Suddenly she felt flayed open like maybe she had shared too much. But a quick glance at Nate told her that wasn’t the case if his soft smile was anything to go by.
“Sorry,” she chuckled awkwardly. “I feel like I overshared.”
Nate’s eyes crinkled at the corners before he said, “You can tell me anything you want.”
And Maddy had always wanted to believe such words.
And sometimes, when they came from him, she felt like she could.
Bumping his side lightly with hers, Nate motioned to the book they had been talking about earlier.
“So, how about I start cracking on this bad boy and I catch you up on my progress?” he said teasingly.
Maddy felt how that thin veil of melancholy that had settled on her shoulders slowly eased off.
“Spare no gory details, my friend.” She play-punched him on his arm and almost hurt herself.
Nate’s answering grin lit her up inside.
fourteen
When Maddy returned home from the bookstore, the ache in her sore muscles returned with a vengeance. She had completely forgotten about that. Because apparently bookshops and good company healed all wounds.
She snorted.
After hopping in the shower and letting the hot water work its magic, she changed into some comfortable and fluffy sweats that had little hearts on, and sat down at her desk to work on some homework.
Ah, the joys of being a student.
A couple of hours later, she heard the jingle of keys and the murmurs of her parents returning from their chores.
“How did running go, Maddy? Are your limbs all there or do I have to organize a search party for them?”
Her mom, the jester. Who of course knew of Maddy’s aversion to strenuous physical activity. She’d given birth to her after all.
“All in one piece for now. Nate might lose an arm or a leg though if he’s not careful with his little jokes at my expense.” She’d had to tell her about Nate, her helpful schoolmate slash burgeoning friend. It hadn’t sat well with Maddy finding excuses all the time about where she was.
“From what you’ve told me, I don’t think you would be very successful. You’d probably end up embarrassing yourself.”
Maddy gasped.
“Wow, such little faith in your own child.” She paused. “But you’ re right,” she acquiesced reluctantly.
Her mom laughed and mussed Maddy’s hair a bit like she used to do when she was a little kid. Maddy soaked up her touch.
“Hey, don’t forget that tomorrow we have to be at the airport around noon to pick up grandma, so don’t sleep late since we have to leave earlier just to be safe.”
Maddy froze. She didn’t know a heart could beat so fast, but if hers was of any indication, it apparently could.
“What?” she croaked out. She could hear her own voice becoming unrecognizable. A lump in her throat made it difficult to swallow and she tried her best to appear as if nothing was wrong to her mom.
“Nonna Angela is coming tomorrow and we need to pick her up. Did you forget, sweetheart?”
She had totally forgotten. She had forgotten what coming back this far in the past meant. She wondered if it was possible for a person to die of shock, sadness, and happiness at the same time. She really didn’t want to test that theory.
Her nonna used to live in a small, quaint 1-bedroom apartment in Milan, Italy. She was a 75-year-old Italian spitfire and Maddy had adored her. They used to visit her whenever it had been possible when she was little, the four of them piled up in that small apartment, always trying to figure out sleeping arrangements.
Maddy had never been happier.
