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“What is going to happen now?” my mother asks, and I look at her.
“I’m going to go and get a couple of things today.” At least this is the truth. “Then I think I’m going to go away for a bit.” Both of them are shocked by this. “I need to regroup and, I don’t know, find myself.”
“That ‘eat, pray, love’ shit,” my aunt says. “Listen, you are your own eat, pray, love.” She points at me, and there is a knock on the door.
Nash comes out of the hallway wearing shorts and a T-shirt. “That’s for me,” he says, opening the door and grabbing two brown bags, setting them on the table by the door before grabbing two coffee trays. “Thank you,” he tells the deliveryman before shutting the door. “I got you all some coffee,” he says, coming in and putting one tray down. “Something for my favorite mother-in-law.” He hands her a coffee before turning. “And your matcha is there.” He looks at Zoey, who leans her head back and waits for him to kiss her. “I’ll just go.” He walks to the hallway with the other tray of coffee.
“Where are you going with that tray?” my aunt asks, and he looks over his shoulder.
“It’s for me,” he lies. “I am doing that taste-testing thing.”
“Tell them to come out,” my mother says, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Okay, I will say,” Gabriella starts, walking into the room and grabbing a coffee, “I told her to call you yesterday.” Zoey and Zara both gasp. “Hi, Auntie.” She walks over to my mother first and kisses her cheek, and then to my aunt and kisses her cheeks. “You went out looking like that?” She points at their hair being on the top of their heads all sideways and the fact they are in pj’s.
“Who else is there?” My aunt avoids her question.
“We don’t count,” Sofia says. “We were with Gabriella when she got the call, so we are here.”
“Collateral damage.” Ryleigh laughs, coming into the room. “You’re my favorite mother-in-law in the world.” She looks at my aunt, who rolls her eyes.
“You can’t be mad at us,” Sofia says. “It was up to Zoey to call you.”
“Wait a second.” Zoey puts up her hand. “Nash is the one who told her to come over here.”
She points at Nash, who just shakes his head. “Wow.”
“I love you,” Zoey tells him when he walks out of the room, “with all my heart.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” my aunt asks, and I look at her.
“Nope,” I answer her honestly. “I think I’m still a little numb and probably in shock.”
“Well, you can always change your mind,” my mother states hopefully. “Why don’t you take the time away to think about it?”
There is not enough time in the world for me to change my mind, but I don’t say that to her. “Maybe.” I shrug my shoulder and reach for a coffee, taking a sip.
“Where are you doing this soul-searching?” my mother asks me.
I look over at Sofia, who just smiles and nods at me. “I’m going to go and stay at Sofia’s house.”
6
ZARA
One Week Later
“Welcome aboard, Ms. Petrov,” the flight attendant says when I walk up the steps to the plane.
“Thank you.” I smile at her as I enter the plane and head for the single seat on one side. I’m shrugging off my jacket when my phone rings. “Hello.” I put it to my ear, not even looking to see who it is.
“Hey,” Sofia says, “just calling to wish you a safe flight.”
I smile, sitting in the seat and buckling my seat belt before looking out the small window. “Thank you.” I take a deep breath in.
“Just a heads-up, my grandfather is going to meet the plane, but he’s under strict instructions not to tell anyone you are there for at least three days.” I smile. “But then I’ll have to tell my mother.”
“That sounds good. I don’t think anyone is going to bother me anyway.”
