Mend (Care Duet, #2)

21 | mend loss

AVELINA WAS HEADING back to New York. Her due date was approaching, and with every passing second, her nerves pricked and pried at her.

Adrik had to leave a little earlier than Avelina due to work and his hair appointment, so Avelina was left in the very long car ride with her ex-kidnapper and Natasha... just great.

"I'm so excited to finally see the baby!" Natasha cheered.

Throughout the week of being forced to spend time with Natasha, Avelina would find herself easily falling into conversation with her. She was easy to talk to, and never shared judgment. Of course, it was so easy to get along with her—she was someone Avelina hoped to befriend.

Just as soon as Avelina let herself go for a simple conversation such as the weather, she would lock herself back again, putting up a tall, brick wall to keep the distance.

She never wanted to forget the hurt she went through, and it all began with Natasha. The reason why her brother was batshit crazy, why she couldn't be with Adrik, and why she was depressed for months only to find out that the only friend she made other than Miss Paola was lying to her.

Natasha murdered her grandmother, and no matter how kind Natasha may have seemed, there was no way Avelina could ever forgive her.

"Oh, I just love babies! I'm going to spoil my little niece or nephew," Natasha gushed.

Another thing that was just sitting on the tip of her tongue, just ready to come out was the fact that Natasha could come in and be a part of the baby's life in ever way. However, if Vincent were to make the same proposition, he would be met with resistance. It didn't seem fair—especially since Vincent hadn't murdered anyone in their close family unlike Natasha.

Avelina sighed. Maybe she was thinking harder than she needed to. Her hormones always made her go through a whirlpool of emotions every single day. One moment, she was angry, and the next, she was as happy as she could be.

"Yeah," Avelina muttered.

She was glaring at the driver, hoping he could feel her murderous gaze. Occasionally, he would glance at her with a raised brow.

"What?" he questioned.

"Oh, nothing other than looking at the coward that kidnapped me," Avelina answered while never easing her glare.

"Whatever," he scoffed.

Just then, Natasha's phone began to ring. She didn't hesitate to answer it and press it up to her ear. Despite not having it to speak, Avelina was able to hear almost every word coming from the person on the other line.

"I know where you are," it said. Chills and goosebumps danced on her skin as the hairs on her arms down to her legs stood.

"Who is this?" Natasha asked. She put her phone on speaking just after tapping my kiddnapper.

There was laughter on the other line. "You know exactly who this is," the voice stated.

Suddenly, realization dawned upon her face. "Camilla," Natasha whispered.

Avelina tried to rack her brain on a quest to figure out who exactly Camilla was. The driver didn't seem to recognize whoever the girl was either because he looked just as confused as Avelina.

"Just after I end this call, I will be pressing send to immediately notify Vincent of where he can find his pregnant sister... as well as you, of course," she giggled into the phone like a maniac.