There must be enough hesitation in my voice that she understands I’m not sharing this news in hopes of a congratulations. The spoon clanks against the ceramic as she drops it and turns to face me, crossing her arms and waiting.
“But it’s possible Mateo may not be the father.” Even though her expression hasn’t changed, I feel the need to defend myself, I just don’t know how. “Not because… I didn’t want to… But Vince…”
Maria sighs, nodding her understanding.
I shake my head, averting my gaze. “So, anyway, Vince may be the baby’s father. Mateo isn’t happy about it.” I hesitate again, searching her for some reaction, but her expression hasn’t changed. “He doesn’t want this. I do. Normally Mateo and I are on the same side, but I’m worried that we can’t get on the same side of this. You know Mateo, you know how traditional he is about stuff like this. I can’t think of anyone less suited to this situation. Even Vince would’ve accepted it more easily, I think, but I don’t know if a baby will appeal to the soft parts of Mateo. I mean, he’s not a bad father, but… he’s just not that man. He doesn’t allow himself to be undone by his emotions.”
Rocking her head to the side faintly, she tells me, “As a rule, no, but when you were gone he was strongly affected. You’re very important to him, Mia. I think losing you might undo him.”
“He’s not going to lose me,” I say, absently touching the locket that still hangs around my neck.
Her gaze follows, and after a few seconds she says, “There’s not just one way to lose someone. Mateo knows that. If he alienates you, he’s a fool.”
“Mateo isn’t a fool,” I reply, on instinct.
Nodding once, she says, “I agree. Meg is already giving him a boy, so he’ll just have to accept he lost this one and move on.”
Smiling a little disbelievingly, I ask her, “Does that sound like Mateo to you?”
“Stand your ground,” she advises me, seriously. “Do it your own way, you know what works with him, but don’t give him this one. You’ve given that man enough. It’s his turn to give.”
“That’s not really how Mateo operates,” I tell her.
Maria shrugs and turns to retrieve the kettle so she can prepare the tea. “I’ve been around most of his life. I know what he’s like. If he can push you, he will. But he’ll regret it later when you can’t forgive him. When he sees the pain he caused you—again. Keep loving him, but make him understand Vince’s or not, the baby isn’t a threat to him, the only threat is if he tries to take this away from you.”
My mind conjures images of him and Meg in the sitting room. “That’s the problem, though. Mateo is used to getting a certain thing from me, and now this is in the way. I don’t know if I’m meeting his needs right now.”
“You’re a person, not a dispenser,” she states. “If he loves you enough, he’ll support you through this.”
It makes my stomach hurt to even suggest, but I can’t stop myself from voicing the real fear. “And if he doesn’t?”
More brightly than expected, Maria states, “Then you’re screwed.” It startles a little laugh right out of me. She must have known it would, because she offers me a smile over her shoulder. “You like games?”
“Games?”
“Board games. I like Scrabble.” Gesturing to a cabinet along the wall in the living room, she tells me, “Right over there. We’ll play a game, make you feel better.”
I bite back a smile, but I make my way over to the cabinet anyway. This place feels so quaint considering the giant house I’m accustomed to, but the floor plan is open so there’s no wall between the kitchen, living room, and dining area. I take the Scrabble board over to the table and set it up. Maria finishes fixing our tea and brings it over, sliding a cup across the table in front of me. Placing a firm hand on my shoulder, she tells me, “I’m sorry Vince changed.”
It doesn’t make me feel better. It makes me feel worse. I thought Vince changed, too, but I saw peeks of his good heart underneath—it’s just banged up now, and that’s because of me.
“I think he just needs love,” I tell her.
“You think everyone just needs love.”
My gaze darts to the new voice in the room and I see Adrian walking toward the table.
I immediately begin shooing him with my hand. “Go back upstairs. Elise is going to kick my ass.”
Now he smirks. Ignoring my protest, he pulls out an empty chair and drops into it. “She’s giving Westley a bath. I’ve got time for a game.”
Maria shakes her head and mutters something in Spanish.