Chapter 17
Gina Lee-Xiou
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Cecily Manchetti, my niece, was standing right before me. She was actually here. I was both thrilled and terrified.
That child traveled almost eight thousand miles because she wanted to get to know Nina. There was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. I needed to figure out a way to get her back on that airplane and out of harm’s way, as soon as possible.
Nina was gunning for me, and if my plan didn’t work, she could be successful in burying me. I couldn’t allow anyone else to get hurt or worse. I also couldn’t ignore Cecily’s ragged appearance. “You look tired. Are you hungry?”
“I am tired and hungry, but that can wait. I’ve come a long way, and I’ve waited forever for this moment.”
“You’re here. You’ve waited this long, another half an hour or so isn’t going to kill you. Let me take you up to one of my guest bedrooms where you can take a quick shower and I’ll have my chef prepare us some lunch.”
Cecily’s eyes drooped with disappointment, but she didn’t argue.
It was clear, Cecily was going to need a bit more convincing. “I don’t know about you, but I can’t eat, think, or answer questions on an empty stomach. So . . . is it a deal?”
“I guess if I don’t have any choice.”
My lips sloped into a half a smile. “You don’t. Come on follow me.”
After I settled Cecily into her room, I walked quickly back to mine.
“Is it safe for me to come out?” Brody’s eyes twinkled with laughter.
“So not funny. How the hell did Alex let this happen? And, no. You can’t come out of my bedroom. What will Cecily think?”
“Gina, I’m not going to stay hidden up here. We’re grown-ups.”
I paced the room back and forth rubbing my hands together barely listening to Brody. “She knows Nina is alive. She’s asking me all sorts of questions. I don’t know what to tell her. I’m rambling and embarrassed that I don’t know what to say to my fifteen-year-old niece.”
Brody grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me so that I was standing directly in front of him. “First, calm down. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
“You probably wouldn’t say that if I told you about the last time she and I were in the same room together.”
“It doesn’t matter. Children are very forgiving. Remember, she reached out to you. That’s a good sign.”
My eyebrow lifted skeptically. “I’m a means to an end.”
“You’re her aunt. Instead of thinking the worst, why don’t you try to get to know her?”
“I know a lot about her already.” I walked over to my armoire and opened the doors. Carefully, I pulled out a leather bound book then walked it over. “See.”
Brody took the album and opened it. Inside the pages of it were pictures. Images of Cecily from the time she was born up until she’d given a speech for her Young Scholars Club just a couple of weeks ago.
“I’ve had to get to know her from afar for so long. She’s a good kid and smart too. I’ll do anything to protect her.”
“I can see that.” Brody raised hopeful eyes up from the book to me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me down on the bed to sit next to him. “Gina, what if this was your last chance to get to know Cecily? Don’t let this opportunity pass without taking full advantage of it. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, she reached out to you. That means something.”
“What if you’re wrong?”
“What if I’m right?”
“You’ve got a point.” I exhaled. “Okay. I just wish I had more time to prepare. I could have studied up on how to talk to a teenager.”
Brody chuckled. “Baby, there hasn’t been a book written that will prepare you for teenagers. Just relax, be honest, and talk with her. Usually, they are the ones running their mouths so much that all you have to do is nod a few times and listen to them talk, talk, and talk some more.”
“Hmmm . . . I hope you’re wrong because she has questions about Nina. I’m going to have to tap dance all around those.”
“Do what you think is best.” He pulled me close. “Now . . . can a man get some food around here? You’ve kept me up all night and day like a sex-slave, and I need to recharge.”
“I’ll have someone send you up a lunch tray,” I grinned cheekily.
*****
I was in my office when I called Alex. “Cecily is here.”
He repeated what I said to Braylee. I could hear her and the baby in the background. After several expletive-filled sentences, he turned his focus back to me. “Put her on a plane.”
“I plan to. However, she’s adamant about meeting Nina.”
“Dammit. How’d she find out, Gina?”
“The internet. Google Alerts. Apparently, she’s curious. If I don’t answer some of her questions, she’s going to try and go to the source. Even if I do, she might try anyway. It’s normal for her to want to know about who she is. That includes Nina and me.”
“She could have come to me.”
“We lied to
