More than a Maid Read Online Free
Author: Reeni Austin
on his arms stand up. He gazed at Isaac's sullen face and said, "I never had a daddy either."
Isaac gasped and met Ramon's eyes. "You didn't?"
"Nope." Ramon shook his head. He tried to push away his lingering fear—the fear that Henry had known all along he was his biological father. It was too painful to think about, made worse by the panic in Isaac's eyes. A tiny part of Ramon wanted to let his emotions run wild. Wanted to burst out crying and screaming, heartbroken by the lies. Hoping Isaac would never undergo this kind of torment as he got older and started asking questions. He knew Cara claimed that Isaac's biological father was a guy she met once at a bar and never saw again. But Ramon hoped like hell if Cara knew who Isaac's father was, she would never withhold that information the way Mama had. And he resolved right then to have a talk with Cara, soon.
Isaac's lips puckered as he thought of a response. "Why don't you have a daddy?"
Ramon swallowed, hard. He knew Isaac was a smart boy, but the conversation had already gotten too heavy and he didn't want to overstep his boundaries… which he probably already had. "I think maybe you need to talk to Mommy and Victor about some of this stuff."
Isaac frowned.
Ramon continued. "It's okay. Don't be scared. They love you." He patted Isaac's hand. "I know a lotta things don't make sense right now, but you have a lotta stuff to be happy about. You got all these new friends. You're gonna have a big party for your birthday. And then there's gonna be another party when your Mommy and Victor get married. And—"
"I don't wanna move back home!" Isaac's eyes were big and scared. He looked like he might cry.
Ramon took a deep breath, nodding. "I know." He and Isaac had discussed it many times already. Ramon knew Isaac had already begged Cara and Victor to stay in Texas, but if they had made any definite plans, they sure hadn't told him.
Ramon looked at his watch and said, "We better go inside and get ready for dinner. Come on." He hopped to his feet and extended a hand to Isaac. When Isaac took it, Ramon hoisted him up in his arms. As he walked to the door, he patted Isaac's back and said, "No matter what happens, we'll always be friends. You can call me on the phone anytime. Maybe come visit me all by yourself when you get a little older."
Isaac hugged Ramon's neck. "Okay."
"Oh, and guess what? When your mommy and Victor get married, I'll be your uncle. Did you know that?"
Isaac's face scrunched up. "Uncuh?"
"Yep."
"Hmm." Isaac let his face sink against Ramon's collarbone. "I thought you was my best fwend."
Ramon said, "Yeah," then chuckled to keep his eyes from welling up.
Chapter 3
In the kitchen, Patty informed Ramon and Isaac it was almost time for dinner. Tom had just arrived from the grocery store, and Cara and Victor would be home in a few minutes.
Ramon and Isaac headed to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands. As usual, they laughed as Ramon held Isaac up to reach the sink, threatening in jest to drop him.
A minute later, as Ramon was washing up, they heard the front door open. Isaac peeked down the hallway at the front door, then gasped and ran off. Ramon assumed it was because he saw Cara and Victor. But after he turned off the water in the sink, he heard Patty's voice, louder and more excited than usual. Then he heard an unfamiliar female voice with a slight New Jersey accent, similar to Patty's. He dried his hands and left the bathroom.
In the hallway, Ramon saw two suitcases outside the kitchen. Attached to the biggest one was an airport baggage claim ticket. Next to them was a red leather purse that was way too big… and way too shiny. To Ramon, it screamed, "high maintenance."
"Shit," he muttered to himself, silently cursing the lot of them. He instantly realized Victor and Cara's errand was a secret trip to the airport to retrieve the woman whose voice emanated from the kitchen. A woman Patty obviously knew was on the
Isaac gasped and met Ramon's eyes. "You didn't?"
"Nope." Ramon shook his head. He tried to push away his lingering fear—the fear that Henry had known all along he was his biological father. It was too painful to think about, made worse by the panic in Isaac's eyes. A tiny part of Ramon wanted to let his emotions run wild. Wanted to burst out crying and screaming, heartbroken by the lies. Hoping Isaac would never undergo this kind of torment as he got older and started asking questions. He knew Cara claimed that Isaac's biological father was a guy she met once at a bar and never saw again. But Ramon hoped like hell if Cara knew who Isaac's father was, she would never withhold that information the way Mama had. And he resolved right then to have a talk with Cara, soon.
Isaac's lips puckered as he thought of a response. "Why don't you have a daddy?"
Ramon swallowed, hard. He knew Isaac was a smart boy, but the conversation had already gotten too heavy and he didn't want to overstep his boundaries… which he probably already had. "I think maybe you need to talk to Mommy and Victor about some of this stuff."
Isaac frowned.
Ramon continued. "It's okay. Don't be scared. They love you." He patted Isaac's hand. "I know a lotta things don't make sense right now, but you have a lotta stuff to be happy about. You got all these new friends. You're gonna have a big party for your birthday. And then there's gonna be another party when your Mommy and Victor get married. And—"
"I don't wanna move back home!" Isaac's eyes were big and scared. He looked like he might cry.
Ramon took a deep breath, nodding. "I know." He and Isaac had discussed it many times already. Ramon knew Isaac had already begged Cara and Victor to stay in Texas, but if they had made any definite plans, they sure hadn't told him.
Ramon looked at his watch and said, "We better go inside and get ready for dinner. Come on." He hopped to his feet and extended a hand to Isaac. When Isaac took it, Ramon hoisted him up in his arms. As he walked to the door, he patted Isaac's back and said, "No matter what happens, we'll always be friends. You can call me on the phone anytime. Maybe come visit me all by yourself when you get a little older."
Isaac hugged Ramon's neck. "Okay."
"Oh, and guess what? When your mommy and Victor get married, I'll be your uncle. Did you know that?"
Isaac's face scrunched up. "Uncuh?"
"Yep."
"Hmm." Isaac let his face sink against Ramon's collarbone. "I thought you was my best fwend."
Ramon said, "Yeah," then chuckled to keep his eyes from welling up.
Chapter 3
In the kitchen, Patty informed Ramon and Isaac it was almost time for dinner. Tom had just arrived from the grocery store, and Cara and Victor would be home in a few minutes.
Ramon and Isaac headed to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands. As usual, they laughed as Ramon held Isaac up to reach the sink, threatening in jest to drop him.
A minute later, as Ramon was washing up, they heard the front door open. Isaac peeked down the hallway at the front door, then gasped and ran off. Ramon assumed it was because he saw Cara and Victor. But after he turned off the water in the sink, he heard Patty's voice, louder and more excited than usual. Then he heard an unfamiliar female voice with a slight New Jersey accent, similar to Patty's. He dried his hands and left the bathroom.
In the hallway, Ramon saw two suitcases outside the kitchen. Attached to the biggest one was an airport baggage claim ticket. Next to them was a red leather purse that was way too big… and way too shiny. To Ramon, it screamed, "high maintenance."
"Shit," he muttered to himself, silently cursing the lot of them. He instantly realized Victor and Cara's errand was a secret trip to the airport to retrieve the woman whose voice emanated from the kitchen. A woman Patty obviously knew was on the
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