Chapter 23
Pushing a cart through a grocery store while Antero chattered their ears off felt very much like she was playing house. People were staring too at the giant of a man, his giant of an offspring and the six men who were following them through the shop. There was a very real possibility this was the very first time in his entire life Don Torquato Lozano ever went shopping for groceries. Yet, he was moving with an ease of a man who was calm and relaxed. The number of snacks he was throwing into the cart, however, made her cringe at the end of every aisle.
“Lemons!” Antero exclaimed excitedly. “We need lemons.”
She’d not seen this much emotion on the boy since the time she brought home the classroom bunny for the weekend from preschool. She spent the entire weekend watching to make sure the thing didn’t die, and he slept curled up on a blanket next to the cage because she wouldn’t let it sleep in Antero’s bed with him. She’d never been so glad to give a beast back in her life. She shot Torq a sideways glance wondering when he too could be a beast to be sent back to wherever he came from.
“What was that for?” he asked laughing.
“What?”
The look you just shot me.” He motioned to a mirrored wall behind the fruit and vegetables which captured the side eye she’d given him. “You gave me a look which would make a smaller man wither.”
“Nothing. He’s simply so excited and it’s your fault. He is not usually like this.”
“Pretty sure it’s the notion of you cooking his favorite meal. Also, who puts lemons in cacio e pepe?”
“He likes to drink lemon water with it. Something about the pepper needing the sour of the lemons. He’s a quirky kid, Torq,” his name felt odd on her tongue. “You’ll find he has idiosyncrasies and habits which don’t lend well to his routines being changed. He doesn’t usually talk this much. From the age of two to four he never shut up and then he started preschool, and he went back to watching the world instead of talking about it. He’s always taking things in, listening attentively and occasionally stumping us with really weird observations which we can’t explain.”
Antero raced back proving he was always listening, “maybe he knows!” He looked up at Torq curiously.
“Know what?”
“Why are strawberries seeds outside the flesh? I can’t think of any other fruit which has seeds on the outside. Why?”
“It’s a very good question.”
“Also, why do some people like sweet things and other people like salty things better? Why do they prefer cats more than dogs or dogs more than cats? Why when people eat cilantro do they taste soap and others don’t? I want to know what makes those things happen.”
“Wow,” Torq scratched the side of his head, “you think all the time, don’t you?”
“Yes. Why do giraffes grow long necks and why do snakes slither? Why did they not get legs?”
As Antero started rattling off all the questions she, Amal and Susana were unable to answer, she turned her attention back to collecting the few ingredients needed for the pasta dish. She looked at the way Torq was hanging off every word the boy was throwing out. Her heart cinched at the adoring smile Torq was giving him, no evidence of frustration or irritation at the abundance of questions coming at him.
“Mom!” Antero suddenly squealed.
“What?”
“Can you make dessert too?”
Ant,” she sighed frustratedly. The last thing he needed when he was this amped up was sugar.
*Please.”
The kitchen is all packed up.”
“Qur kitchen is not packed up,” Torq commented with an annoyed glance at her. He was still irritated from when she told him she and the twins packed up the apartment she was living in with Antero.
She slowly turned to face him, “Excuse me?”
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Chapter 23
“The condo which was purchased early this morning is fully fitted with an elaborate kitchen. Anything you could possibly need is there and ready
for use.”
“What?”
“The kitchen is fully stocked.”
“No. I mean what do you mean the condo you bought today?”
“We need a secure place for you and Antero. The word went out today he is my son. My father’s fools attempted a hit on me yesterday. They were dealt with but there are always more to come out of the woodwork. I want you where I can keep you safe.”
“This wouldn’t be necessary if you hadn’t opened your mouth,” she muttered angrily and pushed the cart forward.
“Alcee, we need to make sure Antero knows we aren’t on opposite sides.”
“It feels like we are.”
“We are not. There is so much I will explain. You are both important to me and I do not want to lose you, not I’ve found you again.”
Oh.”
She flushed as he draped his arm casually over her shoulder as if they were longtime lovers and he pressed a kiss to her temple.
“I made sure the condo has everything you could believe necessary. It is close enough to Antero’s school and it won’t change the commute time for him. When you told me you packed up your place, I asked my team to collect your luggage. All of your essentials, the things you would pack up were already collected from your apartment and will be placed at the condo. Tito met with Susana to get a photograph of Antero’s room, and they are making it as close to what he has at your other apartment.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because you told me he is neurodivergent and doesn’t like change. If his room is close to what it was then it will be less of an adjustment and at the very least there will be one room in the condo which feels familiar to him.”
“Oh.” The thoughtfulness touched her in a way she wasn’t expecting.
“I also booked an appointment for myself with Antero’s school. I would like you to join me if possible. It’ll be tomorrow. I also booked in to talk to a therapist who works with parents of neurodivergent children but the soonest I could get was the day after tomorrow. She is in quite high demand and didn’t care I was throwing money at her.”
“What?” she was staring at him in awe. “You booked in with a therapist?”
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