Page 53 of Run

“You know how we always said we were going to get away from here, get away from this?” she said.

I nodded. We had, and for a while had thought we’d do it together. But I hadn’t waited for that to happen, had let my impatience to be away from Santo, my fear that Vincent would never leave drive me.

“Yeah. But I left before we could,” I said, giving voice to the thought I’d just had.

“You did what you thought you needed to do.”

I didn’t want to think about myself, so instead I focused on her. “Why didn’t you?”

“I planned to. Thought that I would. But…”

She looked off then, and I waited, desperate for this insight into Daniela’s perspective.

“After Mother, I just couldn’t. Too many people were relying on us, and I couldn’t leave them, couldn’t leave them to the mercy of Santo.”

My breath hitched in my throat at that thought. I’d never even considered that. How childish had I been?

After I left, I thought that Daniela would eventually leave too, that Mother would be there to keep things on track. It hadn’t crossed my mind what would happen if she wasn’t. The thought made my blood run cold, and my mind immediately jumped to Vincent. He’d always had a streak of irresponsibility, more than. If he had done anything to betray Santo, question him, annoy him even, it would have meant his death.

And as I sat here now I realized that my sister, the one whom I had judged so harshly just hours ago was the thing that had stood between Vincent, the love of my life, and a death that would have come far too early.

“Mother was always right about you, said you were the good one. You did all that to save them?”

Daniela shrugged. “Partially, but don’t think I was being noble. In truth I was afraid. Afraid of going out there, worried that I might not make it. I’m not brave like you,” she said with a wan smile.

She still underestimated herself, but I just shook my head.

“Brave? Me? I’m the world’s biggest coward. But right now we’re talking about you. Sergei didn’t give you the start you wanted?” I said.

Everything I had seen told me that Daniela was content, happy, and Vincent had confirmed that. Now I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Sergei and I had an…unconventional beginning. Not at all the one I had envisioned for myself. So no, I didn’t get the start I wanted. But what I got was a life I’d never dared to dream of.” She looked at me through lowered lashes. “It got bad after you left, Giovanna.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. The words were hollow because they could do nothing to take away any of the suffering I knew my sister had experienced. Still, I felt compelled to say something.

But Daniela waved me away again. “It’s not me you should apologize to. If you should be apologizing at all. You did what you thought you had to do, and even though I wish you had been there for Mother, or at least told us good-bye, I can’t fault you for that. But me, I had resigned myself, hoped that when I eventually married, the guy would be decent. Decent was what I was hoping for. I never even entertained the possibility of something like love,” she said.

Her confession was surprising, though it shouldn’t have been. I had been spoiled by Vincent, couldn’t even picture settling for anything less. Talking to Daniela now, I realized that wasn’t what everyone had hoped for. Realized how blessed I had been to find someone who loved me so much.

“So you got more than decent?” I asked, finally seeing where this was going.

“So much more. I got my soul mate.”

I was silent again, thinking, the events of the past hours, week, the years before rushing through my head.

Then I looked at my sister, my mind struggling to process what she’d said.

“You know why I’m here, right, Daniela?”

“Here right this moment?” she asked.

I nodded quickly.

“Sergei told me there was trouble at Vincent’s. I figured you’d stay here until they took care of it,” she said, her words as businesslike as my earlier thoughts had been.

“You know that’s not normal, right? And you know what taking care of it means, right?” I said.

“I do, just like you do,” she replied.

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