Page 135 of My Solemn Vow

“Manners, all of you,” Antonella says over the lip of her cup before she takes a drink.

Kerrianne giggles. “Different isn’t a bad word.”

“Oh, in this case, it most definitely is. They’re using it as an insult.” Antonella groans. “And it’s not one we’d repeat at school because?”

“Insults are bad and meant to hurt people. Even if we think they’re funny, it could hurt,” Kerrianne recites.

Royal looks over at me and whispers behind his cup, “The fuck are they teaching the kids at the school?”

With a shrug, I shake my head as I sit on the sofa again. “I don’t know, but maybe I should take some classes.”

“You can’t come to class,” Kerrianne huffs, the attitude strong. “You’d never fit at my desk. Your legs are too long.”

“Excellent logic.” Leticia nods and takes another sip. Her phone rings, and she groans answering it. “Berto, for the last time. Mind your own business and not mine.”

Antonella must hear whatever Berto said because she taps Kerrianne’s leg, and Kerrianne scrambles out of the way, coming over to sit with me.

When Antonella holds her hand out, Leticia hesitantly gives her the phone.

Antonella’s voice is glacial as she rumbles, “Berto. You did not just say that.”

Leticia has gone ghost white. She leans forward and sets her mug on the table.

“That’s the second most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.” Antonella is on the verge of growling, and Royal gets up, going over to her and steadying her with a hand on either arm, demonstrating breathing.

“I’m not letting that happen.” Antonella is firm but then hangs up the phone. She raises her gaze to her younger cousin, repeating herself. “Leticia. I’m not letting that happen.”

“Don’t be silly. Look how well it worked out for you, aside from like, say maybe, the last week, arranged marriage can work quite well. It’s time anyway. I shouldn’t be putting it off.” Buther words and smile don’t match the dread in her eyes. The lack of fire and fear of the unknown.

“I’ll figure you a way out of this.” Antonella shakes her head.

“You’ve got enough on your plate. I know the man Berto is talking about. I’ll keep his house in order and dinner warm and on the table. Nothing I don’t do now.”

It’s noble the way Leticia has resolved herself to this, even though she’s more shaken up about this than she’s letting on.

But she doesn’t let us dwell on it. “Sorry for the interruption. Now, where were we? Talking about putting a Christmas tree up in here? With such high ceilings, surely we could get one at least a respectable height. Maybe ten feet?”

“Better go twelve with these ceilings.” Royal looks up, playing into her change of topic.

I hug Kerrianne tighter before downing the rest of my cocoa and nudging her off me so I can take my cup to the kitchen. Kerrianne runs over to Royal, and they talk loudly about ornaments and how she likes colored lights on a tree because they’re just that much more ‘Christmas.’

As I stand, Antonella does too and swipes Leticia’s discarded cup from the table.

Rinsing the mugs at the sink, I try to reassure Antonella. “We’ll find a way.They can’t make her do this. Not on our watch.”

My comfort only goes so far with her. “Berto says the papers are done,” she whispers. “It means that as soon as they’re back in the US, they’ll file the documents. She’s already married. The next year will be planning a wedding that’s just for show.”

I wrap an arm around Antonella’s shoulders and press my mouth against her temple. “The Cavanaghs aren’t exactly ones to let something like a little paperwork stop us.”

58

ANTONELLA

FACING FEAR AND FOE

I’ve walked past the top of the basement stairs a few times today. Each time it gets easier. Valor, however, hovers like I’m going to shatter. Though a tiny piece, a fragment of brokenness, wants to, I refuse to let stairs, and a room, define who I am.

“I have a second location if you want me to take him somewhere else for you to get your revenge,” he offers. Hell, he offered to build me a whole new house just so I don’t have to stare down these steps. “I mean it. We’ll move tomorrow and go to a hotel tonight if you want us to.”