Page 80 of Little Bitter Truths
Before Mia had a chance to respond, Giovanni entered the house with Luka and Coco.The dogs bounded into the kitchen, thirsty and looking for water.
Giovanni looked at the two of us and said, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything isnotokay,” Mia said.
Giovanni bent down and topped off Luka’s water bowl before doing the same for Coco.As the dogs lapped it up, he said, “Did something happen while I was out with the dogs?”
“When I was drinking last night, I sent some text messages to my cousin,” Mia said.“I invited her to come see me for the weekend.She’ll be here in an hour.”
“You seem unhappy about it.”
“I’m mortified.We’re not close.We’ve never been.”
“There are worse drunken decisions a person could make.Perhaps this is a way for the two of you to reconnect.”
Mia’s expression was a mixture of embarrassment, guilt, and grief.
“I don’t know how to do it,” she admitted.
“You don’t know how to do what?”I asked.
“How to mend things with a person I’ve always kept at arm’s length.”
“You just take it one conversation at a time.Do you want a better relationship with her?”
She moved a hand to her hip.“I don’t know yet.I feel like my entire life is falling apart, and yet somehow I managed to have an emotional breakthrough last night with a cousin I never knew I wanted to connect with until now.I may have sent those messages while I was intoxicated, but I still sent them.I must want her to be in my life on some level, right?”
“Are you close to any of your other relatives?”Giovanni asked.
“I’ve never been good at keeping in contact with most people, which I’ll admit is something I should have cared more about.After losing my grandfather and now Wren, though, it puts it all into perspective.”
“I think it will be good for you to see her,” I said.“There’s no reason to rush anything.Take it slow and see how you feel.”
“I suppose I can do that.”
I believed it would be good for Mia to lean into this moment, to get support from a family member who was so eager to give it to her.
“Maybe this is a good thing, and I should have done a better job of communicating with her after our grandfather died,” Mia said.“If I had, she might not have wanted to challenge us over his will.”
“Having met Renee, and hearing your perspective on her, I wonder if she took you to court for attention.It seems like a strange thing to do, but when we spoke, she said if the house had gone to her, she would have put you and Wren on the deed.”
“She did?Why would she?—”
“Because having your approval matters to her.”
Mia glanced at the time.“Renee will be here in an hour.I should shower and clean myself up so I at least look like I’m making an effort to keep myself together.”
“You look better than you did last night.”
“That’s a low standard.”
“It’s still progress.”
Mia left the room, and Giovanni smiled at me.“You look like there’s something on your mind.”
“There’s always something on my mind these days.”
“Yes, but right now you’re doing the face.”
