*Caterina*
I carefully watched as Elio’s car pulled out of the driveway just as I’d gotten out with my bag on my shoulder. I gave him one last reassuring smile before turning to head inside.
He told that he had plans for ....
I wasn’t completely sure what that entailed, but from the suggestive look he gave , my insides fluttered with interest at all the possibilities. I was desperate to hold onto that wondrous and desirable feeling for as long as I could.
But in the anti, I was left to my own thoughts and feelings. I was glad to have the chance to spend so real ti with Elio before he’d gotten sucked back into work, though the danger that surrounded everyone felt like it was circling in on us.
God, how I wished I were better at hiding my emotions like him. I couldn’t even begin to understand how Elio was able to bury his emotions for the ti being and go about his business as though nothing major had just happened.
Once again, I had managed to witness yet another private conversation regarding Elio’s work. And this ti it was with Alessandro. I didn’t fully know what to expect to hear when Elio answered the incoming call. The mont I saw the man’s na pop up on the dash, my stomach had instantly flipped, and my heart slamd against my rib cage.
It was as though I was afraid of Alessandro, but I was more disturbed with what he needed to say to Elio. Of course, there was the naive part of that would always hope that the man would one day call with positive news rather than bad.
But today was not one of those days, it seed.
In fact, this particular conversation had taken a turn for the absolute worse. Just when we thought that it was Junior committing these murders single-handedly, we discovered that there was another person involved.
“The Ghost,” I whispered under my breath.
To say his self-given na was not as painful as it was to think about the damage he had caused. It was unearthly disturbing to think that this person was capable of kidnapping people and making it appear as though they’d walked away of their own volition.
‘Who would be next?’ I thought worriedly.
The Ghost had already proven himself capable of taking down two full grown n, n who were trained experts in how to fight and defend themselves.
I let out a humorless laugh and made my way up to the bedroom. I placed my school bag down and fought to gather my thoughts. I’d decided to tackle what little class work I had later and debated about reaching out to Anna as a ans of help clearing my head.
Now that I had brought her in on the truth of my family’s background, it finally gave a chance to actually speak openly with her and not have to mask the language that I used anymore. Just as I was reaching out for my phone, I felt an intense wave of hesitation.
Anna knew the truth of our reality, but that didn’t an that I had to burden her with problems that had nothing to do with her. As much as it pained to think about it, it was true.
What good would it do if I were to drag Anna into what had been happening? The way I was beginning to see it, I’d only be putting her at an even greater risk.
No. I couldn’t tell her about what had been going on.
Well, if not Anna, then my mind imdiately fell to the next possible person—my mom.
My eyes widened as a sudden thought ca to the forefront of my mind. I’d completely forgotten about the text she’d sent this morning. Quickly, I reached for my phone in my bag and pulled up the ssage.
‘If you want to talk today, call . I have so news for you too.’
Shit. I had ant to at least text her back earlier, but I was already running late to my first class at the ti. I pressed to send her a call and waited for her to pick up.
A few rings went by before I heard the soft tone of her voice.
“Hello? Cat?”
She sounded a bit preoccupied, but I thought nothing of it. I had very likely caught her in the middle of doing sothing.
“Hey! Yeah, it’s ,” I laughed. “I just wanted to reach out because of your ssage from this morning. I’m sorry, I ant to reply but got caught up with needing to rush to school.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” she said reassuringly. “I know you’ve been busy with your classes lately.”
“Well, are you ho now? Would it be okay if I ca by now?” I asked her.
“Of course it’s okay. But I will say that I’m getting ready to head out very soon.”
I told my mom not to worry and that I would be right over. When I got to her cottage, I gave a knock and waited for her to answer the door. Right as it opened, my brows lifted into my hair as I stared openly at my mother’s choice of attire.
She wore a dark purple dress with a pair of brown leather boots and golden hooped earrings. Her makeup was light, and her hair looked freshly curled and sprayed.
This was the look of a woman who was just about ready to go out on a date.
Whatever worry and tension I’d been harboring in my chest from earlier had fizzled off for the ti being because all that I felt was a pure sense of excitent.
“Oh, my God!” I exclaid.
My mother’s cheeks flushed while a sheepish smile took hold of her lips.
“I don’t know,” she laughed. “What do you think? Is it too much?”
I gave her an affronted look as if she’d just insulted . My brows pulled together in confusion as I planted my hands on my hips.
“Oh, please tell you’re joking,” I gaped. “Mom, you look amazing! How could you possibly have any doubts about that?”
She slowly shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve put myself out there, you know?”
I nodded my head in understanding. “So, is this the news you had for ?” I asked, motioning to her outfit.
Another blush touched her cheeks. “I actually t a man during my physical therapy.”
“Oh, okay. So, was he like another patient receiving dical care too? Or....”
A bashful smile curved her lips.
“He is actually a doctor at the facility I used to go to. When I would go in for my appointnts, he and I would often end up chatting for longer than expected. I an, technically I was never under his care in the first place, but we kept running into each other at the facility. Now that I’m no longer going to that place anymore for further treatnts, he and I are officially allowed to see each other.”
Oh. my God, finally so good freaking news....
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling like a total mad woman. I couldn’t help it. I was so excited for her.
If anyone deserved happiness, it was her, especially after going through such a hellish ordeal.
“That’s great!” I told her warmly.
“So, you’re really not bothered by this?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
I shook my head and slid off the barstool. I closed the space between us and wrapped her in a loving hug.
“Of course, I’m not bothered by this,” I said. “You, more than anyone, deserve to go out and et new people. I know you loved Dad. But I seriously think that he would still want you to find happiness, even if it were with soone else.”
Her voice grew hushed. “Okay.”
“So... when exactly do I get the chance to et this doctor of yours?” I humd with amusent.
My mom and I shared a much-needed laugh to the point where she needed to check on her eyeliner and mascara.
“He’s actually on his way over here now,” she told .
I gave her a devious smile and rolled my eyebrow. “Oh, so I can et him then?” I asked teasingly.
I let out another shrilling laugh when I watched my mother’s eyes grow wide. Of course, I would never put that kind of pressure on my mother, especially not on the first date she had with this guy.
“I’m just kidding,” I assured her. “But really, Mom, I’m very happy for you. Maybe later you could send a picture of him.”
My mom returned my smile and graciously agreed to send a picture. She told that his na was Charles and that he was quite handso.
I decided I wouldn’t steal any more of her ti getting ready. As I made my way back over to the door, I felt my mom’s hand rest on my shoulder.
“Hey, before you head out,” she started. I turned back to face her. “Last night, when you ca by here, you seed a little off.”
My body went stiff for a brief second. “Oh, um... yeah, everything’s okay.”
Her expression shifted into sothing resembling doubt. Her tone grew stern with parental authority.
“Cat.”
“No, seriously, everything’s okay,” I said. “The reason I ca by before was because Elio and I had a bit of a small fight. Kind of... I an it was over the phone and it was over nothing serious.”
My mother’s firm disposition seed to slightly loosen up.
“Oh, but the two of you are alright now, aren’t you?” she questioned.
I lifted my hand and waved off the concern in her voice.
“Yeah. He and I talked it out once he finally got ho from work,” I snorted. “That was actually what our argunt was about, if you could believe it. It was getting late, and Elio failed to tell that he was still working, so I ended up waiting around and making myself worry sick.”
My mom grinned and nodded her head with sympathy.
“Oh, believe . I’d lost count of the number of tis your father would keep up waiting for him to co back ho. He’d roll in at all ungodly hours during the night. It drove nuts.”
I let out a long sigh. “Exactly. I was worried out of my mind, so I tried calling him just to see if everything was okay.”
“And let guess... he snapped at you,” she comnted.
I felt my face heat up from the blush that touched my cheeks. “Y-yeah. But, like I said, everything is okay now.”
“Well, that’s good. Now, is there anything else that’s going on?”
I hesitated for a few good seconds before ultimately shaking my head and leaving my mother to her date. There was no way in hell I was going to tell her what was going on, not then.
As I made it back to my place, I heard my phone go off and glanced down to see that it was another text from my mom. Apparently, Charles had arrived, and he was okay with my mother telling all about their date later on.
The edges of my mouth bent into a warm smile. Upon getting ho, I was shocked to find Elio already there waiting for .
“You really did an soon.”
Elio gave a devilish smile and raised a suggestive brow. “I told you I had plans for you.”
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