Chapter 9: Teaser

Eitan's P.O.V.

Daddy?

"Papa? A Dios mio, padre!" She exclaimed, darting for him. She jumped right into his arms.

"Princesa. Ay, mi amor." He said, catching her as she squeezed her father tight.

I was so confused. I thought he was dead.

"Papá, pensé que habías muerto! No puedo creer que estés aquí!" She cried uncontrollably.

"Ya ya amor. I know."

"Daddy." She sniffed as he placed her back down to her feet. She wrapped her arms around him once again.

I couldn't begin to imagine what was going on in Yasmin's head right now.

"Mr. Clemente?" Dr. Preston said.

"Yes…my wife?"

"We were able to get to her just in time. We just placed her under recovery, we're not sure how long it'll be before she's stable enough to have visitors."

"That's fine. I just want you to make sure that she's okay. We'll wait as long as we need to." He responded. Yasmin's eyes fell on me.

"Eitan." She said, coming over to me. She took my hand in her's and led me over to her father, who was staring at me intently. I don't know how to feel. It felt so much like a privilege to meet him. She's always spoken so highly of him, and in her eyes, you had to be deserving to be in acquaintance…and she was introducing me to him…but as what?

"Daddy…this is Eitan Morales. My—" She froze.

"Her boyfriend." I finished, offering him my hand. I could feel her eyes on me. After today…I knew that Yasmin is who I wanted. I wasn't going to continue to punish the both of us any longer.

"My daughter has a boyfriend." He said, taking it firmly. "Nice to meet you, hijo. Humberto Clemente."

"Mucho gusto, senor."

"Hablas espanol?"

"Si, fluentemente."

"Ay, de donde eres?"

"Aqui. Mi familia son de Spain y Puerto Rico."

"Ah, tus padres?"

"Si, senor."

"Cuánto tiempo ha estado viendo a mi hija?"

"Casi dos meses, papa." Yasmin answered, a smile spreading across her cheek. I haven't seen that smile in the longest time…it made me happy to know that I could give her the smile her dad gave her.

"Bueno, yo sé que ustedes dos tienen un montón de ponerse al día, so los voy a dejar." I said, squeezing Yas' hand.

"Tu no tiene que hacer eso, hijo."

"No no, insisto. Por favor."

"Perdoname papa." Yasmin said, leading me down the hall.

"What was that about?" She asked, her smile gone.

"Nothing. Let me go check on my mom. I'll be back in a few minutes, babe." I told her, kissing her lips. I was hoping that was enough for her to figure it out.

"Wait, is everything alright?" She asked, gripping my arm. I turned to face her again, taking her in my arms. I could tell she was still lost. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tightened my hold on her. Soon, I felt her hands searching hesitantly, uncertainly around me, and eventually resting around my waist. I've confused her endlessly. Made her second guess me. Doubt my love for her. Yasmin wants to be loved…by me. I've unintentionally denied her that…and here she is. Still here. Realizing this lengthened my understanding of my feelings for this girl, thus fueling my self-loathing. I've missed this. I didn't understand why I've been so hesitant to feel this. I've been foolish. I opened my misty eyes to find her dad staring. The way he stared wasn't as intimidating as I'd think it to be…but of recognition. I pulled away, meeting her eyes.

"Now." I winked, leaving her.

"Eitan, is everything okay?" Sasha asked. Everyone's attention was on me.

"Yeah, they got to her mom in time. They just placed her under recovery. They don't know how long it'll take for her to heal entirely, but she'll be okay."

There was a sigh of relief around the room. Everyone returned to their seats, so did I. I picked up a bagel and ate it plain, taking a hot chocolate from the cupholder.

"So…Eitan…you're back together." Cam said.

I simpered to myself. "How'd you know?"

"I heard everything."

"Don't say anything about her dad, okay."

"My lips are sealed. I couldn't keep up with all the spanish anyway." He laughed. I laughed along.

"He's lying. I translated for him." Paloma said, elbowing him. "That was so sweet. It was like something out a novela." She smiled, sweetly.

"Paloma, give it a rest, okay?" I chuckled.

She hugged me tight. "I'm so happy for you, Eitan!" She whispered, enthusiastically.

"Shh!" I urged.

"Sorry!" She moused, standing back up. Mom smiled a knowing smile. It was surely an un-premeditated way to make it happen, and for that, I feel like I just won a prize.

"So dime, her dad?"

"I'll tell you later, Tia."

"Tia?" She asked.

"Don't read too much into it, I'm just in a good mood right now." I chuckled, sitting back in my seat.

"Fine." She hissed, going back to mom.

The elevator door down the hall dinged and everyone's attention shifted to the man stepping out of it. I ignored it, going to my phone. I had a missed call from Julissa and Phoebe. Well, I guess all that is over with…why Julissa was calling, I didn't understand.

"Cam?" The voice said. My eyes went to the man. I stood.

"A Dios mio." Mom said.

"Dad?" I asked along with Cam. Next thing I knew, Cam and I were gaping at each other and back at my dad.

"What did you just say?" We asked each other.

"Eitan…" He said, approaching us.

My eyes darted back to my mom, and she was in the middle of falling apart.

"…Mom, you knew about this?"

"Hijo, I was going to wait till your 21st birthday." She sobbed in her hand. She reached out for my shoulder, and my nerves moved me from her touch.

"Don't touch me." My heart felt an aching pain, and I was trembling.

"Eitan, calm down. Your mom—"

"Paloma?"

She kept her mouth shut.

"Wait, so these two are brothers?" Cloe asked.

Darien sighed. "Boys, I—"

I didn't want to hear anymore. Ignored them all, leaving to find Yasmin. She was in the back speaking to her dad still.

I didn't want to interrupt her. I walked back to the lobby, catching a bit of their conversation on the way.

"What the hell are you doing here, Darien?" Mom asked.

"Terri, I was looking for Cam. I didn't mean to run into you."

"Oh yeah…find your other son. The one you left your family for."

"Terri, you know that's not fair."

"So…that's why you left." I muttered.

"Eitan…you don't understand, there are other things that happened—"

"You know what, I don't care. You came here for Cam so there's no need for me to be here." I said, leaving.

"Eitan, wait!" Paloma called after me. I ignored her, my face filling with heat underneath my skin. I needed to strike something. The impulse to do so became overwhelming to the point I couldn't control it, and as soon as the elevator doors closed, I let my fist break into the hollow wood of the elevator wall. I grabbed the rail for support as I pulled my arm back out, resting my forehead beside the gaping hole in the wall, my tears cascading rapidly down my cheek. I turned and pressed my back against the wall, sinking to the floor. After all this time without seeing my dad, I see him and it's because he wanted to see his other son. The son I never knew he had, but known all my life. How could things be this way? I was beginning to think that it's impossible for me to be happy. I stood as the elevator stopped and stalked out of the hospital, not knowing what to do or where to go…

End of Chapter 9

I know this chapter is really short, and for that, I do apologize. I plan on continuing a bit more tonight, but this has been sitting in my cpu for weeks now. I cut it short because I'm not finished writing what was supposed to be the rest of this chapter. But I do hope the you guys enjoyed this bit, and I promise that I'll get a bit quicker with my updates! I took a small break, and well...i'm back! Please Read and Review. Thanks for reading, guys. :)