Page 90 of Cassio

“Don’t like it?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I just expected-” She cut herself off.

“Something fancy?”

She chuckled softly. “Yes, I guess.”

“Do you want us to go somewhere fancier?” I asked her. It didn’t matter to me, but this place was one of the rare places in New York City I had memories tied to. Happy memories.

“No,” she answered quickly. “This is perfectly fine.”

I smiled. “This place has the best brick oven pizza in the city. A real Italian pizza.”

“Good, because I’m starving,” she admitted.

“Follow me then.”

I led her to the far wall with a table for two. Pulling out the chair for her, she murmured her thanks. I sat myself down and our eyes met. Each time her deep blue eyes met mine, I got that familiar squeezing feeling in my chest. I started to associate it only with her.

“You come here often?” she asked curiously.

“It’s been a while,” I told her. “When my brother and I were little, and while my mother was still alive, she’d bring us here all the time. It was her sanctuary away from my father. Over the last ten years or so, occasionally, Luca and I would swing by.”

Áine tilted her head pensively, listening attentively.

“Do you miss her?”

“Yes.” It felt good sitting with her here. Comforting. “Certain things are harder to get over than others.”

She nodded in understanding. I knew she understood it, though her memory was fractured. Deep down she knew what I meant. “Dad has been gone a while and there are still certain things I miss about him. His belly laugh; or his snarky remarks.”

I nodded. Yes, she understood it well.

“I’m sorry about your mom,” she murmured, compassion in her ocean blue eyes.

“It was a long time ago.” This lunch wasn’t supposed to be about gloomy memories but for the two of us to get to know each other. And come clean about certain things.

“I’m sure it still hurts,” she spoke softly. The look in her eyes was cautious, tentative. “Like you said, certain things are hard to overcome.”

She spoke about her own experiences. With Nico’s help, I got a look into Áine’s medical history. She underwent hypnotherapy therapy after her kidnapping. According to the reports, it helped her suppress the bad memories associated with what happened. It only dampened her memories, causing her to have regular sessions to keep them from returning. It was the reason for her frequent visits to Dr. Taylor.

I could just kill Callahan and her mother for subjecting Áine to it. Her mother should have known suppressing her memories was risky. It made her more vulnerable.

“Yes, they are.”

“Cassio, is that really you?” A voice stopped our discussion and I stood up. Maria, my mother’s oldest friend, approached us from the kitchen area. “It is so good to see you.”

“Hello, Maria,” I greeted her and pulled the older woman into a hug. She had a big smile on her face, as she always did when she’d see my brother and me. She pulled back and her eyes darted to Áine.

“Maria, this is my fiancée,” I introduced the two. “Áine Callahan.”

Her hand came to her mouth, her eyes widening. “You are getting married?” she exclaimed.

“I am.”

Maria looked like she got the news of the century. She beamed, her eyes shining with excitement.

“So nice to meet you.” Áine stood up and extended her hand to Maria and the latter pulled her into a tight hug.