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Three days after Niko leaves, it’s the evening and I’m sitting in the window seat reading before bed.
Roberta enters my room, handing me a phone. “Lucia,” she says.
“Lucy?” I take the phone, excited to talk to her. “Hello.”
“Aria? It’s Lucia. Are you okay?”
“Yes. Getting better every day.”
“You’re on speakerphone. Elena and Kate are here too.”
“Hello, Aria,” Elena and Kate say.
Tears form. Happy tears at hearing their voices. For a moment, I think I should have had Niko wait and take me home. While I’m not eager to have him boss me around, I do miss my friends.
“Are you mad at me?” I ask.
“Hell no,” Lucia says. “But we are worried. Niko seems to think you might be brainwashed or something by Luca.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not brainwashed.”
“Is it love?” Elena asks. “Love can brainwash you sometimes.”
“My thinking was wonky about Liam for sure.”
I smile, missing them more, and happy that they understand. “I guess it is. Which isn’t to say that I’ll be here forever. I just… Niko won’t let me make decisions?—”
“And Luca will?”
“Yes.” He had said he would before. Over the last few days, he didn’t do anything to suggest that he would force me to stay. He didn’t talk about the wedding or a future together. At the same time, the way he looked at me, held me, suggested that he wanted me to stay.
“Luca is a good man.” Lucia’s comment is more to Elena and Kate, I think. To eliminate their concerns. “But if you want to come home, I’ll arrange it. Not Niko. And you can stay with me and Donovan.”
“Aria, do you really feel Niko abandoned you?” Elena asks gently.
I choose my words carefully. “He was there financially and if I needed protection, but not emotionally. He never told me he was getting married or having kids. I still wouldn’t know about it if I hadn’t shown up. I know he loves me, but he doesn’t want me around.”
“That’s not true, Ari.” Elena is forceful in her statement. “You have to remember, he was young when you lost your mother and brother. He may have wanted you out of the way so he didn’t have to worry about you while he… worked.”
Anger brews. “You mean exact revenge? For fifteen years?”
“I’m not saying what he did was right, but it came from a good place.”
I shrug her words off even though she can’t see me. “Well, I’m safe, if that’s your concern. I’m going to figure things out here.”
“Just remember, you can come home,” Lucy said. “We have lots of room at our place.”
When the call ends, I go to hand the phone back to Roberta. She shakes her head. “Yours.”
I arch a brow. “Are you learning English?”
She gives me a small smile. “A little.”
I look at the phone. “Does Luca know?”
The door opens. “Do I know what?” Luca walks in.
I hold up the phone. “She said I could keep the phone.”
