Fall(Romanian Mob Chronicles Book 2)(2)

But Maria had that effect on people, and if nothing else, I couldn’t doubt the depth of love we all felt for her.

“No one can ever see that picture, Fawn. Erase it,” he said as he handed the baby to her. Then he quickly kissed the top of Maria’s head and left, all without acknowledging my presence.

Fawn eyed me, but didn’t speak as she walked toward the living room, me in tow. She fussed with Maria and got her settled in her bassinet before she turned to me.

“I want to hold her,” I said with a pout, ignoring Fawn’s pointed expression.

“No. Between Vasile, Sorin, and you, she gets held plenty.”

She kept her eyes on me, waiting. Her expression was neutral, but I could tell she was expecting an explanation. But what could I say?

I deployed the most convenient weapon I had on hand to win a victory in the not so cold war that rages between me and your man’s brother. That would have sounded crazy, even for me, so I chose distraction.

“What did the doctor say?” I asked as I moved closer.

My plan had worked. She brightened, her face taking on that reflective expression she always got when she talked about Maria. “He said she’s looking good. She gained three pounds, and he says she is catching up nicely after her setbacks.”

“That’s good!”

“Yeah with her being a preemie and then those issues she had with swallowing, it’s all going great. But he said we have to watch her for,” she swallowed, “potential developmental issues, but she’s doing good,” Fawn said.

My heart squeezed as I watched her rub Maria’s soft little arm, saw the love and concern in her expression. After Fawn’s attack and Maria’s early birth, the baby’s survival had been far from certain. But she was tough like her mother, and I knew she’d be fine.

Fawn smiled down at her daughter and then looked at me, eyes sharp, expectant.

I waited, now convinced my distraction had only been short-lived, and wondered if maybe, for the first time, Fawn would cut me slack and buy into my attempt to avoid the subject.

No such luck.

“I’m gonna sit on you if you keep looking at me like that, shorty,” I said after a moment. It was a common threat, one I’d used since we were kids when Fawn was a short little thing to my tall and heavy. That much hadn’t changed, nor had the fact that Fawn always ignored me.

“What was that about, Esther?”

“What?” I said as I plopped on the couch and faced Fawn when she followed.

“Fine. Play that game. Why do you insist on antagonizing my brother-in-law?”

“Brother-in-law?” I said eyes widening. “Have you been holding out on me?” I exclaimed.

I’d seen the love and affection between her and Vasile, knew that he cherished her and Maria, and though there had been a few bumps in the road, I’d never doubted that they would be together, and marriage felt like the logical next step. I’d even considered the possibility that they’d done it in secret.

Her expression deflated, and her shoulders slumped, and I wanted to punch myself in the face. Though Fawn had never said so, I knew this was a thorny subject, Vasile’s position and her past making theirs more complicated than boy meets girl. And of course I’d gone and put my big foot in my bigger mouth.

“Sorry, Fawn,” I said. “Maria can beat me up if you want.”

She gave a slightly pained smile and then sat next to me and sighed. “No, don’t worry about it. I haven’t even brought it up to him. I just thought…”

As she trailed off, she looked toward the closed door, no doubt thinking of Vasile. “It’s complicated, and I know he loves me, so maybe in time…”

“If you want it, you should tell him,” I said.

She scoffed. “You’ve met him, right?”

I laughed. “Yeah, once or twice. Besides, you probably shouldn’t take relationship advice from me. I’m better at keeping jobs than I am at keeping men. And I suck at keeping jobs.”

Fawn smiled, then sighed. “I don’t know why I even care. I mean, he loves me, and I know we’ll be together.”

“But there’s something to having it official. You’re not wrong for wanting that,” I said.

“Maybe, maybe not. But we’re not talking about me.” She turned sharp eyes on me again. “You were saying?”

“I wasn’t saying anything.”

“Esther…”

“It’s not my fault! Sorin’s a douche. He fucking stares at me like I’m scum or like he wants to shove my dead body that he deaded into a barrel filled with lye.”

She laughed out loud. “Esther, that’s not true.”