Finding Forgiveness

Leo's Point of View

The second the truck rolled into the base, I was opening the door. In the front, there were two men: one driving and one clutching what looked like just a bundle of blankets. The bundle of blankets stirred and I was met with a pair of innocent, watery eyes.

"Papa," it sobbed.

Its lips quivered and its eyebrows furrowed before tears began to stream down its soft little cheeks.

I instantly pulled it into my arms and held it tight.

"Cato," I whispered, kissing his head time and time again. "It's okay. You're safe now."

He wrapped his little arms around my neck and clung as he cried into my chest.

"Thank you," I said to the soldiers that had brought him back to me. "Your bravery will be rewarded.”

They nodded.

"We're just sorry that it came to what it came to and that your son had to experience,” one said.

"You did what was necessary and with time, he will recover.”

The course of Cato's return hadn't run smoothly. Ella handed herself to Andrea and he released Cato. Cato was driven as far as California but then being the lying cheat Andrea is, withdrew from his part of the deal claiming that Cato would remain in his custody until he no longer needed the threat of his demise to control Ella. The time frame for that was unclarified and I saw the rescuing of my seven-year-old son from the trauma of being kidnapped by a gang of thugs as far too urgent to wait so had my men intercept the vehicle just before they got back to the border. It resulted in Cato witnessing the deaths of his abductors which is something no parent would ever want their kid to see even if they were bad people.

I held myself fully responsible for this. I'd failed as a parent and to make it even worse, now I was a single parent. Ella and I always brought the kids up together and she was so naturally good at it and always there to provide a voice of reason but she was no longer here so now I had to do it alone.

When I arrived home with Cato the house was dark bar one lamp on the coffee table in the living room. At least I still had my own Mother, Rosa, to help out. She woke immediately from the sofa and rushed to comfort Cato who was still in my arms.

"Oh, bambino. You're home," she said kissing his cheek and taking his little cold hands into the soft warmth of hers.

He produced a smile. It was small and feeble but it was there.

"You better get to bed, young man," she added. "It's awfully past your bedtime."

He smiled again and I slowly carried him upstairs.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight, Daddy?" he asked as we reached the top of the stairs.

I nodded and made my way to the room I shared with Ella with great caution not to wake any of the others.

He was asleep within minutes of laying his sweet head on my chest but held tightly to me the entire night.

I wrapped my arm around him and closed my eyes, letting out a deep breath.

Now all I had to worry about was Ella.

All?

I couldn't bear to imagine Andrea's reaction to the ambush and how he would have taken it out on her. But I knew that it's what she would have wanted me to do. Put our son first and do whatever it takes.

The least I could do was honour her wishes.