An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 45

"Lena?" Echo said, knocking gently on the room door.

"Just a second." She heard Lena said.

"Lena, dear. We're going to be late." Echo replied. They'd been waiting for her downstairs for over 15 minutes. The ceremony was supposed to start in an hour.

"Just... give me a second." Lena insisted.

"Hey... is she ready yet?" Romy asked, stomping down the hall. "Vera is starting to freak out."

"I knocked and she just keeps saying...." Echo began but Lena's voice came through the door.

"In a minute!" Lena called.

"Right." Romy said with a sigh. "Okay. You go downstairs, get Vera and Maru to the hotel and I will grab Lena and follow."

"Are you sure?" Echo asked and Romy nodded.

"Yes, now go." Romy said and Echo nodded.

"Yeah, okay." Echo said, turning and walking away.

Romy watched as Echo walked down the hall, waiting for her to disappear around the corner. Then, she opened the door.

"I told you just a minute." Lena said, rushing into the closet, her dress swishing gently behind her.

"Lena, come here." Romy said, walking up to the vanity and pulling out the chair.

"Why you?" Lena said, dragging herself out of the closet, her make up completely a mess and in tears. "I have four sisters, why you?"

"Sit." Romy said gently. "I'm your big sister."

"I have three big sisters." Lena said, moving to sit, nonetheless.

"I'm the real big sister." Romy said, reaching out for a make up wipe. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Do you even care?" Lena asked.

"I care about you not making a fool of yourself." Romy said as she cleaned her up.

"Is that all you care about? What people think?" Lena said angrily, slapping her hands away. Romy stared at her for a second and then pulled up an ottoman, taking a seat across from Lena.

"Remember when Maru and you were 10 and you two decided to sing in the talent show?" Romy said, continuing to wipe the make up clean.

"Yes..." Lena said.

"What was it you were singing? Opps I did it again." Romy said.

"Baby one more time!" Lena said.

"Right, Britney Spears." Romy said, "Well, anyway, you girls were doing fantastic, by the way, and then suddenly, mid routine... you froze."

"Are you trying to cheer me up?" Lena asked.

"Everyone was trying to console you after as you cried and cried and cried... it really was pathetic." Romy said.

"You should get Vera... she's better at this." Lena said with a frown.

"Everyone except me." Romy said, "But that wasn't really my style."

"It's never been." Lena said.

"Especially when I knew what really upset you about it." Romy said, making Lena's eyes dart to her.

"You did?" Lena asked, the knot in her throat coming back.

"Like I do now." Romy said, her face softening. Lena suddenly broke into sobs and wrapped her arms around Romy's neck. Romy wasn't used to affection but whether or not she liked to admit it, she had a soft spot for her sisters. She brought her hand up and gently patted Lena's head, trying not to mess up her hair.