Chapter 10 #2
“Nope. You can still do it. I hope you do. Your art is beautiful, Allegra. I just … want you to experience what other kids your age are experiencing. Maybe the East Coast will be good for you.”
Allegra blew out a beleaguered breath. “It would be easier for Mamma and Dad to swallow that over dropping out. And it might work.”
“So, that’s a yes?”
“Yeah.” She still didn’t look a hundred percent happy, but life was about compromise, right? “Call them.”
Mamma picked up on the fourth ring. Her beautiful face appeared on the screen and it looked like she was in our kitchen in the New York apartment. “It’s early here, coccolona. Is something wrong?”
“I’m going to try to connect Dad, okay?” I said instead.
“Oh, something is wrong. Just tell me.”
“Nothing’s wrong. We just need a family meeting.”
“Family meeting?”
At that, my sister appeared at my side and waved into the camera. “Hey, Mamma.”
Our mother scowled. “Allegra? Why are you in Scozia?”
“One second, Mamma,” I insisted as I invited Dad into the call.
Wesley Howard might be a legendary film director and super busy guy, but unless he’s in the middle of filming a scene, it was rare he didn’t pick up when his daughters called.
Sure enough, after five rings, my father’s rugged face appeared.
“Hey!” His eyes widened in surprise. “All my girls? Wait … what are you doing in LA, Ari?”
“I’m not in LA.”
“Allegra, what are you doing in Scotland?”
“Good morning to you, too, husband,” Mamma called, pouting childishly.
Our father grinned. “I said good morning to you an hour ago.”
Allegra and I groaned at the innuendo in his tone and our mother’s consequent purr of approval. Good lord! I did not need to know that our parents had phone sex.
“Anyway.” I took a deep breath. “We’re calling for a reason.”
“Why are you so pale?” Mamma cut in. “Ari, you are the face of that estate. You cannot walk around looking like a dead girl.”
“Mamma!” Allegra’s tone was chastising.
“I’m used to it,” I muttered, squeezing her hand. We needed our parents on Allegra’s good side.
“And don’t mumble. A lady does not mumble.”
“Chiara, give it a rest,” Dad suggested with a bite in his tone. The one point of contention between our parents was the way my mother picked at me. “Look, girls, as happy as I am to see you, I have to be back on set in five minutes, so what’s the deal?”
Just spit it out fast. “Allegra came to visit me to explain how unhappy she is in LA, so we’ve been talking about it and think it would be best if she transferred to Rhode Island for junior year.”
Dad started speaking first. “Well, I think—”
“No!” Mamma cried out unhappily. “I finally am home to spend time with my bambina. No way are you moving across the entire country from me.”
Allegra huffed. “You’re in New York right now. You didn’t even know I wasn’t in LA.”
I squeezed my sister’s hand because antagonizing our mother would get us nowhere.
“That’s beside the point. I want you home with me. Why do my daughters insist on leaving me?”
“Chiara, they’re growing up,” Dad interjected. “I think it might be good for Allegra to go to the East Coast. Rhode Island is a top school.”
Mamma’s eyes filled with tears. “I just lost so much time with them when I was working and traveling. I want to make up for that.”
“I know, baby.”
God, give me patience. Not that I didn’t love my mother or see her goodness.
But she was kind of, well … utterly and completely self-involved.
It was always her first instinct to think about how a situation affected her, but thankfully, she could also be talked into seeing it from someone else’s perspective.
“Mamma, what’s important is Allegra’s mental health and emotional well-being.
If Rhode Island would make her happier, then I think it’s smart we all support her in that move. ”
As always, my calm words seemed to hit home. Her expression softened. “I suppose that is all that matters. It will give me an excuse to stay in Boston more. I do love the Four Seasons there.”
Allegra sagged into my side with silent relief.
“So that’s a yes on Allegra transferring?”
Mamma sniffled dramatically. “I suppose so.”
Dad grinned. “It’s yes from me. Let me know if you need me to make any calls, sweetheart,” he said to Allegra. “I gotta get back on set. Love you, girls.”
“Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, Dad.”
“Ti amo, Wes.”
I hung up before my mother could start in on my paleness again. Turning to Allegra, I gave her a reassuring smile. “This will all work out.”
She nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced. “Yeah. I’m sure it will.”
My little sister had locked me in a library all night with a guy I barely knew at my place of work, and yet somehow, I ended up feeling like the bad guy. While she promised we were okay, she disappeared into her room and didn’t come back out.
The guilt worsened the next morning when I got ready for work, only to discover that Allegra was already up and packed.
She’d booked a flight from Inverness to London to catch an afternoon flight back to LA.
She’d also already called for a car on the estate.
Even though we hugged and said we loved each other, things felt strained.
Pulling back from the hug, she looked me in the eye and said, “I hope you wake up, Ari. I hope you wake up and start living again.”
I knew she hadn’t meant to hurt me with the words, but still, they stung.
Watching her get into the SUV to head home, I worried I’d made the wrong decision by suggesting she stay in college.
And as I walked into the house, it echoed with emptiness again.
Striding through, I noticed the absence of her belongings.
Her sketch pad, tablet, phone cables, makeup, jewelry. She was so messy.
I missed the mess.
Grabbing a coffee and yogurt, I sat down at the breakfast nook and stared out at the gray sea beyond. Then I looked back into the open-plan living space.
To all the emptiness.
My vision blurred as tears quietly fell down my cheeks.