Feeling Constantine’s gaze riveted on me now, I looked his way. His brows were tight, his lips a hard line, as if waiting for my permission to speak.

Colin didn’t miss my nonverbal signal, reading my quiet nod as confirmation.

“I knew it,” he said, punctuating each of his words.

“We planned to tell you today.” I placed my hand over my stomach, as if it might quell the mountain of emotions moving into my chest and constricting my throat.

Constantine quietly stood. He had to be feeling a world of hurt and pain, so many things I’d never understand since I hadn’t been robbed of sixteen years with Colin. I was desperate to hug both of them.

They gazed at one another, jaws strained, and eyes narrowed. This was supposed to be a happy reunion, but instead, it felt like we were in for an uphill battle between a stubborn boy and an equally stubborn man.

“How long have you two known?” Anger curled up into Colin’s words, emotion withering away at the last syllable.

“Since yesterday, before you went for breakfast.” I stretched my arm toward him, but he shook me off. It took all my restraint to hang back, not to swaddle him in my arms, blanketing him with the comfort I knew he needed but wouldn’t accept.

“So, that’s why you came here yesterday all upset, asking to see Mom. You thought she kept me from you.” He lowered the Ziploc bag to his side as if it held the weight of a lifetime of what-could’ve-beens if only the ink hadn’t been ruined. “Why didn’t you two tell me yesterday?”

This moment had been sixteen years in the making, and I’d wanted it to be special. “I couldn’t drop that on you and then take off for work.”

“Why—why won’t you say something?”

Colin’s broken voice shattered my already broken heart, and my maternal need to comfort him took over. I lunged for him, wrapping him in my arms, but his focus remained on Constantine.

“Say something,” he implored, his body trembling against me as he refused to return my hug. “Say the words. Pl-lease.” His voice stuttered with the same emotion I felt coursing through him. “Just say the words.”

I suppressed my sob, rolling my lips inward and tightening my mouth, refusing to steal focus away from the two of them by ugly crying. But, oh God, my heart. It hurt so bad for him, and if Constantine didn’t speak soon, I’d have no choice but to do it for him.

My body shuddered when I felt Constantine’s presence close in behind us. “Sono tuo padre.”

Colin peeled free from the sanctuary of my arms, urging me to the side so he could face his dad. “English, please,” Colin said, grit in his voice and tears in his eyes.