As she pounded the bread dough onto the floured countertop, she hoped that it would help get rid of the frustration and helplessness she felt. It hadn’t worked so far, in fact, she was getting madder and madder the more she pounded.
The dough was already smooth, but she flipped it up, back down and continued to knead it until her arms ached and she didn’t have the strength to carry on…and, that’s when the tears started…great, big, racking sobs shook her body. All her fear for what would happen with Dante after his visit with the bishop. All her fear at the reaction her family would have when they admitted their relationship. All her fear that the future she’d looked forward to over the weekend wouldn’t be possible. All of it came out through the sobs and tears raining down her face.
“Emelia?”
She heard her name, but she couldn’t move as the fear ripped through her body, and that’s when she felt Aiden pull her into his arms.
“I’ve got you. Just let it out, Sis.”
Hearing him call her sis, she cried harder.
She buried her face into his chest and let him hold and comfort her. He held her so tightly that she knew she was safe with Aiden, and she wanted desperately to tell him what was going on. Everything.
She couldn’t.
Not yet.
Not until Dante was with her.
She’d promised him.
If only Eric was here, then she’d have someone to talk to. But now she had to suffer in silence until Dante returned to her.
Aiden stroked her back, and pulled back slightly. “Feeling a bit better?”
Her sobs had turned into hiccups. “I am now. Thank you.” She offered him a watery smile, stepping out of his arms.
He wouldn’t let her go too far and loosely gripped her wrists. “Not so fast.” He frowned. “You don’t get to cry all over me and then act as though you haven’t just done that…I love you, Emelia. Please talk to me.”
“I can’t.”
He was thoughtful, and then asked, “Does it have anything to do with the confessions of our parents?”
“Not really.” She wiped her eyes and sniffled into a Kleenex. “I’ll talk when I can, but I’m fine really. A lot has been happening in my life lately, and it all caught up to me at once. But I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re sure.” He released her wrists, but his expression told her he wasn’t sure at all.
“I am.” She smiled. “I must look a sight.” Turning, she meant to walk away, but Aiden caught hold of her again. She watched him over her shoulder, a questioning look on her face.
“Come and take a walk with me.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t think and say, yes.” Aiden grinned and she couldn’t refuse.
The fact was, she loved walking around outdoors, and she also loved the snow, which was still coming down.
“I think it might just be what the doctor ordered.” She grinned. “Let me go wash up and change. Oh, no. I’m making bread.” She glanced down at the dough and wondered just how tough the bread was going to be.
“Don’t worry. I’ll set it to rise. Go change,” Aiden said.
“Okay. I’ll meet you down here in a few minutes.”
Without a backward glance, and with a smile on her face for the first time since she’d parted from Dante, she dashed upstairs to her room.
Straight into the bathroom, she splashed cold water onto her face and, once dried, headed toward her closet. Aiden had given her a change of topic to occupy her mind. Dante would be buried deep until he arrived in a day or two, but now that her tears had stopped, she wouldn’t let everything get on top of her again. The outburst had been a build up of everything, and now she’d let it all out, she felt much better.
Tossing her clothes in the hamper, she quickly changed, and pulled tights on beneath her jeans to keep her legs warm outside in the cold weather.