“Sweet dreams, princess,” I whisper.
I leave her room, satisfied, and walk back out into the living room. My brother is still passed out.
I laugh to myself and say, “Gianna wear you out again?”
Max jumps up. “Huh? What?” He turns his head from left to right. “Oh, you’re back. What time is it?”
I smile, still amused. “Just after eleven thirty.”
He stretches, yawning. “Damn, one minute we’re watching Cinderella, and the next minute, the two of us are knocked out in dreamland. I woke up during the credits and placed her in her bed.”
The TV is still on, and another Disney classic movie is playing.
I nod. “Yeah, I just checked on her. She’s fast asleep. Thanks, man.”
He takes a step forward. “Don’t mention it, Enz. I love that little munchkin.”
I smile again. “I know you do. But it can’t be easy coming here right after your day job to hang out with a five-year-old so her dad can go do his thing.”
He slaps a hand on my back. “That’s what family is for, bro. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He’s right. As a family, we’ve always been tightly knit. My two siblings, he and his twin, Marianna, and I have always been close. Our parents raised us to understand that family always comes first, and as long as we’ve got each other, everything else will always work itself out.
That’s what I believe in anyway, but ever since that dreadful day five years ago when I lost her, I haven’t known what to do. Part of my family is gone… How can things ever work themselves out?
Not wanting to let my brother see me dwell on my past, I ask about our sister. “Marianna doing okay?”
“Yeah, you know she called in to check on us around six. I think she wants to stop by tomorrow. Her job’s kicking her ass right now.”
My sister is a pediatrician at her office downtown. She loves working with children, but since it’s cold and flu season, she’s seeing many sick kids. Maybe it’s the reason she’s been looking so beat up, but honestly, I think it’s her husband, Jordan. The bastard…
“That’s fine. I know she’s busy.”
Max nods and stretches once more. “Yeah, but you know she can’t stay away from the little one too long.”
I smile. What he says is true. My siblings and parents have always been obsessed with my little girl. She’s their first niece and granddaughter, so of course she’s special to them. I’m fortunate that they’ve always been here for me and Gianna.
“I’d better run. The blaring alarm isn’t going to have mercy on me at five a.m. Office life sucks sometimes.” Max walks to the front door, and I follow closely behind him.
“I know, man.”
Unlike Max, I don’t have to be up until seven. I’ll get ready and take Gianna to school. While she’s there, I run errands and keep up the house until it’s time to pick her up again. Then, before I head to work, Max comes to stay with her. MMA is my job. Well, it’s my company. I own the gym: Lorenzo’s Fitness Center. It’s not your typical nine-to-five, but along with competing and winning, owning the place brings in cash. Thanks to my pension from my navy days, I was able to open my own gym and afford to do what I love. I mean, I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing than taking out my anger and frustration in the ring. Lord knows I have a ton of it, plus some to spare.
“Have a good night, Enz. Get some sleep.” Max steps out the front door.
“Night, man. Drive safe.” I lock the door behind him and turn off the television.
I head to the bathroom and jump in the shower. I lather and rinse in record time; I’m so ready to hit the sack and, hopefully, pass out within minutes.
Once I finish toweling off, I put on a pair of gray boxer briefs and climb into bed. I never sleep with a shirt on. Hell, I used to sleep naked back in the day. If I lived alone, I probably still would.
I turn on the television and flip through channels, not really caring for much of anything I’m seeing.
Then, as I come across channel 136, I see it. Just Married, the 2003 romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy. Unbridled tears form in my eyes as memories come storming into my mind. This was Sylvia’s favorite movie, and we had seen it together so many times. Now I’m watching it alone.
It’s been five years since she’s been gone, and I still can’t help but cry when things like this happen. Something as silly as a movie we used to watch together sends me on a spiral of memories, leading to me falling into a bottomless pit of despair.
My Sylvia. My everything. She’s gone, and I miss her so goddamn much. I miss our family as it used to be. I miss having someone I can talk to about my day or listen to about theirs. I miss having her here with me, sharing this life we were meant to have together. I miss hearing her sweet voice in the morning or the sound of it as she’d sing in the shower. I miss her cooking and all the home-cooked meals she’d make me. I miss her beautiful smile that would light up a room. I miss the sound of her laughter and the way she’d lie her head on my chest as we’d cuddle in bed together. I miss her scent and the looks she would give me filled with lust and desire, confirming she wanted only me. I miss taking her body in the middle of the night and sending her into an oblivion each time we’d make love.
I miss everything about her. Most of all, I just miss her. I miss having her here with me, especially now as our little girl is growing up. It sucks, and it’s not fair. And I know it probably makes me look soft, being a UFC fighter who is so dedicated to his love, but I can’t help it. She was my everything. I miss her like crazy. We were supposed to share this life together. We were supposed to raise kids and grandkids, growing old together. Now the promise of forever is just forever gone.
Somewhere between the couple arriving in Italy and experiencing their first fight as newlyweds, I doze off, succumbing to much-needed sleep.
Chapter Three
Carissa
“Hot! That’s all I can say, freaking hot as fire!”
“Don’t bother. She’s not interested.”
I peek a glance over the book I’m reading at my best friend, Emerson, or Emy, who’s trying to convince me to head out basically every night. My sister, Shannon, tells her not to waste her time.
“Oooh, I got a look!” Emy says to Shannon.
I can’t help but smirk.
Shannon rolls her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. The girl is hopeless. You’d think she’d want to get laid again some day.”
I gasp, put my book down, and toss a throw pillow at Shannon from my seat on the couch. I miss, and the two of them crack up.
“Yeah, especially since she’s always around those hot male nurses and doctors… Carissa, how do you contain yourself?” Emy asks.
“Keep it up, bitches,” I say, picking my book back up. I work at the hospital downtown.
Emy drops to her knees and crawls toward me with a flyer in one of her hands.
My eyes dart in her direction, and she’s sporting the saddest frown I’ve ever seen. I want to burst with laughter because this is ridiculous.
Seriously, is this all that matters to the two of them? Going out and meeting guys? Partying and drinking until they pass out God knows where? I’m not into it. I never have been, and honestly, I never want to hear about the male species ever again, and they both know it. It’s not like it’s something new. It’s been like this for the past three years. I don’t know why it’s so hard for them to understand. It’s like they can’t live without dick.