Episode 10

LUNA

It's been one night and a half-day since Daniel became my boyfriend, and though I haven't said anything, I think my mom suspects something because she came to the mansion today to help grandpa and Ines with tomorrow's dinner. Since Daniel can't stop looking at me with that beautiful smile, Mom keeps glancing over and smiling at me, which is why I decided to escape the living room and head to my room. Good thing I did because the DNA test results arrived. They confirm Faber Adler is my half-brother. I printed the results and erased the email without leaving a trace in my account. They're powerful and will want to hack in and retrieve it when they learn the results were sent to me – but they'll find nothing.

After I stashed the printout in my purse, my mom burst in like the two-for-one deal Marc always jokes about.

"You're running from Daniel's gazes?" Mom asked.

"And yours too," I retorted, and she just smiled.

"Is there something your mother should know?" she pressed, always so intuitive.

"Nope," I replied while dodging her stare and playing with Dan.

“Luna?” she persisted, and I kept evading, knowing she'd make a scene. But I couldn't shake her off, so after a few minutes under her intense scrutiny, I spilled the beans.

"Last night, Daniel asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes," I confessed, which made my mom jump around like a kid and hug me.

"Mom, contain yourself," I urged.

"Yes, yes, sorry. Oh my baby's got a boyfriend," she exclaimed.

"I'm not a baby," I pointed out.

"I know. Since you were two, you've been so grown-up. I still remember you seriously discussing your future - God, at two you wanted to plan your whole life," she reminisced.

"I knew what I wanted at two. What I didn't know was all that would come after," I said while still playing with Dan.

"You shouldn't have gone through it all alone. I should have been with you every step of the way," Mom lamented.

"It was my choice. You'd done enough raising your younger sister, then Carter was little, plus you finding Cristobal and his daughters, and the triplets on the way. You couldn't drop everything for me again. You were both mother and sister, always protecting me. You were – and still are – the best mom in the world," I expressed.

"My beautiful girl. So when are you telling everyone about you and Daniel?" she inquired, and that's something I didn't know.

"I don't know, Mom. Daniel said we'd take it slow and everything would happen in my own time. I don't want everyone watching us like you," I explained.

"Well, if you don't say anything in two days, I will. I can't keep this secret much longer," my mom, ever so communicative, declared.

"Mom, can't you respect my timing, like Daniel does?" I asked.

"No, Daniel is patient, but after caring for so many kids, I've lost mine. So in two days, I want a dinner where you tell everyone you're dating," Mom insisted.

"Daniel is going back to the army," I said.

"Talk to him, then we'll organize something as a farewell and announce your relationship," Mom always finding solutions.

"Can I ask you something now?" I wanted to change the topic.

"You know you can," she said.

"Did you ever meet my biological dad, or at least hear his name?" I never felt the need to look for my father, so I never discussed it with my mom.

"No, my Luna. I only knew of you because my mother gave birth to you, but after that, she vanished, and I never understood why. Then my dad found her deceased, but I never found out who your dad was," Mom explained.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I grew up with you, you are my mom, and Grandpa Jackson is like a dad, along with Cristobal. No need to worry about whoever fathered me," I said.

"Sometimes it's good to know your origins; it helps to know if there's any hereditary illness in the family," Mom said.

"Like autism," I noted, still looking at Dan.

"Yes, but that's something that doesn't matter to us because you've moved forward. Nothing's stopped you, and that's why we're so proud. Despite everything, you're strong, and now you even have a boyfriend," Mom said, hugging me again.

After she left to finalize the next day's dinner arrangements, I called Marc but got no response, so I researched the Adler family instead. There are no photos of Faber's father, making me curious. There are pictures of his family but none of him. Is he hiding something, or is he deformed? I hope to find a photo of this man who, by genetics, could be my father.

"Knock, knock," someone tapping at the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Yes?" I asked.

"My Luna, may I come in?" Daniel asked, causing me to feel a bit nervous.

"Come in," I said, and he walked in holding a rose.

"For you, my Luna," he said, offering the rose as he joined me on the bed.

"Thank you," I said, admiring the beautiful red rose.

"What did your mom say?" Daniel inquired, taking my hand.

"I told her we're dating," I replied, watching our intertwined hands - something I never used to let him do as kids, but now it didn't bother me as much.

"And what does she think?" he asked.

"She's happy. She wants to have a dinner to tell everyone, and also to say goodbye to you before you return to the army," I answered.

"That's fine, my Luna. I'm leaving in three days," he said, creating a hollow feeling inside me.

"How long will you be gone?" I wondered.

"A whole month, but I promise I'll try to get out once a week to come and give you a kiss and a hug," Daniel said as he leaned in and planted a soft peck on my lips.

I wish I could be more expressive and show him I liked him too, but I just couldn't.

"I'll be waiting," was all I could manage to say.

"Do you want to go out to dinner with me?" he proposed.

"Yes, I do," I accepted.

"Then get even more beautiful if that's possible, because I'll be back for you soon. Everyone will be envious of the stunning girlfriend I have," he said, causing me to blush a bit. After a quick kiss on my lips, he left.

This will be our first date as a couple, and I don't know what to expect or where he'll take me. Even though I'm a bit scared, I'm excited too.

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