“Oh, that’s right, you’re just bossy and you make decisions without consulting anyone.” I grab another box and groan as I see it’s labeled Invoice 2001-2004.
“What are you talking about?”
“You didn’t consult me when you decided to go play FBI agent and leave,” I snap. I don’t even know why I’m bringing this up.
“I didn’t have a choice, Cipi.”
I throw up my hands. “Don’t give me that crap Dominic. You always have a choice. You left me when I really needed you.”
“I was trying to protect you.” Dominic pulls another box off the shelf.
“How? By ghosting me?”
Silence.
Dominic walks over and places a box in front of me. The wordsThings for Cipiare written on the top. “Is this what you’re looking for?”
“Don’t change the subject, Dom. You didn’t leave to protect me. You left because you disagreed with what my family did and your job opportunity was more important.”
“That’s not true,” Dominic whispers, but he doesn’t elaborate.
I open the lid and shuffle through the contents. This is the box my mom brought over but there’s no chess set inside. “It’s not here.”
“Do you ever clean out this basement?” Dominic opens a corner cabinet and pulls out a dusty bottle of wine.
“No. I’m too busy running an empire and trying not to die.” I grip the edges of the box. The chess set has to be at Mama’s.
Dominic examines the bottle and turns to me. “Want a drink?”
I give him a look.
He shrugs and places the bottle on a large container. “This wouldn’t be the weirdest date we’ve had. We did a lot of crazy things back in the day.”
“Until we didn’t because you chose the law.”
“And yet here I am after all these years.” Dominic picks up a few of the boxes and places them back on the shelf.
I toss a crumpled receipt at his head which he dodges easily.
Lucia’s words flood my mind.
She’s right.
What the fuck am I doing?
Dominic and I have always had this interesting connection. We haven’t talked for fifteen years, and yet in this moment it feels like no time has passed at all.
I have to protect myself. Since we were young, he has always been able to slip past my defenses with ease.
I place the lid back on the box.
Dominic walks over. “Do you want me to bring this upstairs for you?”
“Yes, thank you.” I rub my temples. “This was a waste of time.”
We walk to the stairs. At the top, he opens the door for me. My arm brushes his as I pass and my heart flutters. I hate how familiar the touch feels.
Dominic places the box on the kitchen table.
