Secrets & Lies

Chapter Six

Gia stood in the doorway of her dorm room and just stared at everything for the last time. She had lived here in this room for the past year. It was a small room, a single, that her parents had to pay extra for, but they didn't seem to mind. As Gia looked at it now she still felt it was the right move, but it wasn't going to be an option in London. There Gia would be assigned a room and roommates.

"You ready?" Mallory said making her jump a mile.

"You scared me!"

"Sorry. I was just wondering if you were ready to go." She grumbled.

"I think so. Is Marcy still mad?" Gia asked.

"Oh you know her, she is always a tightly wound ball of emotions."

"Where is she?"

"I think still in her room. She is unofficially waiting for you."

"I guess I had better go say goodbye." Gia headed down the hall, their rooms where next door to one another but the few feet that separated them seemed to take longer than she could have ever imagined. Gia was walking to the end, having to say goodbye to one of her best friends in the world. Gia just didn't know how she was not going to have Marcy in her life every day. Gia leaned against the door frame, "Hey you!" She managed to squeak out before her eyes began to well up in tears. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you next year."

"You promise to write and call?" She asked quietly.

"Of course I'll write every detail of London and I'll call as often as I can. There is like a seven hour time difference, but we'll see each other every time I make it back to the states." Gia explained.

"You promise?"

"I promise." They hugged for a long time. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"If you meet any gorgeous Brits you'll call no matter what time." Mallory said interrupting their hug.

"You got it!" Gia agreed and they started laughing. The three of them walked out to the parking lot together saying goodbye to others they knew. They waved a last goodbye from their car windows and Gia was the first to drive away. Home was calling. Her life was calling.

All through the long four hour drive home Gia worked on how she was going to word things to her family. She had tried to tell them on the phone several times, but just couldn't get it out. She knew that her mother had to have some sort of idea because she had forwarded the letter to her so it was only a matter of time before she brought up the topic. Maybe at dinner? There would be less yelling at a family dinner. At least that was what Gia believed. But how to word it, oh by the way I'm moving to England to finish school. Or, I have exciting news I won a fellowship and I'm moving to London. There really was no good way to approach the subject or explain it all. Gia did have her Nonna on her side, and she had said she would help explain and if need be smooth things over. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but Gia was a little relieved to know Nonna was on her side just in case.
Gia arrived home around three in the afternoon on Saturday. Dinner prep was in full swing. Saturday was always family dinner with as many family members as were available, in general they had roughly twenty or more people at their house every week. Lately it was usually at Gia's parent's house because it was bigger than some of her cousin's houses. Plus, their Nonna lived with Gia's family and Nonna didn't go out as much as she used to.

Gia came in the front door and stopped, dropping her suitcase with a loud thud. She listened to where everyone was settled. That was one of the many great things about her house. A person could tell where everyone was just from standing in the entryway. The men were in the den laughing and chatting which was their custom and the women were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Everyone sounded as if they were having a great time and the mood of the house was very light and carefree.
"I'm home!" Gia yelled across the noise.