Page 155 of Desperate Crimes
My parents.
All our aunts and uncles.
Most of our cousins and their significant others.
Mom and my aunts brought over fresh sourdough bread.I can smell it.
It’s probably still warm and delicious as ever.
I nod back and whisper a few hellos, stopping when I see my sister.
Michaela’s here, with Liam standing protectively behind her, their two kids running around.
Honestly, I adore my niece and nephew.I’m just not good company right now.
Aunt Maria is chatting with Aunt Destiny, and they’re already pouring over the art brochures I left on the coffee table.
Cora and Jade are having a pillow fight right there in the living room until Amber breaks it up with Clementine’s help.
Uncle Marat has started making a pot of coffee.
Anna’s a little weepy, of course.But Nico Sr.gathers her up and brings her to a settee.
Sammy and Josef are talking about strategy in the corner.Dad and Uncle Andres wander over.
It’s like a summit convened while I was upstairs wiping blood from my husband’s skin.
I spy Michaela wandering outside with the baby, Adrianna, my new niece.
She sits on one of the several swings Nico installed on the grounds and starts nursing her sweet baby.
This place.
This garden.
My husband really thought of everything.My heart squeezes as I imagine life without him, and I shove that thought away.
I can’t bear it.
The scents of roses and pine trees carry on the breeze.
She’s sitting there, the very picture of a good mom, and I wonder at how different we are.And how similar.
I always looked up to my big sister, but I guess we haven’t been close in a while.
I almost turn back.
Almost.
But she hears my footsteps.
Doesn’t look up.
Doesn’t stop taking care of Adrianna.
“You know what surprised me the most?”she says, voice quiet.A little tense.
“It’s not even the fact that you married him.Or that you ran off in the middle of the night and didn’t tell a soul.”
