I knew that Mia wasn't my Isabella, but their nature was the same. Kind, caring and compassionate. Mia should never have been introduced to all of this. If I had met her under normal circumstances it would have been easier.
"We barely knew anything back then," Dante said.
"So, you're willing to risk Mia?" I asked, gathering my things as I stood from the couch. "Let her choose."
I left the room and walked out into the back yard, grateful that Luc's impulsive nature had driven him away.
Chapter Forty One
Mia
When Monday rolled around, Dom cancelled on me due to his sick husband. Stefan had already left for class but Dante took me to the hospital before he left for work.
I sat patiently as the nurse removed the stitches and a doctor checked them over. When I was given the all clear, I took a few moments to look at the puckered skin. It would never lay flat and smooth again. I was left with an everlasting reminder of what happened when you crossed the wrong people. I pulled roughly at my sweater to cover the scar.
Heading into the elevator, I pulled out my phone to call Dante for a ride home before changing my mind. Pocketing my phone, I hit number seven in the elevator to take me up to the floor.
"Maria?" I said, stood in the doorway.
"Oh, Mia, sweetheart. What are you doing here?"
She had just finished off a cup of tea but the tremor in her hand made it hard to put down. I walked in and took it from her before placing it on the table.
"I just got my stitches out. I hope you don't mind, I just thought I'd pop in and see how you are."
Usually, my visits were with Stefan, but he was in class and I didn't want to go back to the house just yet. When I’d seen Maria on Saturday afternoon the woman said I was always welcome to come back but now I worried that maybe she had said it to be polite.
"I don't mind at all," Maria said, straightening out her clothes and smoothing down her hair. "I'm sorry. I haven't been awake long."
"You don't need to apologise. Actually," I fished a brush out of my bag on my shoulder. "If you want, I could do your hair."
Maria gave me a warm smile and I joined her on the bed.
"Having boys," Maria said. "Well, they look after you, but they are useless for this type of thing."
"I can't imagine either of your sons getting this quite right," I agreed.
I gently pulled the brush through Maria's hair, freeing it of any knots.
"No, neither can I," Maria told me, laughing. "Though, I would probably put my money on Stefan doing a better job. Dexterous hands."
Stef's ambition was surgery, so I saw her point. I had watched him take knots out of my necklace with such patience and ease that he could probably manage hairdressing as well with his nimble fingers.
"How is your side?" Maria asked.
"Scarred but okay."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that."
I shook her head. "It wasn't anyone's fault."
Maria put her hands out in front of her and pointed to a scar on the back of her left. "I got that when I went to dinner with Charlie and he and Xavier Moretti got into a disagreement. I can't even remember what it was over. Xavier stuck a knife straight through my hand."
"That's awful," I said, looking at the scar.
"Charlie wanted to kill him." A silence settled between us. "You can ask questions if you want, Mia."
It was eerie how Maria could tell what went through my head and I blushed, continuing to run the brush down the length of her hair.
