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“What?” Destiny asked.
“She’s either my age or older because she’s not younger than me.”
Destiny leaned across me and peered through the window. “She’s no teenager, that’s for sure. How old did you think she’d be?”
“Mum always said he met his wife a few weeks after he came back and got her pregnant. That would make her about twenty-two.”
Destiny made a humming noise and tapped her lips with her finger. “Maybe she’s had a hard life, but I reckon she’s at least five years older than you, Joseppi.”
At that moment, I almost asked Roberto to turn around and go back to the airport. The tapping on the blacked out window next to me stopped me, though.
“Shit.” I looked at Destiny who was still leaning on my thigh. “What shall I do?”
Her eyes softened and she smiled, and dread filled me. I didn’t need soft, squidgy Destiny. I needed hard, strong, take no shit Destiny. Then, as if she read my mind, she slapped my cheek.
“Stop being a fucking coward and go and face the fucker. He might be dying but you deserve some answers.”
She settled back in the seat and my heart plummeted. “You’re coming in with me, aren’t you?”
She frowned. “You want me to?”
I took a deep breath. “I need you to, Daisy.”
With a single nod, Destiny turned for the door and put her hand on the handle. “Come on then. Let’s do it.”
“Please, Miss,” Roberto said over his shoulder. “I will come and open the door for you.”
“No worries, Bobby,” she said, sounding calmer than I felt. “We’re fine.” She nodded at me and on a silent count of three, we both opened the doors together.
CHAPTER 10
DESTINY
As I walked around the car, the woman standing on the other side never took her eyes off me. You’d have thought she’d have wanted to watch her brother, who she’d never met before, but it seemed I was far more interesting. Her expression wasn’t welcoming either. There was a distinct sneer on her face.
“I’m Joey.” He held his hand out. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure who you are. Which of Aldo’s daughters you are.”
He drew short of asking which of his sisters she was. I could see that it was on the tip of his tongue but too difficult to articulate.
“I am Cosima, his eldest daughter. I hope that you had a good journey.”
Her English was good. Very good. There was no hesitance or fighting for the words. Those words didn’t include, ‘good to meet you’, though.
“H-how is he?” Joey asked, thrusting the hand she didn’t take into his jeans’ pocket.
Cosima shrugged. “Dying. You know that.”
Fucking little witch. “Hey, Cosima,” I said, moving to stand next to Joey. “How about you stop blaming Joey for this. He’snot the enemy and he’s certainly not the one who abandoned a four year old kid.”
Her face hardened as she looked between me and Joey. “Well, we have that in common. But I was eight years old.” She muttered something under her breath while Joey gasped.
“That explains that then,” I muttered, leaning into him.
“He left you, too?” Joey asked.
She stretched her neck and sighed. “If this is why you are here then go,” she said. “You either want to see Papa or you want to throw blame. Which?”
“I think he’s got a right to ask questions, love.”
