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I’d introduced him when we first sat down, but other than a nod at the women, he hadn’t acknowledged them.
Moni told us stories from when Mom was younger, careful to avoid any parts that included Maurizio.
“How did you end up here?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Maurizio wanted us out of the way. But at that stage, my husband was too high up for him to get rid of us like he did with any other problem. He made a deal with him. Immigrate to the States, never contact him again, and he’d pay us.” She looked down at her lap, shaking her head as if to change the memory. “I had nothing left but grief. Eliana had died the previous summer, and I wasn’t allowed to see you anymore. And my husband had always been ambitious. He took the deal.”
“How come Maurizio never backed out? Or didn’t kill you anyway?” Maurizio was greedy and selfish. He’d have tried to get out of paying them.
“My husband did at least one thing right in his life. He took evidence with him. Correspondence between Maurizio and the Prime Minister of Guyana at the time. It was enough to make him comply.”
That must have been some pretty condemning evidence if it held up all these years later. But it didn’t matter now. Maurizio was gone, and with him, any threat to them.
We stayed outside for hours. And while I wanted to hear more stories about my mom, I wanted to get home more. I needed my girls now more than ever.
“We should go, or we’ll miss our flight.” I stood up, the others following.
Moni hugged me, holding on for a while as if she were afraid I’d disappear if she let go. “Promise you’ll come back. And bring your family. I can’t wait to meet them.”
“I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”
We drove back to the airport, my mind reeling from the revelations. The need to see my girls made me drive straight to Thea’s as soon as we were back in San Diego.
Chapter29
Everleigh
“Finally,”Thea greeted us at her front door, which was made for giants. “I’ve been waiting for hours for you to get here.”
“It’s eight in the morning. I’m surprised you’re up already.”
She poked her tongue out at me. “I’ve been getting up at five every morning. I’m trying out a new routine. First meditation, then yoga.”
“Sounds exciting,” I said, unable to stop my nose from crinkling. All it sounded like to me was exhausting.
She pushed me out of the way and kneeled in front of Sofie.
“What do you want to do first? We can swim in the pool, paint, or play cards. Ever said you love card games.”
Sofie had met Thea a few times, but was still shy around her. My friend was a tornado, nothing quiet or unassuming about her. And despite her best intentions, Sofie wasn’t too sure about her yet.
But today seemed to be a brave day for her, because she took the hand Thea held out and followed her inside.
I grabbed our bags and dropped them near the entrance. I’d sort them out later.
“Grab the swimsuits,” Thea called over her shoulder. “Sofie wants to start with a swim.”
We spent a perfect day at Thea’s mansion, playing in the pool until we all turned pink. Thea had organized an art instructor to come in and paint with us. Sofie loved doing arts and crafts and kept painting until it was time for dinner.
“How about a movie night?” Thea asked once her housekeeper had cleared the last dish off her table that seated about twenty people. We’d crammed into a corner so we could have a conversation without shouting at each other.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Sofie cheered, racing to the theater room. She’d been here before and remembered the room that resembled a cinema. It even had drink holders and a projector screen.
I grabbed our champagne glasses, and Thea the bucket, and we followed Sofie’s shouts. She was already working on the popcorn machine when we walked inside the large room that housed four rows of plush seats that you couldn’t help but curl up in.
Thea plopped down in a chair, topping up her glass. “What do you want to watch, pipsqueak?”
Sofie immediately shouted, “Moana.”
