I nearly choked on my sip from the bottle. “You did not just call me that,” I said with mock horror, my voice deepening.
She giggled again and finished the kombucha in one long gulp. “Whoa, I shouldn’t have chugged it like that.” Her eyes watered for a moment as she took a deep breath.
Pointing the bottle at her, I said, “Ha! That’s what you get for making fun of me.”
Placing the glass down, she turned to face me. “I’m twenty-four, by the way,” she said sheepishly, her fingers twisting the tie on her dress.
Nodding, I answered, “Yeah, I know. I asked about you after your brother’s wedding.”
Her expressive eyes widened. “You did?”
It struck me how she asked that as if it were a ridiculous idea. Turning my body to mirror hers and facing her, I said, “Yeah, I did. I heard your friends talking about how you’d just graduated from university, so I had an idea. Luke confirmed it later. Vicky, you’re a beautiful woman, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued.” The blush that spread across her cheeks made me ridiculously happy. But I noticed she held her arms in a way that seemed to cover her waist, and I wondered why.
“Thank you, Miles. That’s very kind of you to say.” There was a beat of silence as we gazed at each other. Then her brother’s words came back to me as my smile slid off my face.
“But I know you’re here to start your career, and I’ll do everything in my power to help you with that. I hope we can be friends. I want you to know our family is here for you if you ever need anything. We promised Enzo…”
She cut me off with a gasp so loud, I thought she was in pain as I tried to assess what was happening.
“My, my brotherEnzo? Youtalkedto him?” she asked, her voice rising an octave. The redness in her cheeks now traced down her neck and spread into her chest.
“Ah, yeah. Vicky, are you okay?” I asked, straightening out in my seat at her reaction.
She closed her eyes, seeming in pain. “Tell me what he said.” Her voice was unusually stern, and I swallowed before answering.
“It was just a text. To Luke and me the other day. Just your brother being protective. He asked us to watch out for you, that's all. Told us how important this job was and to keep you focused.” My voice trailed off at the end as I watched her expression go from embarrassment to what looked like rage.
She suddenly stood up, causing the coffee table to move slightly. She paced the living room, speaking rapidly in Italian with her hands gesturing wildly. I wanted to ask what she was saying, but I thought it was better not to know. My grandparents were Italian, so I caught a few things. Something about cutting off body parts. She was terrifying.
“Ugh! I’m going to kill him. How could hedothat?” she exclaimed, switching back to English, her eyes wild, her face bright red. “I’m a grown woman, with a job, living in another country, andstillhe treats me like a child.”
Standing up and walking to her in two long strides, I touched her elbow to stop her from moving. “Of course you are. I don’t have a sister, but I’m sure it’s much like how I feel about MJ. Guys can’t help but feel protective over those they love, especially the women in their lives.” Her breath was coming out as if she’d run a race.
Closing her eyes and taking a steadying breath as she hung her head, she softly said, “Thanks for at least saying I’m a woman and not a little girl.”
I answered unwaveringly, “You’re not a little girl, Victoria Lazzara. Not to me.” I knew I shouldn’t say these things, but the need to support her overtook my rational mind.
She slowly brought her head up and opened her eyes until they found mine. Those almond-shaped eyes that burned with rage a few minutes ago now had a different kind of fire in them. It nearly took my breath away.
“I’m not. I can be shy and a bit naïve, but I’m not a child. If only Enzo and Mama could see that. See my strengths. There are hopes and dreams that live in my heart. Things I want to see and experience. But they would be happy for me to live a very small, provincial life in Rome, where they can watch over me, keep me safe.”
Squeezing her arm, I firmly said, “But you’re doing that. Right now, righthere. Showing them you can achieve those dreams, go on adventures, be independent. You’re doing it.”
Nodding slowly, she replied, “Yeah, you’re right. I am. And I love it. Every minute of it.” She turned and sat down on the sofa, suddenly looking spent; her body seemed to fold in on itself. I followed but kept my distance, my hand cold from the loss of her touch.
Grabbing a pillow from behind her and hugging it to her chest, she spoke quietly.
“I love Mama and Enzo dearly, fiercely.” Her eyes were focused on a spot on the floor in front of her, as if looking at me was too difficult. I wanted to give her this space to just speak her heart, so I stayed quiet and waited.
When I nodded my head, she continued. “But I want to be treated like an adult. It’s like I never moved on from being five years old with pigtails, you know?”
“I bet you were cute with those pigtails,” I joked, dipping my head to see her eyes.
When she looked at me, her gorgeous eyes were brimming with tears, breaking my heart. I reached for her, unable to stop myself, and put my hand over hers that rested on the sofa. There was a comfort level with her that felt so right and the way she was opening up to me, made it was apparent it was mutual.
“My father, he was my best friend. I’m still healing from the loss, but God has walked me through that, every step of the way. Enzo confided in me that Papa had never told him he was proud of him.” She huffed out a laugh. “He never said it to me either, but I knew, you know? I knew he was because he saw me. Can’t explain it, but he saw me in a way even Mama and Enzo haven’t.”
“That’s a special thing for you to have had with him. I know I try every day to do the same with MJ. To see and accept her.”
