Page 57 of Nobody's Girl

Penn hugged her tightly. “Tonight showed me that I’ll never be alone. I love you both.”

At home, Sofia and Ivo showered. “What an incredible night,” she sighed as he soaped her body, “I don’t think my vagina will be happy in the morning but, god, it was worth it.”

“Talking of which…” Grinning, Ivo thrust into her again and Sofia, gasping, wincing slightly as he filled her sore cunt, began to smile.

“You are insatiable.”

“And you are a goddess.” They made love slowly, Ivo being more careful now. And afterward they feel asleep in each other’s arms.

At seven a.m., Ivo’s father called them to tell them that Adria was dead.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ivo looked as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. Three days since his beloved Mama had died and he behaved as if he were walking around in a dream.

Adria had underplayed the cancer, it seemed, but even that wasn’t what killed her. A heart attack, from nowhere. Sofia, in shock too, knew what it felt like when someone beloved just was gone in an instant and she tried to support Ivo as best she could, as well a shell-chocked, distraught Walter, but she felt overwhelmed.

Because of Adria’s status, her celebrity, it was international news and both Ivo and Walter were besieged by press. Desiree and Sofia fended the questions away as best as they could while Walter and Ivo arranged for Adria’s body to be flown back to Los Angeles. She had wanted, even after the divorce, to be married next to Walter when he went, and they had purchased adjoining plots at Forest Lawns years ago. Her funeral would be attended by all the biggest stars and movie execs, and Sofia wondered, in the melee, where the family came into it. Ivo simply hadn’t been ready to lose his mother. He moved through the days barely speaking, or eating. He wasn’t sleeping.

She went to find him now. He was packing to fly to Los Angeles ahead of her to arrange the funeral and to take his heartbroken father back home. Walter was a broken man, simply moving through his days like an automaton. Ivo had wanted Sofia to go with him, but Jonas had booked his flight and would be in Paris later that day, and Ivo told her he thought she should stay.

“You don’t understand the craziness of the press around Hollywood,” he told her. “They won’t leave you alone. Here, at least it’s controlled. And now Jonas will be here, I think it’s best you stay.”

Sofia was heartbroken that she wouldn’t be at Adria’s funeral but she could see his point of view. “What about you, Ivo? Won’t you need me there?”

Ivo kissed her then leaned his forehead against hers. “Every moment. But I’ll come back immediately after the funeral. I’m sorry I won’t be able to spend more than this evening with Jonas.”

“There’ll be other times.”

“I know.”

Sofia had called Penn and Ivo’s friend assured her would look out for Ivo for her. “As long as you’ll be safe, I can take care of Ivo, lovely Sofia.”

Sofia was amazed that there was no awkwardness between her and Penn, that their sexual encounter was viewed by all as a wonderful night. She wondered idly if they would ever repeat it then felt guilty about thinking about sex at such an awful time.

They went to pick Jonas up from the airport, and when she saw him trudging through the Arrivals gate, looking like a bedraggled hipster, Sofia burst into tears and ran to him. They hugged for a long time, both in tears, before Sofia calmed herself enough to introduce him to a patient Ivo.

Jonas shook his hand. “I’m so sorry about your mom, dude, so very sorry. One of the all-time greats.”

Ivo looked as if he might be overcome with emotion for a second, then nodded. “She was, thank you. It’s really good to meet you at last, Jonas.”

“You too, man. Thanks for helping my sister, for saving her life. I just…I should have been here.”

Sofia slipped her hands into both of theirs. “Come on, you two. No time for what ifs. We have to be thankful for what we have now.”

They decided to eat at Ivo’s hotel. Despite his protestations, Ivo had secured Jonas a suite near to their own and, after seven hours plus of travelling, Jonas didn’t have the energy to argue.

“You’d be doing me a favor too,” Ivo said. “While I’m in Los Angeles, it’ll make me feel better to know you’re near to Sofia.”