SILENT VOWS

28

“Of course, sorry. I get carried away. It’s really lovely to meet you, and congratulations!” She pulled me into a quick hug, surprising me yet again.

I waved to the three of them before turning away to find my table. I was so disoriented that I hardly remembered making my way back to my family.

“Hey, Em. You hanging in there?” Pip asked cheerily.

When I turned to meet her gaze, I couldn’t eradicate the dismay widening my eyes.

“Oh, sweetie. It’s going to be okay—all of it. Everything.” She paused, studying me. “Is it the party … or is it him that’s worrying you?”

I just stared at her, unable to untangle my own chaotic thoughts.

She grimaced, seeming to understand. “It’s a lot. And I never should have told you about the burning man. That’s just this life, you know that, right? Just because he lights people on fire doesn’t mean he’s going to hurt you.”

Pip didn’t realize how right she was, except it was me he lit on fire every time he was near, and that was exactly how I’d end up hurt.

Oh, the irony.

I huffed with a silent chuckle.

Pip smiled, relieved. “Come on. Let’s grab a couple of mimosas. That will make us both feel better.”

I nodded, letting her lead me back to the center table before she disappeared in search of drinks. My emotions must have still been lingering on the surface because Aunt Etta also asked if I was okay the second she saw me.

I took out my notepad.

Does Conner have Italian half sisters? I peered at her questioningly.

“Did no one tell you?” she asked, brows knitted together.

I shook my head.

“He was adopted. It all came out in the open just recently. I don’t know the details, really, just that Mia Genovese was his birth mother.”

My head tipped back slowly with understanding before I scribbled again.

I just met his three sisters. I was confused.

She chuckled. “I suppose that’s understandable.” She took my hand in hers. “Hey, I realized we never talked about getting you a dress. I don’t know how we overlooked it. You want to go tomorrow?”

I smiled warmly and nodded. Her answering grin was so heartwarming it could have brought back the dead. “Perfect. I’ll set up an appointment as soon as we’re done here today.”

I nodded and gave her a hug. If I had to lose my mom, there was no better substitute than her twin sister. Being around my aunt these past few days made me realize how cruel it had been for my father to keep us apart for so long. I needed this. I needed her and all the strength her love provided.

Another hour later, I spotted a familiar set of warm brown eyes across the room when the party was finally winding down. Grinning, I hurried over to where Sante leaned against the wall and wrapped him in a crushing hug.

“Whoa, little big. Easy there.” The second he had sprouted taller than me, he started to call me his little big sister. I loved it, and hearing the endearment only made me hug him tighter.

He chuckled and eased from my death grip. “I couldn’t let my only sister get married without giving her a gift of my own, and I figured this was as good a time as any.”

Did Dad know he was here? Had Sante come on his own?

I suddenly sobered, wondering if this could be my chance to tell him the truth about our mom. Or maybe even to run away with him.

My hands trembled as I accepted the small, wrapped package.

“It’s not that exciting. No reason to get all shaky,” he teased, not knowing my tremor had nothing to do with his gift.

I peeled back the wrapping to unveil a white gold bracelet. It had a delicate chain on either side of a flat plaque engraved with Mancini.

“So you don’t forget us,” he said quietly.

His gift was incredibly thoughtful. I hugged him again, this time with tears in my eyes, then signaled to the door in question.

“Yeah, we’re here to get you.”

We? An entire bucket of frigid water drenched me from head to toe.

He must have seen the question written across my face. “Yeah, Dad is waiting outside. You ready?”

I tried to swallow past the sudden lump in my throat. Nodding, I held up my finger for him to wait, then went to tell Pip and Aunt Etta goodbye and thank you. They assured me the gifts would be delivered to my house. I couldn’t have cared less but nodded politely.

Once I got to the car, I slid into the back seat like a criminal being remanded back into custody. Hopelessness was yet another cratering dip in the roller coaster ride of emotions I’d endured that day. By the time I got home, all I wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a week, but I should have known better. My life wasn’t my own, and my day was long from over.

“I’ll be back in a minute. Berto needs my help in the garage.” Sante stood from the couch. We’d been watching the most recent James Bond release together.

I pointed at the TV with raised brows.

“Don’t worry about pausing it. No clue how long I’ll be.” He rolled his eyes, then left the room.

I decided I wasn’t in a hurry, so I paused the movie anyway. I was more interested in hanging out with my brother than watching the show. The house seemed extra quiet after the explosion-filled action movie was silenced. So quiet that I almost jumped out of my skin when a knock sounded on the front door.