Page 86 of Unraveled

“I arrived home to find Stef and Helen sitting on my sofa, clinging to each other as if their lives were about to end.” He paused. “I guess if I thought I was about to lose the love of my life, it would have felt that way. In fact, I know it does.” He looked over at Bridgette, and I wondered if he knew she’d lost someone, too. Like he’d lost Aunt Sophie. Bridgette looked startled for a moment before looking down, and Uncle Dimitris took a deep breath before he continued.

“I paced, trying to process and work through the details of everything my brother was telling me, but we’d barely had time to talk before two angry voices were bellowing outside my house. Helen’s father and mine were both out there, and they were soon in danger of beating down my door if they didn’t beat each other first.

“They barreled through the door the second I unlocked it, the things coming out of their mouths enough to make a sailor blush. Both dad’s went charging at Stef and Helen, cursing at their own and each other’s children. I stepped into the kitchen to call Sophie. I needed to let her know what was going on and to not come home until I called her back. She was born with a heart condition. Any undue stress on her body was dangerous for her, and I was very overprotective of her at times because of it. That was part of the reason I was considering work in London. Itwas quite a big promotion, and there were better doctors there. One’s I could afford with the better pay,” he said with an intense stare at Nic.

“I stepped back into the room just in time to see Helen’s father grab her arm and try to drag her out, but Stef jumped forward, pulled her arm free, and moved her behind him. There was such fierce protection in the way he faced that man, and I knew he was worried for her safety.”

“There was that,” Dad cut in. “I didn’t trust him after the things he was threatening, but I was also desperate to keep her there. I knew that if she left, I’d never see her again. I couldn’t accept that. I told her father that I’d never let him take her. He half-roared, half-laughed as he tried to yank her out from behind me. My own father was trying to yank me away at the same time, yelling about how he’d rather die than see me with one ofthem.”

Mom shook her head. “I reached out for Stefano as we were pulled in opposite directions, tearing myself away from my father’s hands to clutch myself to him. I was crying so hard at that point I could barely see straight. But my dad jerked me back, cursing and swearing he’d never allow me to swim in the disgusting Thanos mud pool. It wouldn’t get me anywhere, and I’d only embarrass him and the rest of our family if I stooped so low.”

Mom rubbed her hands along her arms, making me realize it must have been where her dad had gripped her. I wondered if she was remembering how it felt. She seemed so far off now.

“Stef was literally in a fistfight with his father at that point to get back to me. Dimitris was trying to break them up, but they just kept going. I knew I would haveto say something horrible and completely unforgivable if my father was ever going to let me go. If Stef and I would even have a chance at the plan we’d come up with.

“So, I planted my feet and took a deep breath to yell, ‘I’ve been swimming in the mud for months now, and I love it. I lovehim. I’ll never be with another man but Stefano. Even if you take me away from here, I’ll find a way back. I’d rather betray our family a million times than betray my own heart.’

Mom sat back and took a deep breath, her hands starting to shake, and Dad ran a hand down her arm to calm her, lacing his fingers with hers. He looked at her, a silent conversation passing between them, and when Mom shook her head, Dad continued.

“Everyone in that room fell silent, and the fighting stopped. I remember thinking that my dad was going to kill me any second. Instead, he grabbed my arm, hard, and demanded to know if it was true.

“I looked at Dimitris for support, and when he nodded me on, I faced my father and told him it was true, even though I could see him practically begging me to tell him it was a lie. Helen’s father growled, ‘How long?’ And all I was willing to tell him was, ‘Long enough.’ He didn’t deserve to know more than that, but I did say that I was in love with her.”

Mom seemed to regain some control then, looking at my dad. “And then Stef looked at me when he said, ‘We’re in love. I fell over an angel that day that I met her, and now that I know what life’s like with her, I can’t live without her.’ He smiled at me then, and my heart skipped a beat as always.

“I think my father saw that he’d lost then. He dropped my arms and scowled, but before he turned away, he said, ‘You’ve disgraced your entire family. I never want to see you near my home again. You made your bed, now, lie in it.’ He walked out the door without ever looking back, and I knew I’d just sacrificed my entire family to be with the one I loved. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes when he walked away,” she finished in a whisper.

“My father disowned me that day, too,” Dad said next.

“And me as well,” my uncle added.

“Why?” I frowned. “What did you do that was so terrible?”

My uncle smirked in a way that told me he didn’t think what he was about to say was the least bit funny. “Because, Jet, I gave them a place to stay. I helped my brother betray our family, and in doing so, I betrayed them myself.”

“That sounds extreme.”

“Not in your grandfather’s eyes. You see, I already wasn’t in his good graces. When I married Sophie, he had a hard time accepting her as a suitable wife. Her heart condition made having children dangerous. We’d told my parents before we married that we had decided not to have any. My mum was disappointed, but she understood. My father found it a little harder to accept. He liked Sophie well enough, but the idea of his oldest not continuing the family line was a little much for him. What happened with Stefano and Helen just pushed him over the edge.”

“But you had Nic,” Izzy said, though her words sounded more like a question.

Uncle Dimitris released a bold laugh. “Nic was definitely a shock. He surprised us all.” He looked directly at his son. “Youwere the reason I decided to move us to London. I hadn’t landed on a hard decision about such a tremendous move until after we knew you were on the way.”

I looked over at my cousin, curious how that had hit, but Nic just stared at the floor, unmoving, that mask of his set in stone over his face.

“Things were much easier once we got to London,” Uncle Dimitris continued. “Sophie was able to receive excellent health care, which set my mind at ease, and we were all able to escape the scrutinizing looks that had begun before we left. I also made sure that Stef and Helen finished school.”

“How did y’all end up in America?” I asked, watching my parents exchange looks before Dad answered.

“Nic arrived while we were still in London, and we were there his whole first year while we finished school and tried to acclimate, but we couldn’t help but feel like my brother and Sophie needed their own space for their own little family. London was also hard on your mom. Kind of like your cousin, she felt like she needed more space from what happened back home. We all talked it over, and as soon as she and I were both of age, we basically threw darts at the US map, your mom applied and got her acceptance letter to a university, and your uncle helped us get set up here in Texas.”

He locked eyes with his brother, true appreciation seeping through his next words. “We have always been grateful for what you’ve done for us.”

“The appreciation goes both ways, Brother. I don’t believe I can even begin to imagine where our lives would be today if you hadn’t brought this woman into them.” He smiled at Mom.

“That’swhy everyone was so tense in Greece?” Nic’s angered voice suddenly cut into the reverie.

Uncle Dimitris frowned. “Do you not believe us?”

---