“That’s Lexi, Mamma. She’s my… friend?” The word “friend” was said as more a question than a statement, yet butterflies fluttered in my stomach all the same. “She was here seeing someone, and I saw her downstairs. She walked back up with me.”

“Vieni… qua, mia cara…” Mrs. Carillo said to me, and I looked to Austin for translation.

Austin stood and walked toward me, stopping at the end of his Mamma’s bed. “She wants you to go to her.”

Austin had a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face, and blushing, I entered the room, then stood rather awkwardly next to Austin.

Hearing a quiet laugh beside me, I looked up at Austin, and he flicked his chin toward his momma. “Go on. She wants to meet you.”

Lowering my head, I walked to the top of the bed, to behold a woman with glossy black hair down her back, the most beautiful olive skin, and eyes the color of cinnamon. Mrs. Carillo was stunning.

“Lexi, very nice… to meet… you,” Mrs. Carillo said softly in a heavily accented Italian voice, pausing between words. I could see it was a struggle for her to speak. I felt so sorry for her.

“Nice to meet you too, ma’am.”

“Chiara,” she pushed.

I smiled. “Nice to meet you, Chiara.”

“Ah… lei è bella,” she said to Austin, who had moved to the other side of the bed, and she let out a wheezy laugh. “Un… piccolo folletto oscuro…”

Austin smirked at his mamma and looked upon me, humor in his eyes. “Si. Lo é.”

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “What?”

Austin shook his head and hid his grin with his hand.

Facing me once again, Mrs. Carillo asked, “You know… my Austin… from school?”

I stilled and, casting a glimpse to Austin, saw him exaggerate a nod, telling me to say yes. He didn’t want the Heighters mentioned; that was clear to see.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m on the Crimson cheer squad. I cheer every home and away game for the Tide.”

Mrs. Carillo smiled, but only the right side of her face lifted. She was still one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen, even with that slight loss of muscle control. “Ah, the football. I am… so very… proud. Austin… so talented…”

Wincing, Mrs. Carillo tried to move her position on the bed, and Austin jumped to help his mother turn slightly onto her side.

“Grazie… mio caro,” she said through gritted teeth and tilted her head to look at me. “Scusami, Lexi… I am tired… this illness… not so good…”

“Sleep, Mamma,” Austin said and pulled the blankets up to her shoulders. “I’ll come back soon.”

“Okay… You take… Lexi home now. It is… late… Protect her.”

“Oh no, thanks, but I’ll be fine,” I said from behind. “I’ve got my car—”

Mrs. Carillo held up her shaking hand in my direction, and I immediately stopped talking. “Austin will… see you… home safe. He’ll do right… by you… Okay, mio caro?” she then said to Austin.

Casting a long, indecisive look at me, Austin then fixed a smile at his momma. “Erm… certo, Mamma. I’ll see her home safe. Lo guiro.”

“Such a… good boy.” Mrs. Carillo’s eyes closed and she whispered, “Ti voglio bene… Austin… Ciao, Lexi… Lovely… to meet you… Come back soon…” And then she drifted off to asleep.

The tenderness on Austin’s face when he stared at his sleeping, sick momma almost brought me to tears. And when he moved to an old record player in the corner of the room and turned it on, a stray tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek. The soothing vocals of “Ave Maria” serenaded from the small speaker, and Austin looked at me and shrugged in embarrassment. “It makes her smile,” was all he said.

I lost a piece of my heart to him right then.

Austin motioned me out the door with his hand, and I covertly wiped my cheek. When the door to his momma’s room was shut, I rocked awkwardly on my feet.

“She likes you,” Austin said after a few tense seconds of silence, his lip sucked into the corner of his mouth.

For some reason, his momma liking me made me feel happy. “I like her too. She’s beautiful,” I replied.

Austin nodded, but it seemed like he couldn’t speak. It was like I could almost hear him add, But she won’t be around too much longer.