This Heart of Mine

Ch. 38: Sealed With A Kiss

Ian's mouth dropped when Naina told him what'd happened and showed him the check.

"She's moving? Why? When she'd done nothing wrong?" he asked.

She shrugged. The moment she left Deme's place, she headed over to Ian's. He didn't ask her why she'd come.

But that might've been because she'd been sobbing ugly tears. A big, nasty splotch covered the side of his shirt where her head was nestled. Her nose felt like a used, forgotten rag.

Naina blubbered, struggling to fight the marble in her throat as she croaked, "I-I fe-feel like it's m-my fault, even though—"

"It's not," he finished.

They laid against the sofa, with her head on her favorite spot of his chest, where his heart beat through the soft fabric of his shirt. Every now and then, he'd rub her back and scratch a spot here and there.

"I know it's not," she grumbled. "But my heart hurts like someone's stabbed it a million times and like, why does that have to be the only option for her? It's Lauren and Ollie that're supposed to apologize, not her."

"She's an adult woman and she knows what she wants. For her, this might be the best choice, starting off at a new place, and purge any shitty memories she has. She's feeling just as guilty as you are right now babe." He kissed the top of her head and nuzzled it a little.

A minor tickle erupted from the spot he'd pecked, and she wiggled around a bit. "Why do you always have the right answer?"

He laughed. "Maybe cause I've seen too many stupid things in my life. But it's not going to do you any good to feel guilty. She's moving away and made up her mind. You've got to learn to let things go."

Ergh. He'd hit all the points. "Yeah...that's true."

"Especially when nothing's your fault. You didn't pick a fight with anyone. Sometimes, things just happen out of your control and hurt you, like they did."

He sighed and continued. "I'm sorry that she's moving though. She was a pretty chill lady."

She had to be if she was dealing with Lauren.

The sadness seeped out of Naina's heart and disappeared into the floor below. Her body finally relaxed into his and she let out the sigh that'd fogged up her lungs.

It is what it is.

Gigi didn't contact her after that night. Naina visited town more often and heard from Deme that people were talking about seeing Gigi that night.

About the last time they'd seen her.

Almost everyone had heard about the wedding incident and the outburst at the meeting with the lawyers. Ollie went from being a respected member of the community to a social pariah. Several businesses refused to do business with her, and many people visibly avoided her when she walked into the town square. Rumor had it that she'd be leaving town soon too.

Lauren hadn't changed at all. She was still surrounded by people who validated her Queen B attitude, like Carmella. She also seemed to be very embarrassed when Naina brought up Queenie and how she'd suddenly turned up at the clinic.

Naina was happy to know Lauren didn't want anything to do with the cat, who didn't seem to miss her former owner.

Carmella hadn't given up her multi-level market makeup scheme. Even now, she resorted to accosting people at the grocery store and on social media to sell it. She also still used it, caking it on and frosting her face with foundation and powder.

Only Dominic, who'd actively ignored and probably hated Naina at one point, came to her and apologized for his behavior. Ian had set up the meeting with her permission.