A gasp escapes my lips, stands on my feet when a male voice echoes in the small home. His baritone voice reminds me of his father.
An uncertain smile spread across my lips as I watch Levi stops mid-way with a shock on his face. It’s obvious he doesn’t know about our unexpected visit. He drops his backpack to the floor with a thud, then blinks and closes his mouth.
His dark chocolate eyes shift gazes between me and Pyke. He has Uncle Levi’s skin, hair, lips, and the shape of his face. At seventeen he’s tall and beefy. He’s wearing his school jersey and faded jeans.
I move closer to him with a smile a little too excited. “Oh, my God! You really look like him.” I cup his face, staring at him with awe. I blink back the tears forming in my eyes when I notice his body goes rigid.
Levi stays silent, and it bothers me that he might not like me being here-that’s what’s making me fidgety throughout the ride.
“Do you know me, Levi?” I ask in a low voice.
He swallows. His feature softens, nodding lightly. “Yes, you’re Camila.”
I release my hands, pulling him into a hug. I feel his hands wrap around me and pats my back tentatively.
Pyke clears his throat from my back, making us pull away. I turn my head to Pyke and smile at him with spontaneity.
“That’s my boyfriend, Pyke Hughes,” I tell Levi.
Pyke extends his hand to Levi. “I’m your sister’s fiancé,” he corrects.
I roll my eyes inwardly and face Levi again. “Can we talk?”
Levi glances at his mother for approval, then looks down at me. “Sure.”
“Outside?”
He nods and leads me the way.
I follow Levi outside the house, deeply breathe in the cold breeze, and somehow feels a little relief. I don’t know how to start a conversation with him. I want to get to know him and ask his childhood, our mother, and his family. I want to know everything. How come I didn’t see him visited my uncle at the hospital? Why does Uncle Levi never mention he had a family?
“So, you’re seventeen, right?” I ask as we stop under the tree. I face him and try to remember his dad on his face.
“Yeah, I’ll be eighteen in two weeks,” he answers shyly.
“Wow! We should celebrate,” I say excitedly, too late to realize if he even wants to celebrate his birthday with me. I am literally a stranger to him and just came to visit him out of the blue.
He doesn’t know me, surely, he doesn’t trust me. What am I thinking? I don’t even know if he will talk to me after this, the fact that I don’t like our mother who raised him well he might not give me a chance. Levi seems a good kid. I can’t sense a hint of trouble in him.
My heart aches on how he’s lucky to be raised by his mother. Why do I feel jealous when Auntie Carissa raised me well too?
“We don’t celebrate anymore since Dad died.” He shoulders droop, sadness fills his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Levi. I lost him too, you know.” I grab and squeeze his big hand.
“I know. He talked about you a lot but never told me that we have the same mother. I only knew you by your name. At first, Mom will not allow me to visit Dad on weekends where in fact that was the time I should be visiting him because I didn’t have school. That’s when I sneaked out and went to the hospital alone, then I saw you with a guy talking to Dad. Mom only told me when a woman suddenly knocked on our door, at first she offered Mom money. When mom refused she threatened us if mom will not go with her willingly.”
“I found a letter stocked inside the miniature car he gave me. I was so excited to meet you, I should’ve found that out sooner. I want to know you more, Levi.” I pause and think if I have to ask something more personal. “Is she treating you well?” I regret as soon as the words come out of my mouth.
Levi’s brows suddenly furrow. “You mean if she hits me, let me work and takes my money? Or if she came drunk every night?” His voice is strong, but he manages to stay calm.
“I-I’m sorry.” I lower my gaze, swallowing the thickness forms in my throat. He has the right to defend his mother and warns me not to see him again.
“I love my mom, Camila. My parents gave me everything despite our lives are not like yours-” he pauses, clearing his throat. “Until dad went to undergo his treatment. He had to stop working. I mean, his real job as a car designer. We didn’t have a financial problem back then, but Dad had to undergo a series of chemotherapy, though he refused at first, we got him to agree as long as we won’t touch my college fund.”
“Do you know how Mom and Dad met?” His lips curve into a small smile as if he’s happy to reminisce happy moments of his parents.
I shake my head and let a small smile curve up my lips.
“They both attended the rehab program. Dad was a black sheep of their family back then. He knew who mom was, but he used his middle name instead of King so that mom won’t find out that his brother got her knocked up.”
I wipe the tears pouring down my face like a stream.
“Do you think it’s easy for her to let go of you? Mom was raised by her grandmother who died before she even turned eighteen. She was passed to different foster parents until she literally ran away when she was of legal age. Then she got knocked up when she had a chance to follow her dreams.”
I look away, swallowing the guiltiness inside me. I judged her without knowing what she’d been through. I now fully understand why she wanted to get rid of her pregnancy-she did not only failed to fulfill her dreams, but she had no money and family to support her baby. And it was because of me. How is she going to raise a child alone? The answer is like a sucker punch to my gut.
“I think you should give her a chance, Camila. I know she regretted to let go of you. She can’t reach out to you because of the agreement she signed. But she’s happy knowing you’re in good hands with the family who took care of you as their own.”
I nod at him. “So, are you still in junior or senior?” Changing the topic might lessen the mix emotions swirling inside me.
“Senior, I play football. Not that good, but we get to the final in two weeks.”
“Wow! You’re damn good, Levi!” I slap his arm playfully out of excitement.
He chuckles, “How about you? Is he really your boyfriend or fiancé? I can’t see a ring on your finger?” He rakes down his eyes on my hands. Aw, another overprotective man in the family.
“He proposed last night-maybe out of overwhelmed that he almost died saving my co-” I clear my throat when I remember my relationship with Kyland. “Kyland. But he promised to give me a ring, so that’s why I still don’t have a ring on my finger, and I can’t remember I said yes to him thought.” I laugh, feeling the heat creeps up my neck.
“Are you happy? Does he treat you well?” he asks. I am now, and I’m happy that somehow he’s concern about me.
“I’ll answer that.” Pyke suddenly appears from my back.
“Hey, where is mo-”
“I love your sister. I don’t need your permission to let her walk down the aisle with me, but you’re invited.” Pyke grins down and raises his brow to Levi.
“Be nice, Pyke.” I poke his chest making him chuckles. My heartbeat skips a beat that it feels like we all not just met moments ago.
“I’m ready,” my mother says from Pyke’s back. She changes her clothes to a black and white dress and three inches high-heels with a black coat. She even puts a little makeup and ties her hair up.
“Ready?” Levi interjects.
“Pyke asked me if we can have lunch with them. I suggested the restaurant where I work. That’s the nearest,” my mother answers.
“Let’s go. You both ride with Fitz, and we will follow you there,” Pyke says then calls Fitz to instruct the address of the restaurant.
I remain my mouth shut throughout the ride. I don’t know how to react and behave in front of my mother. The fact that I didn’t exchange words with her makes me antsy.
“This looks great, Liv,” Pyke compliments the restaurant.
The Mariachi plays softly on the speaker as we enter inside. The entire interior is like I’m transported to Mexico. A huge sombrero painted on the wall with the Mexican instrument they are famous for.
“Thank you, Pyke. I work here after my husband died. Although I don’t have a problem with LJ’s tuition and his college fund, I still have to pay our bills. The bank took the house since I can’t pay the mortgage anymore.”
My heart bleeds to hear that they lost their house because she can’t afford to pay the mortgage. Is that why they’re living in that old trailer house?
“Levi is on a full scholarship?” I ask.
“Yes, LJ is top in his class and he plays football. The championship game is in two weeks,” she says proudly, stealing glances at her son who’s seemingly blushing right now.
We get into an empty round table. The Mexican waitress smiles. “Good afternoon!”
“Carina, this is Mr. Pyke Hughes and,” Liv looks at me as if she finds trouble in introducing me as her daughter or as a friend.
I wave my hand at her, smiling back. “I’m Camila, Liv’s daughter.” I feel Pyke’s hand squeezing my knee. I can sense my mother freezes on her seat across the table and Levi’s eyes slightly widen.
“Nice to meet you, Bella.”
“Thank you!”
“Do you have orders yet? We have special Burrito, Chili Relleno, and Enchiladas.” The word burrito drawls from her. It sounds good from a Mexican tongue.
My mother orders food for us since she’s familiar with the menu and Pyke goes with her.
“LJ, aren’t you going to invite them to watch your game?” Liv asks Levi.
Levi rubs the back of his neck. “Um, it’s not that big, you know. And they’re not used to watch in a small stadium, Mom.”
“I’d love to come and watch your game, Levi. I’m not a fan, but Pyke is.” I smile, squeezing his arm.
“Yeah, I’m a fan, we’ll definitely be there, dude. Show me your move and make Camila and your mom proud,” Pyke says. “Are you a quarterback or-”
“Guard,” he cuts in.
“Wow! Man, do you take steroids?” Pyke jokes.
“Stop it,” I cut in.
“Just kidding, Babe.” Pyke laughs.
My mouth waters when the food arrives. I even moan as soon it reaches my taste bud making Pyke groans in response. He mutters something to behave, and I chuckle, gripping his thigh under the table.
“So, any plan for college?” Pyke asks and chews his food.
“I might take an electrical or computer engineering. I don’t know or maybe business management.” He shrugs. “I’ll decide later once I’m in.”
My mother listens while I, Pyke, and Levi exchange questions. He talks about his game, his enthusiasm for fixing electronic devices like laptops, desktops, tablets, and sometimes phones.
“Don’t you like to follow your sister’s footsteps? She likes cars. She’ll manage the 4X4 soon. Camila can also give you an internship at CK Corp.”
“Pyke,” I warn, giving him a you-will-pay-this-later look.
“Sorry,” he mutters.
“I love Dad, but I don’t want to do anything with King, Pyke. I may be a King, but only the blood running through my veins that keeps me connected with them.”
I get out of the car after Pyke parks it in front of their home. My chest caves in when I see them hop out of the black SUV.
I stroke my arms absently while walking towards them. Clearing my scratchy throat, they turn to face me.
“Um, it was really nice talking to you, Cam,” my mother starts.
“Me too,” Levi follows.
My chest tightens, my breathing quickens as I try not to burst into a cry, but I fail so. I launch myself into Levi to hug him tight and sob in his arms. Levi rubs my back, dropping his chin on top of my head. “Hey, don’t cry, we will still see you again, right?” His voice thickens.
I nod, pulling away from Levi. My eyes land on my crying mother.
“Mom.” I sob even harder when I feel her arms wrap around me. Calling her mom for the first time takes everything that burdens me for so long. I feel the solace, the closure, and the welcoming embrace as she wraps her arms around me that unbelievably soothes my shaking body. If this is how it feels to be with my mother, I will take this chance to be with her. She may be abandoned me, but now it doesn’t matter to me anymore.
“Forgive me, Camila.”