Page 31 of Daughter of Secrets


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“I see. How do you know the Rusus? Elena said you’re distant relatives.”

Olivia felt the urge to tell him about the whole inheritance stuff, but then, maybe Elena had a reason to say they were distant relatives. Maybe to protect her from someone who might scam an American tourist with no ties to Romania.

“It’s complicated,” was her response. “I guess that’s what I’m here to find out. Do you know anything about my mom’s family? Her name was Maria Balan. She must have known the Rusus.”

“Balan? Never heard of it, but families move away to the bigger cities all the time. Like magic. Poof. Gone overnight, leaving nothing behind but empty old farmhouses.”

“Oh,” Olivia said absentmindedly.

“But I can ask my mother. She’s lived here her whole life. She might know something.”

What if his mother knew hers? Had stories to tell about her? Olivia felt a warm glow inside her. “Thanks. That would be very kind.”

“Sure thing. I think we should get some rest now.”

“Yes. Who knows what will happen tomorrow,” she said. “I might have to take another star off your rating.”

“Or maybe I’ll earn one back,” he answered, and she chuckled.

.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Olivia opened her eyes for a minute and closed them again, dipping in and out of sleep. She could still feel the blurry flashes of her fading dream as she slowly woke up. The bed creaked softly as she stirred awake. Another minute went by before her eyes fully opened and she took in the small room. It looked unfamiliar—the walls and the curtains and the small window. Then everything from last night came back to her: the van breaking down, the long walk through the woods at the side of the road, the nice old couple, and . . .Christian!

She jolted upright, the bed creaking, and bent over to look at where he lay.

The floor was bare; not even the sheets he’d used were still there. Her fists tightened and she bit her lower lip.

“He left,” she said and shuddered.My luggage! What if he stole that? What if he abandoned me here?

She jumped out of bed and rushed out the door. Then the voices hit her. Low, peaceful conversations in Romanian, punctuated by the occasional laugh.

She stopped short at the doorway when she saw Christian settled down on a chair in the kitchen, his arms bare and resting on the table. He was saying something in Romanian to Ana when his eyes shifted to Olivia, and his lips spread into a wide smile. He gestured for her to come over.

“Good morning,” Christian greeted as Ana looked up. Her eyes brightened when she saw Olivia, like a grandmother pleasantly surprised at the appearance of her favorite grandchild.

Olivia smiled and looked at the table being set. She felt a rumble in her stomach when she saw the food—a loaf of thick-sliced bread, cold cuts, yogurt, fresh cucumbers, and tomatoes.

“It looks delicious,” Olivia said. It looked great, the way the brown, green, red, and white blended together to create the picture of a perfect breakfast.

Christian reached for a slice of bread. “It tastes delicious too.”

The old woman set a bowl down and went over to attend to a steaming kettle. “I get coffee,” she announced.

“Take a seat; you slept heavily and snored loudly, like the bears in the forests,” Christian said with a grin.

“I did not snore,” Olivia responded.

“My bad. Of course you didn’t,” he said and looked up when the old man walked in.

“Sit,” Christian repeated, and she hesitantly approached the chair beside him.

The old man greeted them and settled into the chair opposite them. His wife sat beside him and, after a rather long prayer, started to serve breakfast.

“You had a good night, no? Bed not too small?” the old man asked. Olivia blushed and looked down at her plate, wondering where to start. Her mother had rarely made Romanian meals or done anything relating to Romanian culture in general. It was almost as if her mother wanted to forget something—ban Romanian life forever.

She looked at Christian, hoping he could tell she was embarrassed by the couple’s insistent stares. Luckily, Christian took over that conversation. “She fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed.” He laughed.

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