Defender's Heartbeat 2

Chapter 25

Enzo

So Mama's name was Lorenza? I didn't know what to think about that. I felt uncomfortable being around that witch, so I went out and headed to Papa's room. Papa was watching TV while lying on his couch. I lay on top of him like I did when I was a kid.

"Wow, you're heavy now," Papa said, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek. I thought he might push me away, but instead, he laughed.

I rested my face on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked, stroking my hair. I had no idea how he knew I was upset.

"I just found out Mama's name was Lorenza," I said.

"Wait, what? You just found out her name? You mean you didn't know her name this entire time?" he asked, sounding disbelieving.

"No one told me. How would I know?" I replied, feeling him tighten his grip around me.

"That's bad," he whispered to himself.

I hid my face in his neck, comforted by his embrace.

"Look at that, look at that. Disgusting. What the hell are you two doing?" I heard Louis's voice. He and Pedro were standing at the door, looking at us.

"Get down, Enzo. You're not a baby," Pedro said, smoking a cigarette.

"How many times do I need to tell you not to treat him like a toddler?" Louis blamed Papa. But I didn't get up.

"Enzo, I think you better get up," Papa said. He just didn't want trouble.

"Go away, you dogs," I said to my brothers, looking away while still hugging Papa's body. I was just having a good time with him like the old days, and these two came to ruin it. Idiots.

"Come on, let's go. Papa asked you to come," Pedro said, dragging me.

"Go away. I don't want to come. I hate that witch," I said, struggling.

"No one likes her, Enzo. But you need to respect the adults," Pedro stated.

"What the hell does that even mean, 'respect the adults'?" I said angrily as Pedro lifted me from the top and Louis took my legs.

"Put me down. I don't want to go," I protested.

"You have no choice, puppy," Louis said, and they carried me near the door of our house before finally releasing me. I angrily shook off their hands.

"You know I can leave if I want, right?" I said, looking toward the guards' area, thinking of going back there. But Pedro caught me before I could and dragged me inside.

"What do you want, Pedro?" I asked.

"Shh... be a good boy. Don't make Tia or Papa angry," Pedro warned.

It was an incredibly dull week, all thanks to Tia Esmeralda. Every time I stepped out of my room in the morning, there she was, lurking under the staircase. Even when I headed to the pool, she'd appear in her swimsuit, ready to swim with Juana. It seemed like Juana enjoyed her company, and I couldn't help but notice how well they got along. Papa had been home all these days, and I found myself secretly observing him most of the time, although I couldn't pinpoint why.

With Pedro and Louis constantly at our house because of Tia Esmeralda, it felt like there was no escape. She even visited their houses too. I couldn't fathom why she couldn't just stay at one of their places instead.

Tia Esmeralda leaped into the pool, creating a splash that caught everyone's attention. I never imagined she could jump into the water with such grace, judging by her appearance. It just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover; she even swam better than I expected, surprising me.

Papa(Gerardo) was lounging on a pool chair beside mine, while Pedro and Louis also joined us. Having them all there, especially so close to me, made me feel uneasy. Tia Esmeralda's presence only added to the discomfort. I couldn't help but wonder why I had even come to the pool in the first place, and now I felt awkward about leaving.

"What's that mark on your chest, Lorenzo?" Tia asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

"It's just a birthmark," I replied, wondering why she was so interested.

But then she started laughing.

"It looks more like a scar from a bullet wound," she chuckled.

"What's so funny?" I questioned, feeling annoyed by her mockery.

"Show some respect, idiot," Pedro intervened, standing uncomfortably close to me while puffing on his cigarette.

"Why are you standing so close? Back off," I snapped, trying to create some space. Instead, he moved even closer, seemingly trying to provoke me. Fed up, I grabbed at his leg hair, and he retaliated by swatting my hand away.

"It's funny 'cause you got shot when you were so young," she kept laughing, irritating me.

"Why is that funny?" I asked Pedro quietly, but he just shrugged.

"How old were you when you got shot for the first time, Gerardo?" she asked Papa. I saw Papa's face change uncomfortably. Good for him. He's the one who brought this on us. Now we're all suffering. Papa started smoking his cigar heavily, like he was in a smoking contest.

"Let's not talk about the past," Papa said, and I felt relieved that no one encouraged the witch's stupid talk.

"So, does Juana have a boyfriend now?" she changed the subject.

"Not yet," Juana said. "I don't want to marry."

"That's a good decision, girl. Why would we want men, right? We only want their money," Tia said, laughing louder than ever. All the men looked at each other in confusion, and I saw even Juana look at Tia bewildered.

After a few days, the witch finally flew away from our house, and I felt relieved. The next good thing was that school would start on Monday. I couldn't wait to see my buddies and kiss Mia. I missed Mia and her kisses so much. At the same time, I felt like I wasn't in the mood for bullying anymore, and I didn't want to compete with Ava. I just wanted Mia and my friends. I was done with studies. I was tired. This was the last year of school, and I planned to enjoy it like I did before.