Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
The color on Stefano’s face drains and he looks like he’s seen a ghost. “You,” he says in a whisper. I can see Sofia at the side of me, her head going from me to Stefano and back to me again. I can’t even imagine what she is thinking. The only thing I’m thankful for is no one in the room besides the three of us sees what is going on. I’m about to sit down or my legs are about to give out when I hear Avery shriek. I close my eyes, trying to force her to go away. Or maybe I close my eyes, thinking if I do this, everything that is happening right now isn’t actually happening. Maybe all of this is a dream. Maybe he’s not right here in front of me.
“Momma, Momma!” Avery shouts, running to me and I look down at her. Her hair is pinned at the sides and she’s wearing a halo of flowers. The white dress she is wearing has short sleeves and looks like there are flowers all over it. It kicks off and looks like a mini ball gown as it brushes her knees. Her little blush-pink, sparkly ballerina shoes make the outfit complete. “I get to wear a princess dress.” She turns around in a circle on one foot, stumbling while she looks at Sofia and then at Stefano.
“Oh my God.” Stefano gulps, putting his hand to his mouth. I have no doubt he’s put two and two together. Her eyes are the same eyes he has. They have the same golden ring around them. The sound of my heart beating in my chest is filling my ears, along with the sound of buzzing.
“Stefano,” I hear someone call to him. As the door closes, my eyes go over to see a woman coming into the room. She’s stunning as she saunters over to him, her long legs coming out of the split of her dress. A dress that molds her form and shows you she’s got the perfect body. Her breasts look like two small balls, and if this was happening to anyone else, I would laugh. “Baby, where did you go?” she questions, slipping her hand through his. “Who do we have here?” It’s a wonder I don’t vomit all over the place. It’s a wonder there aren’t screams coming out of my mouth instead of all in my head.
He doesn’t say anything to her as she looks at him with a huge smile on her face. Her blond hair is perfectly curled at the end. My eyes immediately go to her ring finger to see if maybe they are married, but it’s empty.
I look at Stefano and then look back down at Avery. “Aunt Sofia,” she says, “do I look like a princess?”
Sofia, whose eyes were as big as saucers not two seconds ago, smiles down at Avery and squats down in front of her. “You are the most beautiful princess I’ve ever seen,” she assures her.
“Look, I have a crown of flowers,” she brags, touching the crown on top of her head, “like a real princess.
“Momma,” Avery says, coming over to me. “I have a basket full of flowers and I have to throw them.” She mimics what she has to do.
The blonde laughs. “She is so adorable; what is her name?”
I look up now and add this one moment to the list of things I will never forget. “Her name is Avery.”
stefano
I’m having an out-of-body experience. Either that or I’ve died and I’m looking down at my life unraveling before my eyes. My heart is beating so fast it feels as if it’s going to come out of my chest. Even breathing feels like an elephant is sitting on me. The linen vest feels like it’s too tight on my body. I swear I am now hearing buzzing noises from my ears. I listen to Jenna ask her for her name.
The minute she says her name, it’s as if the angels sing. It’s crazy, right? It’s totally out of left field but it’s as if that name settles me. “Avery,” I say her name, but not in my head and more of a whisper than anything else. My eyes never leave her. “That’s a beautiful name.” Avery looks up at me, and I swear to God, it’s like looking into my eyes. What the fuck is going on right now? She smiles at me, a smile that is half her mother and half mine. I feel like I’ve been kicked in the stomach. Scratch that, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the balls and then my stomach. I look at her and then at Addison, who looks like she’s going to pass out. Her face is white, like she’s seen a ghost, and I guess seeing me after five years is just like that.