“With every breath.”
“Then, talk to Mom and Dad on Saturday. Tell them what’s going on and how you feel. Make it clear that he’s essential to you. Tell them that you don’t want them to do anything to hurt him or it will hurt you. If he makes you happy, eventually, they’ll see that and accept him without all their usual shenanigans.”
“So, you don’t think I should bring him?” she asked Sirena.
“Not this time. Maybe the next time. I don’t think you should shove him in their face right after you tell them they can’t torture him. They need time to get over their disappointment.”
Devorah and Sylvie opened their mouths, but closed them without saying anything. It was clear they didn’t agree with Sirena, but they weren’t going to argue right now. When Sirena thought she was right, there was no talking to her until she was proven otherwise by events beyond her control.
Ms. Know-It-All was her nickname during her adolescence for a good reason.
Astra nodded. “I can do that.”
“Here,” Sylvie said, thrusting a Bloody Mary beneath her nose. “I don’t think a mimosa is going to cut it.”
“Thanks,” Astra replied, taking the glass. Her sister was right. Sparkling wine and orange juice wouldn’t cut it.
“It will be okay,” Devorah said, her eyes kind. “I promise.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Her eldest sister smiled, and it was more than a little smug. “I’m always right.”
Astra snorted as she drank the tomato juice laced with vodka and hot sauce. “Sure, you are.”
“I am. Just ask Claudia.”
Astra, Sirena, and Sylvie all burst out laughing.
This was the power of family, Astra realized. She’d been crying and depressed for the last two days and now, here she was, laughing with her sisters.
While she was still upset, she felt like she could function again. She would reach out to Rune and tell him her plan. Hopefully, he would understand.
If not, she wasn’t going to give up. She would do whatever she could to make this right.
ChapterSeventeen
Rune was depressed.
He’d been trying to write for the last three days, but nothing was happening. He couldn’t even use the work being done on his house as an excuse because the major stuff was done. All that was left were a few finishing touches that Claudia was supposed to bring by today.
He wondered if it would be weird if he asked her how Astra was doing.
Yeah, it would be weird, but he wasn’t sure he gave a damn.
He deeply regretted walking away Monday night, but he couldn’t bring himself to call her because he wasn’t wrong either.
She was hiding him. Putting off introducing him to her parents.
All because she was afraid he didn’t love her enough. It hurt to realize that she didn’t trust the depth of his love for her.
He heard a car pull up in front of the house and his heart leaped in his chest. Could it be Astra?
Rune shut down his computer and got to his feet. He walked quickly to the front door and looked out the window next to it. Though the car was familiar, it wasn’t Astra.
It was Claudia and Devorah. Another woman was with them. Her hair was pale blonde, nearly white, but her build and carriage announced that she was related to Astra. This must be the other Falk sister, Sirena.
Rune opened the door and waited as the three women approached. Claudia smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Devorah and Sirena just stared at him with flat, cold gazes.
