Page 153 of Losing Faith

Rome B

ITS WORKINGGG

WE’RE BACK IN BUSINESS BABY!

While he’s constantly messing with me, I notice a change in his attitude. Like he really does want to be better and granted, it’s because the alternative is losing everything but it’s a start.

Tucking my phone away, I get to cooking.

I was going to letLisette sleep longer, but something feels off and I don’t think it’s my OCD, so I head back upstairs with a plate of breakfast.

I walk in quietly, in case she’s sleeping, but as I expected, she’s awake. Her head is on the bed rather than the pillow and she stares off at something in the distance, lost in her thoughts.

When I get closer, I notice a wet spot next to her eyes.

I set the plate on the nightstand as I kneel on the floor in front of her and wipe her tears. “What’s wrong, baby?” I whisper.

She shakes her head. “I’m fine.” She sounds so distant, a weight settles in my chest.

“Remember when you said you don’t like it when I say I’m not mad when I really am?” I wipe another tear. “Well, I don’t like it when you say you’re fine with tears in your pretty eyes. If you’re not okay, that’s okay, sweetheart.”

She shakes her head again. “It’s not okay.”

“It is,” I whisper, leaning forward to kiss her nose.

“I want to be okay.”

“I know you do.” I soothe her hair and my throat nearly closes as another tear trickles down her face. “Let’s have breakfast.” I kiss the tear off her face.

“I’m not hungry,” she mumbles, voice vacant of any emotion.

“I know.” I climb into the bed and pull her up so she’s leaning her back against my chest. I grab the plate and hold a fork full of eggs for her.

“Don’t make me do the airplane on you,” I tease and she shakes her head before taking a bite. “Good job.” I kiss the side of her face.

“Are you going to make me brush my teeth?”

“Yup.” I kiss the back of her head before offering more food.

“Can I stay in bed after?” she asks, her mouth full of food.

“I’m going to ask you to come down when Belle gets here, but if you aren’t feeling up for it, then you can come back upstairs.”

She nods before taking the fork from me as I massage her back.

“What did my brother tell you?”

I know what she’s asking, but I only kiss the back of her head. “Is there a reason why you didn’t want him to tell me?” I ask gently, trying to figure out if she doesn’t want me to know about her disorder because it’smeor because of her own feelings.

She moves her food around, and when she takes too long to take another bite, I scoop up a fork full of food and bring it to her mouth. She takes a bite before leaning her back against my chest again.

“I share too many qualities with her,” she mumbles and I know whoheris. “I just really didn’t want to have that too. I like to believe I’m just depressed and it’s notbipolardepression.” She says it like it tastes bad in her mouth. “Then days like this hit and I just hate it here.”

I kiss her again as I hold her close. “You can share her qualities and be nothing like her, reina. Two things can be true at once. You’re not your mother’s daughter,” I try to reassure her.

She remains quiet and I focus on her as she rubs the scars on her thigh. “I remember so vividly doing this the first time.” She runs her finger along an older scar a few times. “I was sent to an alternative school to finish the end of fifth grade.”

She shakes her head at something. “I got into one too many fights.” She stifles a laugh now, but it sounds weird. “August and Sire purposely got into a fight for a week straight to be sent to the same school as me.”

---