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Millie
It was a terrible idea. I knew this, but my fingers couldn't stop from searching Lucia Malone in my search bar. The woman had recently lost her husband, and I had a feeling that's what made Costas so sad this morning. If they weren't in communication, he probably didn't know until he stumbled upon it in the early hour of his day. No wonder he'd been so out of it.
Sitting on the bench to look at the wall Tony painted for me, I felt close my mother here because he made it through love, and it reminded me of her love language. Acts of service that she engrained into me. Curling my knees up to my chest as I watched the moving lights create shadows for moving leaves, I let my left hand tuck around them to keep them close. My other had hadn't stopped staring at the image of his mother.
My mind knew Costas pictured himself as a monster, but I comprehended a mother would never feel like that toward her son. He probably thought he was protecting her from this world and himself, excusing his distance, but I saw a rare glimpse of his suffering because of it yesterday morning. The temptation to message her myself kept filling my thoughts. Would he hate me forever if I did?
I didn't have the same ties to her or this world that he did, so I could probably get away with it. Sighing, the negative voice also had strong reasoning to not to do it. If he hadn't, I shouldn't be forcing him into it. For now, I knew I needed more time to think about the consequences of my actions before committing in a rush to fix things for his heart. If my mother were here, she'd remind me people were on the path they chose, so I needed to let him keep wandering his, but what if by our paths crossing, I could create theirs to intercept again?
"Millie?" Sofia's voice filtered through the door before she knocked. Coming in, she felt sheepish for bothering me.
"Come in," I replied, waving my hand with the phone for her to join me.
Her feet were light as they carried her over the hard floors of the tile. She didn't wear shoes often from the few interactions I had with her, and I loved that about her. She'd also been helping me with the kittens and saving the two who held on long enough for us to protect them. My heart still hurt for the one we lost, but I felt better because Draven and Tony doted on me. They kept ensuring me my empathetic nature would be a good thing in this world.
"It's good to see you out and about more," I whispered to her as she took a seat.
Feeling a little embarrassed, she tucked some hair behind her ear. "Thanks. You and Kasey have been really helpful. Actually, I came in here to thank you for all you've done for me."
"Thank me?" I twisted my frame to view her better. "Sofia, you don't need to thank me for anything. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."
"But you're the one who keeps reminding me of that." Nodding her head, she probably recalled the few music sessions we had where she played what song resonated her current emotions. Her skills on the piano were too great to go unnoticed. "And Kasey... she's really helped me when I've talked to her about it."
"Good," I exhaled in relief. Not many saw the brilliance in my bestie, but I did. Kasey had this charisma that came because she decided she'd never be someone's bitch again. She'd build her own empire and demand to be called a queen, making her perfect for Sofia to speak with. Even though Kasey could be crass, her power would be the best influence on the girl next to me.
"So this was what Tony worked tirelessly on?" Her eyes shifted to the mural on the whole wall. He made it perfectly life like in size and detail, taking my breath away every time.
"Back in Chicago, this was a spot I visited often to feel closer to my mother. He found me there the first time he followed me." It felt weird saying the truth of it. He hadn't been a random runner on the greenbelt that day. "He knew I needed it for my soul to feel relief, so he gave me this."
"I'm glad he and my brother gave me you," she murmured.
Looping my arm around her, I pulled her into my side. "Same."
We sat in silence for a minute, connecting without words. Sofia and I had been good about not speaking too much because she needed it. "I wish I had a spot like this to think of my mother more often, the good things I can recall."
Now that I knew the timeline of Natalie's death, I comprehended Sofia had only been eight when she lost her mother. "Is there a spot you shared with her? Somewhere that only brings back the good memories?"
Thinking it over, Sofia nodded. "We'd spend our summers at the vineyard with her and our dad's mom, our Abuela, but it's too far to visit all the time."
"Maybe you should make time? Sometimes, it helps walking where she did, seeing the ghosts of those good memories to help us strengthen the things hurting us now." My words made her think. I let her before she turned my way again.
"I have told you that I feel like my brother kidnapping you wasn't a bad idea? I'm not mad he did," she teased.
Laughing, I shook my head before standing from the bench. "I can't say I am either. Now come on, we have some kittens needing fed."
Following me out of the room, I let her pass before glancing over my shoulder as I turned off the light. My soul felt just as calm in this room as it did on the actual river. Smiling to myself, we moved down the stairs together in silence. Sofia had a lot to think about with my encouragement to go where she'd feel close to her mother. I didn't know exactly where the vineyard was, but I knew it would be good for her to leave the house and go somewhere calm.
Heading to the living area where I found Costas yesterday, I knew he'd put the kittens by the window to feel more sunlight in their new and sturdy box. Whiskers kept slipping in like he could somehow manage single parenting the babies. He made me so proud because I knew he would take them on if he could supply milk to them. Petting his head, I found him on top of the littles and purring, knowing this was how many felines favored protecting their young.
Sophia grabbed the bottles on the end table one of the maids left for us, knowing our timeline with feedings. We each grabbed a little bundle of joy and began letting them drink from the tiny nipples the vet supplied us with. He'd come yesterday to administer some shots and extra vitamins. He let me know he had good faith in their survival, thanking me for my kind heart.
Most kept going on about my kind heart, but I only saw it as human decency. Had I been raised so differently from our society? Keeping my thoughts to myself, I decided it didn't matter if my love for all living things sat in the minority. Nothing would ever change my mind to save these kitties.
"You're nothing but filth, Costas!" a raised voice caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand. Mrs. Russi still couldn't figure out how to be kind, and she often reminded me when we bumped into each other. Kasey filled me in with my behavior at the restaurant, but I only felt embarrassed about shoving a piece of bread into her mouth.
"Filth, huh?"
Neither person could see us because we sat on the floor near the box between the couches. If they glanced our way, they'd see us, but we hadn't planned on their intrusion. Sofia rolled her eyes, knowing the evil woman's ways like the rest of the house. She couldn't stand the broad either.
