Page 174 of Arturo's Temptation

“I think so. These people are very welcoming.” She patted my hand. “You will come back,sí?” I nodded. “So in love,mi hijo, just like your papa. When he loved, he loved hard.” Her smile was edged in pain.

“You still miss him, don’t ya?” I asked, my heart squeezing.

“Sí, every day. But the pain of losing you was… bigger. I did not know where you were, what you were doing or if you were even alive,” she sighed, rubbing her temples.

“Well, you’re ‘ere now, and so am I. It’ll all work out, Ma.” I could see her mulling over what I was saying. “I’m just surprised Ben didn’t call me, you know?”

“Do not blame Ben. I asked him not to say anything. I wanted you to hear it from me.”

“Even so, why didn’t you call?” I scrubbed my face, trying to make sense of everything. Maybe I was overthinking this or reading too much into it, but my cynical side wouldn’t rest.

Why can’t you just let this go and embrace the fact that you’ve got her back, dickhead?

“I was… scared. I thought you would think I was lying and hung up. So, Ben helped me to get a passport and buy plane tickets.”

“Looks like I owe Ben a pint or two.” I said, smiling, and this time it felt a little warmer. “Come on, let’s take you shoppin’.”

“How you feeling, dude?”Emmet asked from the opposite chair in Lorenzo’s office.

“No fuckin’ idea, mate. Ain’t really got my head round it yet.” I grunted, desperately wishing I had a cigarette.

“It’s not everyday someone comes back from the dead, kid.” Red said, giving me a smile edged in sadness. “But we’re all here for you.”

“I fuckin’ miss Ty.” I said, grimacing. Nodding, Red raised his scotch toward me. The rest followed, including Lorenzo.

“Me too, kid, me too. But how’s Bells and the baby doing?” Red asked.

“Good, real good.” I smiled, sipping my whisky. “Can’t wait to meet our lil’ one.”

“Best feeling in the world, y’know. The first time you hold them. The way their tiny little hand grips your finger.” I could tell Red was hurting, we all could. “Better do right by them, kid.”

“He knows what will happen if he doesn’t,” Lorenzo said, exhaling a ring of cigar smoke.

“Ugh, cut the bullshit, old man.” I said, resting my ankle on my thigh. “My family’s my world.”

“Good man.” Lorenzo winked, and that was that.

I glanced down at my phone’s lock screen, smiling at the picture I had snapped of Bella at the flat overlooking the city below. To my frustration though, there was no missed call or message from Ben. Why wasn’t the knob answering? All I wanted to know was why the fuck he didn’t call and tell me my mum was alive. But perhaps it was a good thing. After all, this morning it had felt as if no time had passed at all. Mum and I laughed and joked just like we used to, while I chewed her ear off non-stop about Bella and the baby.

“Alright, fuckers, I’m off to bed.” I said, knocking back the rest of my whiskey.

I paused on my way to bed to find the nursery light on and the door ajar.

“My love?” I pushed my way inside to find Bella cross legged on the floor, folding baby clothes. “It’s gettin’ late,” I replied, lowering myself to sit beside her.

“You ready for this, Art?” she asked, leaning her head on my shoulder. I rolled my eyes.

“Princess… you know how I feel about that name.” She giggled and wrapped her arms around me. Sighing, I glanced around the soft grey walls, decorated with hand painted clouds, thinking about the many nights we had spent getting this room ready. A cot sat against one wall, with matching bedding, Bella’s childhood teddy lying on top of the sheets.

“I was thinkin’, what if we knock through that wall?” I asked.

“We just decorated and now you want to rip it down?”

“Might be nice, though, havin’ easier access to them.” Her brow furrowed as she looked up at me.

“Baby, that would take ages, and where are we going to sleep while it’s being done?”

“We’ll get it done, Bells.” Luca said, appearing at the door. “When you two come back from your weekend away, it’ll be done.”