“So what’s his name?” Lexi asked, as the waiter came back with our drinks.

“Name?” I questioned as a glass of champagne was placed before me.

“The sculptor, Mr. Owns Your Soul’s name!” she stressed and pouted her lips to stop the smile from lighting up her face.

“Oh, right, sorry. Erm… Elpidio. He goes by Elpidio,” I replied.

Austin huffed beside me. “Haven’t heard that name in a while.”

“You’ve heard of it?” I questioned.

“It was our nonno’s name,” Austin replied. “Our mamma’s father’s name. It’s not that common anymore...”

“So it’s Italian?” I asked, excited that just a little bit more about the reclusive artist had been revealed.

Austin nodded his head, now too busy eating his breadsticks to elaborate further.

“Well, Al,” Rome said and sat forward, grabbing his glass of champagne and raising it in the air. “Gotta say, I’m glad you’re here with us in Seattle, and good luck with your new job.”

Everyone raised their glasses and took a sip.

“I’m so glad to be here too!”

Chapter Four

Elpidio

Seattle, Washington

Vin pulled the car to a stop in front of the address I’d given him. The address I’d clutched onto the entire plane ride here, the ink of that address now smudged on the piece of wilting scrap paper in my hand.

My hands shook as I stared straight ahead, too afraid to look to my right at the house I knew sat there waiting. Everything was silent as I tried to breathe through my nerves. I could feel Vin’s eyes watching me.

“Are you okay, Elpi?” he asked, shattering the quiet.

I opened my mouth to answer but no words came out. Nodding my head once, I pulled in a long breath and moved my shaking hand to the door handle. As the door popped open, and without meeting Vin’s eyes, I said, “Thanks for picking me up.”

“Not a problem, Elpi,” he replied. “I’ll meet you at he studio tomorrow, yes? Show you the space I’ve got for you to continue your work.”

“Fine,” I said in a clipped tone and jumped out the car, slamming the door.

Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I forced myself to lift my head and saw a huge brick mansion in front of me.

My heart hammered too fast, the driveway looking like a damn green mile. I took a step forward, my hands shaking harder as I thought about what waited for me on the other side of that black front door.

Pushing myself to keep moving, the gravel crunched beneath my boots. My stomach clenched and sweat ran down my face under my heavy long hair.

Everything I had left in the world was on the other side of that door. Everything I had left, but nothing I deserved. Questions bombarded my mind: what if they rejected me? What if the only people I loved no longer loved me back? I hadn’t seen them in three years, cut them off without any explanation. What if they couldn’t forgive me for that? What if I was truly on my own? What the fuck would I do then?

Trying to push the fear from my head, my feet kept forging forward, my breathing increasing the closer I got to the house. Everywhere was quiet, only a few birds singing in the high trees surrounding the property. I hated quiet, it made the shitty thoughts constantly in my head too loud.

Reaching the front door, I tried to listen for any signs of life inside, but I couldn’t hear shit. Inside was as silent as it was out here. I wasn’t used to it. I was used to shouting, metal doors clanging, and orders being fired… not this nothingness. Not this unsettling peace.

The sound of my rushing blood thundered in my ears and I lifted my hand to knock. But I couldn’t stop my hand from shaking. I couldn’t fucking stop it shaking. I immediately lowered my head.

I didn’t think I could do it. After all this time… what if they didn’t want me? My eyes squeezed closed. I was such a fucking pussy!

Clenching my hand into a fist, I took a deep breath, opened my eyes and before I could talk myself out of it, I rapped on the door twice, dropping my hand to wait for an answer.

Too many thoughts were running through my mind as I stood there, feet fixed to ground, trembling like a little fucking girl. Then footsteps sounded on the other side.

Holding my breath, I heard the locks slowly being unlatched and, like time switched to friggin’ slow motion, saw the doorknob turn. My hair covered my face as I tried to calm my nerves, but when a pair of feet came into view, I knew who stood there… right in front of me… finally, after all these years.

“Can I help you?”