Chapter 66 Elena
E LENA
Christian’s waiting by the toaster when Elena spots Sophie chatting with another guest. Sophie behaved weirdly at church last night, running out of there during the final hymn like she was in an action movie. But this morning she seems to be back to her put-together, bubbly self.
Elena has one thing on her to-do list today and it’s securing Alessandro’s help to escape.
The second Sophie looks at her, Elena beckons her over. The waitress comes immediately. ‘Are you in danger? Do you need anything?’ Sophie asks with a casual smile.
Elena speaks fast. ‘I need Padre Alessandro to take my mother and me to the Vatican and hide us there. Can someone get a message to him to meet me at my mother’s apartment on Saturday while Christian’s out?’
‘Of course. Anything else?’
Christian appears behind Sophie.
Elena touches her stomach. ‘As long as they’re healthy, we’ll be happy either way.’
Sophie’s eyes widen. ‘Have you picked out names yet?’
God love this woman.
‘We’ve settled on Rose for a girl,’ Christian answers for her. ‘That was my grandmother’s name. The jury’s still out if it’s a boy.’
‘Rose – how gorgeous!’ Sophie claps her hands together.
Before she leaves their table, Sophie gives Elena a wink. Sophie won’t let her down. She’ll get the message to Alessandro. And Elena knows without any doubt that Alessandro won’t let her down either.
She watches Sophie sharing a laugh with Signore Bianchi. Her blonde curls are in a high ponytail, her make-up is flawless and she’s wearing a stunning pastel-pink sweater and pinstriped wide-leg pants under her Il Cuore apron. She’s beyond beautiful, and Elena feels more than a little intimidated by Sophie’s sense of style. She has it all going on – the padded pink headband, the jingly silver bangles, the gemstone rings stacked three and four deep. Nobody can miss Sophie. She’s a rainbow of colour and glamour.
Elena thinks of her bare lobes and self-consciously tugs at the grey knit dress she has on. Christian chooses her clothes. They’re always high-end, classic pieces but her entire wardrobe is so dull and muted, she may as well be invisible.
She adds dress differently to the mental list of things she’ll change when she has her freedom back.
Everything’s going to change. Everything.