Lena
The wine tasting ended.A passerby knocked over the wine rack in the hallway.
The rack toppled straight toward me and my best friend,Lena.My mafia husband and our son both yanked her behind them first.
She walked away unharmed.I crashed hard to the floor.
Lena hurried over toward me.
“ Seraphina, are you okay? ”
My son grabbed the hem of her dress.
“ Aunt Lena, don’t go over there. You’ll get red wine on your pretty dress. ”
“ But your mom fell. I have to help her up! ” Lena insisted.
Dante pulled her back against his chest.
“ Calm down. She’s a grown woman. She’s not that fragile. She can clean herself up and stand. ”
My left arm hung limp at my side.Blood seeped through the spilled red wine, heavy and warm.
I suddenly realized I had lived this exact scene too many times.
When rivals trapped us in the underground parking garage and I took a knife for him.
When Lena was kidnapped and I stormed the warehouse to save her.
Every time I got hurt, they only cared about someone else. They acted like I was fine.
Dante walked ahead with Lena in his arms. Luca held her hand and glanced back impatiently.
“ Mom, Dad says you go home alone. You smell like wine. You’ll get Aunt Lena’s dress dirty. She has a tour next week. ”
I watched their backs, like a perfect family of three.
I gave a soft " hmm ". “ I’ll go home by myself. ”
I would not cling to this rotten relationship anymore too.