Page 84 of Fresh Canvas
VAL: That’s incredible! I’m proud of you.
Warmth filled my chest. I felt proud of myself too.
VAL
On Saturday afternoon, I unlocked my gym locker and checked my phone to see if Amantha had texted. She had left yesterday after work to visit her mom but was planning on coming over once she got back. I wiped the sweat from my face with a towel while I read the text I’d missed.
It wasn’t from Amantha.
It was my only sibling, Camilla.
CAMILLA: Good afternoon, butthead.
I laughed and responded.
VAL: Hello to you too, nosy brat.
CAMILLA: I’m only nosy because you can’t make good life choices on your own. You neeeeeeed me. Are you coming to Nonna’s tomorrow?
VAL: Duh. Mom and Dad coming too?
CAMILLA: Yup. My boys and I will be there, but Daniel has an investigation. Cons of having a sexy cop-turned-detective for a husband.
VAL: Gag me.
CAMILLA: I’ve been trying to, but the duct tape won’t stay on your stupid face.
I laughed again. Camilla was a spitfire. Two years younger, she was shorter, feistier, and even more stubborn than me. She protested my overprotectiveness as often as I complained about her nosiness. Thankfully, Daniel was great, so I didn’t have to follow through with my threats if he hurt her.
VAL: The duct tape won't stay because my face is too good looking to cover up.
CAMILLA: Gross. Are you coming to Leo and Matteo’s football game tonight?
I withdrew my duffel bag and water bottle and left the gym. Saturday meant leg day. If my quads could talk, they’d be screaming.
As obsessed with my nephews as I was, I hated having to miss a game. But to bring Amantha would be like throwing her in the lion’s den—the lion being Camilla and the den being all her psychotic questions and inevitable friendship bracelets. But since Camilla would be safely tucked away at the football game, I decided to bite the bullet.
VAL: Can’t. Have a date.
I counted less than three seconds before my phone began to ring. Rolling my eyes to the sky, I answered it.
“Hel—”
“You’re only telling me thisnow?” Incredulity grated at me through my phone’s speakers. “Who with? That waitress that wouldn’t leave you alone? Or did you get a girlfriend and not tell me?”
“Um, sorta the last one.”
Camilla paused, then slowed her words to a lethal pace. “Let me get this straight. Not only have you been keeping a secret girlfriend, but I have to tell my boys you can’t come to their football game?”
“Fine. Put Leo and Matteo on the phone and I’ll tell them.”
“No way. I’m not letting you off that easy! Why didn’t you tell me about her?”
“Because you’re already too nosy.”
“You are such a prick!” Her voice turned whiny, assaulting me with all-too-vivid memories from our childhood. “C’mon, Val! I’ve been telling you to date for forever, so I’m entitled to know!”
Shehadencouraged me to find someone after Stella. In fact, she never shut up about it.
