Page 124 of Haunted

I pull in a fortified breath and grip the handle to my door. “I’m ready.” I look back at Aria. “Are you ready?”

“Yes!” she chirps, and I realize something with her enthusiastic reply. Even if this doesn’t go over well, I’m going to be okay. We’re all going to be okay, because we’ll have each other, Luca’s family included.

Luca and I thrust open our doors at the same time and climb out. He helps Aria from the back and we all meet at the front of the car. My nerves are still shot, but not as much.

When my memories of Luca came back, along came the ones of the last time I saw my parents. There was one thing Theo didn’t lie about. I’m not sure if it was because he knew or just made a wild guess, but my parents did disown me. They hated the thought of me marrying someone they thought was beneath me. Luca met them twice and both times they had no qualms about showing their distaste. The last time I saw them, I told them we were getting married. They made their ultimatum, and when I chose Luca, they told me to leave and never come back. It hurt, really hurt, but I thought over time they would get over their prejudices and see how much Luca made me happy. Unfortunately, I’ve had to wait seven years to see if my assessment will come true.

I hope with all my heart they will accept Luca and Aria, because to think about the alternative rips me to shreds. Theyare and always will be the two most important people in my life.

We walk up the driveway, Aria between us, each of her hands engulfed in one of ours. It’s been six weeks since we told her she’s our daughter, and she’s taken to the idea really well, but I know she still misses Theo. Sometimes I see sadness in her eyes, and I know she’s thinking about him. He was her dad for almost seven years; I would never expect her to simply stop loving him.

Her birthday is next week, so we’re taking her out of school for a few days and going on a vacation to the beach. She’s never been, and I’m really excited to be there the first time she sees the ocean. I’ve missed so many firsts, and I refuse to miss any more.

I lick my dry lips when the big red door looms before us. I was eighteen the last time I saw this door, but it still looks bigger than I remember.

Aria squeezes my jittery hand, and I look down at her. “It’s going to be okay, Momma. I just know they’re going to be happy to see you again.”

I barely hold back the tears threatening to form. I’m the adult. I’m the one who’s supposed to offer comfort, not the other way around. We’ve kept as much from Aria as we could, not wanting to completely spoil her perception of Theo. Theo keeping my family away is one of the things she didn’t need to know, so we’ve only told her I haven’t seen my family since before I was “sleeping.”

“Thank you, baby. I hope you’re right.”

“I am. You’ll see.”

I look at Luca when he chuckles and smile softly at him. I never knew I could love someone as fiercely as I love these two people. My husband and daughter. My smile widens when those two labels enter my mind. It’s still hard to believe at times.

We climb the steps and stop in front of the door. It takes mea moment to gather the courage to lift my hand to knock. Before my knuckles hit the wood, the door’s pulled open.

All the air in my lungs whooshes out on an agonizing breath and my body freezes as I stare into a pair of familiar amber eyes that I’ve missed so much. The part of my heart I reserve only for my parents cracked when I woke and discovered my family didn’t want me. Now, as I look at my mom, noting the age lines beside her eyes and the abundance of gray in her brown hair, my heart finally shatters, sending excruciating pain splintering through me.

“Jules,” she whispers, instant tears filling her eyes. “Is that really you?”

“Mom.” My voice is raw and filled with so much pain there’s no hope for me masking it.

Her hands fly to her mouth and her shoulders shake with her silent cries. I stay where I am, wanting desperately to go to her, but I don’t know if I should. It only takes seconds for her to show me where I should be: wrapped in her arms.

She rushes forward, and we embrace each other with a sob. I close my eyes, bury my face in my mom’s shoulder, and breathe in her familiar scent. It’s the same as I remember, and that makes me incredibly happy.

After several moments, she pulls back and cups my cheeks. Her eyes run all over my face. “My sweet child, where have you been?” she asks in a hushed tone, her words breaking.

“There’s so much I need to tell you,” I reply raggedly.

“Who’s at the door, Ivy?” a deep rumbling voice calls seconds before my father comes into view.

Fresh tears form in my eyes and slip silently down my cheeks. He still looks like my father, but I can see he’s aged. Tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome, but he’s more slender than I remember, and his hair is pure silver.

When he spots me at Mom’s side, his steps falter. It onlylasts for a moment before he’s walking toward me fast. My father has always been tough, so when I see the mountain of emotions in his eyes, the pain and heartache and tears, as he stops in front of me and yanks me into his arms, my heart constricts. His arms are tight around me.

“Oh, Daddy,” I bawl into his chest. “I’ve missed you so much.” I look over at Mom and see her still crying. “I’ve missed you both.”

Dad pulls back, putting his big hands on my shoulders, and does the same thing Mom did: simply looks at me. I let him because it gives me the chance to look at him.

“Still my beautiful little girl,” he murmurs.

“I always want to be your little girl,” I tell him quietly.

Several minutes pass before my parents realize I’m not alone. Dad’s the first to see Luca standing several feet behind me. He looks over my head, and it’s then that I take a step back and his hands fall from my shoulders. I know the moment Mom spots Aria. Her mouth opens, and intense agony passes over her face. Her watery gaze lifts to mine in question before going back to Aria.

“Mom, Dad, do you remember Luca?”

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