Chapter 29 Where Do I Go Now
Chapter 29 Where Do I Go Now
POV: Valeria Cruz
Leaving the hospital feels wrong.
Not because I want to stay.
But because stepping outside means—
everything continues.
No more pause.
No more quiet.
Just life.
Waiting.
Rafe stays close as we walk.
One hand steady at my back.
Not pushing.
Not hovering.
Just there.
Grounding me with every step.
“I’ve got you,” he says quietly.
I nod.
Because I believe him.
Because I don’t think I could do this without him.
The doors slide open.
Light hits me first.
Then noise.
Then everything all at once.
I stop.
Just for a second.
Trying to breathe through it.
Trying to adjust to being out here again.
“Take your time,” Rafe murmurs.
I glance at him.
He’s watching me closely.
Still tired.
Still worn down.
But steadier now.
Like he’s been holding himself together—
waiting for this moment.
We step forward.
And I see them.
Nico.
Elena.
And the twins.
They don’t run this time.
They hesitate.
Just for a second.
Like they’re not sure if they’re allowed to.
Like they’re afraid to do the wrong thing.
That hurts more than anything.
“Hey,” I say softly.
That’s all it takes.
They move.
Fast.
But not reckless.
Not like before.
Mateo reaches me first.
Stops just short.
Like he remembers.
Like he’s trying.
“Can I…?” he asks quietly.
My chest tightens.
I nod immediately.
“Yeah.”
That’s all he needs.
He wraps his arms around me carefully.
Not tight.
Not crushing.
Just—
holding on.
Sofia follows.
Pressing into my side gently.
Her grip a little stronger.
Still afraid.
Still not fully trusting that I won’t disappear again.
“You took forever,” Mateo mutters against my shoulder.
His voice is quiet.
Not complaining.
Just—
honest.
“I know,” I whisper.
Sofia doesn’t say anything.
She just stays close.
One hand gripping my shirt.
Like she needs to feel that I’m real.
That I’m here.
That I’m staying.
“I didn’t like it,” she finally says.
Soft.
Barely there.
“I didn’t either.”
That’s the truth.
The only one that matters.
Rafe steps in slightly.
“Careful,” he says gently. “Not the ribs.”
Mateo pulls back just enough.
Eyes scanning my face.
Checking.
“You still hurt?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I admit.
He nods.
Like that makes sense.
Like that’s something he can handle.
Elena steps closer next.
Always calm.
Always steady.
“You okay?” she asks quietly.
I nod.
Then shake my head slightly.
“Getting there.”
She smiles.
“That’s good enough.”
Nico leans against the car.
Watching everything.
Then looks at me.
“You really know how to cause a scene,” he says.
I huff out a small breath.
“I’ll try to keep it down next time.”
“Please do.”
The normalcy of it—
the teasing—
it helps.
More than I expected.
“We’re going home,” Rafe says quietly.
Home.
The word feels different now.
Not tied to a place I dread.
Not something I have to survive.
Something else.
The drive is quiet.
The twins sit close on either side of me.
Not touching much.
But enough.
Enough to remind themselves I’m there.
That I didn’t disappear again.
Rafe checks on me through the mirror more than once.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod.
“I will be.”
And this time—
it feels closer to true.
When we pull up to the house—
I see them.
Waiting outside.
My parents.
Still strange.
Still unfamiliar.
But not as overwhelming as before.
Because this time—
I’m not alone in it.
Rafe gets out first.
Then turns.
Offers me his hand.
I take it.
Without thinking.
Because it’s natural now.
Because it’s him.
We walk forward slowly.
The twins stay close.
Not letting space form between us.
Not yet.
My parents don’t move.
They don’t rush.
They don’t speak right away.
They just watch.
Careful.
Patient.
Waiting for me.
“I’m not ready,” I say quietly.
The words come out easier this time.
Clearer.
More certain.
The woman nods immediately.
“We know.”
Her voice is soft.
Gentle.
“No pressure,” the man adds.
And I believe them.
Because they’re not pushing.
Because they’re letting me choose.
“I just need time,” I say.
“You have it,” he replies.
Simple.
No conditions.
Rafe’s hand tightens slightly in mine.
Grounding.
Steady.
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” he says quietly.
And that—
that settles something deep inside me.
Because for the first time—
I’m not being told what to do.
I’m choosing.
And I know exactly what that choice is.
I take a small breath.
Look at the house.
Then at him.
Then back at them.
“I’m staying here,” I say.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
The twins relax slightly beside me.
Like they were waiting for that.
Like they needed to hear it too.
My parents nod.
Understanding.
Even if it hurts.
And for the first time—
this doesn’t feel like something falling apart.
It feels like something new starting.
Even if I don’t fully understand it yet.