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“I have to tell Anna,” Nora says, walking away quickly.
A couple minutes later, Anna is by our side in her white coat and chef’s hat. “Congratulations, Ellie girl. We are so happy to hear the news. I am going to make your favorite dishes,” Anna gushes.
I stand to hug her and Nora, and we all squeal together. For some reason I am excited. I’m forgetting this wedding is for show. All I am thinking is it would be a gift to be married to this kind man, even if he is very grumpy and guarded.
When we get ready to leave, Nana asks to speak to me for a moment on my own. Suddenly I am worried we weren’t convincing enough.
“You want this, right?” she asks.
“I really do,” I say because on some level I always want to be with Connor and Syd.
“Okay,” Nana says. I wonder if she can suddenly read my anxiety. “Ellie?”
“Yes, Nana?” I reply.
“When I’m gone, I want you to have Teddy. He’s still a young boy and Syd loves him. Nora and Anna offered to take him, but I want you to have him,” she says.
My lower lip quivers. “I can’t even think of this world without you in it.”
“I know, but try to remember all the good times and know wherever I am we have this special connection,” she says, and her eyes fill with tears that don’t shed.
“I will,” I promise.
We all say goodbye to Nora, Anna, Teddy, and Nana. Nana says to let her know a date and Anna says she will be in touch about the menu.
We leave and I blow out a breath when we get back in the Uber.
“You good?” Connor asks.
I nod. I’m nervous. My stomach is twisted in knots. But am I good?
“Yes, I am.”
“Why are you working for me?” he asks, and I get it. Nana is a billionaire, and I am her granddaughter, but I don’t want that life. I want to live life by my own terms and make my own decisions.
“It’s a long story, but I don’t align myself with my family’s values. I love Nana and she has offered me money and jobs on numerous occasions, but I don’t want to be connected to the rest of the Albizzis. I’m living life by my own terms and most of the time it isn’t ideal, but I am in control of me and that is what matters.”
Connor nods. “I get that on so many levels.”
“Good.” I don’t push for more information because I don’t want him digging deeper into why I really became estranged from my family. That is something I don’t share with anyone. Not even Nana.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Connor
“I want to go to school. I don’t want to see Mommy,” Syd whines, holding the blanket over her head while she lies in bed.
Sybil confirmed her arrival yesterday. I didn’t want to tell my daughter about her mother’s upcoming visit before I knew it was going to happen for sure. When I told her, she wasn’t happy about the news. She refused to meet with Sybil until I mentioned Ellie would be joining them. Now I have a six-year-old who’s melting down because she forgot our previous arrangement. Not that I’m shocked. She isn’t comfortable spending time with a mother she barely knows.
“Syd, come on, Mom wants to see you,” I sigh. It’s hard to be convincing that I want her to go when I see the point of the visit as more of a nuisance than anything else.
“I don’t want to go, Daddy. Please don’t make me go.” My heart cracks from my daughter’s pleas, but I know Sybil. She won’t understand our daughter is nervous and overwhelmed. She wants what she wants and if she doesn’t see Syd today, there will be hell to pay. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s Sybil likes to throw her money and power around.
“What’s going on?” Ellie asks, leaning on the doorframe of Syd’s room. She is wearing an oversized light pink pajama shirt, her nipples peek through the fabric. This woman is trying to kill me slowly.
“I’m not going with Mommy,” Syd announces.
Ellie gives me a worried look.
