Page 70 of His Playground

“I ate it. I’m fine.” I shake my head.It wasn’t poisoned.

“Are you sure?” she asks me. “I think we should probably go to the doctor.”

Jazzy grabs my leg, her tiny fingers digging into my skin. I glance down at her. She looks pale. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Are you going to die? I don’t want another mama to go to heaven.” She starts crying.

I glare at Luna and then scoot my chair backwards. Picking Jazzy up and sitting her on my lap. “I’m fine. I’m not going to heaven anytime soon,” I say while wiping at her cheeks.

“Princesa, who made those tears?” Emmanuel’s voice is cold. I feel a shiver run down my spine.

“She’s fine,” I tell him.

“I wasn’t asking you. Jazzy, what happened?” he grunts.

“Is Antonia going to die, Tío E?” Jazzy blubbers out. “I don’t want her to die like my mama did. I can’t see her ever again.”

My heart is breaking for this little girl, who’s just been thrown into a whole family of strangers. I can’t imagine what an adjustment it is for her. “How about we go to the little ladies’ room and freshen up?” I ask her.

She nods her head. We both stand from the table, and Jazzy grips my hand as I lead her out of the dining room and into her bedroom, through to her bathroom.

“It’s okay to be sad or scared you know,” I tell her.

“Mama told me I should be brave. That I shouldn’t bother Daddy too much, and I shouldn’t be annoying to him,” she explains.

“I think your mama was worried about you, and she wanted you to be safe. Which you are. You are very safe here with your daddy, Jazzy, and nothing you do is going to be a bother. Youjust need to be yourself.” I pick up a washcloth, wet it with cold water, and wring it out before wiping at her little cheeks again.

“But he might get rid of me,” she whispers.

“That will never happen.”

“How do you know?” she asks me.

“Because I won’t ever let it. And your daddy loves you a lot. You know, if he had known where you were before, he would have come to visit you but he couldn’t find you,” I tell her.

“I know,” she says.

“You’re very brave. I wish I could be as brave as you are.”

“You wanna share my bravery, Antonia?”

“I do. Ready to go back out there?” I stand and offer Jazzy my hand.

“Yep.” She nods her head. “Thank you for being my stepmama and for not being evil.”

I laugh and guide her out of the bathroom. We find Carlo in her bedroom. “Everything okay?” He looks from me to Jazzy.

“Fine. Just girl things.” I smile at Jazzy.

“You two sharing secrets is going to be trouble.” He throws out an arm in our direction.

“Get used to it,” I tell him.

When we return to the dinner table, I find it empty of plates. “There was a problem in the kitchen. I ordered pizza. Should be here soon,” Carlo says.

I look around the room. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! What happened?”

“The cook had an accident, cut his finger and bled into the food,” he says. “But everyone loves pizza.”