The Sinister Silhouette

She shakes her head then says, “No. You’ve missed too much work for me lately. I’ll be okay.”

I tip her chin up until she’s looking at me. “If at any point you change your mind, call me.”

“I will.”

We stand there for several moments, just holding each other, when something hits my boot. Looking down, I spot Goodie in his ball. I pull back from Jules with a frown and look into the living room, expecting to see Aria close by. When I don’t, I bend down and pick up the ball. Jules and I share a look as we leave the kitchen. Hearing sniffles coming from the hallway, I head toward Aria’s room with Jules following. What I see has my stomach clenching painfully.

Aria’s on her bed, curled into a ball, stuffed animal clutched tightly in her grasp, crying. A quick look to Jules says the sight isn’t any easier for her. I pass her Goodie’s ball, knowing she’ll safely put him back in his cage, and walk over to Aria. Without a word, I lift her up and deposit her on my lap then lean back against the headboard. Her sniffles and hiccups completely destroy my insides. This precious little girl has always had the ability to pull out my emotions. Whether it be love, mirth, joy, surprise, heartache, or fear. She has a heart of gold, is funny, extremely smart, and kind. Seeing her in so much pain renews my anger for Theo to lava levels.

“Shh….” I rub Aria’s back and try my best to soothe her pain away, but I’m still left feeling so fucking helpless.

Feeling the bed dip, I look over Aria’s head and see Jules sitting down beside us, her watery eyes flickering back and forth between Aria and me.

“I m-miss Daddy,” Aria cries softly.

“I know you do, honey,” I tell her, my voice gruff.

“W-why doesn’t he come see me? Does he n-not miss me t-too? I don’t understand w-why h-he just left. He d-didn’t even say g-goodbye.” The more she talks the louder her cries become.

I pull her in closer and kiss the top of her head. “He misses you, Aria. So much. But he has some issues he has to work through at the moment. I’m sure he’ll call or come see you soon.”

It grates on my nerves to defend Theo, but this is his six-year-old daughter, and I’ll damn near do anything to comfort and reassure her.

“I hate him.” She utters the words so low it takes me a moment to realize what she said. “I hate him for what he did to Jules. But I still love and miss him too.” She lifts her head from my chest and looks at me with red and swollen eyes. My heart feels like it’s in a vise grip and it hurts to pull in air. “Am I bad for hating him?”

I push her damp hair behind her ears and wipe her cheeks. “First, you don’t hate him,” I say softly. “You’re just angry. And you aren’t bad for being angry. It’s normal.”

She nods, and then her eyes move to Jules. She maneuvers herself from my lap and onto hers, her arms going around Jules’s middle and she buries her face against her chest. Thankfully, her cries have quieted down to sniffles. When Jules’s gaze lifts to mine, silent tears track down her face. I can see the tremors running through her body and know she’s fighting against breaking down just as Aria did, but she’s holding herself together for my niece’s sake.

“I wish you and Jules was my mom and dad,” Aria mumbles.

Jules’s chest deflates, and she closes her eyes. I break my gaze away from her and look at Aria. Her head is turned toward me. Using the back of her hand, she wipes her nose as she looks at me with sorrowful eyes.

“You don’t mean that, honey. You’re confused right now. Things will get better in a few days.”

I hope like hell I’m not lying to her.

She pulls her stuffed bear closer to her chest. “I don’t have Mr. Waffles. I left him at home.”

Mr. Waffles is the stuffed giraffe Theo got for Aria a few years ago. She use

d to tote it around everywhere. Mom’s had to restitch the head on a couple times because she carried it by the neck and has gotten caught on things.

“How about I stop by tomorrow and grab it for you?”

She nods then turns quiet for a while after that, except for the occasional sniffle.

“I’m tired. Can I take my bath now and go to bed?”

I lean over and kiss the top of her head. “I’ll go run the water for you.”

I start off the bed, but stop when Aria says quietly, “I love you, Uncle Luca.”

I close my eyes for a second before turning back to her. “I love you, too, Aria. Never ever forget that. Okay?”

“Okay.”

I get up. Just as I pass over the threshold, I hear Aria softly say, “I love you, Jules.”