Afraid•Niccolo Genoveder Rossi •

thirty-nine

|Niccolo|

"A date?" I ask, my voice breaking.

"Yeah".

"With who?"

"You wouldn't know him".

"Is he at least nice?"

"Yes, of course he is Niccolo".

"Just checking."

Aria stirred and woke back up, her cries bigger than her.

"Shh".. Serena tries, rocking and patting her back.

"Damn she has lungs". She remarks, walking across the room.

She bent down and grabbed her bottle and fed Aria.

I walked back over to her.

"Can I at least get a name?" I press.

I just wanted to know who she was falling for.

"Matteo".

"He better treat you right, Serena".

"He'll treat me better than you did." She coldly says, as Aria stopped crying once again.

Ouch.

Was she wrong?

Nope.

Hopefully he does treat her better.

I nod and stay quiet.

Camilla emerged from the hallway with three dresses in hand.

Serena hands Aria back to me, who was sound asleep.

I put her in her bassenet and sat down on the couch as Serena and Camilla looked at what she brought.

"The red one is the one I think will look best one you, but the black on also would". Camilla debates.

"I'll try the black one". Serena says, taking it from Camilla.

"Thanks, Cami".

"Anytime. Call me with the details." Cami says, winking.

Serena smiled and walked out.

Her words lingered in my head as I went and took a shower while Aria napped.

"He'll treat me better than you did".

And what sucked the most was that she was right.

He probably would treat her better.

But what she didn't know was that I did it because I love her.

And I knew it was selfish keeping her at arm's length.

But I did it anyway.

And that hurt her more.

|Serena|

I drove home, the conversation with Niccolo replaying.

What I said was cold.

But it was true.

Niccolo kept me at arm's length.

But I allowed it to happen.

So it was my fault too.

But was I going to admit that?

God no.

I would hate myself for letting it go on for so long.