Losing Her Wings

Chapter 17

Raya couldn’t help but complain to herself as Angelo sent her away to get her father. Just because she was younger than he was didn’t mean that she didn’t understand what he and his mother were talking about. She knew perfectly well that he was explaining the delicate details of her father’s health with Simone and yet, she didn’t quite understand why she had to be sent away. She knew that he was sick. She might not have known what was wrong with him, or what was going on around her, but she knew that her father was sick and no-one but Angelo and his parents knew about it. Paige didn’t even know that he was sick. But Raya was smart and she’d seen too many people leave her to not notice the small things about her father that pointed to some sort of illness. The moments when he stopped halfway up the stairs after being away for the day, supposedly at work, only to stand taking deep breaths for a good long five minutes before retreating to his room for the rest of the day. The times when she found him coughing into a handkerchief which, when she went over to the trash bin after he’d left, she found stained with little spots of blood.

She was no fool. There was something wrong with him and she didn’t have to know what it was to be scared of losing him. But when Raya approached the pool room, to call her father through to the kitchen to speak to her mother about the dinner arrangements, she was a little glad that she had been relegated to fetching her father. Because when she heard Paige’s uncertain and conflicting thoughts being vocalised from within, she couldn’t help but hover outside the door and listen in, knowing that she would only be sent away again if caught. “Paige, darling, how on earth does Angelo make you feel helpless?” Julius asked softly, curious as to the meaning of her words.

“Whenever he’s around I never know what I’m doing. I don’t know what I’m thinking or why and I hate it.” Paige claimed, a pain in her voice that no-one understood and yet she didn‘t seem to mind, because all that really mattered to her, was that someone was there to listen and she could say anything she liked, and have someone to help her sort through her thoughts. “I just…I know he would make the best husband any woman could ever think of…” She continued with a faint smile. “But I really…it always feels like there’s something missing between us. Like there’s this important element that is essential to every relationship or marriage, which we don’t have.”

“Paige…I know my son and I know that he wouldn’t want you to marry him unless you love him.” Dino interceded, knowing that if she were to accept any proposal Angelo made to her without knowing exactly what it was she felt, it could cause them both heartache. “I have an idea…you are trying to decide whether to marry him or not, aren’t you?” He checked first, the silently uncertain nod that came from her, only fuelling the belief he had in his words. “Wait until he asks you. If you feel excited and are anticipating his words, then you know it’s what you want. If you aren’t interested in hearing anything he has to say, or can’t seem to focus, then it’s not. Look into his eyes and just…listen to your heart.” He advised, the doubtful glance from Julius not even bothering him as he saw the understanding and thankful smile Paige gave him as she slid her feet to the floor.

“Thank you Dino.” She smiled, leaning forward as she kissed his cheek lightly in appreciation and then did the same with her father before getting to her feet. “I think that’s what I’ll do.” She agreed, barely even registering the fact that Raya had been listening in to every word since she’d arrived, as she said a happy hello to her sister and made her way through to the living room.

Angelo knew that Raya wasn’t happy about being sent away so that he could tell his mother about Julius’s hospital appointment, but he was only looking out for her and doing what he felt was best. The last thing he wanted was for her to be in the room, only hearing little snippets of the conversation as she pretended to give them some privacy to talk, only to worry that it was more serious than it really was. Angelo knew that if Raya even thought that Julius was seriously sick, then she’d start thinking that he was going to die, purely because everyone else she’d ever cared about had died and left her alone. “So he’s doing okay?” Simone wondered, happy that things were finally working out alright for everyone.