Forever, For Always Page 6

  I bite my bottom lip, not sure what to say next, because I mean, what do you really say to that?

  “If you couldn’t tell, Gloria isn’t my real mother. My dad ran out on my mom when I was just a baby, so she worked a lot to take care of me. When I was seven, Gloria used to baby sit me, just like she does for Benny. Late one night, a police officer came to her door and told us that my mom had been shot and killed in a robbery. I didn’t have any other family, so Gloria took me in even though she and her late husband already had six kids of their own.”

  “Wow. I’m so sorry. That must have been really hard being so little.”

  “It’s okay. That’s the day that I decided I wanted to be a police officer, though. I wanted to be the one that stopped the bad guys from taking another little boy or girl’s parents from them. Days like yesterday, when reality sets in that I can’t bring down every single bad guy, it sucks. ”

  “Didn’t you mention something at dinner last weekend about wanting to be a detective, too?”

  “Yeah, it took the police force five years before they finally caught the man who killed my mom. Because of that, I have always been interested in the news stories about cold cases, murders, and forensics type stuff. I find it interesting looking over the facts and trying to solve them. When I was in the police academy, there was a huge murder and disappearance case at out of New York that was being broadcast on all of the national news stations. My buddies and I would go over all the new information at dinner time and try to figure it out ourselves for fun. I’m the only one out of all of them who looked at the evidence from a different angle. Sometimes what you see is not really what it is. That case is what convinced me to finally go for it and become a detective. You have to be on the force for four years here before you are allowed to take the exam, which will be in just a few weeks for me.” Isaac rubs his hands together in anticipation.

  “Congrats,” I say, trying to hide my nervousness.

  “You know, Gloria wasn’t lying when she told me how great of a mom you are. Benny’s really lucky to have you, Vada. You are doing a great job raising him. Something tells me you are not told that often, so I wanted to reassure you.”

  I stare into Isaac’s light blue eyes and wish so much that I could be the real me around him. I’ve never felt a connection to anyone in my entire life like this other than Dominic. “Thanks,” is all I’m able to force from my lips.

  “That’s what the pink rose is for. Light pink stands for admiration. I don’t remember much of my mom, but what I do remember is how much she loved me and how hard she worked for us. I admire what you do. Not every mother is a good mom, and not every good mom is a great mom. From what I see on the outside looking in, you are an exceptional one.”

  I nod my head in understanding and try to hide the tears that want to escape my eyes. “Thank you. I would do anything for Benny, even die for him if that is what it took to keep him safe.”

  He has no idea how true those words are.

  “I’ve been rambling. Tell me something about you. I know you just moved here a few weeks ago, so where are you from?”

  And this is the moment I was dreading.

  “Remember how I said I didn’t need friends?”

  Isaac slowly nods his head yes.

  “Well, you may have made me realize I was wrong on that. It’s been nice hanging out with you.” I pause, trying to come up with the right words. “But, I wouldn’t make a good friend, Isaac. There’s a lot about my life, my past.” I take a deep breath. “That I’m not ready to share with anyone. I may never be ready. I can’t really talk about my future either, because, well, I don’t even know what it holds. Benny and I do not stay around in one place long. All that I could give you in a friendship is the present, and some days, I may not even be able to give you that. Benny is my number one priority. Always.”

  I’m not sure Isaac has even blinked while staring at me through my long winded explanation.

  “I really like you and Benny’s company and am not really sure I want to give that up quite yet. So if that is all you can give, I’m willing to accept that.”

  I smile involuntarily. A little tiny bit of peace has resonated in me.

  “I’ll make a crappy friend. You do know that, right?”

  Isaac grabs my right hand into both of his. “Vada, I told you that I understand and I’m fine with it.”

  “And when it comes time for Benny and me to leave, we really have to leave,” I explain adamantly.

  Isaac gives me a reluctant smile. “I understand.”

  “Well, I think I hit my quota for this whole friendship thing tonight. I have to get up early to be at the café.” I stand up and walk to the TV to turn it off, hoping he gets the clue that I’m ready for him to leave. When I turn back around, Isaac is already standing and begins to approach me. I try to hide the panic that shoots through me as I notice him getting closer.

  “Thank you again for dinner and for inviting me over. I know now that it was a big step for you to do something like that. I’m glad that you are going to give this friendship thing a try.” Without any notice, he leans down and wraps his arms around me into a hug.

  At first, my arms lay limp by my sides until a warm sensation radiates through me from the feeling of his contact. I slowly bring up both arms and wrap them around his waist, reciprocating the hug. I rest my head against his chest and close my eyes as I take a deep, shaky breath. I can hear his heartbeat palpitating rapidly in my ear. I forgot how calming the embrace of other person can be. Just as soon as it seemed to happen, the hug ends as he pulls away.

  Isaac opens the front door and pauses before walking out. “Goodnight, Vada.”

  His smile gives me a sense of peace.

  “Goodnight, Isaac.”

  I lock the door behind him and lay down on the couch to catch my breath after all that I have accomplished tonight. Part of me wishes he never let go of the embrace he initiated. The feeling it gave me was the same as the first time I was genuinely hugged, which happened to be the day after Dominic taught me to make Italian Stuffed Shells. The circumstances resulting in the hug are not something I like to remember, but it was a big part of what brought Dominic and me closer.

  ***

  The front door of the penthouse slams shut so hard that it rattles the floor where I’m seated in the next room. Dominic is in his bedroom finishing up his homework while I watch American Idol. I’m now wishing I had stayed in my own bedroom when Vincent stumbles into the living room. His bruised left eye is swollen shut and I notice a trickle of dried blood under is left nostril as well. The rage in his good eye is unnerving the closer he gets to me. That is when I realize I need to move, but my body seems frozen to the cushion. Vincent yanks me up with both hands tightly wrapped around my arms, just below my armpits. He lifts me high enough that we are face to face.

  “Who took twenty dollars from my safe,” he screams so angrily that spit spews from his mouth. I can smell the scotch on his breath.

  Eyes wide in fear, I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

  The grip he has on my arms is so tight it should hurt, but the fear running through my veins paralyzes my body.

  He grits his teeth as he begins to speak again, this time trying to keep his cool. “I had a visit from Antonio after his payment today and he was short twenty dollars. Twenty dollars that I know was in the stack of cash in my safe. I’m lucky I didn’t leave in a body bag after his unannounced visit. So, I’m going to ask you one more time.” He pauses as he takes a breath. “Who took money from my safe?” he yells in my face.

  I’m scared of what he may do to Dominic if he finds out, so I do the only thing I can think of to protect him.

  I take a deep breath. “I did,” I answer looking him straight in the eyes with as much fabricated confidence as I can contain.

  A scream forms through my throat as he throws me against the china cabinet, glass shattering all around me.

  “Why do you insist on lying for that boy?
” he growls.

  Dominic rushes into the room, stopping between where Vincent is standing and where I’m lying in the heap of glass and shards of ceramic. The sight of this sends Vincent into a fit of laughter. He laughs so hard that he begins to uncontrollably cough, having to hunch over while holding his ribs. Antonio must have done a number on him. Dominic swiftly bends down to grab me, helping me to my feet. My right arm is profusely bleeding. He rushes me out of the living room, down the hall towards his room, while Vincent is still having issues coughing. Once we get through his door, he slams it shut and locks it. He grabs my left hand, pulling me behind him.

  “I have bandages in my bathroom. I’ll get you cleaned up. Sit,” he says pointing to the side of the bathtub. He reaches for the shower sprayer and pulls my arm over the tub. “I have to make sure the glass is cleaned out before bandaging you up. It’s going to hurt, Adaline.”

  I close my eyes, squinting my face in anticipation. “I know. Just get it over with.”

  After cleaning the wound and patting it dry, Dominic grabs a box of butterfly bandages from below the sink. “You should probably have stitches, but these should hold it together. You will just have a pretty gnarly scar.” His mouth downturns into a frown of pity.

  Eight butterfly bandages and a few tears later, he’s finally done.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you like I promised,” Dominic says in a low voice after applying the last bandage.

  Make that nine and now I’m done.

  “I didn’t want him to hurt you, too,” I reply in an even lower voice while looking down at the pristine, white tiled floor, now stained from my blood. I don’t make any effort to move from the bathroom. I’m too scared to leave his room and possibly face Vincent again. Dominic must see that fear in my eyes when I finally look up at him.

  “You can stay the night in my room if you want. I can sleep on the floor.” He grabs both of my hands, helping me to my feet. He instantly wraps his arms around me into a tight embrace. I hug him back, realizing this is the first time in the eleven years of my life I remember anyone really hugging me.

  Resting his chin on my shoulder, he says, “Don’t worry about me, Adaline. I told you I would look out for you and I meant it. Forever.”

  “For Always?” I ask him as we still firmly hold onto each other.

  “For all of time,” he whispers.

  ***

  Chapter Seven

  As I sip on my third cafecito of the day, I realize that it’s a good thing I work at a coffee shop today. It’s Friday and I only have an hour left before I can head home. This is usually the most boring part of my day because no one usually comes in this time in the afternoon, so at least with all the caffeine I have consumed today, I won’t be falling asleep.

  I haven’t seen Isaac since he came over for dinner on Tuesday. He usually doesn’t come in for coffee when he isn’t working. Honestly, I’m perfectly fine having a little space after our conversation Tuesday night. I have so many mixed feelings about agreeing to try being friends with him. I know it will be good for Benny to have a man around. But, I also know that when it is time to leave, and we’ll have to leave Miami eventually, it will tear Benny and possibly me apart. Then another part of me also feels like I’m betraying Dominic by letting another man into my life. Which is crazy, because I know Dominic would want me to be happy and have a friend so I’m not so alone. He always wanted what was best for me.

  The bell on the door chimes, knocking me out of my own thoughts. Isaac walks in and his face is flushed as if he was just running. He’s wearing black shorts and a white sleeveless shirt with ear buds still in his ears. Once he’s close to where I’m standing, he pulls one out of his ear.

  “Hey! Slow afternoon?” he asks as he props his left foot up on a chair to retie his shoestring.

  “It seems this time of day always is,” I reply. “But only an hour left until I can go home to Benny.”

  He smiles. “So, uh, I was out for a run and figured I would stop by and say hey since I was in the area.” He looks like he may be regretting that decision. “Too much, too soon?” he asks.

  “That’s what friends do, right? Stop by and say hi?” I lie.

  Isaac smiles and slowly shakes his head nervously and points toward the door with his thumb. “Well, I better finish up my run. It’s Gloria’s birthday and the whole family is coming over to my house for dinner to celebrate this evening, so I have a lot of things I still need to get done.”

  I’m sure my eyes pop right out of my head. “It’s Gloria’s birthday? Are you serious? I had no idea! I feel terrible now for not wishing her happy birthday this morning or getting her a gift.” I know there is no reason for me to know when her birthday is since I have only known her just shy of a month, but I’m still really upset with myself. She does so much for me and takes care of Benny like he is her own.

  Isaac must have noticed the troubled look on my face. “You and Benny are more than welcome to stop by. I’m sure Gloria would love that.”

  “Seriously?” I ask, feeling relieved. “Are you sure we won’t be intruding on family time?”

  Isaac laughs. “Not at all, Vada. You already know Carlos, and everyone else knows about you and Benny already. They will be excited to finally meet you guys. All sixteen of my nieces and nephews will be there, too. Benny would have fun.”

  I place my left hand over my chest now that my mind has been put at ease. “Oh my gosh, thank you so much, Isaac!”

  “Only problem is that I live too far for the two of you to walk. I can pick you and Benny up, but it would have to be about an hour or so before everyone gets to my house so that I’ll have time to get the cubanos made. So say, five o’clock?”

  “That’s prefect! Thank you again.”

  “See you in a few hours.”

  ~

  I decided to not tell Gloria Happy Birthday when I got home, so that Benny and I showing up would hopefully be a surprise to her tonight. Once she left, I told Benny that we were going over to Isaac’s tonight to celebrate Gloria’s birthday.

  “Is Glory-ya going to have a cake?” Benny asks excitedly. He is my little sweets monster and loves any reason to have cake. Wonder where he could have gotten that?

  “Yes, I’m sure there will be a birthday cake. Why don’t you draw Gloria a birthday card while I get ready? I bet she would love that!”

  “Okay!” Benny skips happily to the kitchen table where I set out some construction paper and a box of crayons for him.

  After my shower, I decide on wearing the only other dress I have in my closet, a coral and white chevron maxi dress. I apply some light makeup and slightly curl my hair. This is the first time I’m meeting most of Gloria’s family, so I want to make a good impression if she has really spoken about me as much as I’ve heard. Isaac should be here any minute and I’ve yet to decide what to give Gloria as a gift, when I remember the diamond stud earrings I was wearing when I left Manhattan. I immediately took them out once I left because didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself while on the run. My princess cut diamond wedding ring that I switched to my right middle finger did enough of that already, but taking that off was not an option to me. I haven’t worn them since arriving at my first new “home” in Tennessee, four years ago.

  I search my nightstand drawer for the small distinctive blue box my ring came in. Dominic must not have wanted to leave it behind because I found it in the backpack once I was finally settled. I pull out the box and the earrings are still sitting nicely inside, just where I left them.

  I place the box into the small gift bag that I picked up on my way home earlier and walk to the kitchen to see if Benny has finished his card.

  “Wow, Benny, how many cards did you make Gloria?”

  Benny looks down at the several folded up pieces of construction paper that are sitting in front of him. I count out seven in my head. “I think forty three,” he responds confidently.

  “Okay little man. Hand them over
so I can put them in the bag.”

  Benny practically throws the cards at me when he hears a light knock at the door.

  “Officer Monroe is here!”

  I open the door and Benny’s mood does a three sixty. “Oh, hi, Isaac,” he says in a depressed tone.

  Isaac scrunches his eyebrows at Benny and looks back up at me with his eyes questioning what is wrong. I shrug my shoulders at him because his guess is as good as mine. Two seconds ago, Benny was about to have an aneurism at the thought of him being here.

  “Benny, that isn’t polite,” I say to him with a hand on his shoulder.

  Benny looks back up at me with the same depressing look. “Sorry, Mommy.”

  I give him that mom look that every child knows so well. Benny knows what it means. He looks back at Isaac. “Sorry, Isaac. I like your uniform, but you are just Clark Kent today.”

  Isaac bursts out into laughter. “I’m sorry, Buddy. Do I need to come visit you next time I’m on duty?”

  “Yes, please!” Benny’s mood instantly switches back to the happy one from just minutes ago. Three year olds are so unpredictable!

  Halfway to Isaac’s car, I remember that I forgot to grab Benny’s car seat from the house.

  “I’ll be right back. I need to run back inside for Benny’s seat.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. I installed one of the spare car seats I have for my nephew already so you wouldn’t have to worry about lugging his around.”

  “Seriously?” I ask in disbelief.

  “Seriously,” he responds with a grin.

  ~

  I’m a little more than surprised when we pull into Isaac’s driveway. He lives in a one story, coral stone, Mediterranean-style stucco house right on the beach. A really nice home for a single police officer.

  We follow close behind him as he unlocks his door and walks in.

  “Welcome to mi casa,” he says, spinning around to face us with his hands in the air.

  “Nice little home you have here, Officer Monroe.”