"Do you regret leaving?" I couldn't help but ask as I held onto the divorce papers. I felt like a child as I sat across from her. Seven with my hair in a shitty ponytail watching her helplessly as she told me she wasn't coming home for a while. A while turned into years and before I knew it our communication was her sending me a birthday card with the words I miss you scribbled inside. She didn't miss me. All I was to her now was a reminder of him. His deep brown eyes and quick temper rolled up in a softer more feminine package.
"You did fine without me Paloma," her words were sharp.
"That's not for you to decide. I needed you! And maybe you're right and maybe I am fine but that's no thanks to you leaving!" I barked. Guilt washed over me as I stared into her eyes.
"I'm sorry Marabelle." Her name felt odd on my tongue, but calling her mom felt even odder.
"You aren't the one who should be apologizing." She sighed. Her eyes softened for a moment as if she was caught in a memory. "I should have come back for you." That wasn't what I expected her to say.
"Or maybe you shouldn't have left in the first place. Clearly it's far to late for that now." I stood up and walked to the door pausing before I left. Hoping she would try to not leave this conversation like this, but like she had always done she stayed quite.
I walked into Emily's office with my head low. This was not what I wanted. I wasn't supposed to be the one taking charge of my parents divorce, but if my father was ever going to move on it needed to be final.
"How was she?" Me asked she passed me a cigarette with a sympathetic smile.
"Cold," I remarked. "It was like being in a room with a stranger. Except I get more heartfelt conversations with the bar patrons," I let out a small laugh.
"Why did you go see her P? Why didn't you get your Dad to?" It was a question I had been asking myself a lot lately, but the answer was simple.
"The look on his face when he told me she served him the papers. I have never seen that man look defeated. I wasn't going to let her have that satisfaction." I shrugged taking a long drag of my cigarette. "It's painful to see someone so strong look so venerable. Emily nodded in agreement.
"It's over now though. The papers will be filed tomorrow and that's that!" She tried to lighten the mood. I was lucky to have her helping me in this situation an outsider would have complicated things even more.
"So can I ask about Angel or is that still off limits?" She snuffed out her smoke a cheeky grin creeping across her face. I could feel my face getting warm as I thought of the older Reyes brother. The smirk on his stubbled jawing causing butterflies as it danced through my mind.
"Off limits," I hip checked her playfully. "He'll get bored of me saying no and move on before we know it," I tried to sound like I didn't care but Emily saw right through the charade. "Who I am complicates things."
"Miss García, why would that be?" We both burst into a fit of laughter. "Maybe what he doesn't know won't hurt him. You can't hide the fact you like him back forever."
"I can try."
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Little dove - Angel Reyes
FanfictionMarcus Alvarez had strict rules for his daughter when it came to the Mayans. She was to treat them with respect but never let them know who she was. And if any of them were to try and date her the answer was no. Paloma stuck to those rules for most...
