Pyke novel Chapter 41

A gasp escapes my lips, stands on my feet when a male voice echoes in the small home. His baritone voice reminds me of his father.

An uncertain smile spread across my lips as I watch Levi stops mid-way with a shock on his face. It’s obvious he doesn’t know about our unexpected visit. He drops his backpack to the floor with a thud, then blinks and closes his mouth.

His dark chocolate eyes shift gazes between me and Pyke. He has Uncle Levi’s skin, hair, lips, and the shape of his face. At seventeen he’s tall and beefy. He’s wearing his school jersey and faded jeans.

I move closer to him with a smile a little too excited. “Oh, my God! You really look like him.” I cup his face, staring at him with awe. I blink back the tears forming in my eyes when I notice his body goes rigid.

Levi stays silent, and it bothers me that he might not like me being here—that’s what’s making me fidgety throughout the ride.

“Do you know me, Levi?” I ask in a low voice.

He swallows. His feature softens, nodding lightly. “Yes, you’re Camila.”

I release my hands, pulling him into a hug. I feel his hands wrap around me and pats my back tentatively.

Pyke clears his throat from my back, making us pull away. I turn my head to Pyke and smile at him with spontaneity.

“That’s my boyfriend, Pyke Hughes,” I tell Levi.

Pyke extends his hand to Levi. “I’m your sister’s fiancé,” he corrects.

I roll my eyes inwardly and face Levi again. “Can we talk?”

Levi glances at his mother for approval, then looks down at me. “Sure.”

“Outside?”

He nods and leads me the way.

I follow Levi outside the house, deeply breathe in the cold breeze, and somehow feels a little relief. I don’t know how to start a conversation with him. I want to get to know him and ask his childhood, our mother, and his family. I want to know everything. How come I didn’t see him visited my uncle at the hospital? Why does Uncle Levi never mention he had a family?

“So, you’re seventeen, right?” I ask as we stop under the tree. I face him and try to remember his dad on his face.

“Yeah, I’ll be eighteen in two weeks,” he answers shyly.

“Wow! We should celebrate,” I say excitedly, too late to realize if he even wants to celebrate his birthday with me. I am literally a stranger to him and just came to visit him out of the blue.

He doesn’t know me, surely, he doesn’t trust me. What am I thinking? I don’t even know if he will talk to me after this, the fact that I don’t like our mother who raised him well he might not give me a chance. Levi seems a good kid. I can’t sense a hint of trouble in him.

My heart aches on how he’s lucky to be raised by his mother. Why do I feel jealous when Auntie Carissa raised me well too?

“We don’t celebrate anymore since Dad died.” He shoulders droop, sadness fills his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Levi. I lost him too, you know.” I grab and squeeze his big hand.

“I know. He talked about you a lot but never told me that we have the same mother. I only knew you by your name. At first, Mom will not allow me to visit Dad on weekends where in fact that was the time I should be visiting him because I didn’t have school. That’s when I sneaked out and went to the hospital alone, then I saw you with a guy talking to Dad. Mom only told me when a woman suddenly knocked on our door, at first she offered Mom money. When mom refused she threatened us if mom will not go with her willingly.”

“I found a letter stocked inside the miniature car he gave me. I was so excited to meet you, I should’ve found that out sooner. I want to know you more, Levi.” I pause and think if I have to ask something more personal. “Is she treating you well?” I regret as soon as the words come out of my mouth.

Levi’s brows suddenly furrow. “You mean if she hits me, let me work and takes my money? Or if she came drunk every night?” His voice is strong, but he manages to stay calm.

“I-I’m sorry.” I lower my gaze, swallowing the thickness forms in my throat. He has the right to defend his mother and warns me not to see him again.

“I love my mom, Camila. My parents gave me everything despite our lives are not like yours—” he pauses, clearing his throat. “Until dad went to undergo his treatment. He had to stop working. I mean, his real job as a car designer. We didn’t have a financial problem back then, but Dad had to undergo a series of chemotherapy, though he refused at first, we got him to agree as long as we won’t touch my college fund.”

“Do you know how Mom and Dad met?” His lips curve into a small smile as if he’s happy to reminisce happy moments of his parents.

I shake my head and let a small smile curve up my lips.

“They both attended the rehab program. Dad was a black sheep of their family back then. He knew who mom was, but he used his middle name instead of King so that mom won’t find out that his brother got her knocked up.”

I wipe the tears pouring down my face like a stream.

“Do you think it’s easy for her to let go of you? Mom was raised by her grandmother who died before she even turned eighteen. She was passed to different foster parents until she literally ran away when she was of legal age. Then she got knocked up when she had a chance to follow her dreams.”

I look away, swallowing the guiltiness inside me. I judged her without knowing what she’d been through. I now fully understand why she wanted to get rid of her pregnancy—she did not only failed to fulfill her dreams, but she had no money and family to support her baby. And it was because of me. How is she going to raise a child alone? The answer is like a sucker punch to my gut.

“I think you should give her a chance, Camila. I know she regretted to let go of you. She can’t reach out to you because of the agreement she signed. But she’s happy knowing you’re in good hands with the family who took care of you as their own.”

I nod at him. “So, are you still in junior or senior?” Changing the topic might lessen the mix emotions swirling inside me.

“Senior, I play football. Not that good, but we get to the final in two weeks.”

“Wow! You’re damn good, Levi!” I slap his arm playfully out of excitement.

He chuckles, “How about you? Is he really your boyfriend or fiancé? I can’t see a ring on your finger?” He rakes down his eyes on my hands. Aw, another overprotective man in the family.

“He proposed last night—maybe out of overwhelmed that he almost died saving my co—” I clear my throat when I remember my relationship with Kyland. “Kyland. But he promised to give me a ring, so that’s why I still don’t have a ring on my finger, and I can’t remember I said yes to him thought.” I laugh, feeling the heat creeps up my neck.

“Are you happy? Does he treat you well?” he asks. I am now, and I’m happy that somehow he’s concern about me.

“I’ll answer that.” Pyke suddenly appears from my back.

“Hey, where is mo—”