Page 10

L una stood in line to board the plane with her ticket to Guatemala in her hand. It had been a long time since she had been back home. She wondered what she was going to find once she arrived. She knew that she would have her sister there to support her, but she wondered how quickly she and her mother would reconcile.

Luna loved her mother deeply, but her mother struggled to understand her desire to live in America, the land of opportunity. Luna’s accomplishments in the U.S. would have been impossible in Guatemala. While both women acknowledged this truth, it was harder for her mother to accept. Luna also worried about Hunter. Would leaving for a short time harm their relationship? She already missed him, as well as Adam, more than she could express.

Thankfully, Ella had agreed to cover for Luna when she went home. She knew that Adam was in good hands. Ella was a fantastic nanny and would make sure that all of Adam's needs were met. She also knew that Ella was a good friend, and there was no threat from her. Ella would remain professional with Hunter and knew that Hunter loved her. She did not worry that anything would happen with another woman while she was away. Yet, still, she had a knot in her stomach as she wondered if she was making the right decision. Then, her mind flashed back to the crush of photographers who were there the night of Hunter’s team event in the city.

Memories of the man who had rushed up to the car with a camera in her face, the lights flashing before her eyes, the screaming, and the name calling, all of this flooded back to her mind. Luna shook her head, trying to erase the memories. She knew that she was making the right decision, no matter how hard it was to make.

While she was waiting to board the plane, Hunter was at home in his apartment. He already missed Luna, but he knew that letting her go was the right thing to do. She needed to get away. He remembered the look of terror on her face as the paparazzi surrounded them. She was not used to this life. He only hoped and prayed that time away would make her realize how much she loved him and that letting her go would cause her to return home to him and Adam.

He longed for their family to be together, cherishing the beautiful bond they were creating. Their love was unique, born from exceptional circumstances and genuine care for one another. He wanted a life partner again, and he wanted Adam to have a mother. Counting down the days until Luna returned, he reminded himself it would only be a month, but he couldn’t shake the fear that a lot could happen in that time. He tried not to let those worries consume him, especially with a big game coming up in less than three weeks. When Ella finally arrived, he quickly grabbed his gym bag and headed straight to the ice rink.

The flight to Guatemala was not as long as Luna had anticipated. She was thankful for this. When she got off the plane and retrieved her luggage, she was pleased to find her sister waiting for her at the arrivals section of the airport. She ran up to her sister and gave her a big hug. It had been many years since they had seen each other, even though they talked on the phone every few months.

“I can’t believe that you are here!” Lisa said joyously to Luna. “It has been so long since you have been home. How are you feeling?”

“I’m not going to lie,” Luna replied to her sister. “I’m nervous about seeing mom. It has been a long time.”

Lisa nodded. She understood Luna’s feelings.

“I know,” Lisa said to her sister sincerely. “I know you are nervous, but don’t be afraid. You and Mom are blood, and to her, nothing is more important than family. You are her daughter, and she is your mother. There is no changing that. Come on, let’s get you home. Mom is coming over for dinner tonight.”

Luna watched as the airport grew farther and farther away from them as the car drove away. She was really home. She was really back in Guatemala, and although she left the paparazzi behind, she knew that a new challenge awaited her: reconciling with her mother. She looked over and smiled at her sister. She was thankful for Lisa’s support. Without her, she would never have been able to escape the drama that she was experiencing in America.

When Lisa and Luna finally arrived at Lisa's house from the airport, Luna placed her belongings in the guest room and pulled out her cell phone to call Hunter. She dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail. Glancing at her watch, she wondered if the time difference was the issue or if he was busy training for his upcoming game. Either way, she wished she could talk to him.

She texted him to let him know she had arrived safely at her sister's house. Then, she called Ella, who thankfully picked up. Luna informed her that she had made it to Guatemala and asked about Adam. She wanted to know how he was doing and whether he was adjusting to a new routine and the changes.

“Adam was quiet today,” Ella said. “I think it is just all the change. He seemed tired and stayed in bed. I would give it a day or two. I am sure he is fine, and there is no need to worry.”

This caused Luna to grow concerned. Adam was an energetic child. He rarely spent most of the day in bed. She began to worry.

“He stayed in bed most of the day?” she clarified with Ella. “He isn’t getting sick, is he?”

“I’m not sure,” Ella stated. “I do not think so, but I will keep an eye on him. Don’t you worry, darling. Just enjoy your time with your family. I am sure you are super happy to get away from all the craziness here. Just enjoy your time there.”

“Well,” Luna started to say. “Well, how is Hunter? I tried calling him, but the phone call went straight to voicemail.”

“Well,” Ella began to reply. “Well, of course, he misses you, darling, but don’t worry. He is busy training for this upcoming game. He came home and went straight to bed. I am sure you will hear from him in the morning. He was utterly exhausted after practice today.”

Luna stated that she understood. Knowing the reason why Hunter did not pick up her phone call made her feel better. She was worried that he was mad at her for leaving. She thanked Ella again for covering her shifts while she was in Guatemala. She called her “a real life saver.” When the two hung up the phone, Luna found herself sitting in the guest room, waiting for what was yet to come.

She looked at the watch on her wrist again. She had approximately two hours until dinner time. She had approximately two hours until she would be face-to-face with her mother again. There was no denying that she missed her mother. Their relationship was complicated, but there was always love there. She tried to figure out how she could explain to her mother that living in America was the best thing for her and that leaving Guatemala did not mean that she was leaving her family. She would never forget where she came from, and she would always have love in her heart for not only her family but for her native country, as well.

Living in America was just something that she had to do. She would have never made as much money if she had not left Guatemala. She also would never have met Hunter. Even though things were difficult between them, right now, there was no denying that she loved Hunter, unlike she had loved anyone else before. She felt protective over him, just as she felt protective over Adam.

“Are you settling in, okay?” Lisa asked Luna.

Luna nodded. She remained quiet. Being back home was a lot to take in, but she was happy to be there. It was a familiar feeling, like meeting up with an old friend. She didn’t realize how much she had missed her home. She had buried herself in work, so she never let the feeling of being homesick overwhelm her.

“So,” Lisa started to say. “So, spill the beans. Why are you really here? I know this is not just about seeing me and Mom. What were you running away from in America?”

Luna sighed and then nodded. She knew she would have to tell her sister what had transpired in America. She knew that she could not keep the drama a secret forever. A sister always knew when something was wrong, and Lisa had a way of pulling information from people. So, Luna began to explain everything.

She told her sister how she met Hunter and how Hunter had saved her from the worst date of her life. She explained to Lisa that she and Hunter had a passionate love affair as soon as they met. Luna told Lisa that she had no idea Hunter would be her employer when she went in for the job interview. The whole thing was a magical coincidence. She explained the ups and downs of the beginning of their relationship and how they had worked hard to communicate and be vulnerable with one another. She explained that being with him was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. She told Lisa that she loved Hunter and that she adored Adam like her own son. Then, she explained the complications of the paparazzi. She told Lisa that she had never experienced such chaos before. She never wanted to be famous, and she only wanted to find love.

Lisa sat and listened as Luna spoke. She was a good listener, and Luna was thankful for that. She had been dying to explain this to someone. She knew Hunter understood somewhat, but then again, he was used to fame. She needed to explain the situation to someone else who had lived an ordinary life and someone who would understand the complications of chaos and fame in a relationship.

Once Luna finished explaining everything to her sister, she sat back and waited for Lisa’s response, surprised by what she had to say.

“I can imagine that’s a lot to adjust to,” Lisa began. “But you had to know who he was from the beginning, and you chose to stay with him.”

Luna nodded, realizing that as much as she didn't want to admit it, she had to take accountability for her own actions. No one had forced her to be with Hunter; she was with him because she loved him. It wasn’t fair for her to act this way. Sure, there was an adjustment period that came with any drastic lifestyle change. Still, in the end, Hunter and Adam were more important than anything else. She could adjust to fame for their sake.

Just as Luna was about to respond in agreement to her sister, they heard the doorbell ring. Their mother had finally arrived for dinner. Luna took a deep breath. Lisa reached over and grabbed her sister’s hand.

“Are you ready?” Lisa asked her sister. “You can do this. Let’s go greet her together.”

Both of them got up and walked towards the front door. Tears quickly filled her eyes when the door opened, and Luna saw her mother. She had not seen her mother in so long, and so much had changed during that time. She quickly saw that her mother had aged, and although thankfully she was still in good health, her age was representative of how much time had passed between.

As the tears filled her eyes, she worried that her mother would not reciprocate her feelings. She hoped that her mother was just as happy to see her, and to her great surprise, she was. No words were spoken between them, but Luna’s mother quickly approached her and wrapped her arms around her. It felt so nice to be embraced by her mother. At that moment, it felt like the past had been swept away. Lisa smiled as she watched her sister and mother unite with one another.

“I am so happy to see you,” her mother finally said. “Let’s not go so long without talking to one another again.”

Luna smiled and was filled with such overwhelming joy. She leaned back in and embraced her mother again.

“I agree,” she said to her mother. “I agree, Mom. I love you. Come on, let’s go eat dinner.”

The family dinner went better than expected. In fact, it superseded expectations. Luna’s mother was interested in hearing about her life in America. She was supportive of her decisions in life, and when she heard that her daughter was dating a famous hockey player, she was taken by surprise.

“Do you love him?” her mother asked her.

“I do, Mamma,” Luna responded to her. “I really do love him, more than I have ever loved anyone.”

“And his son?” her mother questioned. “Do you think you can love his son as your own? You must think of the child, too, dear.”

Luna nodded in agreement. She understood perfectly what her mother was saying to her.

“I do, Mom,” she replied. “I already love him like he is my own son. I am so protective of both of them. I really do think that this is the family I have always wanted to create.”

“Well,” her mother finally said to Luna. “Well, then you have to make it work.”

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Hunter was training hard for the upcoming game. Although he felt distracted without Luna by his side, he knew he needed to stay focused. After finishing his training for the day, he returned home and expressed his gratitude to Ella for staying with Adam.

“How was he?” Hunter asked Ella once he got home.

“He was fine,” Ella responded. “He was fine, but I can tell he isn’t feeling well. He stayed in bed most of the day. If he isn’t feeling better tomorrow, then perhaps we should take him to the doctor.”

Hunter agreed. He hoped that Luna’s being gone had nothing to do with Adam not feeling well, but it was unlike him to be in bed all day. He began to worry, but then he thought it was best not to assume the worst. He figured that it was better to stay positive.

“I will keep an eye on him tonight,” Hunter told Ella. “Thank you again for being here and for covering for Luna.”

Hunter opened up to Ella about his worries. He shared his fears that a life of fame might be overwhelming for Luna. He hoped she wouldn’t just return from Guatemala but that she would come back to him, and their relationship would improve. He confided in Ella that he didn’t want to lose her. She was too important to him.

“You just have to give her time,” Ella replied. “You should have seen how she was when she first moved to America. She needs time to adjust. It’s good that you supported her decision to get away. She’ll have the chance to clear her head, and when she comes back, she’ll be herself again. Just trust me.”

Hunter nodded in understanding. He gave Ella a hug and then went into Adam’s room to check on him. He was still sleeping. Hunter hoped that everything was okay.