Page 60 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“If you’re comfortable here that is good enough,” his father said.

“I am. I enjoy working here. The days I’m on rotation, they fly by, but in a good way. The ten days off seem to be longer.”

“Are you still doing things with Gabriela?”

It was the first her name came up. He was surprised it’d taken as long as it had for that to happen.

“We went to a fundraiser here on the island on Saturday. That’s where I got that vase. It was auctioned off. She introduced me to other medical professionals I should know. Parents with kids in the area. Things like that.”

“That sounds like a great way to get out and meet people,” her mother said. “Or is it just Gabriela who you wanted to be with?”

He was trying to think if his mother had asked this many questions when he was dating Zoe or not. It was so long ago, he wasn’t sure.

She probably had.

But by the time he’d told them about Zoe, it was already serious. Established. Safe.

What he had with Gabriela was nothing like that.

It was far more complicated than friendship, and far more dangerous to name.

“Well?” his father asked. “You didn’t answer her.”

He set his glass down, suddenly aware of how the air shifted in the kitchen. “It’s not like that,” he said carefully. “She’s been helpful. Friendly.”

“Helpful rarely comes with fundraisers and daytime plans together,” his mother said.

“She lives on the island,” he replied. “She knows people. I don’t. It makes sense.”

His father studied him. “Do you like her?”

The question landed harder than he expected. On one hand, it felt juvenile to ask it. On the other intrusive.

But under it all he knew it came from a place of caring.

“I like a lot of people,” he said. Too quickly.

His mother sighed. “We’re not trying to interrogate you.”

“It feels that way to me.”

“We’re trying to understand.” Her voice was gentler this time around. The caring came out again. The concern. Maybe there was part of him that had been escaping that when he left also. “You’ve been alone a long time.”

That word—alone—caught something in his throat. It felt like an insult to him now.

“I’m not alone,” he said. “I have work. Friends. A life.”

One friend. Somewhat of a life.

More than he had before so that was something in his eyes.

His father nodded. “We know. We just don’t want you shutting the door on something good because it’s complicated.”

He walked to the fridge and got another beer. Looked like he needed it. “Some things aren’t meant to be simple.”

“And some things are only complicated because we’re afraid of them,” his mother said.

He looked up then and nearly bit his tongue before he said, “I’m not afraid.”