Page 39 of Ripple Effect

After cleaning up, I come back to the kitchen feeling refreshed. Elio has set the table, and the two of us sit down together, Bentley lingering at our feet as per usual. Unashamed, Elio watches closely as I take my first bite, and my eyes widen. The dish is rich, savory, and delicious—an explosion of delicious flavors on my tongue.

Thankfully, I won’t have to lie when I tell him just how much I like it.

“Good, huh?”

“Good? This is amazing,” I mumble around a mouthful, giving him a dorky little thumbs-up.

“I’m glad you like it,” he says, and there’s a note of pride in his voice that brings a smile to my face. “Oh, and here’s something else I’ve been meaning to ask you. Er, you remember Luca, my brother, right?”

I nod, remembering the large, kind-eyed man who drove us from the hospital less than a week ago. “Of course.”

“Well, he has a home game this weekend,” he continues, his fingers drumming a rhythm against the counter. “He asked me to come watch. Would you want to join?”

I’m surprised by his invitation, and a flurry of questions whirls in my mind. But instead of voicing them, I say, “That sounds fun. I’d love to go.”

“Great.” He shovels in another mouthful of food, and I wait while he swallows it down. “We’ll be in the family box, but Luca’s wife, Harper, will be there, too. And their daughter, June. I haven’t seen them in a while.”

A flush creeps up my neck. “And Luca plays for the Bobcats, yeah?”

“Ah, yeah, sorry,” he says, giving me a small, self-deprecating laugh. “I just assumed you knew. Most people do.”

“Actually, my friend Max mentioned it to me once. And Harper ... well, it’s kind of funny, actually. She and I grew up in the same hometown near Cape Casserat. She even babysat me a couple of times.”

His brows shoot up. “Really?”

“Yep, we have more in common than you might think.”

“Six degrees of separation, huh?”

“Exactly.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table. “And Luca? He’s not your only sibling, is he?”

“No,” he admits, his voice softer now, eyes dark and thoughtful. “I’ve got four others. Lucky me.”

“What’s that like?” I ask. “Having such a big family? A famous sibling?”

“It’s . . . overwhelming sometimes. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I fucking love my sisters. And while being Luca’s brother has its ups and downs, I’m mostly proud of him. God knows he’s put up with enough of my bullshit over the last twenty-two years. But I’ve always ... in a way, felt like I’ve been living in his shadow, no matter how much he’d hate to know that.”

His answer resonates with me, tugging at something inside my chest. Sure, I don’t come from a big family myself, but there’s a kinship in his words, a familiarity that parallels my own feelings.

“I think my little sister, Summer, feels that way about me sometimes. I’ve forgotten how much I’ve missed her over the last few months.”

“Been a while since you two talked?”

“About a year, yeah.”

When we were kids, things were different between us. We were close, friends more than sisters. But once I grew up and Summer entered her teenage years, we lost that fragile connection we shared. And now, she treats me as if I’m no better than the dirt beneath her shoes.

I don’t know what happened, but I think it has something to do with the way we were raised. Our upbringing was similar—indifferent parents, fair-weather friends. But while I did my best to soak up every little drop of sunshine, Summer let the rain wash her out.

“I’m sorry,” he says softly, sincerely. “I know how that goes, and it’s a real shitty feeling to have.”

The room falls silent as we let our admissions linger. A quiet understanding passes in the air, and I find a familiar sort of comfort in it—in sharing, in understanding, in simply being in the same place and time as Elio Reynolds.

“Hey, Daze?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m really glad you’re here. These past few days ... they’ve been better, lighter, because of you.”

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