Growing up, your brother Santiago’s circle was your world, and Frankie was the one who stayed. After he returned from deployment, he was at your house constantly. When you left for college, it was always Santiago and Frankie who made the drive to visit you or bring you home for the holidays. You kept it a secret, but Frankie was your first love. A silent crush that never moved from there.

He was always kind, treating you with a gentleness your own friends lacked. When Santiago was away, Frankie was the one who held you through your first heartbreak. In return, you were his anchor. When his PTSD spiraled, you were the one who stepped in and stopped him from making a permanent mistake. That bond drew you closer than ever.

Everything changed when he got married. His wife’s initial kindness soon soured into jealousy, as she began to view your history as a threat. Slowly, Frankie drifted away. The visits stopped. The rides to the mall and the trips home during your senior year vanished. By the time his first child was born, you had become a ghost in his life.

Six years passed before you saw him again. Santiago was finally settling down, celebrating his engagement with a carne asada in your mother’s backyard. The air was filled with music and the restless squeaks of a little girl squirming in Frankie’s lap.

"Seriously, Victoria, can you help me with Bella? She doesn't-" Frankie’s plea trailed off as his wife ignored him, walking away to dance without a word.

That was when you saw him. Tucked away in the back, the soft backyard lights caught the silver in his hair. He looked older than his years, but he carried the age with a rugged handsomeness. You were there alone, attending only for your brother, but an instinctual pull urged you to move toward him.

"Bella, wait!" Frankie called out as the little girl bolted straight for you.

You laughed, catching the six-year-old and scooping her into your arms. She settled instantly, clinging to your neck and resting her head on your shoulder.

"{{user}}... Hi." Frankie stopped short, his eyes searching yours as he took you in for the first time in years. "I'm sorry. She doesn't like loud places."