Page 67 of Blind Spot
“I can respect that. I just want to know that you forgive me.”
“That’s not something that I’m ready to do right now. And I know they’re always saying that you should forgive people for yourself and not for the other person. One day, maybe I will. I’m just not there yet.”
Ramon nodded and turned his gaze to me. “Can you and I talk one-on-one for a minute?”
I turned my gaze to Charly, and she stated, “I’ll wait in the car.”
I nodded and watched as she got in the car and closed the door. Ramon and I stepped away a few feet, where we could talk without her overhearing us.
“Dom, I don’t have any excuses for why I’ve been an asshole to you and to her. I could blame it on the drinking, but my shit started long before the drinking. It’s like you always got everything so easy. Dad letting you have your freedom, the way the girls were with you, your relationship with Mamá and Abuela. I was jealous. When Charly seemed to be lost, I thought, this is my chance to show my little brother that I’m just as good as he is. When you got out, and she was all excited about it, and started spending more time around you, that shit hurt.”
“That’s no one’s fault but your own, Ramon. You always knew how we were.”
“You’re right, I did. But I hoped that would change after she’d been with me. I remembered how y’all would walk around each other naked or in your underclothes. I got pissed thinking that you two had picked that shit up again. The thought of you touching her or being with her would drive me to drink. I couldn’t take it out on you, so I took it out on her. I was wrong.”
“Neither of us would disrespect you that way. Our entire friendship changed and became something we didn’t recognize out of respect for you. That shit wasn’t easy, nigga, and neither was it fair.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
“Do you love her?”
“What?”
“Do you love her? Did you ever love her, Ramon?”
“I loved the idea of her, and even more than that, the idea of taking her from you. I’m in therapy. My boss insisted that I attend therapy and deal with my drinking if I wanted to retain my job.” He shrugged, offering his statement as an explanation of his feelings.
“You did that shit to hurt me. Getting with her and beating her.”
He shook his head. “I got with her to hurt you. Beating her had nothing to do with you. That was a problem that I had long before her, something I needed help with. I did prey on Charly, though, because I wanted to get under your skin. I was wrong, and for that, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for ever being jealous of you and wanting to hurt you, Dom. You’re my brother, and I love you. You deserve better than that.”
I could have used my anger to beat his ass again, or ignore him, or I could have been the bigger man and forgiven him. I decided to forgive him because that was what was in my DNA. The unforgiveness would destroy me, and I knew that I would have my hands full helping Charly to heal from what he had done to her and learning to forgive him in spite of her pain.
“I love you, too, Ramon, but this shit won’t end overnight. It took years for this damage to occur in our relationship, and it’s going to take time to get anything back. Right now, I’m not in a good place, but I do forgive you. Just stay the hell away from her,” I warned in a serious tone.
“Yeah. I can respect that.”
I didn’t hug him, but we did dap it up before I got in the car. Charly rested her hand on my wrist and looked at me.
“Are you okay?”
“I am because I’ve got you, baby.” I leaned sideways and kissed her. “I love you.”
“I love you, Dom.”
Chapter 21
Charly
“Stooop,” I whined, reaching out to drag the cover back over my toes.
“What? I didn’t do anything.”
“You did. You keep pulling the cover off my toes, and if I’m not mistaken, you have turned the thermostat down too,” I complained.
Dominic grabbed me closer and chuckled in the side of my neck. “Maybe a little bit.”
“Why?”
