Chapter 13 - THE MAN WHO LEARNED TO BE GENTLE
Six months later, Leo moved into a new home with Sofia.
Not a mansion.
A comfortable house with a garden.
A school nearby.
And enough security to keep them safe without making them feel imprisoned.
I visited every Sunday.
Sometimes Grace came with me.
Leo adored her.
He called her “Nurse Grace” even after she stopped working at the hospital.
She laughed every time.
One afternoon, Leo asked me a question.
“Uncle Dom?”
I looked up from the puzzle we were building.
“Yes?”
“Are you going to marry Grace?”
I nearly dropped a piece.
Sofia laughed from the kitchen.
Grace turned bright red.
I stared at Leo.
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“Because you smile when she's here.”
Silence.
Then he added:
“And you don't look scary anymore.”
Grace burst out laughing.
I looked offended.
“I was scary?”
Leo nodded seriously.
“Very.”
Sofia laughed harder.
I shook my head.
“Wonderful.”
Grace leaned toward me.
“Don't worry.”
I looked at her.
She smiled.
“I like your new face.”
I laughed.
Then kissed her cheek.
Leo covered his eyes.
“Ew!”
But he was smiling.
That evening, Grace and I walked through the garden.
The sky was turning pink.
She slipped her hand into mine.
“Dominic?”
“Yes?”
“Are you happy?”
I thought about it.
For years, happiness had seemed irrelevant.
Power mattered.
Control mattered.
Survival mattered.
Now I had something different.
A family.
A future.
A woman who wasn't afraid to tell me when I was wrong.
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
May you like
Then I smiled.
“For the first time in a very long time.”
