“Then why do you have it?” she questions innocently, not knowing how personal the answer really is.
I probably shouldn’t share this with her, but for some reason, I want to. I rarely talk about Laura, but if I don’t, who else will? “My sister loved horror movies. She would make me watch them with her after our parents went to sleep, despite the fact that they would give her nightmares. Every single time.” A smile tugs on my lips, remembering her sneaking into my room and waking me up.
“Did you get in trouble with your parents?” Aurora asks when I don’t say anything for a few beats.
“No, we never got caught,” I explain. “I never told on her, and my mom would blame it on the internet. Our house was small, and my sister’s screaming would wake everyone up. So my mom would make us all tea. We would sit around the kitchen table, drink, eat snacks, and talk about anything besides nightmares.”
More fond memories flood my mind, and for a moment, I just think about them and how much I miss them.
“Was your sister younger or older than you?”
Before I can answer Aurora’s question, the kettle whistles, and steam bellows from its spout. I grab the handle and pour the boiling water into the cups. The familiar smell of chamomile enters my senses. I grab the cups and take them over to the island.
Setting one in front of Aurora, I take the seat next to her and wrap my hand around my hot cup. “Younger,” I finally answer the question. “But not by much.”
“It sounds like you two were close,” she points out before taking a careful sip of tea. “This tastes great.”
“Did you get to see your sister a lot growing up?” I question, finding myself genuinely curious about their relationship.
“No, not at all,” she says, shaking her head while frowning. “I didn’t even know about Mariella until she was five. Her mother would bring her around maybe once or twice a year, but they would never stay long.”
I’m surprised their relationship is so estranged, since Aurora asked for her sister to be taken care of at the lawyer’s office. I figured they were close.
“Maybe I can build a relationship with her when she is older,” Aurora murmurs, looking into her cup like she is talking to the tea. “Do you think that’s even possible?”
Guilt slams into me, knowing damn well that she will never get the chance.
“Sure,” I lie, the word leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Lifting my cup, I take a few big gulps, not caring how the hot liquid is burning my tongue.
Aurora suddenly turns toward me, and for a moment, I’m sure she sensed I was lying, but when I scan her face, it isn’t an accusation I find, it’s hopefulness. “Since you seem to be in a pleasant mood right now, can I ask you for something?”
My eyebrows raise. “Ask away.”
“Could I order some books?”
“Books?” I echo. “Doesn’t Maggie bring you enough?” Of course I knew about the little extra delivery. Maggie talked me into letting her bring Aurora some.
“She does, and I do like reading them, but I was specifically looking for psychology reads. More like textbooks,” she explains.
“Trying to figure me out?” I smirk.
She rolls her eyes. “Not everything is about you.”
“Then why?”
She shrugs and bites her bottom lip as if she is nervous talking about it. “I’ve always been interested in that subject. I think it’s so interesting how the brain works and how different disorders affect how people behave and experience life. Plus, I like the idea of understanding people and maybe even helping them.”
“So you want to be a therapist?”
Another shrug and anxious look tells me that’s exactly what she dreams of. I let that new, unexpected piece of information sink in.A therapist…wanting to help people. Can she really be that different from her father?
“What about you? What did you want to be when you were younger?” Her question catches me off guard. “Before everything, I mean,” she adds quietly.
I haven’t thought about that in so long. I was only eighteen when my family was killed, just a kid, really. “I was about to go to college to play football,” I reveal. “That was my dream, playing ball as long as I could.” Our dream really. Nick was along for the ride. We had everything planned out. Laura was going to join us the year after.
I was supposed to have fun, play sports, and study business management. Instead, I started underground fighting for money, studying organized crime, and planning my revenge.
We finish the tea, and I get up to clear the dishes. After I place everything in the sink, I take Aurora back to the bedroom.She climbs into the bed, pulling the comforter over her body as she settles.
