The wicked and the brave (Book 1- Valhireya Series- Completed)

Chapter 27

Clara

My entire day went by under a cloud of fear and anxiety. Gabriel found me... he knows that Aurora is his daughter. It's not like it's hard to put the pieces together. She's basically a mini copy of the two of us.

The night fell upon the city while I was scrubbing the counters, captured by my thougths.

"O sa faci gaura acolo." (Translation: you're gonna make a hole there.)

"Is it ok if we speak English tonight? I'm extremely tired."

"I'm pretty sure tired is not the only thing bothering you!" Mia tells me with her usual kindness. "So who is this Gabriel with hair like Aurora's?" She asks me while taking a seat at the table next to the counter. I stop scrubbing and sit next to her.

"She told you about that?" I let out a deep sigh and lower my gaze.

"It's all she spoke about today... the man with blue eyes and black hair, just like she has. Curious coincidence?" She lowers her head to meet my eyes.

I cross my hands on the table and hide my face inside.

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"You never did tell me how you got pregnant or who is the father." Mia continues to try unveilling the mistery.

I let out a groan and raise my head to look at her.

"Why do you jump to the assumption that this man is her father?" I ask her annoyed.

"Is he not?" She asks back with a witty smile on her face. I groan and hide my face again.

"Your little girl needs a father just like you need someone to love you!" She gently caresses my hair.

"There was no love there... just a drunken mistake!" I raise my head again and look at her.

"My dear, you are the most well educated and vertical person I've ever met! It's hard for me to believe you would just have a drunken night and get yourself knocked up!" She smiles at me and waits for my story.

"I was in love with his brother... or at least that's what I thought. I left everything I knew to move with him to Brasov... but seven months later he was killed in an accident. I was very sick and I didn't even know it happened." I feel tears gathering in my eyes and I try to hold them back. I don't want to cry anymore. I've done this enough.

"My dear, I'm so sorry!..." she takes my hand in hers and waits for me to continue.

"I was extremely ill when this happened. Gabriel came to take care of me instead of being with his brother when he was killed. He stayed by my side and nursed me back to health. When I woke up, all hell broke lose. He told me how Luca died and I lost it. I blamed him for staying by my side, for not looking after Luca." I take a deep breath to calm myself.

"He stayed with me in Luca's house until I healed completely. Then, one night, I was in a dark place. I felt guilty as well, for Gabriel had to take care of me. I thought I was the one who kept him away from Luca."

"It wasn't your fault... it wasn't his fault either! Things just happen!" Mia comforts me with her warm voice.

"That night, Gabriel gave me something to sleep, but I couldn't. Instead, I went to the kitchen and opened a bottle of wine. By the time I entered the living room, I had already drank almost the entire bottle. Gabriel was there, drinking whiskey." Tears finally crawl down my cheeks as I recall that night. I still can't decide completely how I feel about it.

"He was drunk, I was wasted. I told him I wanted to see Luca and from there, I remember making love to Luca. The next day, I realized what we had done. I took some money from the safe and ran away. Two weeks later I arrived here and the rest you know." I finish my story and hide my face in my palms.

"Don't hide, child! Do you not care about Gabriel at all?"

"He is...was...my best friend for six years..." I feel pain building up in my chest as I think about how I treated him after Luca's death and how he has always cared for me. But that pain is replaced again by anger when I remember what he did that night.

"He is Aurora's father, then." Mia says the words that I'm afraid to pronounce. I just nod in approval and take her hands in mine.

"What do I do now?" I ask her desperately.

"Now, you forgive yourself and forgive him as well. Does he want Aurora?" She asks me with a bit of worry in her voice.

"He fell in love with her the minute he saw her. I know him well. He wants her." I tell her among my sobs.

"Then give your baby girl the chance to have a father, at least. She deserve a daddy!" Mia smiles at me again and makes me smile as well.

"I know she does, but I don't know how to forgive him."

"I am sure you'll find a way."

"Mommy! Mommy! Is Mister Gabriel coming back tomorrow?" Aurora runs in my arms and I lift her up to sit her on my lap.

"You want him to come back?" I ask her and look at Mia.

"Yes, mommy! I like him!" She tells me and Mia raises her shoulders smiling.

"Then, he will come back, angel." I kiss the top of her head and she wraps her little arms around mine.

"Maybe he will come back tomorrow." I whisper to myself as my mind slips away to that night again. A tingling sensation runs through my body as I remember the way he kissed me. I chase my thoughts away and look at Aurora who is beaming with happines.

"What do you say we all go to sleep? In Romania, we say that the night is a wise advisor." Mia gets up from her chair and starts climbing the stairs to the house.

"Let's put Mr. Monkey to sleep!"