Did Vanni really just say that? Did he really just tell his mother that Claudio and I are in love with each other?
“What is he talking about?” Jana asks, her voice shaking a little, her eyes darting between the two of us. “In love with each other? You? And you?”
I don’t say anything. I can’t. I press my lips together, hard, because I’m afraid I might vomit if I don’t.
Jana doesn’t look happy at all.
And Vanni?
Well, I can’t figure the kid out.
“Vanni,” Claudio says sternly after a moment. “What do you mean by that?”
Vanni sighs heavily, rolling his eyes. “Oh please. Do you think I’m stupid or something? It is very obvious.”
More silence.
Vanni knows. He’s probably known all this time.
We’ve been so busy trying to hide it, so busy worrying about him knowing, we never realized he was onto us. I’m quickly flipping through the days in my brain, trying to figure out when we were careless. God, I hope he didn’t see anything…
I catch Claudio’s eyes and he must be thinking the same thing because he says, “But how do you know?”
Vanni stares at him with a wry expression. “I just know. Besides, I got confirmation that I am right.”
“From who?”
Vanni shrugs. “No one.”
“Sofia,” Claudio mutters.
“I’m saying nothing.”
Sofia. Of course. Maria would have told her daughter, or her daughter would have overheard her talking about it to Claudio or her parents, and then the telephone game began.
“Is this true?” Jana asks, staring at me now. Her eyes are hard, and they’re hurt too. “Grace. Are you in love with my ex-husband?”
Oh shit. Now I really don’t want to say anything.
“I am in love with her,” Claudio interjects, to which Jana gasps. “Vanni is right. And we are together. We are happy. We are so happy, Jana.”
Jana shakes her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe it.” Her eyes snap to me again. “How could you do that to me? How could you make things so bloody complicated? You were supposed to come here to write, not screw my ex, my son’s father. How dare you?”
My face grows hot, the tears threatening to come.
“Hey,” Claudio says sharply, eyes blazing at her. “This isn’t Grace’s fault. It just happened. It wasn’t planned. And if it makes you feel any better, we spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to tell you. The both of you.”
“Oh sure. That’s why they were sleepless. No,” Jana says, getting to her feet and throwing her napkin down on her plate. “No. This isn’t right. This is humiliating. I came down here to see you and meanwhile you’re all secretly playing house? I don’t think so…”
“Jana,” Claudio says to her.
“I’m leaving,” she says, grabbing her purse and marching through the restaurant, people turning their heads to watch her go.
“Fuck,” Claudio swears. He gives me and Vanni an apologetic look and goes after her. I suppose someone has to. After the look she gave me, it sure as hell won’t be me.
“Whoa,” Vanni says, watching his father run down the street after her. “My mother is really angry.”
“I know,” I say quietly, my stomach turning in knots. This was my worst-case scenario, and it’s happening right in front of me. The thing I was afraid of came true.
I’m over.
The book is over.
I won’t have a career anymore.
I’m finished.
“Do you think she’s coming back?” he asks with big eyes, worry all over his face.
“She will,” I say, trying to reassure him, though I can’t be sure. This might be the last time I ever see Jana Lee again. “She loves you, Vanni. She won’t leave without saying goodbye.”
He seems to calm at that. I take a large sip of wine, no longer hungry, my anxiety ripping through me. But even the wine doesn’t seem to help.
“Hey,” Vanni says to me. “Are you mad at me?”
I shake the doom from my heart and look at him in surprise. “Mad at you?”
“Yes. For saying something. Maybe you were keeping it a secret from her, like you were keeping it from me.” He cocks his brow for emphasis.
“Oh, Vanni,” I say with a sigh, my heart heavy. “I am so sorry we didn’t tell you sooner. Your father wanted to, but I was too afraid. It’s my fault.”
“Is that why you were trying to talk to me about romance the other day? Because that was a bit weird.”
“Erm, yeah,” I admit.
“Why didn’t you just say something? I would have understood. I’m not a kid.”