“What are you having?” my friend asks me.
“Green Curry.”
“I’ll have the same,” Raya replies to my sister. Coming closer, she hands me a package. “Just a little something as a homewarming gift.”
“You didn’t have to.” With a grateful smile, I take the bag and peek inside. Seeing the dusty pink plush blanket, my lips curve even more. “I love it!”
“You can snuggle under it while watching TV.”
“Thank you.”
Mom gets up to take a closer look at the blanket, then asks, “Where did you get it?”
“From an online store. I’ll send you their details.”
Dad steps out of the apartment and joins Alfio, who’s standing right outside the front door. I watch as Dad leans against the banister, his eyes locked on the courtyard below. I don’t like the worried expression on his face. It’s as if he’s waiting for trouble to crawl out of the shadows.
It’s going to take some time for my parents to get used to me living on my own, but once they do, they’ll stop worrying so much about me.
They can’t baby me forever, and it’s not fair to them.
Turning my attention back to Mom, Raya, and Bianca, I spend the next two hours chatting with them.
Raya is the first to leave, and as I see her to the door, she says, “I love everything about your apartment.”
“Thanks again for the blanket.”
“I’ll pop in on Saturday.” She gives me a quick hug. “Enjoy your first night in your own place.”
“Thanks. I will.” Smiling, I watch her walk down the corridor toward the stairs.
Just as I turn around, Mom gets up from the couch. “It’s time for us to leave as well. Riccardo and Gianna are landing tomorrow at five am.”
We were all very relieved when Augusto let us know Riccardo is on his way home. It’s taken a lot of effort not to let my panic and fear spiral out of control like it did when Christiano was shot. Back then, I spent three weeks in the hospital, but this time I only broke down when we got the terrible news.
I know the medication plays a significant role, helping me handle things better, but with Riccardo being shot, the tormenting fear has intensified.
“Should I meet you at the airfield?” I ask.
Dad shakes his head. “We’re taking him straight to the hospital. You can wait there for us.”
“Okay.”
When my family leaves, I blow them a kiss before shutting the door and locking it. I switch on the alarm, then turning around, my gaze drifts over my safe haven.
My books and decorations line the shelves, the familiar sight making the apartment feel less strange and more like it belongs to me.
This is it. I’m on my own.
Walking through the apartment, I make sure everything is precisely where I want it, and once I’m happy, I head back to the living room and sit down on the couch. I kick off my shoes, and pulling my legs up, I fold my arms around my shins.
I let the mask I always wear around other people drop from my face, and as exhaustion sets deep into my bones, silence wraps around me.
Chapter 10
Christiano
I shut the laptop I’ve been working on and lean back in my chair, a headache pounding behind my eyes.
