Chapter 16: The Golden Retriever

Willa's POV

Luca didn't call for five days.

I knew because I checked.

I checked in the break room at work and on the bus.

I checked in the shower, with the phone propped on the soap dish.

Nothing came.

He was keeping the rule, and it made me want to throw the phone at a wall.

On Thursday night I signed up for a class.

It was Italian, Tuesday evenings, in a community center in Dorchester, for forty dollars and a workbook.

I stuck the confirmation on Bridget's fridge with a magnet shaped like a lobster.

"Is this for him?" Bridget asked.

"It's for me."

"Is any of it for him?"

"Some of it's to find out what 'tesoro' means," I said, "without anybody doing me a favor."

She said, "Treasure," and then she saw my face.

"I didn't mean to," she said. "I looked it up."

"Of course you did."

The knock came an hour later.

Bridget was at the stove, and I got the door.

Gianna stood in the hall in a gray coat, with no makeup and her hair pulled back.

She held a tote bag against her chest with both arms.

"Five minutes," she said.

"No."

"Please, Willa. I'm not here to fight."

I should have shut the door.

I think I wanted to see what five days had done to her.

I let her into the kitchen, and Bridget turned off the burner, folded her arms and leaned on the counter.

Gianna put the tote bag on the table.

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