“That was quick.”
She gives me a guilty smirk. “I heard your alarm. I figured you would need to eat.”
“Thank you. I do.”
We eat in silence for a moment before she speaks. “I’m sorry about last night. I don’t care about your past, Mia. I love you no matter what. I know I can’t make this decision for you, but I wish I could. Other than my mother, Sofia, and Matty, you’re the only family I have.”
I sigh as I finish chewing my food. “I know, Iz, but you have to understand, I’ve always loved medical stuff. I planned on going to school for it. I’d been accepted at the University of Michigan. I was all set to go.”
“What stopped you?”
“My father. He disappeared. We were always told if he disappeared, we needed to hightail it out of town. He had it all set up for us. Our new names. Money for us. The only thing he didn’t have in there was where we would go. My mother picked New York. She thought we would be safer if we hid in a big city. Less likely anyone would catch on. Especially since New Yorkers are known for being selfish and self-absorbed.”
“I’m sorry about that. It must have been really hard.”
“It was. It took a long time for me to stop missing him. He wasn’t the best father, but he was my father, nonetheless. He loved my mother. At least I think he loved her the best he could. He worked for bad men. When he disappeared, we assumed he died.”
She looks somber as she looks at me. Izzy’s father isn’t around anymore either. There’s a kinship there. “That’s terrible. The not knowing? It would kill me.”
She could never know how much it bothered me to not know. Then again, it was a relief to have him out of my life. A catch twenty-two really.
“It used to, but I’m over it now. No need to live in the past. Anyway, because of my fake identity, I can’t really go to school or do normal things. The only reason I ended up at Bello Italiano is because Uncle Tony didn’t check my social security number. Had he, I probably wouldn’t have worked there. I don’t know whose social security number I have. Probably someone who is no longer alive. It’s why I want to do this. I want to have purpose back in my life. It might not be perfect, but Bash is offering me a sliver of the future I always imagined for myself.”
She looks at her plate. “I never realized. I’m so sorry, Mia. I think I convinced myself I was protecting you, and I didn’t realize what you were saying. I cannot even imagine not being able to do what you wanted because you’re in hiding. I always wondered why you didn’t go to college. I thought it was because you couldn’t afford it. Now I see why.”
“I wish it was the reason. Then at least I could do something about it. This is something that will always be my life. You’re afraid I’ll get killed, but I don’t feel like I’m living up to my full potential. I feel like I’m wasting my life. The night Matt got shot? I was scared to death, but I also felt alive, Iz. It was a shock to my system in the best way. I don’t think I can go back to before.”
She stands up and comes to wrap me in a hug. “I understand now. I still don’t approve it, but I will support you the best I can. It just might take me some time. I’ve been running from my past so long, and now with you and Sofia intertwining yourself with what I have tried so hard to leave behind, it’s catching up to me. Just give me some time to adjust.”
“I will, Iz. Take as long as you need. I don’t need you to approve. I need you to still love me.”
“Oh, Mia. I will always love you.”
I sit there letting Izzy hug me as I hug her back. We stand there in silence a moment before my phone rings. Angelo’s name shows up on the caller ID.
“Good morning, Angelo.”
“Good morning, Miss Mia. We need to leave in five minutes.”
“I’m just finishing my food. I’ll be right out.”
He doesn’t respond as he hangs up. That’s Angelo. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s polite.
“I have to get going, Iz. Thank you for breakfast.”
I shove the last bit of my eggs in my mouth before I take my plate to the sink. I grab another thermos and fill it with coffee for Angelo. It’s the least I can do for him.
“Where are you going today?”
I forgot Izzy wasn’t there last night when I told Sofia and Matt about my new job.
“I’m going to the clinic Dr. Fields works at. She’s going to start training me.”
“Oh. That doesn’t sound bad.”
I give her a real smile. “I don’t think it will be. I’m going to soak up all I can while I can. She’s retiring once Bash feels I’m sufficiently trained, so who knows how much time I’ll have with her.”
She nods. “Have fun today. I love you, chica.”
