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Jefa's jaw falls open making me laugh. Silver comes rushing over to us but before she can sit on the bar stool next to me, I pull her onto my lap. I kiss her shoulder as she throws a double thumbs up to someone but before I can ask her what that was all about, the music I made to go with the lullaby my mother sang to my sister and I begins to play.
“This song is for Liliana Romano.” The singer on stage says with that familiar voice.
Wait. Did she just say Liliana Romano?
Suddenly my mother's face flashes in my mind's eye and it's the exact replica of the girl on stage. I can't peel my eyes off of her as she begins to sing my mother's song... with my mother's voice!
Over the hill
And under the moon.
Around the bend
And through the woods.
At the crooked Willow
Is where we'll meet...
I'm shook to my core. It's like I'm staring at a ghost. Someone claps my shoulder and I reluctantly look over and come face to face with none other than Gavriel the Cruel Renzetti.
“Here's a piece to your puzzle, Romano.”
Oh fuck. It can't be. Is that my... my God. Is this singer my little sister? My heart is pounding and I hear my mother's voice singing along with the rest of the song. The singer stares at me while her voice cracks. She's crying because she knows. She knows I'm her big brother! As the last word rings out, Silver turns and buries her face in my neck. I close my eyes and take in Silver's scent to calm myself. This was Silver's gift to me. She found my sister! I pull back and look into her eyes before kissing her.
“Thank you for finding her. Thank you for bringing me to my sister. I love you with all my heart, Silver. I'll never love anyone the way I love you. No one can hold a candle to your flame. I fucking love you.”
“What? That’s your sister? I had no idea, I just wanted the Manhattan Singer to sing your song because Ilove hervoice. I'm so happy though. I love you so much, Luca but go to her.” She jumps off my lap and pulls me to my feet.
My legs feel like stone but as I make my way to the stage, I see the singer, my sister, in the arms of Gavriel. She seems to be crying while he strokes her back. I want to be angry at the connection they have but I mentally slap myself as I stand below the stage and watch him whispering to her. I'm grateful she has someone on her side, someone to cry on. I won't begrudge Gavriel for being her rock—not when I couldn't be.
The girl, Sia, looks up at Gavriel and my breath catches. She looks like our mother. Long dark hair and same bone structure but her eyes glint like my father's... like mine. Life has hardened my baby sister as it did me. I just hope she didn't have it as badly.
Sia peeks around Gavriel and wipes at her eyes before snatching up Gavriel's hand for support. I stay where I am and let her make the first move. I can't believe the moment has arrived. She has the same pouty mouth she had as a baby, with her cream colored skin, flushed from nerves and tears. She steps around Gavriel and gives me the sweetest smile.
My sister.
She looks me over, just as I have done to her. We look alike but where she's soft, I'm sharp. She's fucking beautiful.
“Hi,” that simple little word, heavily accented like a southerner, makes my mind spin. Was she raised in the south?
Gavriel clears his throat before speaking, “Luca, this is someone I think you've been looking for or perhaps, thought you lost a long time ago.”
I did. I lost her and almost gave up hope of ever finding her. I'm about to reply but Sia's sweet raspy voice stops me.
“I'm Anastasia Romano, your sister.”
Anastasia, Sia for short.
I jump on the stage and crush her to me. I can't hold back my tears, especially when I hear Sia cry in my arms. I hold the back of her head, letting her know that I've got her. Feeling her, smelling her, hearing her, my sister. It feels like my mother and father are here with us.
“Sia!Mi sei mancata così tanto, sorellina!”I've missed you so much, little sister! I pull back from her and cup her face, wiping the tears on her cheeks. “I've looked for you all these years.”
I hug her once more before Gavriel says, “Let's go somewhere private so we can all talk. There's much you need to know, Luca. Your sister has been searching for you as well, but the conversation would be best with drinks, yeah?”
There's no denying that.
“Of course, Mr. Renzetti. Is there an office we can sit in?” I ask Sia because obviously she works here. She couldn't have worked here when Silver and I came here for Diego's birthday, she would have been too young.
Sia nods and takes mine and Gavriel's hands and leads us past the bar. I look over at Silver and give her a wink while her and Jefa wave at me, encouraging me to have my time with Sia.
Looking down to my little sister, I smile at the rightness of having her next to me.
I'll kill any motherfucker who tries to take her from me again.
