Gio

Celia stays in my room for the rest of the day. I clean up her busted lip and offer a towel to shower. After, I leave one of my shirts and briefs on my bed for her to wear. She protests, but I assure her that I just want her to be comfortable until I get her belongings from Marilyn.

Chase, Oscar and Ari come back from the animal hospital hours later with Luna. She has a broken hip and ribs, so she'll be in a cast for a couple of weeks and won't be able to move much.

Liam comes over the instant Ari arrives. I don't object. The two watch cartoons in the living room while I step out with Oscar and Chase and tell them everything that happened. To say they're disturbed is an understatement. When I'm finished, they wonder about our next steps.

I call Arthur to come over at night to get his insight. He appears shocked over what Aram did, but I sense guilt in his eyes. He explains that Aram is unpredictable and ego-driven, but he'd never just shoot someone. We conclude that it was purely a fear-tactic to gain the upper hand.

It's difficult to scramble my head over the next steps. We can't move right now. We'd need to sell the house, the auto shop. Move the pot operation. Interrupt Ari's school year. Not to mention, we've blown all the money to settle down here with a long-term plan. Moving now is impossible.

Chase lights up a joint for Arthur and Oscar while I drive to get Celia's clothes from Marilyn. I give her the engagement ring that Celia handed me and she gives me a suitcase full of Celia's clothes, textbooks, laptop and other items.

She hesitates when I thank her and I ask if there's anything more and she asks if she could come over and see Celia. I reassure her she's welcome anytime and she hurries back inside to grab paper bags of food she has made before taking my hand as I help her in the passenger seat.

Chase and Oscar cheer up when they see Marilyn and the house fills with soft chatters as they help her set the table. I check on Celia to find her asleep on the edge of the bed. Brows furrowed together and hands fisted under her chin.

I gently wake her up, but she doesn't budge until Marilyn knocks on the door with a tray of food. She chides her for being a baby and eventually Celia sits up, nibbling on a piece of bread and eating a bit of bright red soup that honestly smells divine.

I sleep on the couch that night after everyone leaves, and by sleep I mean I stay up until four either staring at the ceiling or checking on the girls to make sure they're okay.

The next morning, before Ari's school bus arrives, I drag myself to the kitchen to make breakfast. It's a brand new day and the world caused enough harm to last us a while. There's no need to dwell or relive any of it. Not when there's the smell of bacon and eggs wafting the air.

"Good morning, sun—" I stop myself from saying sunshine when I see my daughter come out of her room with electrocuted hair and a hungover look on her face.

"Luna was whimpering all night..." she plops on the dining chair. "I kept telling her bedtime stories to calm her down and it seemed to help."

"Maybe you should drop out of school and get a job, huh?" I tease her, setting down her plate. "Orange juice?"

My bedroom door opens and Ari's attention diverts there while I pour her a glass.

"Perfect, the second sun—" I pause mid-pour when pale Celia appears in front of me in an oversized black shirt and leggings.

I put my hand on my hip, waving the spatula between them. "This might be the first time in history where I look the prettiest."

"Who lied to you..." Ari grumbles, picking up a piece of bacon.

I pull out a chair for Celia when she doesn't sit. She lifts her lashes and frowns at me, staying rooted in the middle of the living room.

I walk up to her and put my arm on her shoulders, leading her to the dining table.

"Sit," I push her down across from Ari. "Coffee, tea, or orange juice?"

"I'm okay," she says.

"Is your lip okay?" Ari asks and Celia nods without looking up.

"Celia," I call her from the kitchen, "coffee, tea or orange juice?"

"Nothing, I'm okay."

"I'm just going to bring you everything if you don't choose."

She drops her fork on her plate. "Tea."

"Maybe coffee..." I mutter, "to help with the crankiness."

"I'm cranky too!" Ari sighs as I set Celia's plate with a cup of tea and sit at the head of the table. "Yesterday feels like a nightmare..."

"Let's eat, huh?" I keep my voice light, eating some scrambled eggs. "What classes do you have today?"

"Why would someone hurt Luna? She didn't do anything wrong, what if I go to school and it happens again, huh?"

"Baby, Luna won't be leaving the house for a while. She'll be safe," I assure her.

"And then? What if she gets better then the mean man comes back? What happens then?"

"He won't," Celia says quietly.

"How do you know?" Ari focuses on Celia who pushes the bacon around with her fork.

"Because..." I sigh, taking a bite of mine. "Daddy will run him over with his truck if he shows up again. Okay? So stop worrying and eat your breakfast. You'll be late for school."

"What if he hurts you too?" Ari worries with a small voice. "Maybe I should learn kung-fu so I can protect you, daddy. Can I take kung-fu classes after school?"

"No," I chuckle, pinching her cheek. "No one will hurt me, I promise you."

"He's right..." Celia says, finally looking up. Her expression like she's miles away. "No one will hurt you or your dad or Luna anymore."

"How do you know?" Ari frowns.

"That mean man was here because I hurt him. So he hurt Luna to get back at me," Celia murmurs and slides her hands under the table.

I lean towards her. "We don't have to talk about this—"

"It's my fault that Luna got hurt, it's my fault that you got so scared," she says, focusing on Ari. "I'm so sorry. But I promise you, that mean man won't come here again."

"Did you talk to him? Did you tell him that what he did was wrong?" Ari asks.

"I'm going to leave," Celia says calmly. "When I leave, that mean man won't ever come back. So you can go to school and not worry. He won't have a reason to hurt you anymore."

"What are you talking about?" I scowl at her.

She reaches her hand to take Ari's, brushing her thumb across it while Ari looks at her with sad, puppy-dog eyes.

"You're going to leave us? You don't like us? I thought, I thought we're—"

"It makes me really sad too. You're the coolest girl I've ever met and I love spending time with you." Celia smiles at Ari. "But I was always going to leave. It's just going to happen much sooner than expected."

"Celia," I prompt her to stop.

"Who knows, maybe one day when you're a famous hair stylist, I'll be your favorite customer." Celia squeezes Ari's hand. "We'll just have to be apart so that all these good things can happen. Can you understand?"

"Daddy, why is she leaving?" Ari turns to me in panic. "Did you tell her to leave? Is it because she took your room? She can take mine, I'll sleep on the floor!"

"Finish your food, you'll be late to school," I tell her more sternly then look at Celia. "I'll talk to Celia later."

After barely touching her plate, Celia clears the table while I walk Ari to the bus. Liam runs out of his house as if he was waiting for her to come out.

"Don't worry, sir. I'll look out for her," he salutes and dashes into the bus after her.

"I told him to be extra nice today," Chanel pops beside me in her cream robe. Her arms are crossed and her blonde hair is in a bun. She has makeup on but it's less dramatic than usual.

"Thanks," I nod.

She gives me a half-hearted smile. "I heard what happened to her kitten, I'm so sorry."

I nod, clearing my throat. The bus doors close and I stare after it, hoping nobody bothers Ari today.

"Let me know if you need anything..." Chanel looks up and her excessive perfume kicks me harder than the coffee I just had. "I know you're all alone..."

"I'm alright," I step away, hands in my back pockets. "Thanks Chanel."

When I go inside, Celia is wiping the table and doesn't acknowledge me.

"What was that about?" I ask, standing on the other side.

"What was what about?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

She looks up with cold eyes and stops her movements. I try to read her expression, but she's like a concrete wall without a single crack.

"I want to go home," she says then turns to the kitchen. She rinses the cloth and squeezes out the water while I approach from the back.

"You are home."

She scoffs over her shoulder, washing her hands.

"How can you want to go home after what happened yesterday?" I grab her shoulder and turn her to me.

She stares at my face, but not in my eyes. A part of me wants to cup her cheek but I hold back.

"You're not a burden to us, you should stay here," I tell her. "Why would you want to be under the same roof with someone who did this to you?"

I reach my thumb to her lip but she jerks away. My eyes harden as I struggle to figure her out. "Why are you shutting down on me?"

"I'm not shutting down on you, this is who I am," she snaps, stepping aside to lean against the counter. "I'm not a family girl. I don't bond and I don't eat breakfast with people. You don't need to try to make me feel like I belong."

I rub my jaw and take a deep breath. Celia looks away, biting the inside of her cheek.

"I'll put up job postings for a babysitter around school today and stick around during working hours until you find someone you like."

"Really?" I ask sarcastically. "You got this all planned out already?"

"Yes." Irritation colors her voice. "I just want to go back to how things were before. I want to focus on school and nothing else."

"Nothing else?" I pace towards her, invading her personal space. "Do you mean Ari and me?"

"You don't need me." She peeks at me, eyes brimmed with tears. "And I don't need you."

"What if I do?" I rest my hands on the counter behind her, lowering my face in front of hers. "What if I said I don't want you to leave?"

Her lashes flutter and her mouth parts, like she's overwhelmed, like she can't even breathe.

I shake my head at her busted lip, her screams from yesterday playing in my head. I can still feel her body against me shaking with fear, threatening to kill just to protect me.

"I don't care, I'm not selfless," she glares at me. "I don't care what you think or what you want. I only do what I want. So just leave me alone."

She pushes past me out of the kitchen and into my room, shutting the door behind her.

"How is she today?" Marilyn asks when I pick her up an hour later.

My truck smells of spices, garlic and tomatoes. Though I told her we have food, she insisted that a mother's cooking heals everything. I didn't object, though I don't relate at all.

"She wants to come back," I say while driving. "She doesn't want to be around Ari and me."

"Of course," she sighs, looking out the window. Her weary hands are full of colorful rings.

"You approve?" I try to mask my anger.

"Fuck no."

I snort and she chuckles with a smug glint, continuing. "Of course I don't want Celia around my son... she's better off with you."

"But you said—"

"Have you ever rescued a traumatized animal? They could be starving to death, their bones shaking from the cold, but the moment you reach out with warm food and a blanket, they try to bite your hand off."

I rub the back of my neck, lost for words. If Celia's a traumatized animal, then what does that make me? In my eyes, it's the other way around.

"Why didn't you beat her father up?" Marilyn asks.

I whip my head to her. "Your son? You wanted me to beat him up?"

"You could've. You're all muscle. You saw what he did to Celia."

"Because..." I shift in my seat.

"Because?" she drawls with a chiding undertone.

"I didn't want to hurt Celia. He's her dad after all." I look at her uncertainly and she gives me a small smile.

"And why do you think she let you take her with you?"

"I don't know if she let... I kind of took her."

She snorts. "Nobody can make Celia do anything she doesn't want to do. Not even you."

I switch lanes and get onto my street, pulling in front of the gate. I turn the car off.

"Celia follows her heart," Marilyn says with a far away look. "But which direction is she supposed to follow when her heart is broken in a million pieces?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. I don't understand—"

"Of course you don't!" She smacks my shoulder. "You're a giant teddy bear with horrible communication skills."

"What?" I laugh.

She rolls her eyes, tilting her head at me. "That girl is braver than this whole town! Even when she lost her mom, she never let anyone see her in pain. But yesterday, she broke down for you."

Her words pour on me like a bucket of ice, weighing me down with guilt and shame.

"You fool! You still don't get it, do you?" she laughs, eyes shimmering. "You make her feel safe, but she's been afraid for so long, safety is no longer in her comfort zone. Of course, she wants to leave. Her heart is in a million shreds."

"So..." I scramble to follow her point. "You're saying I shouldn't let her go?"

"I'm saying you should tie her to your bed if you need to," she smirks at my shocked reaction. "And when she's better, take her to dancing."

"Dancing?" I wonder. "Celia's never mentioned she likes dancing."

"That's because she only used to dance with her mom. They'd go to meadows for picnics and poetry, then they'd dance in the fields."

"Did she stop dancing after her mom..." I trail off, words too brutal to say out loud.

"Oh no, she still dances in that meadow. But now she dances with pain. I want to see Celia dance with joy again."

~ A/N ~
This was a long chapter, but do you see where we're going with this? hehehe