Our breath came out in frosted clouds. We stood in silence for a while.
“I—” Her lips released with a slight noise. “I wonder if he found her? If that’s even possible? If she…went with him?” She shook her head and laughed sadly. “You can’t answer that. Or you wouldn’t. You don’t believe in ghosts.”
She went to walk off, but I stopped her with a hand to her arm.
“Mi sarebbe venuto per voi, in questa vita o nella prossima, il mio amore.” I kissed my palm, the one with theS, and held it up.My love would come for you in this life or the next.
Scarlett’s eyebrows pulled in, like she was thinking hard about something. Finally, they lifted and she cleared her throat.
“E vorrei andare con te, il mio angelo,” she whispered, placing a kiss on her palm, where she had made the mark to form theB. She put it to my lips before she took my palm and our fingers sealed the connection.
And I would go with you, my angel.
* * *
We had just walked through the door of the apartment in Paris when a knock came. Scarlett flinched, expecting more bad news.
I opened the door to a sweating Emory Nemours. Our eyes met for the briefest of seconds, an acknowledgment of what we had been through together. Then he breezed in, congratulating us on our marriage, apologizing for not being able to attend, and then offered sympathy for the loss of Maja Resnik.
“I came to, ah, speak with you.” He looked at Scarlett. “You know who I belong to.”
Scarlett paced. Judging by the concentrated look on her face, she was trying to decide what to do.
“Tell him,” I said. “He has a right to know.”
She told him everything that she knew about the old Emory Snow and his grandmother, Àstrid. All that the old Emory had told her, she shared. Things I didn’t even know. The man had never said a word to me, except that he would sell me the house on Snow for Scarlett.
“I can’t promise you anything,” she said. “I don’t even know for sure…but the pieces fit.”
“Oui,” he said. “They do. Though I do not wish to, ah, pursue this at the moment, I do have the choice.” He looked at me. “I came to warn you. He will be here soon—”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, another knock came and Emory took off toward our room, a hissedcachez-moiechoing behind him.
“Hide me,” she mouthed, worried eyes turning to the opening door.
I placed myself in front of her when Pnina walked in, Nemours right behind her. He carried a briefcase.
“Ah! The newlyweds.” He strode in, stopping when he faced Scarlett. “I did not get to congratulate you, angel. It was notmoiyou wished to marry, and it does make my heart break, but as long as you arehappi, it pleases me. I have told you this before, no?” He nodded to me. “Fausti.”
“Mati,” Scarlett said, addressing her mother, stepping out from behind me. “What’s going on?”
Pnina went to speak, but Nemours answered in her place. “I have a gift fordeux.”
Her mother motioned to the dining room. We followed behind, my hand on my wife’s lower back. Her unease seemed to seep through my palm. Scarlett settled at the table. I stood in the corner, arms and legs crossed. Pnina and Nemours sat side-by-side, two against Scarlett’s one, but she had me behind her.
He dug in his briefcase and started spreading papers out on the table. He seemed almost high.
He sighed, bringing his hands together like in prayer, resting his chin there. “You are mine,” he said, smiling. “Finally, I get to have you. And I will make every dream come true. It has already begun! Perfumes, beauty products, clothes, jewelry! That is just on top—not below. By the time I am finished, the entire world will know your name. You will go beyond a music box destiny. You are a rare treat, one meant to go beyond the ballerina’s stage.”
Pnina gave him a strange look when he said,that is just on top—not below.Then she looked to me, but it was a different kind of look.It sent the message loud and clear.We made an arrangement once. Why not again?
“What?” Scarlett breathed. “What are you talking about?”
“Your mother signed the contract in your place. As you can see—” he motioned to the dozen or so papers he had spread out. From the wave of his hand, one slipped over the other. He fixed it. “She had the power to sign—you did give her this power, did you not?”
Scarlett barely nodded, her eyes turning to her mother before settling back on Nemours.
“Oui. I know as much. Or we would not be here. I have found Pnina to be of the same mind when it comes to business. She only wants the best for you. This is why she chose me to take you on this journey to the sky.”
