Paper Trails 2 | Draft

30.

It's a little short? Sorry. Cramps prevent me from being able to focus too long. How are y'all doing?

"I am a dance of light and darkness,
A galaxy of shadow and stars."

*****

Niccolò woke me up at seven a.m. for breakfast. We went downstairs with me rubbing the sleep from my eyes, to see everyone already up and in the middle of a discussion in the lounge room. Niccolò excuses himself to talk to his mom in the kitchen.

Marie saw me first, grinned, and waved me over. I walked over, gave her a small hug when she stood, and then sat down. She scooted closer to me until our legs were brushing.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Really great," I told her honestly.

"Good! My boyfriend's on his way with the kids, so you'll meet them soon. You like children?"

Not enough to have my own, but I loved other people's kids. I nodded and she was smiling again.

"You'll love them. My son, Rome, is a little shy around new people, but he'll warm up. And Camilla is really outgoing. She loves people."

"How old are they?"

"Romeo's six, Camilla's eight."

How old did Niccolò say she was? Twenty-four? She was a teen mom. That must have been hard.

"Well, I can't wait to meet them!"

Someone tapped me, and I turned to see Sienna standing by the couch. I smile at her. She says something and I glance at Marie, hoping for a translation.

"She asked if you're into photography."

I look back at Sienna and nod. "Si."

She grins and gestures for me to follow her. I do, with Marie on my heels so she can continue translating.

Sienna talks as we walk, with Marie repeating everything she says in english.

"Sienna's a photographer. That's what she's studying in college. She wants to show you some of her work."

"Okay."

"She asks if you have any hobbies or talents."

"Oh." I thought about it for a minute. As for hobbies, I used to love reading. I read everything and anything. Even when I was with Chris. Sometime's he'd give me books, and I'd finish them all within days. "I like to read. And I used to draw."

Marie repeats what I say to Sienna. Sienna nods and replies, turning to jog upstairs.

"Were you any good?"

I laugh. "Not really. Any talent I did have is probably long gone now, it's been so long."

"She says it's still there. You just have to keep up with it."

"Where are we going?" I ask, just as Sienna stops in front of a door. She pushes it open and steps inside, flicking on a light.

"This is her room."

Sienna waves us inside. The second I do, my eyes widen. The room was pretty—pale pink walls, beautiful furniture, clean, but that's not what I was looking at. I was looking at the photographs. One wall was covered in photographs. Polaroids, candids, landscapes, portraits—it was covered in pictures of places, people, things. I moved closer, looking at each one. There was a beautifully taken family portrait. She wasn't in it, but I assume it's because she was behind the camera. They were on a beach somewhere, all posed in front of the ocean with huge smiles. My lips lifted in my own smile. They looked so happy.