're home. Guys! They're home!" he yells. And I hear all the footsteps coming towards the entryway.

I guess we are doing this tonight. Thought I'd have another day to figure out what to say to them. Well it looks like some effort was out into the the decorations at least.

I'm overwhelmed. I have no idea how this is going to go.