A Love Restored

I look at my ring. Its so pretty. I wonder how much Nice spent on it. I find myself looking at it quite a lot. Not to adore it or anything. Just because it makes me marvel at the gravity of it. A small piece of jewelry, but it means so much. It changes everything.

I wonder if Julian knows, I am sure Nico told everyone. His parents, his uncle. All hid friends in the mafia. A lot of people texted me and called me to say congratulations, Julian probably know. Was he sad about it? Was he angry?

I shouldn’t be thinking about this. Not when I’m engaged to another man. Its so wrong. It makes me feel guilty.

It is a little post 7 3. Nien has gone out to get dinner. I am home, reading. My mom painted a lot while she was pregnant with me, Papa says that’s what has made me an artist. I don’t know if its true. I’m not even an artist. I just make tattoos. I guess reading would make my kid smart. I’m reading Tess of d’Uthervilles. Bethany got it for me from her library. She says the book is really special to her. Its a good book. I like it so far.

There is a knock on the door, interrupting my reading. I get up to see who it is. I hope its not Nico’s parents, or his friends, because I am wearing really terrible clothes- a faded T shirt and ratty shorts

The knocking gets persistent and I yell “Wait!” as I walk over to the door.

I quickly unlock it, Nico installed a very complicated lock system last week that took some time g

Standing there, dressed in a flowery dress, is Nua,

Does that mean…Julian is here too?

“Nua?” I question. I try not to be obvious as I search around her, looking for a trace of Julian

“Its just me.” She whispers. “I’m sorry I came over unannounced. Can I come in?

getting used to.

My shoulders slump. I had wanted to see him. Even if I can’t have him, it would be nice to know he’s doing fine. I hope he’s doing fine.

“Yeah.” I let her in. She g

goes on to sit at the couch, uncomfortably, as 1 lead her into the living room.

“Would y

“That 1

would be great.” She nods.

| you like some lord tea?” I ask her.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

I go to the kitchen and pour us both some iced tea, adding honey in mine. I am about to go out, when she suddenly appears with a box in her hand. “T made you apricot muffins. They’re good for the baby. My mother makes them for my sister

Oh.

Thank

you, Nua.” Thesitantly take the box from her and place it on the kitchen counter,

We both sit down in the living room. It is awkward. I don’t know why she’s here. She sips her tea gingerly, and I stare into mine.

“How are you?” she asks softly, nodding towards my stomach.

“Good. Thank you. How are you?”

“I’m well.”

“Where is Nicola?” She asks hesitantly.

“Oh, are you here to see him?’

She shakes her head, “No, I’m so sorry, this is so awkward.” She gets up and starts to leave. “I should go.”

I give her a tight smile. “Its okay.” I assure her, “Is something wrong?” She sits back down

Nua is so small. So short, so skinny, Petite. Like a pixie. I wonder if Julian likes her body. I wonder if they have had sex. Did he like it?

“Dante hates me.” She says it so fast I can barely make out the sentence. “Please take him back.”

My eyes widen in shock. She was here to beg me to take Julian back?

“Nua, he doesn’t hate you.” I don’t know why I am assuring her of this. I feel like I need to. She is young, just eighteen, and Julian is much older than her. I am much older than her. I feel like her big sister, for some reason.

“Yes, he does.” She tells me, then takes a large sip of her drink, then sets it down. “He’s so angry all the time. He doesn’t speak to me. He takes me out and then spends

the entire evening on his phone. And one time I saw him crying in his room. He hates me. Please talk to him. He is miserable, I can’t see him like this.”

My eyes drift to her hand. She is wearing her engagement ring. It has the Capa Bastenes symbol on it. I’d dreamed of a ring like that, a long while ago. It feels like it has been ages.

“You are to be married soon.” I tell her, “It will get better. He will come to love you.”

She shakes her head, T’d rather marry him and just be friends with him than have him be like this. You can have him to love and for him to love you back. And I can

marry him and fulfil our families wishes,”

Nua is immature. She doesn’t know what she is saying it would hurt her more if Julian saw other women while they were married.

“I can’t do that, Nua. Its not that simple. You just want to do your duty now, but you will resent him in the future, if you don’t have a normal marriage. You will resent your own self.” I tell her.

“I know!” She says slowly, I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I came to you.

“Its okay.”

“Are you with Nico now?” She asks.

I hesitate. I don’t know how to say yes.

I take a deep breath. “We are engaged.” I tell her.

She looks up at me in shock, then plasters a smile on her face. ‘Congratulations!”

“Thank you,” I tell her, but she is already standing up.

“Thanks, Ginevra.” She tells me.

“Its Ginny.”

“Yes, Ginny. I hope we can be friends someday.”

I smile. “Of course.”