“Okay,” I said and just shrugged.
“Barbie, I don’t know what you expect me to say. He’s my dad. He’s a businessman. I work for his company. I prove myself just like every other employee. Just like Mila has to prove herself as she now works for her family business as well.” He pulled up in the driveway and switched the engine off and looked back at me. “Sometimes I wish that I worked somewhere else, that I could do something else. Sometimes I wish that certain expectations weren’t set of me, you know?” His eyes bored into mine and it was as if he were talking directly to me and me alone.
“I know what you mean.” I nodded and sighed. “Sometimes I feel that way too.”
“It can be hard.” He nodded. “The path to success isn’t an easy one, even if your dad owns the company. Sometimes you just have to show what you’re capable of.” He ran his hands through his silky hair and his eyes narrowed. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to show what I’m made of and I’m not taking any prisoners.”
“Whoa, enough serious talk, baby.” Barbie laughed lightly and ran her hand across his face. “Let’s go to bed. I want you to show me exactly what you’re capable of right now.”
“Ugh,” Sally said loudly and opened the car door. “Mila and I are going to our room. Thanks for driving, TJ,” she said sounding anything but thankful as she jumped out of the car, and I followed suit, slamming the car door behind me as I got out. “I swear I’m going to slap that girl,” Sally said as we made our way into the cabin. She’s absolutely awful.”
“I know,” I said softly as we walked to our room. “She really is.” We closed the door behind us and I walked over to my bed and sat down and lay back. “This is going to be a long weekend.” I sighed.
“Yes, it is, but don’t worry. I have a plan.” Sally winked at me.
“What plan?” I asked suspiciously.
“I’ll tell you in a few minutes.” She pulled her top off. “I’m headed to the shower now. I need to wash off this sweat from my body, and I want to deep condition my hair for tomorrow.”
“Right now?” I rolled my eyes at her and she grinned.
“No time like the present.” She laughed.
“Fine, I’ll go in the shower after you and then we can talk. I want to know what you have up your sleeve.”
“You’ll love it. Trust me.” She grinned and I groaned as she made her way to the adjoining bathroom. I had a bad feeling that putting my trust in Sally wasn’t going to work out for the best.
***
I walked out of the shower and dried my hair with my big fluffy towel. I was eager to hear what Sally was going to tell me, but as I watched her sleeping, with her mouth slightly ajar, I knew I wasn’t going to find out tonight. So instead I grabbed my phone and put on my boots and walked into the living room. I couldn’t sleep yet and I felt the urge to speak to my grandfather.
“Hi, Nonno,” I said as he picked up. “I hope it’s not too late.”
“It’s never too late for my Mila,” he said, his voice gruff. “How is the lake house?”
“Fine,” I said, my voice sad.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just wish that sometimes I didn’t feel so lonely.”
“You’re there with your friends, no, Mila?” His tone was questioning and I knew he was worried.
“Yea, Sally is here. So is TJ and his girlfriend or whatever. And Cody will be here tomorrow.”
“So why do you feel lonely?”
“I don’t know.” I bit my lower lip and grabbed my coat so that I could head outside.
“Did you and Sally fall out?”
“No, Nonno,” I said and quickly zipped up my coat as it was freezing cold outside. I walked down the driveway and headed towards the path that would take me to the lake.
“Some days I just feel like I’m so alone, no matter how many people are around me. I feel like I’m the only one who really knows what’s going on inside of me,” I said as I headed towards the lake, the one place I knew would bring me some solace.
“You’re not alone, Mila. You know you always have me. What’s really wrong? Is it TJ?” His voice was astute and I tried not to cry.
“He’s never going to want me, is he?”
“If he’s the one for you, he will already know. If he’s not, it doesn’t even matter.”
“How did you know that Nonna was the one?” I asked softly as I headed to one of the wooden chaises and sat down.
“You know this story.” My nonno’s voice became sentimental. “I’ve been telling you the story since you were a little girl.”
“Tell me again,” I said and I leaned back and hugged myself as the cool wind hit my face. I looked out at the big, dark lake and then looked up at the night sky and the thousands of shining stars.
“I was working for my uncle who owned a bakery,” he said, his voice still sentimental. “I used to deliver the bread to all the people in my village. It was a lot of people.”