“Your sister’s doing well. She’s stolen my dog, in fact.” A smirk teases my lips as Bonny shadows Terina, her red nails clacking on the hard floor.
“Huh, didn’t see that one coming.”
“Yeah, funny how things happen sometimes when you least expect them.”
Please don’t hate me when I tell you I’m falling for your sister.
He’s quiet for a second as though trying to decipher my cryptic message. Little Liora starts to wail in the background, drawing a sigh from him. “I gotta go.”
“Good luck, man.”
He grunts before the line goes dead.
“That Renzo?” Terina asks as she joins me in the kitchen.
“Yeah.”
“They okay?”
“Think so, just tired.”
“I’ll bet.” She peeks at the pan of Italian sausage I have browning on the stove. “Need any help?”
“You want to grab some garlic from the pantry? I was about to start some orzo.”
“Sure.” She sets the bulb of garlic on the counter by the milk, butter, and parmesan.
“I’ll chop it if you can keep an eye on the sausage.” I don’t want her to have to handle the garlic and get it on her fingers. If one of us has to smell like garlic all night, I’d rather it was me.
“Yeah, no problem. Also, I forgot to mention it before, but tomorrow is the anniversary of Craig’s death. I usually go out to the cemetery. Is it okay if you take me out there tomorrow?”
For a second, I feel like utter shit for pushing her about us on the eve of her husband’s death. Then I realize that she forgot to tell me. She forgot. If she was truly still harboring feelings for him, wouldn’t that date be in the forefront of her mind?
We’ve had a lot of shit going on, so I can’t say for sure, but it’s something to consider.
“Yeah. When do you want to go?”
“Whatever works for you, so long as I get a chance to go by.”
“How about eleven, then we can pick up lunch on the way home?” I offer.
She nods with a smile. “That works. Thanks.”
“Of course.”
We finish cooking together and eat at the kitchen bar. I tell her about Grisha, even delving into our past at the prison, since she seems eager for more information.
“Can I ask what you went to prison for?” Her voice is hesitant as though she’s worried she’ll upset me.
I make sure to answer openly so she feels comfortable asking me anything. “Arson. I burned down an old factory when I was seventeen after my brother was taken.”
“Isa told me a little about it,” she whispers. “He was your twin?”
“Yeah, identical.” I smile, happy to share his memory with her. Despite my shame, I try not to diminish his life by refusing to talk about him. It doesn’t come up much, but when it does, I want to make sure people know how amazing my brother was.
“I can’t imagine two of you. I bet your mom had her hands full.”
“Always.” I grin, and I’d swear Terina’s breath catches. “She did her best to raise us in the church.” I fish out the two silver cross pendants I wear on a single chain beneath my shirt for her to see. “Gave us these for our first communion, but we were still little hellions.”
