Tobias and Manuel were only gone for ten minutes. When they returned, they weren't alone. I smile in relief at the sight of Tobias and Manuel with Patrick and his now-wife...I never caught her name. Tobias looks around until he meets my gaze then waves me over. I jump to my feet.
"Arabella, I'm so glad you came," Patrick smiles, pulling me in for a hug. "This is my wife Grace." He gestures to his wife. "Grace, this Arabella, Tobias' kid."
"Congratulations," I tell them. "The place looks beautiful-you look beautiful." Grace is wearing a long white dress that's covered with tiny unknown flakes that sparkle when light hits it. She looks like a chandelier.
But most of her attention isn't on me. She's looking at Tobias with an almost puzzled expression. "Your...kid?"
"She's not biologically mine," he answers.
"I'm sorry, I didn't really..." Patrick trails off and snakes an arm around Grace's waist. "We should go." They hurry off together and I turn to Tobias.
"Is he okay?" I ask Tobias.
"It's his day, not his father's. He'll be fine."
The three of us return to our table and our seats. We sit for probably twenty seconds when I jump back up again. "Want to dance?" I ask Tobias.
"I don't dance."
I turn to Manuel. "How about you?"
He glances at Tobias anxiously. I miss what look he gave Manuel but it wasn't bad. Manuel nods, rising to his feet, then we make our way to the dance floor.
Tobias
Arabella and Manuel are the only ones above the age of thirteen and below the age of fifty on the dance floor. It's cute but the way they dance is impressive. They asked the DJ to play Spanish music and I've never seen either of them move like that, and Arabella is pretty damn clumsy but not when she's dancing. They dance a few songs before Arabella called it off. Cupid Shuffle started to play and Arabella ran around, encouraging people to dance. And they do. When she feels like she has gathered enough people, she runs to me.
"Don't dance," I tell her then take a sip of my water.
"Please?" I avert my eyes. She'll give me those puppy dog eyes that I can't say no to. But she doesn't. Instead, she simply says, "okay," her voice small and thick with disappointment. She walks away, and I curse, putting down my glass. I go after her and, when she sees it's me, her face lights up. "Thank you!" She hugs me, and I stumble a bit as I move towards the dance floor with her arms around me.
Manuel's fighting his laughter while my sister laughs openly. Arabella's by my side the whole time I do the stupid dance. She can't wipe that goofy grin off her face and it's the only reason why I'm dancing.
Finally, the song finishes, and I return to my seat. I notice that less than half the group on the dance floor does too. Only less than half. Arabella grabs Manuel and makes her own little group.
"She's something," Rosalee says, taking a seat next to me. She hands me a beer. "She got almost the whole party to dance. I mean, she got you to dance! She's like a wildfire that spreads joy."
"I'm driving." I try to hand back her beer but she refuses it.
"One beer won't hurt."
I sigh and take a sip of my unwanted beer. I'm a chef, everyone drinks wine when they eat, wine is literally my drink. I'm not used to drinking other alcohol and my sister doesn't understand that.
"Have you decided what you're doing to do?" The abrupt change in Rosalee's voice, her serious tone doesn't make me think about her question.
I shrug, forcing myself another sip. "Enjoy her presence while we can then help her as much as I can when he gets out and takes her."
YOU ARE READING
Breaking
Random"Go ahead and be mad at me, but when you, someone I care about is at risk, even the slightest bit of danger, I'm going to do and say whatever I want to protect you. I rather have you safe and hating me than hurt and being okay with me." When fiftee...
