Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 72: Chapter 72
You are reading Dangerous Melodies, Chapter 72: Chapter 72. Read more chapters of Dangerous Melodies.
DANTE
As the room settled into silence again, I cleared my throat, drawing her gaze back to me. “Marisol, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” My voice came softer now, but full of something that felt close to hope. I gestured toward Maria, who stood trembling, eyes shining with tears.
Marisol’s smile faltered, her brows pinching with concern. She set Mr. Buttons gently down, rising from the floor to meet Maria halfway. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said with warmth, taking Maria’s hand and guiding her to the sofa without hesitation. “Are you okay?”
As their hands touched, I saw it hit her. That warmth. That pull. A connection that went deeper than memory. Something inside her recognized Maria, even if her mind couldn’t explain why.
Maria smiled through her tears, her voice gentle. “Yes, mija. I’m sorry… It was beautiful, seeing Mr. Buttons like that.”
Marisol nodded, sitting close, rubbing Maria’s arm in comfort. “It’s okay. Are you sure you’re all right? You seem… really emotional.”
Maria wiped at her eyes, trying to laugh it off. “Don’t mind me. I’m just happy to be here now. I hated being home alone, away from my boys, Dante and Felix.”
Marisol’s eyes snapped up to meet mine, her scowl immediate. “You left her all alone? You should have brought her sooner.”
Maria laughed, patting Marisol’s arm, her voice warm. “It’s okay, mija. I’m here now, and that’s what matters. I promise I’ll be the best housekeeper you’ve ever had. You just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it.”
Marisol’s expression softened, her smile turning genuine. “Thank you, Maria. Let me introduce you to my daughter. This is Luzie.” She turned toward Luzie, who was still watching them with wide, curious eyes. “Luzie, come say hello.”
Luzie stepped up, hands on her hips, already full of personality. “You better be ready, Maria. I like chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and I want them every day.”
Maria chuckled, her eyes lighting up despite the tears. “Is that so, Miss Luzie? Well, I think I can manage that. How about we make a deal, you help me in the kitchen, and we’ll make the best chocolate chip pancakes you’ve ever had.”
Luzie’s face split into a grin. “Deal!” she said, then turned to Marisol. “I like her, Mama.”
Marisol laughed softly, a warmth blooming in her smile. “I think I do too,” she said, meeting Maria’s tearful, grateful gaze.
I watched it unfold, let myself breathe in this fragile moment of connection. Despite the mess of everything, despite the pain and the forgetting, this felt like something steady beneath our feet. Something worth holding on to.
Maybe this was where we begin again.
MARISOL
Luzie and I sat cross-legged on the floor, a pile of crayons scattered between us, half-finished coloring pages spread out like some secret little world only we understood.
“You made her hair purple, Mama,” Luzie giggled, tapping the crayon in my hand. “That’s silly.”
“She looks happier this way,” I said, nudging my purple-haired princess closer to Luzie’s blue unicorn. “See? Now they match.”
We leaned in together, our heads nearly touching as we giggled over the nonsense we’d created. In that small bubble of color and laughter, I didn’t notice anyone else had entered the room. Not until I heard it.
A sharp, desperate whimper.
My head snapped up. Luzie froze beside me. Another cry followed, high-pitched and panicked, a sound too small and soft to come from any person.
Is something hurt?
Before I could even get to my feet, a tiny blur darted across the room—ears pinned back, paws scrabbling, making a beeline straight for me. I barely had time to react before it threw itself into my lap.
Warm fur. Shaking limbs. Tiny claws scrabbling at my chest like it needed to burrow inside me to survive.
The dog. A little one. Its whole body shook with such intensity I couldn’t catch my breath. It buried its face against me with these awful, broken cries that sounded far too human to belong to something so small.
I froze. My heart hammered. Where did it even come from? Who did it belong to?
My hands moved without thinking, curling around its fragile body, pulling it close. Its tiny heart raced beneath my palm like a bird trapped beneath my skin.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, though I had no idea if it was. “I’ve got you. Shh, it’s okay.”
But it didn’t settle. Its cries only grew more frantic. Little paws scrabbled at me, desperate, desperate. It licked at my cheek, whimpering so hard it hurt to listen.
Tears burned behind my eyes, sudden and sharp. Why does this feel like losing something? Why does this feel like finding something?
I held it tighter, rocking without realizing I’d started. Stroking its trembling back as if I could soothe something I didn’t understand.
Luzie leaned in quietly, her hand small and gentle as she patted its fur. “It’s okay, doggie. We’re here.”
Her sweetness broke something in me. My tears spilled over, my cheek pressed to soft fur.
Why do I feel like I know you?
Its cries finally softened, trembles fading into little whines. It curled tighter into me, its tiny body warm and solid and impossibly right against my chest.
I stroked its fur slowly, not wanting to let it go. “Who do you belong to?” I whispered, feeling foolish for the lump in my throat. “Are you lost too?”
A voice answered from somewhere nearby, one I hadn’t realized I’d been ignoring until now.
“He’s mine.”
I looked up. Dante stood there, watching me, something soft and unreadable in his expression. “I had Maria bring him. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay,” I said quickly, still stroking the little dog’s fur. He had finally stopped shaking, his body relaxing fully against me, his small chest rising and falling in slow, sleepy breaths. “I’ve never met such an emotional little guy.”
I smiled down at him. Somehow, it felt natural. Like I’d done this before. Like he belonged right here in my lap, even if I couldn’t explain it.
Luzie leaned in, her curiosity shining. “What’s his name?”
Dante’s mouth softened into something almost warm. “This is Mr. Buttons.”
Luzie giggled, the sound light and pure, and I felt my mouth soften into something close to a real smile. My fingers moved slowly through Mr. Buttons’ soft fur. The warmth of this tiny body in my lap settled something restless inside me.
“I don’t know why, but I don’t want to let him go,” I said with a quiet laugh, brushing away the tears still clinging to my lashes. “And I don’t know why I’m crying.”
Dante didn’t answer. He just watched.
I couldn’t make sense of it. I only knew I needed this little dog as much as he seemed to need me.
As the room settled into silence again, I cleared my throat, drawing her gaze back to me. “Marisol, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” My voice came softer now, but full of something that felt close to hope. I gestured toward Maria, who stood trembling, eyes shining with tears.
Marisol’s smile faltered, her brows pinching with concern. She set Mr. Buttons gently down, rising from the floor to meet Maria halfway. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said with warmth, taking Maria’s hand and guiding her to the sofa without hesitation. “Are you okay?”
As their hands touched, I saw it hit her. That warmth. That pull. A connection that went deeper than memory. Something inside her recognized Maria, even if her mind couldn’t explain why.
Maria smiled through her tears, her voice gentle. “Yes, mija. I’m sorry… It was beautiful, seeing Mr. Buttons like that.”
Marisol nodded, sitting close, rubbing Maria’s arm in comfort. “It’s okay. Are you sure you’re all right? You seem… really emotional.”
Maria wiped at her eyes, trying to laugh it off. “Don’t mind me. I’m just happy to be here now. I hated being home alone, away from my boys, Dante and Felix.”
Marisol’s eyes snapped up to meet mine, her scowl immediate. “You left her all alone? You should have brought her sooner.”
Maria laughed, patting Marisol’s arm, her voice warm. “It’s okay, mija. I’m here now, and that’s what matters. I promise I’ll be the best housekeeper you’ve ever had. You just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it.”
Marisol’s expression softened, her smile turning genuine. “Thank you, Maria. Let me introduce you to my daughter. This is Luzie.” She turned toward Luzie, who was still watching them with wide, curious eyes. “Luzie, come say hello.”
Luzie stepped up, hands on her hips, already full of personality. “You better be ready, Maria. I like chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and I want them every day.”
Maria chuckled, her eyes lighting up despite the tears. “Is that so, Miss Luzie? Well, I think I can manage that. How about we make a deal, you help me in the kitchen, and we’ll make the best chocolate chip pancakes you’ve ever had.”
Luzie’s face split into a grin. “Deal!” she said, then turned to Marisol. “I like her, Mama.”
Marisol laughed softly, a warmth blooming in her smile. “I think I do too,” she said, meeting Maria’s tearful, grateful gaze.
I watched it unfold, let myself breathe in this fragile moment of connection. Despite the mess of everything, despite the pain and the forgetting, this felt like something steady beneath our feet. Something worth holding on to.
Maybe this was where we begin again.
MARISOL
Luzie and I sat cross-legged on the floor, a pile of crayons scattered between us, half-finished coloring pages spread out like some secret little world only we understood.
“You made her hair purple, Mama,” Luzie giggled, tapping the crayon in my hand. “That’s silly.”
“She looks happier this way,” I said, nudging my purple-haired princess closer to Luzie’s blue unicorn. “See? Now they match.”
We leaned in together, our heads nearly touching as we giggled over the nonsense we’d created. In that small bubble of color and laughter, I didn’t notice anyone else had entered the room. Not until I heard it.
A sharp, desperate whimper.
My head snapped up. Luzie froze beside me. Another cry followed, high-pitched and panicked, a sound too small and soft to come from any person.
Is something hurt?
Before I could even get to my feet, a tiny blur darted across the room—ears pinned back, paws scrabbling, making a beeline straight for me. I barely had time to react before it threw itself into my lap.
Warm fur. Shaking limbs. Tiny claws scrabbling at my chest like it needed to burrow inside me to survive.
The dog. A little one. Its whole body shook with such intensity I couldn’t catch my breath. It buried its face against me with these awful, broken cries that sounded far too human to belong to something so small.
I froze. My heart hammered. Where did it even come from? Who did it belong to?
My hands moved without thinking, curling around its fragile body, pulling it close. Its tiny heart raced beneath my palm like a bird trapped beneath my skin.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, though I had no idea if it was. “I’ve got you. Shh, it’s okay.”
But it didn’t settle. Its cries only grew more frantic. Little paws scrabbled at me, desperate, desperate. It licked at my cheek, whimpering so hard it hurt to listen.
Tears burned behind my eyes, sudden and sharp. Why does this feel like losing something? Why does this feel like finding something?
I held it tighter, rocking without realizing I’d started. Stroking its trembling back as if I could soothe something I didn’t understand.
Luzie leaned in quietly, her hand small and gentle as she patted its fur. “It’s okay, doggie. We’re here.”
Her sweetness broke something in me. My tears spilled over, my cheek pressed to soft fur.
Why do I feel like I know you?
Its cries finally softened, trembles fading into little whines. It curled tighter into me, its tiny body warm and solid and impossibly right against my chest.
I stroked its fur slowly, not wanting to let it go. “Who do you belong to?” I whispered, feeling foolish for the lump in my throat. “Are you lost too?”
A voice answered from somewhere nearby, one I hadn’t realized I’d been ignoring until now.
“He’s mine.”
I looked up. Dante stood there, watching me, something soft and unreadable in his expression. “I had Maria bring him. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay,” I said quickly, still stroking the little dog’s fur. He had finally stopped shaking, his body relaxing fully against me, his small chest rising and falling in slow, sleepy breaths. “I’ve never met such an emotional little guy.”
I smiled down at him. Somehow, it felt natural. Like I’d done this before. Like he belonged right here in my lap, even if I couldn’t explain it.
Luzie leaned in, her curiosity shining. “What’s his name?”
Dante’s mouth softened into something almost warm. “This is Mr. Buttons.”
Luzie giggled, the sound light and pure, and I felt my mouth soften into something close to a real smile. My fingers moved slowly through Mr. Buttons’ soft fur. The warmth of this tiny body in my lap settled something restless inside me.
“I don’t know why, but I don’t want to let him go,” I said with a quiet laugh, brushing away the tears still clinging to my lashes. “And I don’t know why I’m crying.”
Dante didn’t answer. He just watched.
I couldn’t make sense of it. I only knew I needed this little dog as much as he seemed to need me.
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