Page 18 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

One away from a lot of people. Or at least people who looked like they were working there.

They sat and she picked up her burger, put it to her mouth and opened up wide, taking a massive bite.

He wondered if she always attacked her food that way. Or just attacked everything in life the same way.

Bigger than life with a smile on her face.

Something he could learn from for sure.

He took a bite and chewed.

“So, what do you think? Not bad, huh?”

“It’s pretty good. Real beef.”

“Yep. It is.”

They ate in silence and he realized she wasn’t going to ask about his personal situation again.

He could continue with that or he could give some of himself like she’d done already on his first day.

She’d made him laugh. Not once. Not twice. But so many times he’d actually lost track.

Not the forced laugh for a parent either, but one that came free with most of his kids he saw trying to calm them.

“I’m here alone,” he said. “No family around. Everyone is back in St. Louis.”

“Where you’re from originally?”

“Yep.”

She nodded her head, her eyes glancing at his left hand again. He should have taken the ring off before yesterday.

Even today, he felt the ghost weight of it was still there holding him back.

“I’ve only lived in Massachusetts. I went to Boston University and then Tufts for med school.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t want to work there,” he said.

“Nah. Got to keep up the family tradition,” she said.

“Guess you like the area if you didn’t even leave for school.”

“I did. I do. I feel as if it’s just in my blood. Do you know much about the history of the island?”

“I know your family founded it and how it all came about. I did some research when I was looking to leave.”

“So it wasn’t just here you applied for a job for?” she asked.

“No. I needed to get away,” he said. He wasn’t lying. There was no need to. “I had a few interviews. This appealed to me the most. I understand the reason the salary was so high, but honestly it was the five days on and ten off that sounded great.”

“I know, isn’t it? Though when you’re into the sixteen-hour shifts you don’t feel that way. They’ve tried so many things to get staff. I think this is the best so far. It got you, by the sounds of it.”

“It did.” They continued eating. She wasn’t asking any more questions. “Why did you say men don’t like you?”

“We don’t have nearly enough time for that conversation,” she said, laughing. “I think I’ve been called a handful before. Yeah, that one is on the list.”

“It’s probably more like men are intimidated by you.”