We could have been married and with our first baby in our arms if it weren't for his father.
I can't process that. Not now. Not with everything else crashing down around us.
"You're mad, and I understand," I say, stepping toward him. "But I don't want you to think irrationally or," I pause, struggling to find the words, "I don't know. Just don't make your arm worse."
Adrian looks at me, slightly confused by that last part.
"Well, fuck. I don't know what to say. I just wish none of this was happening."
He nods.
"I fucking hate him, Leni. And the shit part about me saying that is it's not the first time I've ever said or felt that way. You know better than anyone. Hell, the same can be said for my brothers. We all feel that way."
"I know, Adi, but he's your dad. Deep down, he has to love you."
Adrian's expression hardens.
"No. No way would someone with an ounce of love do half the shit he's done to us. And that's not even including the terrible thing he did to you."
We sit in the silence of his words for a few moments. It's true. Adrian's dad has always been a little much with them. Often physically abusive to all the brothers. Cold, and things always needing it to be his way, but I just thought it was his old way of thinking about the world.
I open my mouth to speak, but a knock at the door cuts me off.
I look at Adrian, who stares at me.
"Come in," he says.
The door swings open, and standing in the doorway is the last brother I haven't seen yet.
"Matei," Adrian says, his voice stern. "What are you doing here?"
Matei doesn't answer right away. He's just staring at me.
His face is relaxed, his dark eyes wide, like he's seeing something impossible.
"Elena. I…" he says.
"I know," I say, stepping forward. "Like you're seeing a ghost."
Matei nods.
I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug.
He's tall just like Adrian, with broader shoulders, and for a moment, he just stands there, frozen. Then his arms come up slowly, wrapping around me, his grip tight.
"Yeah. Kinda," he says. "I knew, of course. But seeing you with my own eyes, it's…"
I pull back, giving him a small smile.
"It's good to see you too, Matei."
He nods, his gaze flickering over me like he's checking to make sure I'm real.
Then he steps inside and shuts the door behind him.
"How are you doing?" he asks, looking at Adrian.
Adrian scoffs, turning back to the window.