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She chews on her cheek and considers my words before nodding once. I let my hand drop as she opens the trunk and grabs the handle of her suitcase. Jason appears at her side, taking the suitcase out for her and placing it on its wheels by her feet.
“Well, I’m exhausted, it’s been a long day,” Gia says, still not looking at me as she extends the suitcase handle.
“I’m going to get some sleep before shit hits the fan in the morning.”
Or in a few hours. I guess it depends on who gets home first, Zia Stella or Dario. At this point, I’m not sure which I’d prefer.
As she heads toward the garage, I call out, “You’re not going to run away again, right? You don’t need me to give you a lecture on how dumb that was, right?”
“No, I’m not going to run away again,” Gia concedes, saving me from reciting the whole lecture. She bites her lip and asks in a soft voice, “You’re not going to agree to the documentary just to live with Mom, right?”
“I have no desire to ever live with Mom, and there’s not a single thing in the world she could offer me to get me to agree to a documentary.” Gia nods then enters the garage, punching in the code to the door and disappearing inside the house.
I stand there and stare at the empty space she just vacated. It’s been a long day filled with emotional outbursts and painful revelations between me and Gia. My emotional tank is completely empty, and there’s nothing more I want than to crawl into bed and sleep for the next few days and pretend this day never happened.
But amidst all the chaos, at least Gia can make her own smart decisions for when I’m inevitably no longer around. It’s not easy for her to trust anyone after a lifetime of loved ones walking out on her. We’ve never had stability, and all she’s ever known is people proving that they don’t care about her. At least I could give her some reassurance that I’m never going anywhere.
“Want me to stay?” Jason interrupts my thoughts, his voice gentle and comforting.
He would, if I asked him. He’d probably stand in front of me as Dario inevitably turns to me and somehow manages to blame me for what’s happened. “No, go home, Jason. Thank you for everything tonight. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Jason steps closer, and I resist the urge to wrap my arms around him and cling to his comfort. “You’re strong, Siena,” he tells me with conviction. “No matter what happens, you’re going to be okay.”
I believe him. I’ve always been able to handle things on my own, but it’s comforting to know that Jason is here for me. “Yeah, it will be.”
“Plug your phone in to finish charging when you get in,” he orders, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. His fingers are warm, and I miss the contact immediately.
“I’ll have my phone on me all night. If you need me, no matter what time, I’ll be here right away.”
I know he will, and butterflies start up in my stomach. Jason’s always there for me when I need him, and even when I don’t, and for some reason that makes me want to burst into tears.
“Thank you, Jason,” is all I can force out without getting emotional. He places a gentle kiss on my lips, and I melt into him.
“Call me in the morning, okay?”
“I will,” I promise.
Despite being exhausted, Gia and I find ourselves sitting at the kitchen island eating a comfort snack of rocky road ice cream in silence when we hear the door from the garage slam shut.
Dread creeps up my spine, and Gia tenses beside me as we realize it’s probably Zia Stella. Shemusthave noticed the missing car and garage door since she came in through there.
It is Zia Stella, and she pauses when she enters the kitchen and sees us sitting there. Her hair sticks out everywhere from her messy bun, and she didn’t change out of her scrubs before coming back. It’s only been a few hours, and she looks like she hasn’t slept in days.
“Girls,” she greets, a lot calmer and less furious then she was the last time we spoke. She drops her keys and purse on the counter. “What in the world happened outside? Where is your father’s car?” When she looks at me, her eyes widen in alarm. “Siena! What happened to your face? Are you all right?”
I shift away when she tries to grab my face to examine it closer. “I’m fine, just bumped it.”
“You bumped it?” she repeats, shifting her gaze from me to Gia, who’s sitting so tense and still beside me she’s basically a statue. “Does it have anything to do with the mess in the garage and Dario’s missing car?”
No one says anything, and Zia Stella prompts, “Siena?
Gia?”
At her name, Gia’s hand clasps mine under the counter. She’s trembling, and I can feel her panic-stricken eyes pleading with me before I even glance over at her.
Shit. I shouldn’t do it, but I can’t stop myself from standing, opening my mouth, and confessing, “The car is at the mechanic shop. I drove it through the garage door. Jason said the engine seems fine, but it needs a new windshield and some front body work.”
Gia lets out a relieved breath and gives my hand a thankful squeeze before dropping it and scampering out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with Zia Stella to clean up her mess, like usual.
