Page 156 of Stolen Bases

“I hate that I’m going to say this… Miller is right. But why tell me this now?”

“Because you aren’t the only one with daddy issues, Nic. I have them too. When I was, like, nine or something, I eavesdropped on Mamma and Zia drinking a little too much Barolo. She was cryingand talking about him. It broke my heart to hear her so sad. She confessed to missing him. I didn’t know life with him, but then I thought about you. Felt like me being born robbed you of your dad.”

“I hate that fucker for making you feel like him leaving was your fault. I hope you know I’m glad he left because me and Ma needed you more.”

“I know. But I didn’t then. So, I just faded into the background. Pretended I hated ballet. Went along with anything you wanted. Did whatever Mamma needed. It’s why I didn’t tell you about my relationship with Cam. I knew you would flip and cause a scene. When Mamma found out, she forbade me from seeing him like I was a freaking teenager, Nico. That’s just wrong. I deserve to be happy even if it’s with someone you don’t like.”

“Ma knew? Why didn’t she tell me?”

I shrug. “Probably because me and Cam pretended to break up after she ‘pulled a Nico’ and kicked him out of the house. As for why she didn’t tell you, you’re going to have to talk to her about that yourself.”

“Fair enough.”

“Do you forgive me?”

“I can’t stay mad at you, Lia. You’re my kid sister. I love you too much.”

“I love you too.” I get out of my chair and hug my brother.

He fights back tears as I bury my head in his chest and let my tears fall. The weight in my chest falls away after years of carrying all that guilt.

“Nico?”

“Yeah?”

“You stink.”

He drops his head and chuckles. “Yeah, I kind of didn’t shower last night. I was so pissed I just got in my car and drove home. Then drank half a bottle of whiskey before passing out on the couch.”

I let go of him and take the seat beside him. He wipes his face with his hands, hiding the water leaking from his eyes. Last night really tore him up.

“I saw the video,” I confess. I might as well get everything out there. Hang up all the laundry, so to speak. “Cam didn’t want me to, but I did anyway.”

Nico flinches in shame. “Fuck. I wish you listened to him. I never should have hit him.”

“Why did you?”

“Because I hate him?” He shrugs.

He’s uncomfortable, but I’m not going to let him off so easy. Not anymore. We are adults, and that means we need to be accountable for our actions and feelings if we want to have a grown-up relationship.

“Lies. Give me the actual answer for a thousand, Alex.”

His lip twitches. “I forgot how much you loved that damn show growing up.”

“Stop diverting,” I say, even though I would love to go off on a tangent about howJeopardy!will never be the same without its original host.

He groans. “Fine. Because when I looked at you in that picture, you looked so fucking happy and in love, Lia. You are my baby sister, and I love you so much. I want you to be happy. I did everything I could to make sure you had a good childhood. To make sure you were happy. And there you were, with him, looking happier than I’ve ever seen you. But you were hiding your happiness from me. All because I was being an angry, jealous jackass. It made me feel like fucking shit.”

“Awe, you love me so much.” I mean, I always knew he did. It’s the only reason I came up with for why he was so overprotective of me growing up.

“Shut up.” He rolls his eyes at me, and I laugh.

Definitely a Romero trait.

“I should have told you sooner,” I admit. “Maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so bad.”

“I probably would have just hit him sooner.”

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