Good night. Sweet dreams
1044 Words
That night Aria could not sleep. She kept turning from one side to the other, staring at the ceiling, replaying Dominic’s words in her head. The offer. The cooking school in America. The way he said it like it was nothing. Like he was offering her a glass of water, not a future.
She tried everything. Closing her eyes tightly. Pulling the blanket up. Turning on her side. Counting in her head. Nothing worked. It felt like something inside her was alive and restless, pushing her to stay awake.
She felt like a girl waiting for a date the next day. Excited. Nervous. Impatient. Even though what waited for her was not a date, but a decision.
At dinner earlier, she caught herself looking at Dominic several times. He never looked back. He was too busy joking with her mother, laughing like nothing happened between them. Like he had not touched her that way in the car.
She told herself she did not care. What filled her mind was the offer. Only that. With frustration, she threw the blanket off her body and kicked it until it slid onto the floor. She needed to speak to her mother.
But Dominic was outside. That foreign man would probably smirk at her if he saw she had taken the bait. He would tease her for being tempted by his cooking school offer. If she did not speak tonight, she would lose the chance.Dominic gave her until tonight. The answer had to come tomorrow.
After sitting there for a while, fighting with herself, Aria finally made up her mind. She would talk to Helena. Before opening her door, she whispered a short prayer under her breath. She inhaled slowly and released it, trying to calm herself.
She had to prepare her heart. What if she stepped out and saw what she saw last night again. The image came back instantly. Their bodies. Their closeness. The sounds. It made her mind messy. It made her body react in ways she did not want to admit.
When she felt strong enough, she reached for the door handle and opened it quietly. She peeked toward the living room and the kitchen.
Empty.
She stepped out and closed her door softly behind her. The house was dark. Only moonlight came through the glass windows, casting pale light across the walls. She looked upstairs toward her mother’s bedroom. The door was closed.
She was not even sure this was the right time. Dominic might hear everything. But this opportunity would not wait. Once more, she took a deep breath and walked toward her mother’s room. Her steps slowed as she reached the door. She placed her hand on the handle and pushed it open carefully.
Inside, her mother was awake. Dominic was already asleep beside her. Aria felt something strange looking at them. They were not even married yet. But they were already sharing a bed. Doing things married couples do. She wanted to ask. She wanted to say something. But she knew it was not her place. These were adult matters. She had no right to step into them.
She knocked gently on the door.
Helena turned her head at the small sound and looked surprised when she saw Aria standing there. Helena immediately stood up and walked toward her daughter. “Aria? Why are you not asleep? Is something wrong?”
Aria glanced at Dominic, who was sleeping deeply, then looked back at her mother. “Mom… can we talk for a bit?”
Helena narrowed her eyes. “What is it? Why do you look so serious?”
“Not here. Downstairs,” Aria said softly.
Helena nodded. She stepped out and closed her bedroom door quietly before following Aria to the television room. They sat down.
“What is it?” Helena asked again. She could see the hesitation on Aria’s face. “Talk to me. What happened?”
Aria shook her head slightly and took her mother’s hand.
“Earlier, when Uncle Dominic picked me up from campus, he told me something. He said his company provides full funding for cooking school in America. Only for one person. And he offered it to me.”
Her voice was serious. She looked at her mother with worry, afraid she might be angry.
Instead, Helena smiled.
“Oh, that is all? You scared me with that face,” Helena said, cupping Aria’s cheeks gently. “Cooking school? Is that what this is about?”
Aria gave a small embarrassed smile.
“So, are you interested in your future daddy’s offer?” Helena asked.
Aria nodded quickly.
“Mark already told me,” Helena said calmly. “And honestly, I hoped you would choose it. At least this way I will not worry too much. He can keep an eye on you there.”
Aria blinked in surprise.
“If you search for a scholarship on your own, neither I nor Dominic can monitor you,” Helena continued. “But if you take his offer, I agree. I will tell Dominic your answer. What do you say?”
Aria smiled widely without realizing it. She did not expect it to be that easy. She thought there would be arguments. Anger. Questions.
Instead, her mother had already been waiting for her to say yes.
“I want it, Mom. I will handle everything. Please tell Uncle Dominic,” Aria said, unable to hide her excitement.
Helena nodded, and Aria threw her arms around her.
“Thank you, Mom. I promise I will not waste this chance. I will study hard. I will become a famous chef.”
Helena nodded again, eyes soft. “Of course. You love cooking.”
Inside, Helena also felt relieved. This would help bring Dominic and Aria closer. Maybe one day Aria would truly accept him as her father.
Sending her to a school funded by Dominic would also make sure her daughter’s life in America remained under control. Under Dominic’s supervision.
“All right. Go to sleep now,” Helena said gently. “Good night. Sweet dreams.” Aria nodded.
She stood up, kissed her mother’s cheek, and said good night before walking back to her room, her heart lighter than it had been all night.
- Writer
