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She met his eyes for the first time. He saw how red and puffy they were. Indisputable evidence that she was the opposite of fine.
“Is there anything I can do?”
Ada let out a sad laugh.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Taking a deep inhale, she blew out a large breath. “I don’t even know where to begin…”
Arlo folded his hands on his lap and crossed his ankles, signaling he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I try not to think about the past, and to have it flung in my face when I didn’t expect it… It threw me.”
Arlo nodded, encouraging her to continue. He was shocked she was sharing anything, let alone some feelings.
Ada leaned forward. “My dad left when I was a baby—the week before Christmas, so holidays were always rough. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s, my mom cried a lot.”
She hesitated, biting back emotions. “One Christmas morning, when I was twelve… I hurried to her room. I was excited to give her the bracelet I made her. But, she wasn’t there. Her bedsheets were messy, but there was no sign of her in the house.”
The pain flashing across Ada’s face stabbed Arlo in the chest. He could tell she was replaying every detail in her mind. Tears were welling up in her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her hand, trying to ground her in the present. She didn’t register his touch. Instead, she kept going.
“My grandma lived with us. I heard her talking to someone on the phone. She was telling them that my mom had been taking pills for back pain, but she suspected she had become addicted. My mom had seemed a bit more on edge for a few weeks, but that wasn’t unusual with the holidays approaching. I didn’t know…”
Arlo scooted closer and wrapped his arms around her. Ada’s fingers moved slowly back and forth across his abs. It seemed like an absent-minded gesture to her, but Arlo noticed. He liked that she felt comfortable enough to sit so close to him. He didn’t want her to relive the memories alone.
Ada took in a breath before continuing. “The police found her at a secluded park, in her car… with a bottle of pills next to her. They tried to revive her, but she was already gone.”
Burying her head in his chest, sobs began rolling out. Her body trembled, and he wanted to absorb her pain. He kissed her hair, praying for her to feel comforted.
After a few minutes, her breathing became steadier. She looked up at him, and he found himself swimming in her endless blue eyes.
Ada straightened. “I’m sorry. This is probably so depressing to listen to.”
“Don’t apologize. I hate that you had to go through that.”
Ada looked down, noticing that her hand was on his stomach. He thought she’d take it away, but she didn’t.
“Honestly, I feel numb when I think about her death. The part that bothers me the most is that I didn’t realize sooner that she was struggling. How could I not know? How could I have been so self-absorbed?”
“Ada, you were just a kid…”
She chewed on her lip. “I feel like I failed my mom, but I can’t fail my grandma… A few years ago, she started having trouble remembering things. The doctor said it was early-onset dementia. They recommended she move to an assisted living center. It’s an okay place… but she needs to be in a memory care facility. I just have to figure out a way to pay for it.”
Arlo leaned his head against hers. Her strong-willed demeanor was starting to make more sense. Ada had experienced the unimaginable at a young age, forcing her to be tenacious.
Suddenly, Ada sat up—putting space between them. Locking eyes, she said, “I can’t let anything happen to my grandma. I don’t want any paparazzi… or anyone… trying to talk to her. I have to keep her safe.”
Arlo took her hand. “I called my dad. I told him he has to make the announcement tomorrow that we’re not actually engaged. If he doesn’t, I will. And, I know a private security company in the States. I’ll contact them tonight. They’ll keep her safe.”
“Thank you," Ada said, as a yawn slipped out. “I might be able to sleep then.” She rested her head on a pillow.
“Good. I’ll take care of it. Get some rest.” He moved to the doorway. “My dad asked that we meet my parents for lunch tomorrow at the palace. Are you up for that?”
Ada’s eyes widened. “At thepalace?”
“Yeah, is that okay?”
A smile spread across her face. “Free food? I can rally for that.”
