Chapter 31
Thirty-One
GIA
Soft tapping at the bedroom door followed by a timid voice reminded her she was not the center of Jake’s universe. As much as she wanted to stay in bed with Jake and avoid reality, there were other people who demanded his attention.
“Um…guys?”
Marley’s worried tone caused Jake’s head to jerk from its place on Gia’s shoulder.
“You might want to come see this.”
He looked down at her, brows pinched together with concern.
“You go ahead. I’ll be right after you.” She needed to at least freshen up before showing her face.
Jake smiled ruefully and kissed her softly, making her stomach flip, before he rolled off her. She missed his comforting weight but schooled her expression into calm acceptance when he hesitated. She gave him a reassuring nod as he pulled on his discarded clothes.
“Come down when you’re ready. Marley’s been worried about you, too,” Jake stated, voice gruff.
Her heart squeezed in her chest as she watched him leave, shutting the door behind him with a lingering glance.
With a groan, she heaved herself into a sitting position, head swimming momentarily as her toes dug into the plush carpet.
When she felt steady enough to move, her muscles ached in protest as she hurried to the bathroom.
She wondered if this resulted from being bedbound for who knows how long…
or from the extracurricular activities she and Jake had engaged in.
A quick shower made her feel more human. By the time she walked downstairs wearing Jake’s borrowed clothes, she was almost as good as new.
“Jake?” she called, not seeing him in the living room or the kitchen.
“Back here!” She followed the sound of his voice through the kitchen to the mudroom. The door remained shut but opened a sliver as she went to knock on it. Jake pulled the door wider so she could fit through.
“What’s going on?”
“Look.” Jake pointed to where Marley sat, huddled over the cat bed.
“Marley? Is everything okay?”
Marley glanced up with an awed smile on her face. “Tuna had her kittens not too long ago.”
Gia stepped closer until she could see Tuna cleaning a white kitten, still wet from birth. She counted each kitten—two black tuxedos, one white with black spots, two gray tuxedos, and one orange with white swirls. All six were accounted for. “And how is Miss Tuna doing?”
Marley glanced down at the new mother. “She seems to be adjusting well. Dr. Luke is on his way to the house to check on them.”
“That’s good.” Gia nodded, looking back over her shoulder at Jake, who only shrugged like he was just along for the ride. “Does this make you a grandpa now?”
“Grandpa?” Gia laughed when his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Do I look like a grandpa?”
She raked her gaze from his dark blond hair, which curled a little around his ears, down the broad chest and trim hips she’d had her hands all over not too long ago, then to his legs that ended with one ankle crossed over the other.
Her cheeks flushed with heat. No, he certainly did not look like any grandfather she knew.
“I didn’t think so.”
She shook her head at his smug response. “It’s surprising you’re able to walk with a head as big as yours.”
“It’s a skill, Kitten.” She blushed at the lopsided grin and wink he shot her. He definitely had more than one skill.
“I should probably get home…”
Jake nodded, face falling at the reminder that they couldn’t stay in this bubble. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll drive you home after Luke leaves. He should be here any minute.”
Even though she could probably walk home, she knew better than to argue with Jake, so she made herself comfortable.
As Tuna cleaned her kittens, Marley and Gia alternated holding each one, watching for any signs Tuna was uncomfortable with how they were handling her babies.
Despite her keeping a close eye on them, Tuna did not seem worried.
By the time Luke came by, Tuna had all six kittens cleaned and latched.
She managed a small hiss when he showed up, but otherwise didn’t show signs of aggression as he checked her and her litter over.
After announcing a clean bill of health, he gave further instructions on how to monitor Tuna for any signs of infection and how to keep their environment clean, warm, and safe.
When Luke turned to talk to Gia, she sensed Jake’s hard glare on them. He was jealous. So naturally, she shot a dazzling smile and batted her lashes at the good doctor, turning up the charm. Luke looked between her and Jake with confusion, probably wondering what the hell was wrong with her.
The weight of Jake’s glare on her only made her more impish.
“You’re gonna pay for that, Kitten.” Jake breathed the words in her ear when he turned to escort Luke out the door, making her core clench with desire.
She couldn’t deny that his brand of punishment was exactly what she wanted.
Sexual tension filled the drive to her parents’ house. She squeezed her thighs together to ease the ache, which Jake noticed, giving her a cocky smirk. Her stomach flipped.
She loved this side of Jake. Why had she fought this for so long?
When Jake pulled into the driveway of her parents’ house, she had the door open before his car even came to a stop. The tension was too much, and if she didn’t get out of the car, she’d end up mounting him right then and there.
The front door opened before she approached, revealing a worried Minh with Tuy?t Mai perched on her hip.
“Auntie!” Gia smiled at Tuy?t Mai, who screeched excitedly and immediately reached for her.
“Hey, sweetie. Did you miss me?” she asked as Minh handed Tuy?t Mai over to her. The girl’s nod made her dark hair fly in different directions.
“She’s been asking about you since yesterday.” Minh’s soft voice and small frown made her heart squeeze. “Jake filled us in on everything.”
Behind her, Jake greeted Minh. Gia hadn’t meant to worry anyone. She opened her mouth to say so when Minh gestured for her to get inside. “Let’s get inside. I made lunch.”
Gia nodded, moving to walk past Minh, but Jake’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Ah, I’d love to, but I have to get back to Marley.” Jake squeezed her shoulder and kissed her between her furrowed brows. “I’ll come get you later.” He squinted his eyes pointedly at her, a message she understood: she was not allowed to walk to his house.
She nodded in understanding. “Okay.”
Tuy?t Mai pouted when Jake ruffled her hair and turned to leave. Watching Jake walk away, Gia’s face mirrored Tuy?t Mai’s downturned lips.
Same, girl.
Inside, Th?y Mai was in the living room with Gia’s parents, who greeted her with varying enthusiasm. Th?y Mai jumped up from her place on the couch and plowed into her with a tight hug. “I missed you, Auntie.” Her voice was muffled against Gia’s abdomen.
“I missed you too, buddy.”
“Are you okay?” Th?y Mai pulled away, a small frown creasing her delicate features. “Uncle Jake told us a bad man made you sick, so you couldn’t come home.”
Home.
She pushed back Th?y Mai’s silken hair, tucking it behind her ear. “He’s right, but I’m okay now. I promise.”
“Uncle Jake also said he’d take good care of you until you can come back.”
“Yeah, he took good care of me.” Among other things.
“Good.” She glanced back at the TV. “Wanna watch a movie with us?”
Looking up, she saw her parents watching the exchange, sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for her response. “Yeah, I think I would like that very much.”
They visibly relaxed. Mom gave Gia a small smile, then went back to reading her book. Dad nodded gently before returning his attention to Th?y Mai, who was directing which movie they should pick.
“Lunch will be ready by the time you finish changing.” Minh looked her up and down pointedly.
It was obviously men’s clothes she wore, and even though she was an adult who had lived on her own for the past decade, she still felt heat creeping up her neck. As far as walks of shame went, this one was the most bizarre.
“Um, yeah, I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for a response, Gia ran up the stairs, one hand holding the band of the sweatpants to stop them from slipping down.
Despite the unusual encounter, warmth spread through her chest. As she got undressed, her phone clattered to the ground.
The screen lit up, showing missed notifications. Her chest tightened, but before it could progress to something else, she decisively shut off the screen and tossed it into the drawer.
Tomorrow could wait.
Today was for her family, and she would fill it with cherished memories, as if it were their last day together.
Everyone was still in the kitchen finishing up lunch.
Th?y Mai recounted the first movie of her favorite sister duo, enthralling everyone, since they would watch the sequel after lunch.
Gia smiled along with her, but there was something pulling her attention away.
She had been pushing it off since she came back to Willowbrook, and could no longer ignore it.
Excusing herself from the table, she forced her legs to move, her palms slick with sweat as she turned the corner.
There it was.
The wooden altar, polished to perfection, was perched proudly in the corner of the living room.
She had refused to acknowledge it until now.
A framed portrait of Thao in black and white, smiling with eyes bright and mischievous, rested at its center.
His eyes sparkled with life. It was how she liked to remember him. Not the empty casket they buried.
A vase of fresh flowers, an incense burner, an oil lamp, and a plate of sesame seed dessert balls surrounded his portrait. Gia’s chest tightened at the sight. A small smile touches her lips at the sight of the desserts. She hoped that wherever he was, he was enjoying the treats.
Gia stepped closer until she could run her fingers gently across the cool wood, wiping away an invisible speck of dust. A futile attempt to show some care after so many years of absence.
It did nothing to assuage the guilt she felt about having been absent.
No doubt her mother or sister dusted it daily.
She never even kept an altar for him in any of the places she’d lived since leaving home.
Out of sight, out of mind.
“Hey, anh trai,” she whispered. “I miss you.”
Tears tracked down her face as she finally acknowledged what losing her big brother, her twin, her other half, had done to her.
She kept trying to fill, to ignore, the desolate crater that was a constant, stark reminder of what she lost. For so long, she’d pretended he was still out there, hopeful for a miracle he had somehow survived the fall and was living his best life without her in it—even though she knew he was no longer on the same plane of existence as her.
Whether it was twin sense or intuition, she had felt the moment he was ripped away from her.
And God, did it hurt. It hurt so much she slept with Jake, and when he told her she was a mistake, she ran away from home.
Putting distance between herself and everyone in Willowbrook who reminded her of a painful reality she didn’t want to be real somehow made it less real.
When distance hadn’t helped, she threw herself into pursuing modeling, then acting, and then drugs.
Nothing made her feel less empty.
Until now.
She sat in front of her brother’s altar and told him about the last few years of her life as if he were sitting there in front of her.
As the words poured out of her, the edges of her heart came together.
His portrait seemed to wink back at her like he was listening, but she knew it was only her mind playing tricks on her.
She bowed her head, letting the words from her soul rise quietly, hoping they reached him—if he was even listening. Or maybe he had already moved on, and she was only talking to herself like an idiot.
“I love you.” Her voice broke, but she didn’t fight the tears as she gently traced the wood.
“He would have been very proud of you,” a gruff and heavily accented voice said behind her.
Gia’s head jerked up, wiping away her tears before she turned around to face her father.
“We are very proud of you,” her mother chimed in from beside him.
The dam she had put together with bits and pieces of her fractured heart broke. When her father moved to wrap his arms around her, her shoulders shook with sobs. Her arms instinctively went around his waist, even though she couldn’t remember her parents ever hugging her.
Arms enveloped her, closing in from every side—her mother at her back, her sister to her side, the girls at her legs, and her brother watching from the corner.
“We love you, Gia Huy.” Minh’s voice cracked, thick with tears.
When her sobs subsided, her breathing evened out, and they broke apart. Th?y Mai led the way into the living room, where she had started setting up for “family movie time.” Minh followed behind Tuy?t Mai, then her mother.
Standing before her, arms at his sides, her father delivered a message that had been on his mind. Frozen in place, she was grasping his words and their meaning when a small hand took hers, pulling her to the living room.
Even as the familiar characters came on screen, singing about their life without their parents, her thoughts kept going back to what her father had just told her.
Jake has some explaining to do.