Page 63 of Three Little Wishes

Camilla cast a nervous glance at Noah. He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “It’ll be fine, Cami.”

She nodded and followed Sage inside. Riley gave Camilla a little push from behind. She stutter-stepped, not from the push but because she didn’t recognize the restaurant. Everything had changed. This had been as much her home as the apartment where their mother raised them, maybe more so. She hadn’t been prepared for this.

“What’s wrong?” Riley asked, and Sage stopped, turning to face them.

“Nothing’s the same. It’s all wrong,” Camilla whispered, her nose tickling and her eyes burning.

“I’m sorry, Cami. I should’ve warned you,” Sage said.

“Is this why they went on vacation? They renovated?” Camilla asked, getting back into character.

“Yeah. It is,” Sage said. “Come on. Everyone’s at the family table.”

Camilla looked around as she followed, squealing when she saw the fountain. Every time their mother or nonna caught them making wishes at the fountain, they’d remind them that you made your own wishes come true. But Camilla couldn’t help herself. She was thrilled to see something that hadn’t changed. She ran to the fountain and hugged Venus.

She let go of the statue and searched her pockets. “Does anyone have a quarter?”

Sage handed her one.

“Thanks. Do you have one for Riley? We have to do it together.”

Sage took another quarter from her wallet, handing it to Riley.

“Okay, are you ready?” Camilla asked Riley. She nodded. “All right, hold tight to your quarter, then make your wish, and toss it into the fountain. Then you have to thank Venus for making it come true.”

“No wonder my wishes never came true. No one told me you had to thank Venus,” Sage said.

“Of course you do.” Camilla clutched the quarter in her fist and wished for a way to right the wrongs of her past and to win back the love of her family. Blinking away tears, she tossed the coin in the fountain and whispered, “Thank you.”

Riley did the same, hesitating a minute before hugging Venus and thanking her.

Camilla caught the glint of tears in Riley’s eyes and took her hand. “Your wish is going to come true. I just know it is.”

Riley nodded. “Yours too.”

Camilla couldn’t put it off any longer and went to take a step forward but her body locked in place. Riley nudged her and mouthed,Chin up, tits out.

Camilla burst out laughing.

Her mother, who was standing near the family table, put her hands on her hips. “What’s so funny?”

It took a moment for Camilla to respond as she drank in the sight of her mother. Then, with the laughter still in her voice, Camilla told her in Italian what Riley had said to her.

Carmen nodded, the hint of a smile playing on her lips, and then, because they believed Camilla was seventeen-year-old Cami, she did what she’d wanted to do for the past twenty-five years. She ran to her mother, threw her arms around her, and cried, “I missed you so much,” and then she burst into tears.

Chapter Twenty-One

Willow half rose from her chair, prepared to intervene in case her grandmother pushed Cami away. While she knew from their earlier conversation that her mother had no intention of forgiving Cami, her aunt, who’d joined them via Zoom fifteen minutes before, seemed willing to put the past behind them, and so had Carmen. But now Willow wasn’t so sure. Her grandmother wasn’t embracing Cami, her arms hung limply at her sides, but her mouth was working and her eyes were shiny.

Sage pulled out the chair beside Willow and took a seat. “Stop worrying and sit down,” she whispered. “It’ll be fine. Look at Nonna’s face.”

Willow wasn’t looking at her grandmother now. She was listening to Cami.

“I don’t know what I did to make you guys leave me behind,” she sobbed, “but whatever it was, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please say you forgive me. Please.”

Carmen lifted her hands, framing Cami’s tear-streaked face between them. “It’s done,cara. It’s been too long. You’re forgiven.” She kissed Cami on both cheeks, and then she stepped back and took her daughter by the hand. “Come, we’ll get the food. We’ll celebrate.” Carmen smiled at Riley.“You come too. You can tell me what trouble my daughter got you into this week.”

Sitting across from Willow, her mom threw up her hands, her expression stony. “That’s it?” she muttered. “We just welcome her back to the family like she didn’t—”

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