Sexting My Ex’s Dad (Forbidden Silver Foxes)

24. Stella

24

STELLA

T he care facility comes into view, and I park the car with practiced ease and quickly make my way inside. The staff here recognize me now, offering warm smiles and nods of greeting as I pass by.

They’re a lot nicer when they know I’m here to pay a bill.

“Hey Stella,” one of them calls out. “Leo’s been asking about you all morning.”

Really? I hate that I made him wait.

“Tell him I’ll be right there,” I reply.

I stride toward the reception desk. A familiar face, Carol, sits behind it, her eyes lighting up upon seeing me. “Stella! It’s been a while,” she says warmly.

“Hi Carol, it’s good to see you again.” My smile doesn’t quite reach my eyes, betraying the burden I carry. “I’m here to take care of Leo’s payments.”

“Of course, just give me a moment to pull up his file.” Carol’s fingers fly across the keyboard, her gaze focused on the screen in front of her.

I clutch the envelope tightly in my hand, feeling the weight of its contents and the sacrifices that brought me here.

“Alright, everything’s set,” Carol announces, looking back up at me.

“Here it is,” I say, handing over the envelope. My voice is steady though my heart races. “There’s twenty thousand in there. It should cover his past due balance, and I’d actually like to pay for next month as well. I can swipe my card for the other four thousand.”

“Look at you go, girl.” Carol smiles. “You somehow always manage. You must have a guardian angel.”

“No guardian angel.” I shake my head. “Just luck that’s beginning to run out.”

Carol types a few more things on the keyboard, clearly unsure of how to respond to my words. The cash register opens, and she carefully places all of my hundreds in there. And just like that, the twenty thousand is gone. “You can swipe your card for the other four thousand dollars.”

I nod and take my card out of my wallet before swiping it. Even though I know it’ll go through, I still let out a sigh of relief when I see the word ‘approved’ in bulky, green letters.

“His room was recently moved. I can take you to his new one.”

“Yes please.”

Carol gestures for me to follow her, and I do, my thoughts already trailing down the hall toward the room where Leo waits.

“Here we are,” Carol announces gently as she stops in front of a door adorned with colorful drawings. I recognize Leo’s artwork immediately, and it brings a warm smile to my face. “He really has been looking forward to your visit.”

“Thank you, Carol,” I reply. She gives me an understanding nod before leaving me to enter the room alone.

Pushing open the door, the sight of Leo instantly illuminates my face with a radiant smile. He’s sitting by the window, his curly brown hair highlighted by the sun streaming in. His eyes widen in recognition, sparkling with unbridled joy as he turns to greet me. My heart swells at the sight of him, my beloved brother who inspires me to keep fighting every day.

“Stella!” he exclaims, his voice filled with warmth and affection. “You’re here! They told me you were coming. I knew it!”

“Hey, Leo,” I respond, crossing the room to envelop him in a tight hug. The familiar scent of his soap fills my nose. “I missed you so much.”

“Missed you too,” he murmurs into my shoulder, his arms tightening around me. For a brief moment, the weight of the world evaporates, replaced by the simple joy of being with my brother.

“Leo,” I say softly, brushing a stray curl from his forehead, “I’ve got some good news. I brought the money for your care, so you don’t have to worry about going anywhere. I promise.”

“Stella, you always take care of me,” he replies, his eyes shining with admiration and love. “I know you do everything for me.”

“I’ll never stop, Leo,” I promise, my voice resolute. No matter what, I will always fight for him - he’s worth every struggle, every sacrifice.

“Thank you,” he whispers, a tear escaping from the corner of his eye. As I wipe it away, I vow to myself that I’ll keep fighting for Leo’s happiness, no matter what obstacles lie ahead. For now, though, I focus on this moment, cherishing the time we have together before I’m forced to go back home again. “What are we going to do today?”

I think for a moment, wanting to make the most of our time together. “How about we start with your favorite puzzle?” I suggest, knowing how much he loves piecing together the vibrant images.

“Yay!” Leo exclaims, clapping his hands in excitement. We sit at the small table near the window, and I pour out the box of jigsaw pieces onto the tabletop. As we begin to piece them together, Leo’s laughter fills the room, each note of happiness pushing away the weight of our struggles.

“Stella, look! I found a big piece,” he says, proudly holding it up for me to see. His enthusiasm is infectious, and I can’t help but smile at his triumph.

“Great job, Leo!” I praise, matching his excitement. “You’re really good at this.”

As we work on the puzzle, I gently guide his hand when he struggles with fitting the pieces together.

“Remember when we used to do puzzles together at home?” Leo asks wistfully, his words tugging at my heartstrings.

“Of course, I do,” I reply softly, my eyes meeting his. “Those were some of the best times, weren’t they?”

“Uh-huh,” he agrees, his smile both sweet and a little sad. “I miss being at home with you, Stella.”

“I miss it too, Leo,” I admit, swallowing the lump in my throat. “But I want you to have the best care possible, and you’re getting that here.”

“Hm…”

As we finish the puzzle, our laughter and conversation fill the room, creating a temporary refuge from the world outside. For now, we are simply Stella and Leo - two siblings enjoying each other’s company, savoring every precious moment together.

A soft chime echoes through the room, signaling that visiting hours are almost over. My heart aches as I glance at the clock, realizing how quickly time has slipped away from us. Leo looks up from our activity, sensing my unease.

“Is it time for you to go, Stella?” he asks, his expression tinged with sadness.

I nod reluctantly, forcing a smile onto my face. “Yes, but don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Though I try to hide it, there’s a heaviness that settles in my chest at having to leave him behind. I know that’s not what it is – that I’m doing what’s best for him, but it doesn’t always feel like that.

“Did you have fun today?” I inquire, reaching out to brush a stray curl away from his forehead.

“Uh-huh,” he answers, his eyes lighting up with genuine happiness. “I always have fun when you’re here, Stella.”

“Me too,” I confess, allowing myself a moment of vulnerability. “You make everything brighter, Leo.”

His smile grows, chasing away the shadows in his eyes, and it fills me with warmth. I give him one last hug.

“Bye, Stella,” he whispers into my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

“Goodbye, Leo,” I murmur, pulling away and fixing my gaze on him, memorizing every detail of his face. “Remember, I love you, and I’ll see you soon.”

“Love you too,” he says, drawing out each syllable in that endearing way of his.

With a final wave, I leave the room, my resolve strengthening with each step. I’ll continue fighting for a better future for us, and until then, these moments together will sustain me.