Chapter 2
How did they get here? Had he really been this numb for ten years? He thought he was happy in the beginning, protecting her, being her savior in times of need. She was the star everyone orbited around and she chose him to be her rock, or was that really the way it happened? Did she choose him, or was he the only option? Had he offered himself up heart and soul, to a woman who never once considered his future happiness? All these questions clouded his brain as Dante tried to wash the anger and confusion away with the steaming water. It was painful to come to those conclusions, but he knew he had pushed these thoughts and feelings down deep inside for far too long.
As he stood looking in the bathroom mirror toweling off, he saw a 31 year old man in the prime of his life, and yet he couldn't remember the last time he felt true happiness. He didn't even know how to dream anymore. He wanted more, but he didn't want it from Brenda. It was there staring him in the face. He had never really loved her. He was a young rookie cop, infatuated with a supermodel who liked to flirt and was good at manipulating people into doing things for her. He had stayed faithful to his promise to take care of Brenda and her baby all for the sake of what? Some Russian crime lord who had never once contacted them? Dante remembered the early years of the marriage as he looked around "their" bedroom. He didn't even like the furniture in this room. It was just like their marriage, pretty on the outside, but never comfortable. In the early years they barely even knew each other. Brenda lived in fear of the Balkan and they constantly moved around. For a long time Dante thought the fear was the reason she wouldn't fully give her heart to him, but now he knew better.
"Hey buddy, wake up," Dante said as he patted the 10 year old on his back. Movement and groans came from under the covers. "I know it's early, but we have to get to the airport to pickup your mom. Her flight lands in a few hours".
"What time is it?" asked Stefan.
"6:30. Look, I'm sorry it's so early and I know you wanted to sleep late on your Christmas vacation, but for some reason your mother insisted on us picking her up at the airport this time, and I guess an early flight was the only one she could get last minute. "
"Five more minutes?"
"Ok little man, five more minutes and then I call Luciana to come up here and get you out of bed. You know how she doesn't like her food to get cold sitting on the table," Dante chuckled as he ruffled the messy curls on Stefan's head.
Dante left Stefan's room and headed to his office to check on some voicemails. He knew there might be some calls left overnight from LA or the west coast. He and Brenda shared this office. Not that she ever did any work in it. Her job was to show up at the charity events and bat her eyelashes until someone wrote a check. He wondered sometimes if she even knew what all running a charity encompassed. Even at my job, I can't get away from her, thought Dante. He often wondered where life would have taken him as a cop if that fateful night had never happened. After catching up on his messages, Dante was searching through the drawers for some paperwork on an upcoming charity event. The huge teakwood desk was expensive and beautiful and completely non functional. The story of my life. As he was rummaging through the drawers he found her secret stash. Or what she thought was secret anyway. He could feel the heavy binder at the bottom of the drawer and he knew what was in it. Old newspaper clippings and photos of that man. How could a woman who supposedly devoted her life to stopping abuse towards children associate with a mobster who perpetuated violence? How could that same woman show love and compassion for children she didn't know, when her own son starved for her attention? Dante remembered when he found Brenda crying over a newspaper article about the death of Sonny Corinthos's son five years ago. He had been hit by an unconscious driver at a carnival in Port Charles and died from his injuries. Brenda assured him nothing was going on between them, but Dante always had his doubts. Her frequent out of town trips to New York were way too convenient and had increased in past years. She always seemed to make sure the trips were before a big charity event when Dante was unable to come along. He tried to push those thoughts from his mind too. He was getting way too good at this. Emotional attachments weren't really a threat where you simply weren't concerned.