Beautiful Trauma (Complete)

Chapter 10 - Ari, meet Odette

Aria's POV

"Oh god, Dominic she is having a panic attack!" I heard Dani yell pushing past him to get to me. 

She approached me slowly then gently took my hands. 

"Ari, look at me. Nowhere else, just me." I followed her instructions. 

"Ok good, now focus on your breathing. Nothing else, focus only on that and the feel of my hands. Breathe in through your nose, hold for a count of 3, then breathe out through your mouth." 

I closed my eyes and began breathing and tried my best to concentrate on holding her hands. I felt her hands and squeezed them slightly and concentrated on that feeling while I breathed. 

"Dom..." Dani whispered to him. He looked at her.

"Send Marcel to get one of my pills from my bedside table and a glass of water." He nodded and gave instructions to Marcel. 

I could feel the tightening in my chest slowly lift little by little. When I felt I had it under control, for the most part, I opened my eyes. 

"Hey there, pretty lady..." Dani said to me. I gave her a small smile. I saw Marcel come in with a glass of water and a singular pill. Dani grabbed it and gave it to me. 

"Here, take this. They are mine and they are mild tranquilizers." 

I nodded and without a word slowly took the pill and swallowed it with the water. I handed it back to her and she gave it back to Marcel who left. She turned back to me.

"Ari, what happened there?" 

I sighed deeply then looked up to see Dominic standing there with his hands in his pockets. Then I looked back at Dani. I think she caught on to my hesitation. 

"Dom, please give us a minute." She asked him. He nodded and left closing the bathroom door. She looked at me but didn't say anything or pressure me. She stood there calmly waiting for me. 

 "Certain things just triggered some of my memories that caused my anxiety from about 5 years ago. I haven't had a panic attack in about a year so I don't know what made it come now." I sighed. 

"What things Ari?" She asked cautiously. I hesitated a bit and she noticed. "It's only between us." I gave her a small nod. 

"Seeing Dominic with his daughter," I said, barely a whisper but she heard me. At first, her face looked confused. "I saw him have everything I don't. I know it makes no sense but 5 years ago something happened." 

"What happened?" She asked. I began shaking be head profusely and she noticed my panic. "Ok. No. Relax. You don't need to tell me anything. Forget I asked." I closed my eyes and calmed myself. When I opened up my eyes she was sporting a grin. 

"Why are you smiling?" 

"Oh, sweety. That little girl isn't Dom's child. Although I'm surprised he doesn't have a dozen running around from the way he acts. Freaking man-whore." This took me aback a bit. She saw my face and added, "That would be my little girl and her absolute favorite uncle." 

You idiot, Ari. You need a damn trampoline the way you jump to conclusions, I thought to myself. 

"You have a little girl?" I asked her.