At that moment Raymond leaned against the wall in the warehouse, conflicted. He'd always wanted to groom her into someone tough, someone who could survive in this world that had nearly broken them both. He'd warned her countless times that softness was a luxury they couldn't afford. But now that she was finally showing the steel he'd tried to instill in her, he found himself reluctant to step back.
At that moment his phone phone buzzed again and it was, Valentina that was calling again.
"Ray," her voice was stronger than it had been in the hospital room. "Where are you?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Somewhere thinking about Maria?"
At that moment he paused.
"And About you too." The admission came out rougher than he intended. "About whether I should let you handle this."
At that moment Silence stretched between them, filled only by the soft sound of her breathing.
"You've always told me I need to be tougher," she finally said.
