Eli sat in his living room on the edge of the sofa watching the door. It was dark now and Mia had been gone all day. He was starting to worry that she wouldn't come back.
He cursed himself for going about the situation the way he had. He wished he would have given himself time to think about what he was going to say before he said it. Sure he was upset about them wanting to get married so young, but he had initially decided he would give himself some time to think it over before he said anything. Then Mia dropped the bomb about her moving to LA with him after they graduated and he lost it. He didn't want to lose her but now he just may have lost her even sooner.
Mia's words had brought him back to reality. She was right after all. He owed his new relationship with Mia to Bruno. If it wasn't for him there's not telling what would be of Mia right now. Not that she was ever a bad kid, but if she felt the way she said, there's no telling what feeling alone like she did could have driven her to do. When she said what she said he couldn't even say anything back. He was at a complete loss for words. Mia had never expressed to him how his relationship with her prior to Bruno made her feel. Hearing those words from her really hit him hard and hurt him more than he'd even been hurt before. How could he make his niece feel that way. His sister had left him to care for her and raise her as his own. But he had been wrapped up in his own hurt for so many years.
"If I don't make this right. It won't matter if she leaves for LA or not. I will have already lost her" he said to himself. He rose from the couch and opened the door. He was headed towards Bruno's door when he heard Mia's laugh coming from down the hall. It was like music to his ears. Spending the entire day alone in his thoughts like he had, he thought he might never get to hear her voice ever again, let alone her contagious laugh. He turned around to see a smiling Mia walking down the hall with Bruno's hand in hers.
As if they sensed his presence, both Mia and Bruno looked up straight at him at the same time. They kept walking towards him but both their expressions turned serious.
They stopped in front of him and before Eli could say anything Bruno spoke. "Good evening sir. I apologize for bringing her back so late." Without giving her uncle any time to answer him he turned to Mia and said "I'll let you two talk baby." Then he kissed her cheek and started to walk away.
Eli looked at Mia for a second and just as Bruno passed by him he turned and placed his hand on Bruno's shoulder and brought him to a halt. "You should stay" he said.
Bruno turned and looked at him with a surprised expression on his face, then he looked at Mia.
"Please stay" Eli spoke again.
Bruno nodded his head. "Okay" he said and went back to Mia's side as they headed inside.