Chapter 29 #2
“What do you need from us?” Nick asked finally.
“I just want to reach James. He’s my only hope of talking Thomas out of this madness. He might even know where he is.”
Nick retrieved his phone and tapped his screen. “Got your phone on you?”
“I’ve been using a burner.”
“What’s the number?” She rattled it off and the swoosh of a sent text sounded. “Done.”
Nadia’s phone buzzed. She sagged with relief at the sight of James’s contact card.
“Thank you,” she said, and when none of her friends said anything back, she turned to leave, only to stop.
Thomas had his faults. Some would say he deserved their indifference.
She’d thought the same a time or two over the years.
Even believed it of herself because of her deceit.
But he didn’t deserve to die at the hands of Fernando “The Butcher” Ruiz. Nobody did.
She turned back to them. “It was Thomas. We didn’t lose the house, my mom and me, because of him.”
Aimee frowned with a quick glance at Kristen. “What are you talking about?”
“When we were thirteen, I used to meet him at Joe’s evenings after school.
He’d sit with me. Even when his friends were there, he sat with me.
Helped me study. Talked to me. Bought me dinner and shared his hot fudge sundaes when my mom and I didn’t have money to buy groceries.
Unlike what you may think of me now, I wasn’t good at keeping secrets from him.
I told him my mom was going to lose the house and how scared and embarrassed I was that we’d be homeless.
My dad stopped paying alimony and Mom was too depressed to work.
Thomas bargained with Edgar to hire her.
He also talked his father into paying off our mortgage.
” They all knew Lisa had worked for Donato Enterprises for years.
“But we all remember Edgar. Everything came at a price. Thomas had to change his major and commit to working for his dad when he graduated. Do you know what he really wanted to do? His dream job?” They all stared at her. “He wanted to go work for the CIA. He gave that up for me.”
She took a steady breath. “What Tom did to James was wrong,” she said and looked directly at Aimee.
“But you can’t deny all the good that has come out of it.
You started your café, and you met Ian. You have two beautiful children together, and Ian, you found your mom.
James rediscovered his art, and he met Natalya, the love of his life.
He has two sons he never would have had if Tom hadn’t made him disappear.
And me? Well…” Her mouth turned up in a hint of a smile that felt weighted down with her sadness.
“We’ll never know what our lives would have been like without Tom’s interference.
But I think we can appreciate what and who are in our lives because of him.
He’s in my life because of all this, and I’m in love with him.
I’m in love with him! I never got the chance to tell him that.
I love him.” The clamp on her heart released and her chest filled with a lightness she’d been denying herself.
“I think I’ve loved him since I called him for a ride to your house, Aimee, because my parents had been fighting and there wasn’t anyone else who could get me out of there.
He came, no questions asked. He was there for me when I really needed him, and even when I didn’t realize I’d needed him.
Over and over again. So, I need to be there for him. He has nobody else.”
She glanced at each of them in turn. “I’m not looking for, nor do I expect, your forgiveness.
Just know I am more sorry than you can ever imagine for betraying your trust. But if I had to do it again, if I knew lying was better than the truth because it would save your lives, I wouldn’t hesitate. Because I love you. I love you all.”
They were quiet when she finished, and when nobody spoke up, she slowly nodded, accepting their silence. Their rejection of her.
She turned and left, walking through the house and out the front door. She was almost at her car when Kristen called out to her. “Nadia! Nadia, wait!”
She turned around. Kristen was running down the front walkway. “Nick is talking to James. He got him on the phone.”
Stark white relief surged into her. She almost folded to the ground.
Nick appeared in the doorway, phone pressed to his ear as he walked toward them. “You got it. I’ll let her know. Be safe, man. You only get one funeral in your life and I’ve already attended one. No more.”
Nick ended the call and looked straight at Nadia. “He just landed in San Jose. The Hidalgos texted him a message. His life for Claire’s. They sent him coordinates for the exchange and he’s pretty sure they’re the same ones Thomas received. Difference is, James informed the FBI.”
Another wave of relief sent Nadia stumbling back before she braced herself against the car hood.
“He’s waiting for you at the airport. You can ride with him.”
Nadia threw herself at Nick, hugging him fiercely. “Thank you.”
Over Nick’s shoulder and through her tears, she saw Aimee standing in the entryway watching them. Their eyes caught, Aimee’s expression tortured. Aimee glanced away first and retreated further into the house and into Ian’s waiting arms.
Nadia stepped back and turned to find Kristen right there. Their eyes met. “We’ll talk when you get back,” Kristen said. “And you better come back.”
She nodded, wiping her tears.
Then she got into her car and drove away with one final glance at her friends, hoping it wasn’t in fact her last.