Heart Stealer

Chapter 14 At the Stroke of Midnight

The apartment was full of people (good thing it was so big) and merry chatter and jolly laughter filled the air. I met everyone from Matteo's mom's family after being introduced by a very enthusiastic Matteo. My heart warmed towards him as I saw how proud he was to show me off to his family. And everyone, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and even a few older cousins seemed to like me on the spot simply because Matteo presented me so well. I felt heartened that I could fit in with Matteo's family, just as he had with my family.

"And this is Aunt Lucille, Karen's mom," Matteo introduced to me. My breath caught as I remembered how closely with my mom she was connected because of Karen's 'issues'.

"Thea, I must say, I'm very glad to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from your mother," Mrs. Kensington said. I saw Karen's eyes widen in horror and Matteo looked confused.

"Aunt Lucille, you know Thea's mother?" He asked.

"Er, Mom! Can I talk to you in private?" Karen pulled her mother away.

"Strange, I didn't know Aunt Lucille knew you," Matteo said with a frown. This was complicated. I couldn't tell Matteo how she knew me without giving away Karen's secret. How would Matteo react if he knew I knew? And then there was the fact that he didn't want to tell me that secret in the first place. If that even was the secret.

"Wait, you really don't know?" I asked suddenly. Did Matteo really not know that Karen was getting therapy from my mom?

"Know what?" Matteo looked blank. I sighed and pulled him to the empty kitchen.

"I thought you knew. I thought that was the secret you couldn't tell me," I said quietly. "Karen's therapist is my mom."

"Wait, Karen's psychologist is your mom?" Matteo asked in surprise. "And—you know about her therapy?" I looked away, fiddling with my thumbs.

"I found out by accident. I didn't mean to, it just... happened that way."

"How long have you known?" Matteo asked. I looked up and saw him staring queerly at me.

"A couple of months now. You don't have to worry, I'm not gonna tell—oof!" Matteo squeezed me in a tight hug.

"Matteo! What's this for?" I asked, bewildered.

"I'm glad... I'm so glad... I've been wanting to tell you all this time because it felt like I was keeping a secret from you and I didn't want that..." He withdrew to look at me with a soft, loving smile.

"You're not mad?" I asked in surprise. He fondled my hair affectionately.

"How could I be mad at such a wonderful girlfriend? You knew Karen's secret all this time and you didn't tell even though you could have and had every right to after all she's done to you—Thea, I love you!" He hugged me again.

"I love you too, Matteo," I mumbled against his chest, smiling in relief.

"And from now on, no more secrets between us, I feel so much better," Matteo said with a wide smile. I felt guilty again at that, wishing that was true.

"Yeah..."

"I'm gonna get us some eggnog, my mom will start the Christmas toasts soon," he said, giving me a quick kiss before exiting the kitchen. Well, that went better than I thought it would, at least I finally knew what I'd suspected was true. But I leaned against the countertop, feeling guilty. No more secrets, Matteo had said...

RING! RING! As if he knew I was thinking about him, Pierce called me, startling me from my thoughts. I pulled out my phone and answered it after making sure no one was around.