Chapter Twelve: The Boy Who Borrowed A Father
Nico learned the truth in pieces.
Elena insisted on that.
Children deserved honesty scaled to their hands.
Not lies dressed as protection.
Dominic resisted.
Elena won.
They sat in Nico’s room on a rainy afternoon, the three of them arranged like a family no one had earned yet.
Nico had Bruno tucked beneath his chin.
Dominic sat in the chair by the bed.
Elena sat on the windowsill.
Near enough.
Not beside him.
Nico looked suspicious.
“Am I in trouble?”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Papa looks like court.”
Dominic blinked.
Elena almost laughed.
“You are not in trouble,” Dominic said.
Nico hugged Bruno tighter.
“Is someone dead?”
The room changed.
Dominic’s face went gray.
Elena stepped in.
“Someone was. A long time ago.”
Nico looked at her first.
He trusted doctors to name pain.
“Your father was named Matteo,” she said.
Dominic closed his eyes.
Nico stared.
“My father is Papa.”
“Dominic loves you like a father.”
Nico looked at Dominic.
“Are you not my papa?”
Dominic’s hand gripped the armrest.
“I am your uncle.”
Nico’s face crumpled.
Elena moved closer but did not touch him yet.
Dominic leaned forward.
His wound protested.
He ignored it.
“I chose to be your papa.”
Nico’s lower lip shook.
“That’s lying.”
“Yes.”
Dominic’s voice broke on the word.
Elena watched him bleed without blood.
“I lied because dangerous people wanted to hurt you. I thought calling you my son would keep you safer.”
Nico cried silently.
That was worse.
Dominic continued.
“I should have told you sooner.”
“Did my real papa love me?”
Dominic looked destroyed.
“Yes.”
“Did he leave?”
“He died.”
Nico looked down at Bruno.
“Did he choose to?”
“No.”
The child nodded as if filing that away in a drawer too heavy for him.
Then he whispered,
“Will you choose to leave?”
Dominic reached out.
Stopped.
Waited.
Nico saw the waiting.
After a long second, he put his small hand into Dominic’s.
“No.”
Dominic’s answer was raw.
“No, Nico.”
Elena’s throat tightened.
Nico looked at her.
“Does he lie to you too?”
Dominic flinched.
Elena did not soften the truth.
“He did.”
“Big lie?”
“Yes.”
“Did you forgive him?”
The room held still.
Dominic did not breathe.
Elena looked at the rain.
At her scarred palm.
At the man who had left her to survive and returned still bleeding from the same wound.
“No.”
Nico’s face fell.
Then Elena added,
“Not yet.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
A single tear escaped anyway.
Nico saw it.
His own tears stopped from shock.
“Papa cried.”
Dominic wiped it away too late.
Elena said nothing.
Nico tilted his head.
“You should say sorry better.”
Dominic laughed softly.
It broke in the middle.
“I’m trying.”
Nico considered this.
Then he held Bruno out.
Dominic took the wolf carefully.
“What is this for?”
“Practice.”
Dominic looked at the stuffed animal.
Then at Elena.
Then he bowed his head toward Bruno.
“I’m sorry.”
Nico frowned.
“Better.”
Dominic’s mouth curved.
“I’m sorry I lied.”
“Better.”
“I’m sorry I made fear bigger than truth.”
Nico looked at Elena.
“Was that good?”
Elena’s voice almost failed.
“Yes.”
Nico nodded, satisfied.
Then he took Bruno back.
“You can still make pancakes.”
Dominic blinked.
“I can?”
“If you don’t burn them.”
Elena stood.
“Doctor’s orders say no cooking until stitches heal.”
Nico groaned.
Dominic looked at her.
There was warmth there.
Careful.
Contained.
“Doctor’s orders are harsh.”
“She stabs people,” Nico said.
“For justice,” Dominic replied.
Nico smiled.
Elena turned toward the door before they could see what that did to her face.
Behind her, Nico asked,
“Is Dr. Elena staying?”
Dominic did not answer.
Smart man.
Elena stopped in the doorway.
She did not turn.
“For dinner.”
Nico cheered.
Dominic said nothing.
But the silence behind her changed.
It stood up.
It hoped.
