“Stefano,” I hear someone call to him. As the door closes, my eyes go over to see a woman coming into the room. She’s stunning as she saunters over to him, her long legs coming out of the split of her dress. A dress that molds her form and shows you she’s got the perfect body. Her breasts look like two small balls, and if this was happening to anyone else, I would laugh. “Baby, where did you go?” she questions, slipping her hand through his. “Who do we have here?” It’s a wonder I don’t vomit all over the place. It’s a wonder there aren’t screams coming out of my mouth instead of all in my head.
He doesn’t say anything to her as she looks at him with a huge smile on her face. Her blond hair is perfectly curled at the end. My eyes immediately go to her ring finger to see if maybe they are married, but it’s empty.
I look at Stefano and then look back down at Avery. “Aunt Sofia,” she says, “do I look like a
princess?”
Sofia, whose eyes were as big as saucers not two seconds ago, smiles down at Avery and squats down in front of her. “You are the most beautiful princess I’ve ever seen,” she assures her.
“Look, I have a crown of flowers,” she brags, touching the crown on top of her head, “like a real princess.
“Momma,” Avery says, coming over to me. “I have a basket full of flowers and I have to throw them.” She mimics what she has to do.
The blonde laughs. “She is so adorable; what is her name?”
I look up now and add this one moment to the list of things I will never forget. “Her name is Avery.”
stefano
. . .
I ’m having an out-of-body experience. Either that or I’ve died and I’m looking down at my life unraveling before my eyes. My heart is beating so fast it feels as if it’s going to come out of my chest.
Even breathing feels like an elephant is sitting on me. The linen vest feels like it’s too tight on my body. I swear I am now hearing buzzing noises from my ears. I listen to Jenna ask her for her name.
The minute she says her name, it’s as if the angels sing. It’s crazy, right? It’s totally out of left field but it’s as if that name settles me. “Avery,” I say her name, but not in my head and more of a whisper than anything else. My eyes never leave her. “That’s a beautiful name.” Avery looks up at me, and I swear to God, it’s like looking into my eyes. What the fuck is going on right now? She smiles at me, a smile that is half her mother and half mine. I feel like I’ve been kicked in the stomach. Scratch that, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the balls and then my stomach. I look at her and then at Addison, who looks like she’s going to pass out. Her face is white, like she’s seen a ghost, and I guess seeing me after five years is just like that.
“That’s a pretty dress,” Jenna says from beside me as she smiles at Avery, and I look over at her.
For a second, I forgot she was even here. I look back at Addison, whose eyes are on Jenna’s hand gripping my arm.
“Um,” Sofia says, “Addison, this is Stefano.” She blinks her eyes a million times a minute. “And his girlfriend.” She looks at Jenna, waiting for her to fill her in because that is how much I’ve discussed her to anyone.
“Jenna,” she says, smiling at them.
“Nice to meet you both,” Addison replies, avoiding looking at me as she glances over at Sofia.
They share a look and Sofia just nods at her silently and grabs her hand.
“I hate to kick you guys out, but I need to get dressed.” Sofia turns to Addison and asks her, “Is it time for me to get dressed?” Addison doesn’t say anything and just nods her head yes. She then looks back at me and down at my hand. “Is that for me?”
I hold up the box. “Yeah. This is from Matty.”
“Thank you.” She grabs the box from me and I stand here for longer than I need to, looking at Addison and then back down at Avery, afraid to walk out of the room, and then Sofia leaves. Avery
smiles at me as she leans into Addison.
“I’ll see you out there,” I say to Avery before turning and walking out of the door. The door closes behind me with a click, and I immediately want to turn around and go back in there.
“That was so weird,” Jenna observes, looking at the commotion going on around us. I look up at the sky, trying not to freak the fuck out right now. “Why don’t we go and get a drink?” she suggests to me, walking over and wrapping her arms around my neck, and I have the sudden need to step away from her.