The Secrets She Kept

Chapter 21

"Are you sure you're feeling better?" I asked Robbie as he got up from bed, and got ready for the day. "Lana, I've told you AND Delilah, I'm fine." He rolled his eyes. "I just want you to be sure." I couldn't take my eyes off of the patch that covered his stitches. "I am Lana. You and Delilah are smothering me." He slid on a shirt and started to comb his hair. He had dark black hair, while I had light brown. I wondered if our dad had black hair. I couldn't remember him. I could remember mom though, I knew I had her hair, but Robbie resembled her more. "Well, if she'd just let me take care of you then we wouldn't be smothering you." Delilah was always around nowadays any time I attempted to help Robbie with anything, she got in the way. "I don't need anyone to take care of me." He groaned in frustration. "Yes you do, and it's going to be your girlfriend, not your sister." Delilah entered the room, glaring at me. With Luca working a lot more and Leah spending so much time with Kate, I was fighting with Delilah over my brother. "Will you two just stop it! I'm going to the store. I need to be alone, and work." Robbie rubbed his temples, before leaving. "Why is it so hard for you to just back off?" Delilah immediately started up once Robbie was gone. "He's my brother. I'm going to take care of him."

"Oh yeah? Who was taking care of him for the past five years?"

"Sleeping with my brother is not the same thing as taking care of him." I left on that note. I didn't want to hear anything else from her, I'd grown tired of all the fighting. The mansion felt so quiet and lonely today. It made me anxious. "Lana?" Carla's voice grabbed my attention. "Oh, hey!" I was happy to see her, maybe I could spend some time with her. "Hey, I've been looking for you." She smiled.

"What's up?" I asked after swinging one arm over her shoulder. "I was wondering if you and Leah wanted to go to town today? Like a girl's day." I was thrilled by this idea. "Carla this is the best idea. I need to get out of this house." I sang dramatically. "Great! I'll go find Leah, you better stop by Luca's office and let him know." Since Antonio disappeared, I haven't left the house much, but I have to let Luca know when I do. It's for safety reasons but I hate it. I always feel like I'm asking for permission. I didn't bother knocking when I made it to his office. I walked in to find him in the middle of a meeting with Thomas. I really liked Thomas. "We'll talk more later." Luca nodded his head towards me. As if to say not in front of her. "Lana, how are you?" Thomas made sure to speak to me. "I'm good Thomas thank you, but you don't have to leave, I was only stopping by to tell Luca I'm going to town with Carla and Leah." I gave him a warm smile. "Okay, I'll come along." Luca started to stand up. "No." I protested a little too quickly. "Ouch." Luca raised an eyebrow amused. "Growing tired of him already?" Thomas joked. "No, Carla and I just wanted to have a girl's day." I couldn't help but laugh at Luca. He was smirking with amusement, and it was too cute. "Alright, but if I can't go and I'm assuming Tyler can't go either, Thomas will go with you." Luca seemed to really enjoy my frustration with having someone watching over me like a child. He was trying not to smile about it. "A babysitter?" I gave him an exasperated look. "I am not a babysitter. I'm simply an old man following three young girls around all day." Thomas gave me silly smile this time. Luca's lips curled into a small smirk. He was trying really hard not to laugh at me. "For your safety of course." Thomas added. I couldn't hold back my smile. "Fine, you can come." I turned and headed for the door. "Milana Bradley." Luca called me by my full name. I turned to see his finger motioning me back to him. I walked over to him, only for him to grab me by my waist and turn me from side to side, examining my body. "You've got a little bump. Isn't it a little too early for one? Is that normal?" Luca presented me to Thomas asking him as if Thomas would know. "I don't have children, how would I know?" He answered. I looked down at my belly for myself. To my surprise, I actually did have a little bump. Why hadn't I noticed earlier? I shrugged in response. I don't remember how long it took to start showing with Leah. "We'll have doc get our first ultrasound set up when you get back." Luca winked at me. "Okay, see you then." I gave Luca a small peck on the lips. It was strange how quickly our relationship developed in only a few weeks, considering we haven't even gotten a chance to go on a date. "Let's go, Thomas." I winked at him. "Yes ma'am" Thomas saluted me and stood to follow. The only outlet mall we had in town was in tourist territory. We locals avoid it as much as possible because of all the crowds. There were just too many attractions and resorts on this side of town. It was turning out to be a good day so far. We had lunch, did a little shopping, Leah even got to pick out a few things, and took silly pictures with Carla in a photo booth. Carla and I told her stories of how we met, and how we'd gotten so close, Leah decided Carla would be her best friend too. We were starting to wind down and head back when Leah caught sight of a carousel. "Look, momma! A carousel! Can I go ride?" Leah squealed. "Sure, you want me to ride with you?" I asked while pulling money from my bag. "I want aunt Carla! Come on, let's run!" Carla grabbed the money from me, as Leah pulled her to the carousel. Thomas and I were right behind them, but then something caught my eye. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her. My birth mother. Thomas hadn't noticed I stopped walking, and he continued to follow the girls. I stood there watching her, she walked around by herself, but her eyes were locked on Leah. "Hi, beautiful." Antonio's voice whispered from behind me. I quickly turned to see him standing there smiling. "What are you doing here?" I looked around wondering if he was stalking me. He had to have been. "Watching out for you." He smiled. "What?" I was still confused by his presence. "Don't talk to her, Lana. Pretend you didn't see her, forget her." He motioned towards my mother. "Why?" I looked to where I last saw her, only she wasn't there anymore. "She's not what you think. She's worse than both Luca and me. Just avoid her." His voice and expression were serious and calm. "What does that mean?" I looked around again for her. "Trust me." He smiled in a way I knew Luca would hate. "Why should I?" I questioned him more. "I'm not at war with you." He reached out and caressed my cheek. "Then who?" His lips curled into a mischievous smile. "If it's with Luca, then it's with me too." I tried to defend Luca. "Don't be so quick to defend him, he's not as innocent as he seems."

"What do you mean?" I was growing tired of his games. I wanted him to just be direct and not make me guess. "He knew." Antonio answered.

"What?"

"He knew." Antonio glanced in Leah's direction.

"He knew about Leah?" Before Antonio could answer, he turned and left. I looked up to see why. Black SUV's pulled up and Ben, Delilah, Tyler, and Luca hopped out. I looked over at Thomas who was watching me with a look of disappointment. As if he had just witnessed some kind of affair. He must've called Luca. Luca rushed towards me. "Luca, what are you doing here?" Before I could finish he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the SUV, where I saw Leah and Carla climbing in. "We're leaving?" Luca didn't answer. I got this feeling that I'd done something wrong. That I was in for a scolding from Luca. But that is not how this night will end if what Antonio said was true. If he knew about Leah, I would not be the one in trouble. I felt so guilty that I kept her from him.