Page 78 of Only You

Ana

Walking away from Andrew this morning had been one of the hardest things Ana had ever done in her twenty-two years. Harder than telling her father she was moving out. Her heart had wanted to go to Andrew, throw her arms around him, and talk to him about their amazing night together. Her head had told her if she did, she was being selfish. She needed to look at the bigger picture and what was best for everyone.

Ana had agreed to meet up with Eva. Now she was sitting in a pizza restaurant, watching her perfect sister charm the daughter she had abandoned. Olivia had initially clung to Ana’s side when Eva arrived. But as the afternoon progressed, Olivia had warmed up to her, and Ana had to admit, she was surprised at how good her sister was with her.

Olivia had asked about her and Ana as children and then about how she had met Andrew. Eva was all too happy to tell Olivia about her life, skipping any negative bits. But then, her life differed greatly from Ana’s. Given time, Ana didn’t doubt Eva, the perfect daughter, would become the perfect mother and wife.

Ana’s body felt feverish and achy as she watched the two of them together. She prayed Eva did not hurt Olivia, as her sister had always done what she wanted. Andrew, however, had decided that Eva should be part of Olivia’s life, and who was she to contradict? She just hoped her sister appreciated the second chance she was being given and would fight, as she promised, to make amends for the past.

“I am sorry I left you, Olivia,” Eva said as they were leaving. “I want you to know it was never your fault.” Eva glanced up at Ana before returning her gaze to her daughter. “I want to make it up to you if I can. Do you think we can be friends?”

Ana’s breath hitched as she watched Olivia tilt her head in the same way Andrew did when he was contemplating something. Olivia waited a moment before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Eva’s neck. Eva hugged her daughter tight, her eyes closing. Ana watched as tears flowed freely down her sister’s cheeks. When Eva finally let go, Olivia reached up and wiped her tears away. “Don’t cry, Mummy,” she said, “I am your friend.”

Ana’s heart lurched at the sight before her, a burning sensation taking over her stomach as she watched a mother and daughter cementing their bond. Ana zoned out and stopped listening to what Eva and Olivia were talking about. This proved she had made the right decision. She had to let fate run its course. Her time with Andrew and Olivia had taught her so much. She had learned to let people in. She now had Millie, George, and Julie. Her life was so much richer than before. But Andrew and Olivia had never been hers. It had been a fairy tale. She would always have the memory of her night with Andrew. It was not something she would ever forget, but that was all it could be. A beautiful memory. If giving Olivia back the family she craved was a possibility, she would not be the one to stand in the way.

“Thank you for this afternoon, Ana.” Ana’s attention snapped back to her sister, who was standing in front of her holding Olivia’s hand.

“It’s nothing,” Ana heard herself say. “It is wonderful to see you two together.” Ana nearly choked on her own words, but she knew they needed to be said. She had to remember this wasn’t about her.

“I’d really like to spend some time getting to know you too,” Eva shocked her by saying.

“Why?” Ana asked. Why did her sister suddenly want to get to know her now, when they had spent the first twenty-two years of Ana’s life as virtual strangers?

“I think it might help us both.”

Ana was not sure what Eva meant. How could she help Ana?

Eva must have seen something in her expression because she added, “Not everything was as it seemed. I would like a chance to explain my actions at some point.”

Ana sighed, “Okay.”

Ana did not want Olivia to wonder why she refused to speak to her sister, her mother. She wanted to build their relationship, not risk damaging it.

“Thank you,” Eva said before bending down and kissing Olivia on the cheek, “See you soon, Olivia.”

Ana spent the rest of the afternoon setting up her new room in the annexe.

“Why are you going to be living down here?” Olivia asked, putting Ana’s jewellery box on the bed Ana had just made up.

“Well,” Ana said, dropping on the bed and patting a spot next to her. “I was always due to live here. It was just your Daddy had to order new furniture. Now it’s here, and it’s the holidays. I have time to move all my stuff.”

Olivia plopped herself down on the bed next to Ana, her arms folded. “But I like you in the room next to mine,” Olivia said, her bottom lip jutting out.

Ana raised an eyebrow and laughed, “For now, but not next term when I have my sewing machine going all night as I finish my super important assignment,” she added, leaning forward and tweaking Olivia’s nose, making the little girl laugh.

“But what about me?” Olivia asked. “When will I see you?”

“Nothing will change, only where I sleep. I will still be there to help you get ready, eat breakfast and dinner, tuck you in, read you bedtime stories. Everything we do now, only I’ll be sleeping down here. You are always welcome to come down and see me.”

Olivia scowled. “I don’t like it,” she said, once again looking just like her father.

“I still need your help, if you are willing?”

Olivia grinned at her, and they both trudged back upstairs and carried more of Ana’s meagre possessions down to her new room. Once they had finished moving all of Ana’s things. Ana stripped her bed and put the sheets in the wash, making sure she left the space she had occupied exactly as she had found it.

Andrew returned just in time for dinner, and Ana had never been more grateful for Olivia’s incessant chatter. Ana noticed how tired Andrew looked, and so after dinner dismissed him and Olivia from cleaning up, sending them instead to watch television. She would normally have joined them, but tonight she made herself scarce.

Back in her room she pulled out the material Andrew and Olivia had given her. Ana decided it was the perfect distraction to take her mind off the excitement of the previous few days. Getting out her sketch book, she set about designing a dress. Her phone pinged and Ana picked it up.

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