When Nelson came out, Callie had her head buried in her arms, half-open eyes watching him.
The man’s eyelashes were dark, his eyes calm and quiet.
Neither spoke first. In that moment of eye contact, Callie suddenly felt a deep connection between them as husband and wife.
After a long while, Nelson took her hand and helped her up, “Let’s go home.”
Callie leaned against the old wall, arms crossed, staring straight ahead. He was helping Todd back, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he turned his head.
From her angle, Callie could see Nelson quietly slipping a card into Todd’s pocket.
Both of them knew each other’s boundaries and made arrangements discreetly behind the scenes.
What she didn’t know was that up ahead, Todd was holding Nelson’s hand and winking at him playfully.
“I saw that.”
Nelson chuckled, “Saw what?”
“I saw you switch the cards to let that girl win.”
Todd had seen how fast Nelson switched the cards, and he noticed how happy Nelson looked when she won.
Nelson just smiled faintly at his words.
“As long as she’s happy, I am.”
Todd squeezed his hand and patted it firmly, “Your mother visited recently.”
Nelson fell silent.
“She said you’re a good kid. You helped her out recently. Nelson, have you forgiven her?”
“A good kid?” He rolled the words around in his mouth, “Maybe a good kid, but not a good son.”
“Nelson, maybe she had her reasons.”
“It doesn’t matter to me.”
As Callie walked out of the alley, she glanced back and instinctively noted the name of the place.
“What’s your relationship with Todd?”
“Todd used to be the family butler and Lucia’s cousin. He took care of me growing up.”
No wonder he called him uncle… so he was from Lucia’s family.
He always had a grudge against her… that’s why he never wanted to visit Todd.
“After Lucia left, Todd felt too ashamed to face us and resigned.”
“Did you bring me here today because you’ve let go?”
Nelson squeezed her hand and gave a faint smile, which was an acknowledgment.
“Innocent people don’t need to be hated.” He looked up at the sky, “Everyone has to say goodbye to the past at some point.”
Callie mimicked him, looking up with her hands behind her back, “I never thought I’d be with you in a place like this.”
Nelson looked down at her deeply, leaned in and kissed her.
As they kissed, Nelson remembered to ask, “I lost; what do you want me to do?”
Callie paused and moved back a bit, honestly saying, “I haven’t thought about it yet.”
Nelson then lowered his head and began to take what he wanted without hesitation.
As things got heated, Callie groaned softly, clutching his arm as pain shot through her waist and abdomen. The man kissed his way down gently to that thorny spot.
Nelson was the most skilled man she’d ever known at playing with desire, making it impossible to resist. His eyes seemed both empty and full of longing.
In that final moment, he was as beautiful and fleeting as a blooming flower.