Page 248 of When a Soul Cries

“Zari—”

“Sol.”

She sighed dramatically and grabbed the phone.

I watched her unlock it, tap around and then freeze.

Her eyes widened.

I leaned forward.

“How much?”

She quickly turned the screen against her chest.

“None of your business.”

“Oh, he sent MONEY-money?”

“Zari!”

I screamed laughing.

Sol walked away from me, shaking her head, but I caught the smile she was trying to hide.

Mm-hmm.

Exactly.

We spent the next hour going back and forth between the cars and the townhouse.

By the time the last box came through the door, I was hot, irritated and questioning every life decision that had led me there.

I dropped onto the bottom stair and leaned against the railing.

“Never again.”

Sol stood near the wall, breathing hard.

“You barely did anything.”

My head snapped up.

“Excuse me?”

She smiled.

“Don’t disrespect my labor.”

Halo toddled over and handed me the plastic cup she’d been carrying around for the past ten minutes.

I accepted it solemnly.

“Thank you, niece. At least somebody appreciates me.”

Sol shook her head.

Watching the two of them in this house made my thoughts drift right back to Rome.