My Italian Doctor

Chapter Twenty Five

I started to panic as I saw the lights of the vineyard coming into view. The last thing I wanted was to see anyone. I flipped down the sun visor and opened the little mirror. Even with its poor view, I could see how puffy and red my face was. Not only would Mamma take one look at me and swoop, but even Pops would know something was wrong. The last thing I wanted was to tell Rylie. She was finally in a more positive place, and I didn't want to bring her down with me.

Luca was still away, but we all expected him to come back soon. Rylie was just happy that he was going to be free of Amelia, but the rest of us fully expected him to swoop in and sweep Rylie off her feet. When she was finally under less stress, I didn't want to introduce something new for her to worry about.

"I don't want to go back to the house."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about what happened and if we go back, I will have to."

"It's fine. We will go up to my office." The second she spoke, it felt like the panic drained from my body. When we got to the warehouse, she jumped out and left the engine running. I watched as she opened the huge metal loading door before she returned to me. She drove straight into the warehouse, which was rare. She normally just parked outside. "This way, no one will even know we are back."

I climbed out of the car as she closed the shutter and started heading upstairs to the office. I hadn't even considered the impact walking in there was going to have on me. The second I rounded the doorframe and saw the desk, I had flashbacks of our time in there together. It was all too much. George had been the first man I had made any real commitment to, and it turned out he had zero commitment to me. Apparently, I didn't even know the man.

I could never have dreamed he would do such a thing, but since I found out, it was like everything dropped into place. The reason for his secrecy, his reluctance, was his wife. He had held back from me because he knew he was betraying her. That was what his catholic guilt had been about. I had been so stupid. How could I have believed everything he told me when there was evidence to refute it?

Aurora sunk down onto the sofa and pulled me along with her. I sunk down without even trying to stop myself. I just let myself fall into its softness. "You need to stop beating yourself up. It wasn't like you knew he was married. He's cheated on you just as much as he's cheated on her. This isn't your fault."

"It feels like my fault, though. I shouldn't have trusted him. I should have looked deeper."

"You had no real reason to think it was anything other than what he told you. The only reason you think you should have noticed is that you now know. You told me what he told you about his daughter and I didn't think anything of it either. I wasn't the one under his spell, and I still saw no reason to mistrust him."

"There were things I didn't tell you. He kept talking about being catholic and feeling guilty. I should have known there was something more to it."

"That still means nothing. We are programmed to feel guilty about everything. If you had told me that, I would have assumed it was because you guys were having s*x, not because he had a secret wife." I wanted to trust that she was right, that I was free from blame at least, but that didn't change the way I felt, really. I might not need to feel guilty, but I still did, and so much more too. I felt like so much had been taken away from me in one fell swoop.

I had planned to make a life in Italy, not just with him, but a whole life with my newfound family. That was impossible once I knew about his wife. She knew who I was, and I knew she would make things difficult for me. She wanted me gone, and I wanted to be gone just as much.

I wanted to shout and scream at him, but I couldn't. He didn't even have his phone. "Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?"

"No, of course not. I will just make an excuse for everyone. Say you've headed into work early tomorrow or something." She rose and went over to a cabinet near her desk, pulling out a quilt and pillow.

"Why do you have bedding in your office?"

"In case I work so late that I can't be bothered to walk home." She really was a ridiculous workaholic.

"How often do you sleep in your office?"

"About once a week, but let's not get into my failings. Tonight has been tough enough. Lie down." I did as I was told because I was too exhausted to refuse. She tucked me up as though she was my own mother before laying a kiss on my forehead. I felt like I was back to being five years old and upset about Billy Larkin pushing me over. Somehow it made everything feel slightly better like there was a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. "Now, sleep."

She clicked the light off on her way out of the door and left nothing but the moon illuminating the room. As I lay there, I thought about the odd ways Italy had affected me. I had both become more mature but also more childlike at the same time. I had found direction and been left completely lost. Overall, I couldn't decide if it was positive or not. I may have gained things, but I had lost so much more.

My time in the country was definitely ending on a negative note. I wasn't convinced I would ever want to come back, although I would have to even if it was just for holidays. Luckily, I was so exhausted that sleep came easily, but I knew it would be a restless night.

I tossed and turned all night long, waking several times while it was still dark outside. It seemed like I was in eternal darkness. All I could think was that I would be waking up to my last day in Italy and it couldn't pass quickly enough. I couldn't wait to be on that plane and ready to fly away from all the pain and hurt that existed in Italy.

When Aurora shook me awake the next morning, I was beyond groggy from the disturbed sleep. I seriously considered going back to sleep and sleeping my way through the hours until I left. "Breakfast is on the desk." Her words were enough to brighten my mood. I was starving. As soon as she left the room, no doubt giving orders to her workforce, I jumped on the food and coffee.

I had finished my breakfast and was still sipping on the coffee when she came back. "Where did you get that doughnut from?"

"I went into town. I know you prefer something sweet for breakfast."

"You drove all the way into Verona to pick me up breakfast?"

"That's what sisters do for one another. You needed a pick-me-up, and I made sure you got it. Are you feeling any better this morning?" I didn't want to tell her that the breakfast had done little to improve my mood, not after all the effort she had gone to. The idea that she thought of me as a sister really touched me but made me even sadder to be leaving her.

"I'm alright, just processing everything."

"Are you going to speak with him?"

"I don't think so. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. She had his phone."

"So, she lured you to meet her. That's a bit close to a crazy stalker. The more I learn about her, the more I feel sorry for him."

"Aurora, really? You feel sorry for him after he cheated?"

"Not like I feel sorry for him for cheating, but she hardly sounds like a dream to be married to."

"That is no excuse for what he did."

"I know. I just find it all a little hard to believe. I'm a pretty good judge of character and he gave me good vibes." I knew how she felt because I had felt the exact same thing about him. I had thought he was moral and trustworthy, and I was glad I wasn't the only one.

I reached over and grabbed my phone out of habit, checking the different notifications I had received overnight. There it was, bold as brass, a message from George.

George: Got back late last night. Would have messaged you sooner, but I couldn't find my phone. Ring me when you can. I'm free all day and want to make the most of your last day before you go wrap everything up at home.

I couldn't believe it. I dropped the phone as though it had burned me. How could he just message me as though nothing had happened? Did he even know that his wife knew about us? What would have been an innocent message suddenly seemed like the greatest sin in the world. Aurora bent down and collected my phone from the wooden floorboards.

"You have to be f*****g kidding me. Is he taking the piss? Do you want me to deal with him?"

"No, I can handle it." I wasn't at all sure I was capable of dealing with him after everything, but I had to tell him something. He had proved time and time again that if I blanked him, he would just turn up. His wife might not have confronted him, but I would have to.