Nomads

Chapter 23

Luca paced back and forth along the small hallway that held the men's and women's restrooms as his girlfriend spoke in a foreign language on the other side of the door.

He couldn't understand the language, but he could hear the tone in her voice. Somehow, he just knew  she was spilling to whoever she was on the phone with everything that had just transpired.

He just hoped it wasn't uncle Iosif. He'd be on the next flight to Rhode Island in order to kick Luca's butt. And probably murder him too, for making Mara cry.

Guilt and anger were burning in Luca's stomach, and he couldn't do anything more than keep pacing in hopes to ease his frustration.

After a good few minutes more of Luca pacing, Mara was saying goodbye to whoever had called her. She stepped out of the bathroom a few moments later. She glanced up to see Luca standing still, mid-stride, looking at her with his blue eyes wide and raging.

"Oi, Luca. What are you doing here? Don't tell me you just broke up with your friends?" she mumbled, smiling weakly.

He took in her tear-stained cheeks and trembling bottom lip and in half a second his arms were around her. "I'm so sorry, Naomi," he whispered softly.

She shrugged halfheartedly, burying her face in his chest. "I'm sorry I jumped up and fled the scene; I hope I didn't worry you." She sighed, pulling back from the hug slowly to look up at him. "I'm the one who should be apologizing, anyway. I made a ruckus."

He shook his head, reaching up to wipe away what was left of her tears. "Naomi..."

"Now, Luca. Don't try to make any excuses for me. I was asking for it. I should know better than to let my emotions control me like that." She sniffled, biting her lip to keep from crying more. "I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was just that all the pressure got to me? I felt so uncomfortable the whole time and when Sarah started questioning my intentions with you, it hurt, and I let it get to me more than I should have. And it all escalated from there."

Glancing around, she gave him a nervous smile. "Seriously though, did you push them away? I feel terrible for making things so tense between you and your friends."

Luca looked at her and felt deeply moved by how concerned she was for his friends and where he stood with them when said friends had just practically torn her to pieces. Moments ago they were calling her a freak and giving her disgusted looks and here she was worrying about them. She cared so much about his relationship with them that she was willing to sit there and take their crap and love them anyway. He couldn't help but feel awestruck at how effortlessly and sincerely she could love these people who hurt her so deeply. He pulled her into a tight hug, and muttered under his breath, "My goodness, I love you, Naomi."

That was the first time either of them had said those words to the other. Ever. And even though he said it under his breath as if he didn't mean for her to hear it, she did. She heard it loud and clear. And it really caught her off guard and made her heart start beating double time. She thought he might apologize profusely or tell her not to be sorry or rant about how ill-mannered his friends were, but she really did not expect that to come out of his mouth.

"I did tell them I was pissed," he continued, answering her question as if he hadn't just uttered those three really important words. "I told them what they did wrong and why I was mad and I just had to walk away because I knew that if I stayed any longer I'd say things I'd regret. And I'd say things that you'd feel unreasonably responsible for. Gosh, Naomi. I'm so sorry that they're acting this way. I can't believe they said those things to you. I just... I wish I knew what to do to get them to see what I see in you." He sighed, pulling out of the embrace to slip his hands into hers. "Come on, let me take you home. We can go out the back door so we don't have to see them again. And we can stop at the convenience store on the way and buy ice cream or something. Whatever you need. I don't know. They made you cry, I'm so mad that they made you cry..."