Page 122 of Hard Wired

Trina’s voice shook, and their brother wiped his eyes. Sylvie was fighting back tears of her own.

“Of course I forgive you.” As she said it, she realized she already had.

They talked for another hour. The minute their call ended, Sylvie called Nic’s number. He was the person she most wanted to tell about her conversation with her siblings.

He didn’t answer.

She’d never in her life been a jealous person. So why did she keep imagining him at parties with the gorgeous people who frequented Luis’s photo shoots?

You're being ridiculous, she told herself. If Dominic had more friends in his life, then that was great. It was what he needed.

She went upstairs to find her cousin. Ethan had his feet propped up on an ottoman, watching an episode of whatever obscure martial-arts-film director he was into these days. Faith was at a yoga class down the street.

“I just got off the phone with my siblings.”

He switched off the TV. “Really? How was it?”

“Better than I would’ve thought.” She told him about their conversation, which had been cathartic in many ways. Sylvie had learned she had five nieces and nephews—five—whom she’d never even met. She’d missed so much. And the more they’d talked, the more she’d heard herself opening up about college, her friends, even her favorite memories from home that she hadn’t thought of in a long time.

“They’d like to get in touch with you, too,” she said. “I couldn’t speak for you, but I promised I’d ask.”

Ethan looked thoughtful. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to chat. I don’t need to make peace with our family to find closure, but it would be nice to catch up. Do you need a hug?”

“Yes. A hug is exactly what I need.” And Dominic, she thought. She was so ready for that. But was he?

The cousins put their arms around each other, heads bent together. “Are you going to Luis’s gallery show tomorrow night? He said you didn’t RSVP.”

“I almost never go to his events. They’re so…L.A.”

“Yeah, but this one’s going to be special. You have to go.”

She sat up, looking at him. “Why?”

“Do you have to ask so many questions? Trust me, you’ll want to be there.”

She wanted to ask if Dominic would be there, too. Judging by her cousin’s sudden weirdness about the subject, she guessed that he would.

“Stop trying to figure it out,” Ethan said. “Just enjoy being surprised for once.”

“All right. I’ll try.”

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