Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 64: Chapter 64

MARISOL
The scent of fresh Chinese takeout drifted through the dining room as we all gathered at the table. I sat down with Luzie, Dante, Felix, Nina, and Lucas, our eyes drawn to the steaming spread of noodles, rice, and stir-fries. It was technically a working dinner, but the mood stayed light, almost festive, as we reached for our favorites.
Luzie climbed up on her chair, her voice ringing out with bossy delight. “Okay, everybody! I’m going to tell you where to sit!”
Dante and Felix shared a look, trying not to laugh as Luzie pointed with authority. “Dante, you sit here, next to me,” she ordered, beaming. “And Felix, you sit here.”
Felix raised an eyebrow, chuckling. “Why do I get this seat, Luzie?”
Luzie crossed her arms, deadly serious. “Because this way, no one gets hurt feelings. I’ll sit between you both so you’re both happy.”
Laughter broke out around the table. “Sounds fair to me,” Dante said, settling into his seat.
Felix dropped into his seat on Luzie’s other side, grinning. “Wouldn’t want to hurt Dante’s feelings. This works out perfectly.”
Luzie beamed, proud of her flawless logic. “See? Now everyone’s happy!”
As everyone dug in, I watched them with a quiet smile. This messy little patchwork family. Mine. Some expected, some not, but all of them here, together.
I’d promised I’d make more time for Luzie. But somehow, work always slipped through the cracks. These moments, with their laughter and comfort, always caught me off guard. Fleeting. Fragile.
I kept thinking about last fall. I’d promised her I’d be home for bedtime. Just one story. I even told her she could pick whichever book she wanted. When I finally got back, it was almost midnight. The house was dark except for the little nightlight in the hallway. And there she was, curled up on the couch in her pajamas, the book clutched in both hands like she’d been guarding it.
She had drawn all over the first page. Big crooked hearts and her name next to mine. A little speech bubble that said, “I love you, Mommy.”
That drawing lived at the bottom of my purse for months. Crumpled. Creased. But I couldn’t throw it out.
She never got mad, just nodded sleepily and asked if I could read it in the morning instead.
For years, I balanced spotlight and motherhood, dragging Luzie through green rooms, rehearsals, and tour buses. She never complained. Always by my side. But school had changed everything. She needed roots. Routine. Things I didn’t know how to give her.
Lucas cleared his throat, slicing through my thoughts. “Marisol, I’ve got some amazing news. A new collaboration. A duet with Carlos T!”
My eyes flew wide. “Carlos T.? The Carlos T.?” The words spilled out before I could stop them. I caught myself, glancing around the table. “I mean… wow, that’s huge.” My face warmed as I tried to recover.
Lucas grinned. “It’s a big one. Love ballad. In Spanish. Your first big shot at the Latin market.”
Nina blurted, “And he’s so hot!” and then slapped her hand over her mouth, already turning red.
I shot her a look. She squirmed. “Uh… I mean, professionally speaking.”
Luzie looked up between bites. “Why is he always hot?”
Heat flared in my cheeks. I glared at Nina before turning to Luzie. “It’s because he’s from Puerto Rico, sweetheart. It’s always hot there.”
Luzie nodded. “That makes sense.”
Felix snorted. “Good save.”
Luzie tilted her head, completely serious. “It’s okay, Nina. He can’t help it if he’s hot.” Laughter rolled around the table. Then she turned to me, her eyes wide. “Mommy, make sure you help him cool down, okay?”
I choked mid-sip, coughing as my drink went the wrong way.
As the laughter faded, something in the air shifted. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Dante watching me. His shoulders had gone stiff, jaw tight, gaze heavy like it carried weight he wasn’t saying aloud.
I didn’t ask. I didn’t have to. The flicker of tension in his eyes said enough.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Anyway, Carlos can only do the recording tomorrow. Saturday. He’s in town for just one day before heading overseas to start his world tour.”
My smile faltered. The buzz of the duet and the thrill of opportunity faded as everything went quiet. I looked at Luzie, still happily forking lo mein into her mouth. Her cheeks were smudged with sauce. Her eyes lit up every time someone laughed.
I promised to spend more time with her. And here I am. Letting work steal another moment.
One night to learn the song. One night to rearrange my priorities. And once again, I was choosing the job. Guilt pressed hard against my ribs.
How do I keep choosing both, when one of them always loses?
I let out a breath, sharp and tired. “Lucas, you always do this to me. Every time I have time off, something comes up.” I crossed my arms.
He opened his mouth, probably with some rehearsed pitch, but I cut him off. “You don’t get it. It’s not just one day, Lucas. It’s one more chip out of something I barely have a grip on. She’s six. She thinks I hang the moon, and I’m scared I’m gonna blink and she won’t anymore.”
Lucas hesitated. The grin he’d worn earlier faded into something quieter. “Mari… I know this isn’t easy. But this duet? It’s a real chance to shift your career. The kind of move that—”
“I know what it is,” I said, sharper than I meant to. “I know what it could mean. That’s the problem.”
Silence hung between us. Not tense, just… resigned.
Then I exhaled and rubbed my eyes. “Fine. But make it as early as possible. And see if we can record it here. I don’t want to go out.”
My eyes drifted back to Luzie. Her small, trusting smile. I remembered the plan we made. Just the two of us. Kindergarten shopping. A normal Saturday.
“Nina,” I said, trying not to sound as defeated as I felt, “I’m going to need you to keep Luzie company tomorrow while we record. We were supposed to go back-to-school shopping.”
Nina’s voice was warm. “Of course, Marisol. We’ll have a great time, won’t we, Luzie?”
Luzie looked up at her and grinned. “Yeah! We can play games and have fun!”
She turned to me then, reading me too well for someone so young. “It’s okay, Mommy. We can go shopping on Sunday instead.”
Something inside me cracked open. I reached across the table, cupping her cheek with a trembling hand.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” My voice came out barely above a whisper. “We’ll make the most of our time together, no matter what.”
“I love you, Mommy,” she beamed.
“I love you more, baby.” I kissed her forehead, closing my eyes just long enough to hold onto her warmth.
I felt someone watching us. Looked up. Dante. The expression on his face twisted something in my chest. There was longing there, unspoken ache in the way his gaze lingered on Luzie, then shifted to me. Like he saw something he wasn’t sure how to hold onto.
Lucas cleared his throat again. “Well, now that we’ve got that settled, let’s focus on making this a success.”