Penn Black stroked her hair back from her face and kissed her. The next moment, she was stunned beyond words as she heard his whisper. “I love you, too.”
Her cracked, wounded, black heart fell open then and she smiled at him. “I’m yours, forever, Penn Black. Forever.”
And he gathered her into his arms and they began again where they had left off.
Chapter Fifteen
Clemence, radiant and ethereal, smiled at Sofia as the other woman entered the café. She stood and embraced Sofia, kissing her cheeks. “Congratulations, Sofia. I hear the opening was a triumph, for everyone, but particularly you.”
Sofia blushed. “It was a surreal experience,” she admitted with a smile as they sat and ordered tea. That was an understatement, she thought. “How are you? How is the baby?”
Clemence smoothed her hand over her bump. “We’re getting to the serious part. She’s kicking up a storm at the moment. Here.” She grabbed Sofia’s hand and put it on her belly. “Feel it.”
Sofia, uncomfortable at the intimacy, was going to draw away but then she felt a strange rippling under her palm. Her eyes widened. “Wow.”
Clemence grinned. “It’s weird, huh?” She looked at Sofia with sympathy. “I know this must be hard for you to reconcile, Sofia, me having Ivo’s baby when your relationship is so new.”
Sofia smiled gently. “I’m used to strange familial arrangements. It’s okay.”
“Oh, that’s right, Ivo mentioned your situation. Terrible business.”
Sofia was taken aback. “He told you?”
“We talk daily, about the baby, and of course, we are still great friends. He worries about you.”
“He has no need to worry,” Sofia was a little annoyed but she didn’t know if it was at Ivo or Clemence. Maybe both. Why would Ivo confide in his ex-girlfriend about his current girlfriend other than to complain? Her jaw ached and she realized she was clenching her teeth. Clemence patted her hand.
“He was projecting. I think this thing with his mother has him all messed up. Adria keeps telling him the cancer isn’t spreading, that she’s being treated by the best in the world, but still, Ivo worries.”
The shock of hearing that Ivo’s beloved mother had cancer rippled through Sofia. Another thing he hadn’t told her, but had clearly confided in Clemence about. What the fuck?
Then she felt ashamed. He had known Clemence for years, Sofia for only a few months. Of course, Clemence was close to Adria too, and, Sofia reminded herself, this really wasn’t about her. She shook herself.
“I didn’t know, but I hope Adria is okay.” Sofia picked up her tea cup, steading her shaking hands. What the hell was the matter with her lately?
Clemence nodded, but her eyes were sad. “I do think she’s hiding how much pain she is in, even from Ivo and Walter.”
Sofia sighed. “Clemence, maybe I should go see her, offer my help. I mean, I don’t know her that well, but…”
“I think she would like that.” Clemence rummaged in her bag for a piece of paper. “I have her room number here somewhere. She’s staying at the George V.”
Sofia blanched. George V. Where her step-father was staying. No matter about him, this is more important. She took the piece of paper from Clemence, thanking her. “Perhaps I should call first?”
“Why not surprise her? I know she’s bored out of her mind, waiting around for tests and treatment. The chemo is leaving her exhausted and she doesn’t go out much because of, well, she’s Adria La Loggia. She’s used to presenting herself in a certain way. Sick isn’t one of them.”
Sofia’s heart ached for the other woman. “Poor thing. Maybe I’ll take her some flowers, fresh fruit?”
“A lovely idea. Listen, I hate to cut and run, but I have a doctor’s appointment myself. Can we meet next week?”
Sofia nodded. “Of course. If there’s anything I can do to help you, don’t hesitate.”
Clemence gave her a strange smile. “You’re sweet. Take care of yourself, Sofia.”
“You too.”
Sofia watched the other woman walk away, wondering what that weird smile was about. She turned the piece of paper over in her hands. If Adria La Loggia wasn’t feeling her glamorous self, maybe Sofia could help her out with that.
She went home and opened her laptop. A little pampering would do Adria the world of good. She would maybe appreciate the bonding time with her son’s new lover. Sofia couldn’t deny that she was a little intimidated by Ivo’s glamorous parents.
Now that she had some money in her new checking account, Sofia wondered what would be appropriate. Maybe start small. Flowers, some fine chocolates…Sofia hissed in frustration. What if Adria hated cut flowers, or chocolate? What if Adria was insulted by her naive attempts to cheer her up?
The house phone in Desi’s apartment began to ring, and Sofia blinked in astonishment. She was stunned Desi even had a houseline anymore. She ran lightly. Barefoot, to pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Desiree?” A warm older male voice. Walter.
“Hello, Mr. Zacca, no, it’s Sofia. Desi’s not here at the moment.”
“Oh, Sofia, how are you, my dear? I was actually looking for my son. I don’t suppose he is with you?”
Sofia smiled. Walter Zacca sounded so much like Ivo, it was impossible to feel nervous around him. “He’s working at the moment but his cell phone should be on.”
“I just tried to reach him, and Clemence too, but neither was answering. Could you ask him to call me when he gets in?”
“Of course.” Sofia hesitated. “Mr. Zacca, may I ask you something?”
“Call me Walter, dear, and of course you can, fire away.”
“Mrs. Zacca, I mean, Ms. La Loggia…I would like to make her feel more comfortable while she is getting the chemotherapy, and wondered if she would appreciate me organizing some kind of pampering session, a massage, or a facial, or even just some flowers?”
There was a silence on the end of the phone. Sofia frowned. “Mr. …Walter, are you there?”
“Adria has cancer.” It sounded like a statement, but in an instant, Sofia realized it wasn’t. It was a question. Walter Zacca had no idea his ex-wife, his best friend, was sick.
“Oh, god, Mr. Zacca, I’m so sorry. I thought you knew…I…” Sofia’s knees were weak and she sank to the floor. “Please, I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, my dear. Thank you for being the only one decent enough to tell me. Do you know where my wife is staying?”
Sofia told him and he thanked her again, in a stiff voice, before hanging up. Sofia cursed loudly, tears close. What the fuck had she just done? Without thinking, she grabbed her coat from her bedroom and took off. It had begun to rain hard, but Sofia had only one thought now – get to Adria and warn her. It was Sofia’s mess to clean up now.
She ran through the rain-drenched streets, not caring that her clothes were soaking wet. As she approached the hotel, she wondered if they would stop her from getting in. Luckily, the doorman was distracted by an arriving limousine and Sofia slipped in quietly and went to the elevators.
She rode, thankfully alone, to Adria’s floor and it was only at the door of her suite that Sofia stopped and took a breath. She knocked twice and waited. Adria opened the door, and Sofia was surprised to see she was in her robe, her hair messy, her face flushed.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. La Loggia, but I can to come straight away.” Her words were tumbling out of her mouth and Adria, ever the mother, pulled her inside and put her arm around her shoulders.
“Breathe, dear, breathe. What is it? Has something happened to Ivo? Is he hurt? Are you hurt?”
Sofia shook her head dumbly. “No, no…it’s Walter, I mean, Mr. Zacca. He called you see, and I didn’t know that he didn’t know about the…cancer. God, I am so sorry.”
Adria took a moment to process what Sofia was telling her. She nodded her head slowly. “It’s okay, it’s alright, dear.” She sighed and led Sofia to the couch. “Sit with me a
moment.”
They sat in silence, Adria holding Sofia’s hand. Sofia studied the older woman with worried eyes. “Ms. La Loggia? I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am.”
“Darling, call me Adria, would you? Look, he had to know sometime.” She noticed Sofia was soaking wet. “Mio Dio, Sofia, you’re soaking. Let me get you a towel and some hot tea.”
Sofia was bemused. “I should be the one looking after you,” she said with a shake of her head and Adria laughed.
“Darling girl, I’m Italian. I wrote the book on taking care of loved ones.” Sofia flushed and Adria smiled at her. “I didn’t know Ivo had told you about my illness.”
“He didn’t…Clemence did, by accident. And I told Walter by accident. Dear lord, what a mess.”
“It’s my own fault,” Adria’s voice came from another room, then she was back with a towel. She handed it to a grateful Sofia, who smiled her thanks.
“Walter called the apartment looking for Ivo, and I was stupid enough to blab my mouth.” Sofia rubbed her face, glad she wasn’t wearing make-up. “I only asked him if he knew what I could do to make you feel better while you were having treatment.”
“You are very sweet.”
There was a cough from the bedroom and Adria grinned at Sofia’s shocked face. “Darling, a woman has needs. A nice uncomplicated hook-up with a distinguished gentleman. That, I can tell you, make me feel a whole lot better.”
Sofia started to laugh and soon Adria joined in. Sofia, forgetting she was talking to a movie star, held her hand up for a high-five which Adria, grinning, delivered. “Good for you.”
Adria hugged her. “I’m sorry I haven’t made the time to get to know you better, little one. My son is crazy about you, absolutely head over heels. We must spend more time together before I go back to the States.”
“I would like that very much. How is your treatment going?”
Adria’s smile faded. “Better than expected. Darling, there are some things I don’t want to discuss with anyone, I’m not being rude, it’s just, the more I dwell, the worse I feel.”
“I understand. Look, now I am here, can I do anything?”
Adria stood up. “You could order us some tea, while I go get dressed. I’ll let my friend know that I have a family visitor, and to come back later.” She gave Sofia a mischievous wink and Sofia grinned. Adria disappeared into the bedroom and Sofia heard low voices and laughter.
She went to the desk and looked for the room service menu. She had just found it when she heard Adria returning. “No, you can say hello, of course, we’re not kids sneaking around of course, but then I’d like to spend some time with my friend. Dinner, later?”
“I would like that.” A very familiar voice answered Adria and then they were in the room with Sofia.
Sofia froze, the shock icy cold. From his expression, Fergus Rutland was as stunned as she was. Sofia’s mind was a delirium of confusion and anger and she blurted out the first thing she could think of. “Dad?”
Fergus Rutland rocked back a little but steadied himself and tried to smile as Adria looked between them. “Hello, darling. My god, Sofia, it is good to see you.”
Sofia, to her eternal shame, burst into tears.
Chapter Sixteen
Sofia sat stiffly on the chair in Adria La Loggia’s suite, not looking at her step-father. Adria, realizing what the situation was, made them both sit. “Talk,” she ordered, giving Sofia a stern look, but also her hand squeezed her shoulder. She bent down to kiss Sofia’s cheek. “Just talk. If you get upset, I’ll be right in the next room, darling.”
Fergus cleared his throat now. “Thank you for giving me some time, Sofia.”
Sofia said nothing. Every time she looked at him, all she could see was the man who had abandoned her, who had disrespected her mother. Fergus was studying her.
“Sofia, I just wanted to say…I was wrong. I was wrong to throw you out. Especially on that day.”
Sofia gave a humorless snort. “Yes, because there’s always a good day to throw a person out of their home. I’m really not interested in apologies, Mr. Rutland, so you can save yourself the speech.”
She got up but Fergus raised a hand towards her. “Please, just a few moments and then you never have to see me again.”
Sofia hesitated then sat down. “Say what you need to, Mr. Rutland.”
Fergus gave her a half-smile. “It was Dad a little while ago.”
“A slip of the tongue. The Dad I knew died the day of my mother’s funeral.”
It was with satisfaction that she saw him flinch. “Sofia…I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. I was almost half-crazy with grief and every time I saw you, I saw your mother. I think what she would have wanted, now, is for us to reconcile.”
“Just when I’m making my mark on the world. Such a coincidence.”
Fergus’s expression changed, became annoyed. “Nonsense.” He sighed. “Sofia…time has passed, I’ve healed. And I want my daughter back.”
“You have a daughter. That pit viper called Tamara. Do you honestly think I want anything to do with you – or her – after you couldn’t even show my mother the respect of burying her in the Rutland family plot? Humiliating her even after death and you expect me to believe you grieved for her?”
Fergus stood, his irritation obvious. “This is ridiculous. Sofia, you had no visa when you came here. You’re working here illegally. Come home with me now before you’re thrown out of the country. Or worse.”
Sofia stood too. “Are you threatening me?”
“I’m merely stating a fact. Don’t you think your raised profile won’t attract the attention of the French immigration department?”
Sofia raised her chin. “Only if someone informs them. Are you saying you’ll go to them if I don’t come home with you?”
Fergus didn’t answer her but met her gaze. Sofia felt like screaming. “You bastard. I did what you asked. I went away and I would never have bothered you again. So why now? Because you can’t bear for me to be happy? You’re a sick fuck.”
She didn’t see the slap coming. Fergus’s hand connected with her face, full force, and Sofia staggered backward.
“Enough!” Adria was back, clearly having been listening. She got between them, her green eyes blazing, her anger a furious thing. “You. Get out, now. You never hit a woman, least of all someone who you abandoned.” The Italian woman was in Fergus’s face now, and he stepped back, alarmed. “Did you know Sofia nearly died? When she was living on the streets where you put her? Meningitis. No? You didn’t know that? Of course, you didn’t because you banished her! Get out, figlia di puttana!”
Fergus hesitated only for a second more, then, with a last glance at Sofia, grabbed his jacket and left. Sofia was trembling and Adria turned to her, her expression softening. She wrapped her arms around Sofia and hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry I asked you to talk to that…” She could barely spit his name out. “Darling, I promise you this now. You will not have to go home with him. We will work something out.”
Sofia closed her eyes. It had been such a long time since she had been held by a maternal figure, that she didn’t want it to end now. She felt as if the last year’s hurt and pain was running rampant through her body. “He’ll go to the authorities. He’ll get me kicked out of the country. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that he had spit in him. I never realized it when my mom was alive, but I guess Tamara got it from him.” She looked up, tears in her eyes, then felt embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, Adria. My family drama is the last thing you need right now.”
“You are my family,” Adria kissed her temple. “Now, that my dinner date has been shown the door, why don’t we go grab something and I’ll call Ivo.”
Sofia nodded. “I’d like that. But what about Walter?”
Adria sighed. “I called him and left a message. He’ll be fine, Sofia. Look, Walter and I…he is my best friend but sometimes I feel as if we need to have some kind of disconnect. We’ve been divorced f
or years and yet we are both guilty of cleaving to each other. Walter has a new lover, so he tells me and I want him to be free to pursue that without feeling as if my illness means he should be here.”
“I’m so sorry I blabbed it out like an idiot.” Sofia chewed her lips. “Now I think of it, I think Clemence thinks Walter knows too, from what she said.”
Adria shook her head. “No, Clemence did know Walter was in the dark. We discussed it at length. She knew Ivo was keeping it from you for the same reasons – he thought you had enough on your mind and I agreed. Clemence told you?”
Sofia nodded, suddenly feeling confused. “Why would she…I don’t understand why she would do that. Maybe…pregnancy brain?”
Adria smiled. “You’re being kind, but I think we both can guess what’s going on with Clemence. She’s jealous, Sofia. It’s almost time for the baby and she’s feeling emotional. It can’t be easy for her to see you with Ivo, especially when she sees how much in love the two of you are.”
Sofia felt her body relax at Adria’s words. The one thing she was sure of in this world was that Ivo loved her. “I often wonder how I got to be so blessed by having Ivo’s love. Your son is the most wonderful man I’ve ever known.”
Adria touched her cheek. “He is lucky to have you, Sofia. For a long time – and I didn’t see it for years – he was unhappy, or rather, he was trying to find his place in the world. When he was young, we fully expected him to follow us into the acting world. Given his looks, his charm, we thought he would be an even bigger star than his father. When he told us he didn’t want it, it was a strange moment, and I think ever since, he’s been trying to justify that ever since to us. What he doesn’t realize is, in our eyes, he became his own man that day and we couldn’t be prouder.”
A tear dropped down Sofia’s face at the love in Adria’s voice. “I will never hurt him,” she said, almost in a whisper. “Ever. He is my world.”
“I know you won’t, sweetheart.” Adria touched her cheek. “Now, I have to eat or I’ll fall over…no, it’s okay. How about we order room service and have a girl’s night? AT least until Ivo can drag himself away from work.”
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