Page 41 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“Gabriela,” he said.

There was the silence that he was expecting.

Then the laughter that followed.

He wasn’t sure which was worse.

The laughter. Definitely the laughter.

“It’s a woman?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Is she single? Normally you don’t spend the day with the opposite sex if you’re in a relationship unless it’s work related.”

“Mom. We are friends.”

It was the truth.

Just not admitting that for the first time in years he was feeling something more than friendship. Or maybe thinking of it.

But he hadn’t missed the look in Gabriela’s eyes when she found out he’d just taken his ring off when he moved here.

That screamed “not ready” to any idiot.

Gabriela Mills was one smart woman.

“Friends could turn into more,” his mother said. “Isn’t that how things started with Zoe?”

“You don’t have to whisper her name. I’m not going to break.”

Not even crack.

Not anymore.

“I know, honey. But it’s always been so uncomfortable.”

“It shouldn’t be. It was tragic, but I’ve got to move on. I am. I know you and Dad didn’t like me moving here, but if it helps any, I feel somewhat like my old self. Not three years ago, but like twelve years ago.”

That was as close to what he could say without coming out and admitting it was before he met his wife.

The love of his life.

The person who he thought made him whole.

But he realized one thing. A single person couldn’t do that for you. You had to do it for yourself or you were going to wither away into nothing.

You couldn’t let someone else have that much power in your life.

He wouldn’t ever again.

It took him taking this leap to know that now.

“I’m glad. More than glad. Ecstatic. If you won’t come home for one of the holidays, do you think Dad and I can visit you? Would that be too hard to do being on an island?”

“You know what? If you two don’t mind the travel, then we can do that. I can get you at the airport and bring you over on the ferry, then bring you back as long as it’s not a day I’ve got to work.”

“Nonsense. Your father and I will either stay in Boston and come visit or get a car and figure it out on our own. I’ve always wanted to see the city. Let me look around to see what’s available and when for Thanksgiving. If that doesn’t work, then maybe Christmas.”