Page 37 of Crying Shame
At the bottom step was Elon. His mother let go of my hand and walked into the dining room to join her family.
Elon gently nudged me. “What happened with Maman?”
I hooked my arm through his. “She was amazing… thank you for including me today.”
We headed toward the door that would lead us to the rest of the Norouzis. “My brothers are waiting to see you,” he said.
I walked into the dining room with him, and a chorus of voices called out, “Clarissa!”
Probably nine of Elon's surviving ten brothers were present along with some of their wives. I waved. When I was a girl, they'd had wildly different personalities. I was curious if they were still the same. I felt myself relax. “Hi, everyone.”
Charlie and Sam got up and came to my side. Charlie said, “Jeff thought you might be Regina too. I told him he was wrong.”
I narrowed my gaze at Elon's blond, blue-eyed, and always suspicious brother Jeff. “The blogger, right?”
His eyes widened. “You know?”
“Elon told me about her, but I don’t blog about anything or anyone," I said.
Elon said, “Jeff, I’m surprised at you for suspecting Clarissa at all.”
He shrugged but then directed the magnetic force of his personality on us. “I had no idea about either of you years ago, though now that I think about it, Clarissa was the only one who made you smile for a while.”
Elon shook his head. “That’s not true.”
“Yeah, it is,” he said and then told me, “Welcome.I’m happy you’re not the enemy.”
Charlie said, “Don’t get it wrong, Clarissa. We’re all happy you’re with Elon and that we get our sister back.”
Sister? The word buzzed in my brain. I’d thought all men were like the Norouzis until I'd left. I realized I’d been spoiled. Elon walked me to a seat at the dining table and sat down next to me.
“Thanks, everyone.”
Sam took the seat on my other side. “Mom, I like it here.”
“Me too,” I said.
Everyone looked happy sitting at a long banquet table built for at least sixty.
The Norouzi family was a dream come true. Sam recognized that too. And one of the best Norouzis of all was sitting next to me. Elon had certainly grown into a good man. I wished I’d trusted him and his mother with the truth. Sam would have been happier. I would have been too.
13
Elon
Dinner went by quickly, and Clarissa fit in like she’d always been beside me. I blinked and wished I could go back in time and shake myself.
I’d missed out on the laughter that surrounded me now. After we finished our desserts and headed to the grand room, I cupped her elbow and asked, “Ready for round two?”
She narrowed her gaze, “What’s happening?”
The music blared, and my tall, blond brother whose good looks rivaled the actor who played Thor spun her away from me. “You’re hitting the dance floor with me.”
“Charlie!” She shrieked with laughter.
My heart thundered. I shouldn’t be jealous. I knew my brother meant no harm, and he’d never interfere in my life, but Clarissa was special. And he was shaking his body and making her laugh.
No other woman had ever triggered a smidgen of jealousy. I put my hands in my pockets and wished I was carefree. Maybe then I’d make a move.
