Brother's Girl✔️

Trenta y quatro

Dominique's POV

I am awakened by my bed shaking, I groaned and opened my eyes to find Veronica jumping on my bed. I looked towards the door, it was eight a.m., why is she up so damn early. "Vee," I called her. She giggled and sat down beside me kissing my cheeks. "Why are you so happy?" I asked her seeing the bright smile on her face.

"It's Saturday!" She yelled. I blocked my ears so I didn't feel the damage from her yelling. It's Saturday, I told myself. I should be sleeping until noon, but of course, the moment you have a kid all your needs and desires go away. I could no longer sleep until noon, I had to be up since she was up. Matteo must have already left for work, I sat and looked around. There was a note on my nightstand.

Good morning, beautiful.
I didn't want to wake you.
Call me when you wake up.-Matteo

I smiled, I loved that he was leaving me notes before leaving for work. Sadness took over me after a while realizing I was the one lying to him and kissing his brother almost every day. Gabriel had become an addiction I could not escape, I think I was officially in love with him. He made me smile every day. He gave me butterflies which is weird since it made me feel like some High Schooler, but he did. "Grandpa said he was taking me to the zoo today to see a red panda, remember?" Veronica asked. I nodded my head now knowing why she was so excited.

"Yeah," I said. She smiled and jumped off the bed. I watched as she ran out of the room. I grabbed my phone from beside me to call Matteo so he would not worry. I dialed his number since I knew it by the head, I did not even know Gabriel's number by the head. Well, you don't have a kid with him, my subconscious told me. I pressed the call button and waited for him to answer. After the third ring, he answers the phone.

"Hello," he said over the phone. "You're up early," he commented.

"Yeah Veronica woke me up," I said with a frown. I heard him chuckle over the phone and I shook my head. I did not know why he found that funny. "It's not funny," I groaned. I heard him stop over the phone. "Anyways, have a good day," I told him.

"You too, you know we-" I stop listening when Veronica walked in the room.

"Mommy," she called me, "I'm wearing my princess dress," she said dressed in an Ariel dress her father had gotten her for her birthday last year. I found it weird that it still fitted, but she barely ate anyway. "Please do my hair," she handed me her brush. Her hair was messy all over her face.

"Matt," I called him over the phone. "I have to go, your daughter wants me to brush her hair," I joked.

"You mean our daughter?" He questioned. "Bye babe, love you," with that, I hung up the phone. I got up from the bed and took the brush from Veronica's hand. She never wanted to brush her hair, but she knew if she did not, she would not be allowed out of the house. I brushed her hair gently making sure not to hurt her sensitive scalp. After I am satisfied, I took the hair tie and put her hair in a bun.

"All done," I told her. She took the brush from me and walked to my dresser to look at her hair. "It's fine," I said.

"Thank you, mommy," she said before exiting. I yawned at of tiredness and walked to my bathroom to take care of my hygiene. I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower. After I am done, I put some shorts and a tank top on since I will not be leaving the house today. After moisturizing my skin and getting everything situated, I walked out of the room. I smelled breakfast which was weird since Amy was off on Saturdays.

I walked into the living room to find Veronica sitting in front of the television watching Mickey Mouse. "Your grandpa's not ready, yet?" I asked her. She shook her head no and continued to watch her show. Just then Alberto walked into the living room, he smiled at me when he saw me. He was already dressed in jeans and a baseball shirt I think he might've saved from his High School days.

I hated that he smiled at me even after knowing about Gabriel and I. Maybe he did not know that I knew that he knew. This was pretty awkward, I wish he would come out and question me about it. "Ready pumpkin?" He asked Veronica. She got up and smiled.

"Yep, did you bring the camera, we have to take pictures," she said excitedly. Her grandpa nodded his head, "bye, mommy," she waved her hand at me and gave me hug.

"Bye," I said. I stood in the middle of the living room and waited until I heard the door open and close. The house then went silent with only Mickey Mouse's voice from the television. Aurora must have gone to the office today, I wonder if Gabe went to the office also. I shook my head, I did not even know why I cared.

"You're up," I heard his voice say behind me. I froze and did not turn around. We were home alone, oh god. I felt him come closer to me, his hand touched me. I could feel his breath on my neck, "why aren't you looking at me?" He questioned. He set his hand on my lower back rubbing his thumbs on my bare skin gently. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin by the sudden contact. He came in closer to me. My butt was in front of him, "Dominique," he whispered in my ear. "Look at me," he added.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, I turned around and looked at him. He smiled and let me go. He was dressed in sweatpants and a shirt with his sports shoes on. "That's better," he said kissing my cheek. I nodded my head, we just started staring at each other.

"You're going somewhere?" I asked him looking at his outfit.

"Going for a walk," he replied. 

"Why?" I asked him. 

"Helps me clear my mind," he answered. He grabbed his keys from the small table beside the stairs and I watch as he gets ready to leave, "you want to come?" He asked me. 

"I-" I did not know how to answer. What if someone saw us in public together? What if Matteo saw us?

"We're just walking," he said as if reading my mind. I nodded my head answering his questions. I asked him to give me a minute and then went to my room to put some real clothes on. I throw on a pair of sweatpants and some shoes. I quickly got out and we walked out the door. 

The sun was already too hot for my taste, we lived in Florida after all. We walked in silence, his hands were inside his pockets seeming in deep thought. "What are you trying to clear your mind of?" I asked him. 

"Not sure," he answered. "I'm looking up somebody and I usually find people by know. I think my subconscious is not letting me find him," I looked at him not understanding. "I don't want to find him, Domonique I think something's wrong with me," he admitted. Something was wrong with all of us. 

"Why do you have to find him?" I asked him. 

"Right hand of the man who framed my family, usually I would be happy to hurt someone. Is it wrong that I don't blame him for my sister's death?"He asked me. I didn't know if he wanted an answer so I did not reply. He stopped talking and went back to silent. 

"I think it's good to let go of the people that hurt us. Maybe you don't blame him because you have forgiven him," I suggested. 

"Wish that was why, I try not to think of someone to blame because I'll have to blame myself too. I spent years just trying to convince myself it was just an accident and it was fate," he paused and looked around. "As long as it's a mistake, no one has to get the blame," he added. 

"Why do you think it's your fault?" I asked him. I understood why Matteo and his dad would think it was their fault, but I never knew he blamed himself for it. He ignored me, "Gabriel?" I called him. 

"I was there when it happened," he finally let out. "She was screaming, kicking her feet and I just stood there. I could've pushed him, yelled or done something, but I just froze. I did not know how to react," he said. 

"Gabe, you freezing might have saved your life," I said. "There's nothing you could have possibly done."

"There was, I witnessed a murder I could have prevented from happening."