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“I’m your mother, Mia. Of course I’m worried.” She turns to Laz. “A man with a reputation like yours shouldn’t be spending the night alone with inexperienced young women.”
“Whatever, Giulia. I took my stepdaughter to the cemetery, and then to a hotel and screwed her.” His voice is dripping with scorn even though that’s exactly what he did do. With a shake of his head, he turns toward the kitchen. “Who wants coffee? My head is going to explode.”
He saunters off without waiting for a reply, leaving Mom and me staring at each other.
“I have my eyes on you, young lady.”
My stomach lurches. Can she smell it on me, the sex I had with her husband?
“If I find out that you had anything to do with my party being ruined, I will throw you out of this house so fast your head will spin.”
I almost sigh with relief. Oh, yeah. That. Her bringing up the party reminds me of what I overheard between her and my uncles. “It’s too late to get rid of me now. Nineteen years too late.”
Mom’s eyes widen. “Have you been eavesdropping on my private conversations?”
“It’s not really eavesdropping if I’m standing in the hall and overhear you against my will. You and my uncles were talking about me at the tops of your voices.”
Her mouth works like she’s trying to spit out something bitter. “I can’t keep you in line any longer. My brothers have been saying for weeks that you need a husband to control you, but I thought it would be better if you finished high school first. As usual, they were right.”
“Like they were right that you should have got rid of me? Maybe you let me be born, but you banished me from your heart a long time ago.” I throw back at her, and she’s astonished that I’m talking back to her.
Then she’s livid, and seethes, “You ungrateful child.”
Laz has heard us arguing and he’s standing in the doorway. “Giulia, she’s eighteen. She’s too young to get married.”
She shoots him a haughty look. “I was engaged at seventeen. I ate my leftover birthday cake the night before I was married.”
“And look how well that marriage turned out for you,” he shoots back.
“How dare you! Who are you to lecture me about marriage?”
While they argue, I try to slip away.
“Where do you think you’re going, young lady? I have things to discuss with you. Are you going to drop out of school, or would you prefer the wedding to take place after you’ve graduated? Personally, I don’t know why you’re still attending classes.”
I stare at Mom. I’m still attending classes because I have no idea what I want to do with my life. Maybe I’ll attend a community college once I’m out of here. I don’t have the grades for the Ivy League or any of the decent schools, but I still want my high school diploma. “Don’t tell me you’re serious about me getting married?”
Mom gives me a tight, unfriendly smile. “I’m deadly serious. I’ve had enough of you coming and going as you please and defying me at every turn. We can figure out the details later. Meanwhile, I’ll start making calls.”
And with that, she turns on her heel and walks smartly upstairs, an expression on her face bordering on spiteful.
She knows I ruined her party.
She can’t prove it, but she knows, and this is how I’m being punished.
“Laz,” I whisper, my voice shaking with emotion. “I don’t want a husband, especially not one that Mom chooses.”
He comes toward me and palms the nape of my neck with his large hand, staring deep into my eyes. “Over my dead body are you getting married. It’s not happening.”
“What are we going to do?” I’m amazed how natural it suddenly feels to saywe. How good it feels, too.
Me and Laz.
Against Mom.
Against the world.
“I’ll think of something. Meanwhile, try not to worry too much. Just focus on school.” Laz darts a quick look around before taking my face between his hands. “And on me.”
