on my brother and I’s list. And the fact that John mentioned she wasn’t to be touched, well… who said Santa wasn’t fucking real obviously hasn’t lived in Palos Verdes.
Dealing with her inevitably means that the shitty marriage sham John is planning won’t work. She’ll want out with a desperation that her sane mother and aunt will have no choice but to listen to.
“Fuck yeah!”
9
After that dreadful, stinking afternoon, and discovering that some assholes from St. Jude had egged and trashed my beautiful car, I had to send it to get cleaned and detailed.
Dad was pissed about it of course, but he didn’t say anything. I guess that’s what happens when your parents are splitting up and they want to win you over to their side. Not that I need convincing.
I have a parent on their sick bed. And she’s been my rock and my best friend since I was a little girl.
But Dad, he was my knight in shining armor once. My other best friend.
Together the three of us were a family, our house was our castle. They were the king and queen so in love and I was their princess. Until an unrelenting, ugly dragon called ALS mixed with financial challenges came in torching every part of this house. And we just stood there, watching it all burn.
“So, you’re not going?” Aunt Nicky questions. It’s Saturday afternoon and Mom just fell asleep.
“I told you, I have to be here,” I murmur. “Parties will come and go in a long lifetime.”
Not time with my mother.
“But Mia baby, you haven’t gone out with your friends in a long time.”
I sigh, just as my phone vibrates. Without looking I know it’s another text from Kristine who’s hyped for tonight. Pranking St. Jude High is almost a sacred sport of sorts. But I don’t want to go. The fact that my car was the only one singled out yesterday was a clear warning. For me.
Julian and Liam haven’t forgotten me. One thing I’m certain of is this time Julian’s going to make do on his word. There’s something about repressed anger, and the Fitz brothers have kept a tight leash on their anger for me for years. I doubt they’ll hold it for any longer.
“Auntie, the world won’t collapse just because I haven’t shown it much love in the past few days.”
“Days?”
“Okay, weeks,” I mumble and she shakes her head, a sad look in her eyes.
“Months?” I shrug, looking away.
“Years, Mia.” She sighs, looking disappointed. “Your mother told me that you’ve been cooped up in here. And when you should be resting, you’re down here in this godforsaken studio, dancing.”
“At least she’s talking to you,” I mumble under my breath.
“What?”
“I said don’t hate on ballet, Auntie.” I wrap my hair in a tight bun, then drop down to wrap my toes in silk cloths so I can wear my pointe shoes. It’s a trick Mom showed me. I have maybe two hours to practice non-stop before she wakes up in pain and she’ll be pissy about it.
“Please, Mia.” She snorts, looking around. “I’ve seen the gruesome damage this kind of dance does to a person. Especially when one falls in love with it.”
We both stop and hold each other’s gaze in the large wall of mirrors in front of the studio. I know she’s talking about Mom and how she fell in love with ballet and now, it’s killing her slowly that she can’t dance anymore. Not with an aggressive, impairing disease like ALS.
“When did she start dancing?” I question. I know Aunt Nicky is several years younger than my mom, but they had my Gran to tell the stories of a younger Nancy. I never knew my grandmother.
“Mom used to say that Nancy was dancing well before she could walk. Actually, she said she was probably dancing in her tummy when she was pregnant.” Aunt Nicky smiles sadly, her eyes welling with unshed tears. Tears that I dare not allow myself to give in to. “That’s what she used to say about you too.”
“My mom?” I question, looking back at her. “She said I used to dance in her tummy?”
Aunt Nicky doesn’t say anything for a while, she seems choked up, which isn’t like her.
If ‘wild and reckless’ was a person, it would be my aunt. She isn’t married, but I heard from Mom that Aunt Nicky has torrid affairs with married men because she’s scared of commitment.
She doesn’t fall in love. Never stays in one place and so the fact