Three Days

Chapter 17

I make it back to the house and find it crowded with people. Chase has his work crew here working on Mia's room. I look all around for Ryan and finally find him in the backyard, laid out on a blanket with Mia. I walk over and kiss Ryan.

"I missed you two," I say as I lay down on the other side of Mia.

"We missed you more," he says as he smiles up at me. "How did your erran go?"

"Really good, I am going to tell everyone about it at dinner tonight," I tell him.

"Okay I guess I can wait till then," he says as he kisses me. "What time do we need to go over to your dads?"

"Soon," I say as I inhale deeply.

"It will be okay, I promise," he says as he rubs circles on my hand.

"I hope so," I whisper as I watch Mia fall asleep on Ryan's chest.

"Come on, let's go put her to bed and head over there," he says, I nod in agreement.

I quickly changed into some tights and a fitted t-shirt with some converse. I walk out and find Ryan holding out his hand for me. Ryan drove us the three blocks to the house I grew up in.

I took in the tan clay house with the rock work on one of the walls. The windows had beautiful arches and Nonni's flower beds were still thriving. I miss her as soon as I see the house. I wish she was here to do this with me, maybe then I wouldn't be so scared.

We walked up to the door and Ryan seemed to know just how nervous I was. He stopped us before we walked in and kissed me lightly, "You can do this."

I nodded and smiled lightly at him. We walked in and went straight for the kitchen. Nick and Pops were already sitting down at the island, standing when they saw me walk in.

"Hey," Nick said nervously.

"Hey," I said softly as I hugged them both. We all sat down and I said, "we are going to need some alcohol for this."

I get up and grab a bottle of bourbon and pour us all a drink, except Ryan, who refuses a drink. "Look I know you want to talk about mom but when you are done, I have to come clean about something," I say.

"Okay," Nick said hesitantly. "Mom contacted me after Nonni's funeral. She told me not to tell you because she thinks Nonni filled your head with lies about her. I don't know anything about that but I have been talking to her and she wants to see you both. She wants to have dinner."

"Did she say why she left?" Pops asks.

"No, she wouldn't tell me," Nick says.

"I can tell you why she left. She left because I told her to," I say with a sigh as I lay a flash drive on the island. "Right before mom left, Nonni and I went to surprise her after she got off work. We went to the high school to pick her up, we were going to go get our nails done. I was eleven and I was excited so I ran to her classroom to tell her. When I walked in I saw mom having sex with a student, he was fourteen." I took in a breath and tried to stop from shaking. I looked at Nick, "He was your age and when we walked in, I swear he looked relieved to be caught. I was so mad, I started yelling at her and she tried to leave. Nonni was trying to make sure the boy was okay but I couldn't stop yelling at her. I told her to leave, that I never wanted to see her again and I meant it. The boy said he had videoed the whole thing and then he would keep quiet as long as she left. I was so mad but all I could think about was how I saw her looking at Chase the week before. I knew she was going to try to hurt him so I told her to leave. I was only eleven but I was so scared she would try and hurt one of the boys," I said as my body took over and I began to sob. Ryan pulled me into his arms and rocked me, while Pops and Nick looked sick.

"What happened to the boy?" Pops asked.

"Nonni talked to his parents and they didn't want the scandal so they moved and got him the help he needed. I still write to him. This flash drive is the video that the boy took," I said as I looked at the floor, ashamed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Nick said.

"It was bad enough I had to live with it, there was no reason that you two needed to live with it too," I said quietly.

"Well that is dumb, you shouldn't have had to live with it by yourself," Pops says as he pulls me into a hug. "I am so sorry you had to see that at such a young age."

"Me too, and I'm sorry I brought her up again. I will tell her that she needs to leave our family alone," Nick says as he joins the hug.

"You guys don't hate me?" I ask.

"Why would we hate you?" Nick asks.

"Because I didn't turn her in, I let her get away with it," I said as more tears fell.

"That was not just your decision. The boy's parents should have taken it to court and protected their son," Pop says. I nod slowly

"Nick, she is still your mom, if you want to talk to her or see her, you can," I say as I hold his hand.

"No, any person who would do that to a child isn't my family," Nick says firmly. I nod and we all sit in silence for a minute.

Finally Pops smiles and says, "Your Nonni would be proud of you for telling us. She would also want you to heal and move on."

"I know, and I am trying. Now that I have told you, I think I finally can," I say as I lean my head on Ryan's chest.

"So when were you going to tell me about this new relationship?" Pop asks me.

"Now," I say with a guilty look.

"Sir, I hope you are okay with this, I really adore your daughter," Ryan says.

"I am more than okay with this, Ryan. My daughter deserves someone who will always have her back and you have done that for as long as I can remember," Pops says, making me blush. Ryan takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.

"Good because I can't walk away from this girl," Ryan says with sincere eyes.

"Neither can I," I whisper back at him. I lean forward and kiss him lightly.

We sit around and talk some more as we finish our drinks and eat some lunch. By the time we get around to leave it is already one o'clock, "Family dinner at the Blackhearts tonight, I have so important news," I tell them as I stand to go.

"We will be there," Pops says with a nod.