Page 73 of For his Surrender

“Mommy, where’s Marcos?” Bella tramples on her godmother’s speech, and Grazi rolls her eyes.

“He’s taking a shower, my love...”

“I want to see him!” warns, and I laugh.It cannot be said that Marcos and Isabella have become friends in the last month, but even with the distance imposed by him, Bella already considers him part of her routine.

Her adaptation to the new reality makes me happy, but I can’t deny that it also makes my chest tight.After all, even if it’s only two years from now, all that will change, again.

“If he’s still showering at your bedtime, tomorrow you talk to him, all right?”

“Okay! And what about you, mommy? What did you do today?” The question catches me off guard, and I’m slow to hide the answer that immediately stamps my face.Not that Isabella cares or notices, but Grazi...

“Motherf…”

“Graziella!” I shout, before she curses in my daughter’s ear, and her eyes narrow, accusing me.

“You’re unbelievable!” I look away.

“I’m not having this conversation with you over video call!” I remember it was pretty much the same words as Marcos, and I snap my tongue.

“What are you and Aunt Grazi going to do tomorrow, dear?” I ask Isabella, completely ignoring Grazi’s sulking face.

“We’re going to the park!”

“Really?” I open my mouth, pretending to be dramatically surprised, and the door behind me opens.

“Marcos!” Isabella screams.

“Holy shit!” Grazi grunts.

“Graziella!” I scold and turn my neck, finding Marcos only with a towel wrapped around his waist.I close my eyes, now my friend’s reaction makes a lot more sense.

“Marcos, what did you do today?” Isabella asks before he even approaches the camera.Caught off guard as I was, Marcos seems to have the same immediate reaction.He shuts up, and Graziella lets out a disgusting sound down her throat.

“Your mother and I played some games...” That’s the stupid answer he gives.I shake my head and frown in a silentreally?which he ignores as he approaches the camera, leaving only part of his chest bare and his face exposed.

“Games? Like the princesses? On the phone?” Isabella asks, Marcos’ lips pout, thoughtful.I nudge his ribs with my elbow, he opens his mouth as soon as the sore pang hits him and shakes his head, nodding quickly.

“And what are you going to do tomorrow, Marcos?” Isabella repeats the same questions I asked her.

“We’ll play more games...”

“You got to be kidding me!” Grazi grumbles. I rub my hands on my face.Fucking hell!And, like the angel she is, Isabella solves all my problems in her next sentence.

“Mommy, now I’m going to hang up, the princess and dragon movie is about to start! Bye!”Without waiting for an answer, she goes down from Grazi’s lap, turns her back and disappears into the hallway, leaving three adults completely displaced, alone in a video call.

Grazi opens her mouth, ready to say what she shouldn’t, I have no doubt.So, following Isabella’s example, I bid her goodbye and hang up the call before she gets a chance to understand what’s going on.

I turn to Marcos, finding him frowning.

“What?”

“I don’t like her...”

“Believe it or not, she doesn’t like you either!”

?

“Can we talk about other things, or is the only language allowed on this island that of the body?” I question, ironically, when I leave the bathroom wrapped in a towel and find Marcos wearing nothing but a swimsuit, it’s not as if he has a reason to dress, not really.

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