Adriana's Corner

Chapter 16

"Where is he going to stay while he's there?"

"Flat. He and the girls are cleaning it for me now. No machete or murderous weapons, don't worry...which reminds me, why did you think I was trying to make you jealous?"

There's a silence and he laughs a little.

"Nothing...don't worry."

"Miles..." I start suspiciously. He laughs again.

"It was nothing. I read your email wrong is all."

I raise an eyebrow, not convinced.

"Nina, stop looking at me like that..."

"Like what?" I scoff.

"Like that. Like you don't believe me."

"Well, I don't." I smile. Miles laughs again as I wonder why I haven't felt this good all day.

"So..." Miles starts but stops there.

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Oh," I frown as the screams start up again. I pull my pillow over and put it under my head. "Joe told you what's wrong."

"Mm but why are you panicking. It's a good thing isn't it?"

I sit up.

"Um...what story did you get?" I ask.

"No, come on Nina. Adriana was in contact with your grandparents and they set her up with cash. Isn't that a good thing? You were worried about her having nobody but she did. That's good. You were worried about getting her part of the grandparents inheritance, you didn't. This is a good thing."

"Yeah but...why didn't my grandparents tell me? Why didn't Adriana tell me she'd stopped the treatment? What did she do that turned my parents against her but got support from my grandparents?"

"Those questions will get answered." he says calmly. "Just focus on what you do know rather than what you don't. She had help. She had support. That's all you need to focus on now. If you keep trying to figure out all the other pieces, you'll drive yourself mad." I lie down again and stare at the ceiling in thought. I'm half expecting to be angry that he's right yet again, but I'm not. "Nina..." Miles voice starts again. "Still with me?"

I let out a breath and brush my fingers through my fringe.

"Yeah."

There's another small silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks in a tone I haven't heard before. Almost like disappointment. I lay there uncomfortably for a moment, not quite sure what he's referring to.

"Tell you what?" I ask.

"About Adriana. You found out this morning right?"

"Yeah but you would have been in bed..."

"Nina..." he sighs, with a hint of frustration "the last time something happened with your family, you broke down and slept in the hallway. I just...I wished you'd let me call."

"And make you lose sleep?" I ask wondering if, for once I'm going to get an argument out of him.

"Yes." his voice has gone soft again and I sigh, sitting up. "I hardly sleep as it is, I'd rather be talking you out of the liquor cabinet than staring at the ceiling all night."

"No, you need to...Arrrrrgh! Miles, why can't we just have an argument for once without you being all nice!" 

Miles laughs at this which isn't the response I was hoping for. For a split second I break into a smile but I wipe it off. "Why are you laughing? This isn't funny. You staring at the ceiling all night isn't funny and me having nobody to argue with isn't funny."