Page 92 of The Ruin I Chose

The living room curtains danced in the breeze from the terrace. Laughter floated in, light, unfiltered, magnetic. Sahil disappeared with my bags. I followed the laughter.

The terrace was large and sun-drenched. A white swing hung on the right, framed by bougainvillaea. Two wrought iron benches, on either side of the swing, with blue cushions, formed a cosy seating area. To the left, a wooden table sat beneath a wide umbrella, flanked by two chairs and a bench. Frangipani bloomed in the corner, its scent soft and sweet. The central space was open—perfect for movement and letting the space breathe. The balcony had numerous plants, placed tastefully, creating a tropical haven.

I stepped closer. Through the dancing curtains, I saw a child licking lemon, scrunching her face, giggling. I stood still. It was like looking at Roxanne—only smaller. Kyra. And for a moment, my heart didn’t know whether to break or heal.

Sahil brushed past me to greet Roxanne’s mum, kissing her on the forehead.

“Hey beautiful, what are you doing?” Sahil asked Kyra.

“Helping Granny make lemonade!” Kyra gleamed, offering him a lemon.

He shook his head and bent down to hug her.

“No hugs!” she said, pouting.

Sahil laughed, exaggerating his heartbreak. She peered from his shoulders and looked towards me, curious.

“Who’s your friend?”

“That’s Uncle Marcello. He’s actually your mum’s friend.”

“I’ve never seen him,” she said, eyes narrowing like a tiny detective.

I chuckled, slowly walking towards them.

“I’m actually from Sicily, Italy.”

Her eyes lit up.

“Italy? My mummy went there. Is that where you met her?”

Hearing ‘mummy’ from her felt like a knife and a bandage all at once.

“Yes. I did.”

“She sent me pictures every day. I don’t remember seeing yours.”

She tilted her head, thinking.

“Maybe the camera didn’t like me.”

She giggled. She had the same smile as Roxanne’s—and I made her smile. I squared my shoulders, feeling a sense of pride, giving Roxanne’s mother a wide smile.

“Why don’t you come next time? I have a niece and nephew who’d love to play catch with you. They have a huge garden and I’m sure you’ll love chasing them.”

“Hmmm. I’ll think about it.”

She spoke like a big girl, hands on her hips, making all of us burst into laughter.

“Uncle M, will you help me build blocks?”

“Absolutely.”

Uncle M. Sweet and damnable. It slipped under my guard faster than it should have. I liked the sound of it.

More brownie points for me.

I was so busy building blocks and buildings with Kyra that I barely noticed Roxanne walk in. She leaned against the balcony door, unreadable, one hand resting on her chest.