The next morning came at rapid speed. I slept in Sebastian’s arms all night and it was the first time my mind didn’t wander. We woke up fairly early and ate breakfast on the terrace that overlooked the water. Miami was beautiful, but it was nothing like my paradise at home. We had casual conversation and I tried to control the turmoil that plagued me in the back of my mind, completely ignoring it and hoping it would go away.
It didn’t.
I dressed in a sherbet colored maxi dress and Sebastian said I looked like ice cream. Then he proceeded to eat me, literally. It helped. He rented an Audi A8 for the week and I couldn’t help but remember that this was the same car Madam had given me after we broke up. It was the same color, white with tan leather interior.
We drove in silence, holding hands and listening to XM radio, BPM station. Sebastian was dressed in dark blue cargo shorts, a white button-down shirt that made his bright blue eyes pop, and flip-flops.
We drove through a gated Mediterranean community. “This is a beautiful neighborhood.”
“It is. Welcome to where I grew up, Ysa.” He kissed my palm and lingered there for a few seconds. “You okay?”
“I think so,” was all I could reply with.
We pulled up to a large roundabout driveway with a sprawling staircase that led up to the front door. The house was dark green with tan trim and white accents. It was immaculate.
“What do your parents do again?” I questioned, exiting the car.
“Mom’s a housewife and Dad’s a cardiologist.”
“Oh yeah, I remember.”
The front door opened as he rounded the car.
“My baby!” his mom shouted. She swiftly made her way down the stairs and pulled him into her arms.
“Hey, Mom,” he greeted, squeezing her and hauling her up in the air.
She looked so tiny in his arms. It was endearing to see the love that displayed in front of me. I had never been around a family before. I could see the love that they shared for one another and it made me happy that he grew up around that. He placed her back onto the ground and grabbed her hand to bring her toward me.
“Mom, this is my girl, Ysabelle,” he introduced.
I extended my hand and she curved her head to the side and laughed.
“Honey, we do not shake hands in this house.”
She immediately pulled me into her arms for a hug. My eyes widened as I stared up at Sebastian, who had the most gratified smile on his face.
“Oh...okay,” I breathed out, wrapping my arms around her.
She hugged me like she had known me for years.
She hugged me like she loved me.
She hugged me like a mom hugs their daughter.
And in that moment, I knew I’d never known the touch of a mother. I bit the inside of my mouth to hold the tears that were at bay. My eyes were getting watery and when I glanced back up at Sebastian, he knew exactly what I was feeling and said, “I love you,” with just his lips.
She pulled back and held my hands out in front of me, taking in my appearance.
“Wow, you’re gorgeous. Sebastian didn’t do you justice, honey.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I can see where Sebastian gets his kindness.”
She beamed and grabbed Sebastian, putting her arm around each of our waists as we walked inside. The inside of the house was just as breathtaking as the outside. Although it looked luxurious, it had a home feel to it. I instantly fell in love.
“Son,” his dad called out from the living room.
They both moved simultaneously, embracing each other much like he had with his mother.
“Dad, this is Ysabelle,” he announced, bringing him over to me.
I took in his appearance, and although Sebastian had his mother’s eyes, he was the spitting image of his father. The man was handsome, devastatingly handsome. They made a gorgeous couple. He hugged me just like his wife had and I took in the comfortable and welcoming embrace.
We made our way into the backyard where there was a huge Olympic size pool. The pavers matched the modern décor, and the outdoor grill had a granite countertop. We sat on the patio furniture as his mom gathered some drinks. I had a glass of wine and Sebastian had a beer.
“So, Ysabelle, Sebastian tells us that you own a bar and it does very well,” she questioned, taking a sip of her wine.
I smiled. “Yeah, it does extremely well actually. I’m really lucky, I love it.”
“That’s amazing. What made you want to get into that?”
“Oh, I love being near the water, there’s something about it that calls to me. I decided that I might as well do something that makes me happy.”
She nodded. “I agree. Are you from Miami?”
Oh man…
“No, not originally. I had lived here for about eight years before I moved to the island.”
“Oh lovely! Where are you from?”
Sebastian and I locked eyes. “Tampa,” I nervously responded.
“Great! I love Tampa; we go there often for medical conferences. Sebastian used to love going to The Florida Aquarium when he was younger.”
I chuckled.
“So, Dad, how’s work?” he asked, taking the focus off of me.
I’ve never loved him more.
We spent the next hour talking about Sebastian growing up and I loved hearing the stories about his childhood. It made me feel closer to him to hear about his life. When his mom got up to get baby albums, he put his foot down and said that it wasn’t necessary; she didn’t listen.
“Isn’t he precious? I swear he was born gorgeous. All the nurses at the hospital couldn’t believe he was a newborn because of how strong his facial features were. He was always such a great baby, sleeping through the night almost immediately. I mean, look at that face.”
I giggled. “Oh my God!” I yelled, looking at a picture of him in the bath. He was only a few months old and his chubby little body was squirming around.
“Mom, I think that’s enough,” he said, grabbing the photo album and she slapped his hand, making me laugh.
“Nonsense,” she reprimanded.
As we looked through all the pictures, it was then that I realized how much Julia really was a part of his life. I played it off nicely, smiling and pretending that it wasn’t hard for me to see.
It was.
When we got to the older years and Olivia showed up–it was uncanny. This girl really did resemble me. I couldn’t believe it; it was almost like looking into a mirror. I had to excuse myself to use the restroom; it was too much to take.
It was like a reality check.
Mocking me.