Page 143 of Safe and Sound

“I’m thirty-three years old and just learning this. What other secrets are you and Dad hiding?”

Although I was just teasing, Mom’s face flushed. “Your father and I are too boring for secrets,” she quickly replied.

Mom put the box down on the bed so she could zip me up. Once she finished, I stepped over to the floor-length mirror to take in my appearance.

Although I hadn’t meant to pay homage to my culture, I’d ended up choosing a midnight blue and white chiffon dress.While the bottom was flowy, the bodice was encrusted with silver beading. As I stood in front of the mirror, I did a little twirl to watch the hemline dance.

“I feel like it’s prom all over again,” Mom mused.

“Except I’m in a ten thousand dollar gown.”

A strangled noise erupted from her throat. “You’re joking.”

“I wish.”

“Well, then I suppose this necklace will go well with it.”

Leaving my spot by the mirror, I went over to Mom who held the velvet box again. When she cracked the lid, it was my turn to make a strangled noise. “Holy shit,” I mused.

“Ava,” Mom chided.

“You’re holding a sapphire and diamond encrusted necklace that is definitely not a costume piece. What else am I supposed to say?”

She grinned at me. “I suppose if I was seeing it for the first time I would say the same.”

“Excuse me, but how in the hell do you have this?”

“It’s a family heirloom.”

“A very expensive one.”

She nodded. “Obviously not one from our family.”

Furrowing my brows, I said, “I don’t understand.”

“This was gifted to Thea on her twenty-first birthday.”

“Was she dating a prince?”

Mom’s nervous titter had me dropping my hand from the velvet box. “Dimitrios wasn’t a prince, but he was very wealthy.”

Although it was stereotypical of wealthy Greeks, I couldn’t help asking, “Like a shipping magnate?”

“Yes. Like that.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned Thea having a boyfriend.”

A faraway look came over Mom’s face. “Despite being from two different worlds, they were very much in love.”

I couldn’t help comparing my sister to Dare and me. I wonder if she ever felt overwhelmed by Dimitrios’s world like I did with Dare’s. There’d been so many times in my life when I wished I could’ve known her, and this was one of them.

After swiping the back of her hand under eyes, Mom eased the necklace out of the box. “Let’s put it on you.”

When it flattened against my skin, I jumped. “What’s wrong?” Mom asked.

“A rough prong or something scratched me.”

Furrowing her brows, Mom reached underneath the necklace. As she ran her fingers on the bottom, she paused. “It feels like the backing has come undone. Let me see if I can snap it back into place.”

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