Tiptoe Kisses

Chapter 24

Chapter 24                          

The biggest coward is a man who awakens a woman’s love with no intention of loving her.   

                                                                                                                         ~Bob Marley

Celine shoves a menu in her son’s hand and taps him on his shoulder trying to get his attention.  They are sample tasting tapas the caterers have prepared to serve at Alberto’s fifty-sixth birthday party to be held in a few weeks.

“Which ones do you like Santo?”  Santo hears but he hasn’t paid attention to any of the food they have tried for the last hour.  He has no idea what he’s eaten. 

“I told you he wouldn’t be any help.”  Serena tells their mother.  “Just pick a few.  Padre won’t care.  You never let him eat anything that taste good anymore anyway.”  

“Hush Serena, give your brother some time.  “What about the sushi Santo.  Alberto loves Sushi I’m just so afraid to let him have any since that incident at the restaurant.”

“You haven’t let padre eat Sushi because of what happened at that restaurant?  Mamma that was months ago and it wasn’t his fault.  Santo turns to the caterers and selects the samples that include sushi and Celine finalizes their order.   

Serena leaves the kitchen table to let the caterers out and Celine is now watching her son’s face.

Celine goes over to her son and holds his head back to look at his face.  "How are your injuries?"

“It’s alright, there’s nothing to worry about.  It was work.  The outside bruises are gone.”  Santo allows his mother to check his bruises for herself.

“I don’t like it.  I hear you are having trouble with the detective on this case.  Serena said he doesn’t like you.”  Celine can see that her son is distracted. 

“I can handle him.  Don’t worry about it.”  Santo tells her.

“Should I not worry about the relationship between you and Taylor?  I heard that you two are not speaking to each other.  It’s making things difficult for the employees at La Croix’s.  There are all kinds of rumors going around about what happened between you.  I want to know if it’s true.  Did you have a falling out?” 

“Mamma, it’s complicated.  Our relationship has been complicated from the start.  I don’t know why, we rub each other the wrong way sometimes.   I didn’t realize the employees notice.  No one has said anything.”  Santo mumbles not wanting to tell her everything.

Celine takes his hand in hers and pats it.  “Santo, I’m not naïve.  You two can’t be in the same room together without one of you touching or looking at the other.  Now I understand that being in the same room together is a rarity. I am told that you don’t talk to each other, you go through other people.” 

Celine is getting more agitated as she keeps talking.   “Really Santo, what is wrong with you.  His mother admonishes and Santo swallows the lump in his throat shifting his gaze away from her.

“You’ve slept together?” 

Frowning and trying to figure out the words to use he can’t bring himself to discuss this with his mother. 

“Mamma…..”  He scowls.  “That’s…..”  He looks at her and shakes his head.

Celine lets his hand go.  “Personal, you don’t want to tell me.  You think I don’t know about these things.  How do you think you got here?”