Whatever It Is, Don't Bring It Here

The cool night air hits my skin as I step outside, but it does nothing to steady my pulse.

Leo Hayes might be a problem.

Not just because he's infuriatingly closed-off or because he looks at me like I'm a complication he doesn't need.

But I see it—the caring side of him—behind all that tough exterior. That fearful part of him.

What is the worst?

I may have a better understanding of him than I realize.

I don't expect to think about them.

However, I cannot stop replaying tonight in my mind as I sit in my small apartment and listen to the monotonous bustle of the city outside my window.

Matteo's silent little voice.

Leo's piercing, evaluating eyes.

Rather than being a place to call home, the house felt more like a place where emotions go to die.

Staring at the lesson plan I was meant to finish an hour ago, I massage my temple. Basic reading exercises and a few practical exercises make it easy enough. I am aware that if Matteo does not want to be contacted, nothing will be sufficient to get through.

Today, the music worked. Well, that is something. But what about another day?

I look at my room's old keyboard in the corner. Years have passed since I last touched it.

I force myself to look away, pushing down the memory before it pulls me under.

Matteo isn't me.

I can not allow his past to entangle itself with mine.

All I need to do is my job.

And that is it.

It's past midnight when I finally stop pacing.

Matteo is asleep, curled up in his bed with Lupo tucked under his chin. His small fingers still grip the fabric, like he's holding onto something more than just a stuffed animal.

I should feel relieved.

But all I feel is restless.

After washing my face, I go to my office, which is the only room in this house that truly feels like mine. Shelves line the walls, holding framed photos I no longer look at and books I never have time to read.

I am particularly drawn to one. A photo of Matteo sitting on my shoulders at the beach, full of smiles.

He did not laugh again after that.

I clench my jaw and turn away.

I don't have time for a woman who plays the piano like it's the only thing holding her together.

Ella is here to teach. Nothing more.

I need to remember that the next time I see them.

Leo barely acknowledges me.

He opens the door, gives a curt nod, and disappears down the hall without another word.

Fine.

I drop my bag on the table and turn to Matteo, who's sitting on the couch, Lupo in his lap.

"Hey, buddy."

He doesn't answer, but he watches me. That's something.

"I thought we could read today," I say, pulling out a book. "It's about a wolf who gets lost in the woods and has to find his way home."

His fingers tighten on Lupo.

I take a seat next to him, but not too close, and begin reading. I speak in a steady, gentle tone.

Matteo leans forward slightly but does not say anything.

Progress.

I smile to myself and keep going.

From the doorway, I watch.

Ella reads to him in a calm, soothing voice. Matteo's body relaxes as he listens.

He appears to be at ease for the first time in a long time.

Oh no.

I give a sharp sigh and look away.

That is precisely what I feared.

Matteo stays quiet as I read, but I can tell he's listening. His little fingers trace absentmindedly over Lupo's worn fur, his eyes locked on the pages like he's imagining himself inside the story.

I speak steadily and calmly. I understand the need for words to provide a sense of security.

I look at him as I gently close the book after finishing the chapter. "What are your thoughts?" Shall we read more?

Matteo moves, giving Lupo a closer embrace. He does not look away, but he also does not respond. That is a beginning.

No, I do not push.

I choose to recline against the couch and allow the silence to grow between us.

He taps his fingers against the book just when I think he will not say anything. 

I raise my eyebrows at him. "You wish for me to continue?"

Something warm flutters in my chest. I swallow it down. "Alright," I say softly, opening the book again. "Let's see what happens next."

From the doorway, I observe.

I can see everything, but Ella does not even know I am here.

She reads like she is sharing a secret.

It seems as though Matteo is forgetting to be afraid as he listens, his tiny body creeping closer.

Something about her that irritates me is unknown to me.

And more than anything, I detest that thought.

I sigh and move away from the wall, returning to my office.

I am too busy for this.

I don't have time for her.

An hour later, Matteo's body language is different. I count it as a win.

When it's time to go, I stand, shouldering my bag. "I'll see you next time, Matteo."

He doesn't respond.

I don't expect him to.

But as I step toward the door, I hear something.

"Bye."

I freeze.

Slowly, I turn around. Matteo is staring at me, gripping Lupo like a lifeline.

My chest tightens.

I don't let the surprise show on my face. I just smile. "Bye, Matteo."

Then I walk out before I do something stupid, like cry.

She doesn't know I heard it. The way Matteo whispered goodbye. The first word he has spoken to anyone except to me in months.

I should be relieved. Instead, I feel a pit settle in my stomach.

Ella is getting too close.

And I don't know what to think.

I step outside, my heart still racing from Matteo's whispered goodbye. The sun is lower in the sky now, casting long shadows across the estate grounds. The air is warm, but I rub my arms anyway as if trying to shake off the unexpected weight in my chest.

I shouldn't feel this way.

That's what I keep telling myself as I walk toward the gates.

My next bus doesn't arrive for another twenty minutes, and I don't feel like standing outside Leo Hayes's fortress of a house any longer than I have to.

Before I can make a plan, the heavy front door swings open behind me.

"Ella."

I turn, pushing my emotions down, my face into neutrality. "Yes?"

His expression is like always, but his dark eyes settle on me in a way that makes my skin prickle. "I'll drive you."

I blink. "What?"

"You're not standing around waiting for a bus," he says, already stepping toward a sleek black SUV parked in the driveway. "Let's go."

I hesitate. The last thing I need is more time alone with him.

"I don't—"

"Get in, Ella." His tone leaves no room for argument.

And maybe that's why I did it.

Or maybe, deep down, it's because I'm tired.

The ride is silent at first.

Leo grips the wheel, his jaw set like he's having regrets already.

I sit stiffly in the passenger seat, clutching my bag in my lap like a shield.

The car smells like leather and something faintly woodsy. It suits him.

He glances at me once, then focuses back on the road. "He spoke to you."

I shift. "You heard that, huh?"

Leo doesn't nod, doesn't confirm it. But we both know the answer.

I wet my lips. "It's a good sign right."

Silence.

I push forward anyway. "He's not as closed off as you think. He just needs time."

Leo's fingers tighten on the steering wheel. "Time doesn't fix everything."

I watch him carefully. His profile is sharp and tense. There's something else behind his words. 

Something heavier.

I exhale, looking out the window. "No, it doesn't."

For a second, I think that's the end of it.

But then—"Why are you here?"

I glance at him. "I told you. I needed a job."

He shakes his head, eyes locked on the road. "You hesitated before playing that piano. And when you did, you looked like it hurt."

My stomach clenches.

I don't answer.

Leo huffs, like he knew I wouldn't. "Whatever it is, don't bring it here."

I swallow hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. "I won't."

And I mean it. Even when I know I was lying.

She's lying.

I don't know what her story is, but I know a person with ghosts when I see one.

She's temporary.

She has to be.

And yet…

I think about the way Matteo looked at her when she played.

He listened to her voice when she read. He said goodbye.

I don't know if I made the right choice hiring her.

But I do know one thing.

I don't trust her.

And I sure as hell don't trust whatever is hiding behind her silence