After I Fall

Ch 19: Caterina

The last two days I've watched Francesca closely, unconvinced of why she disappeared. I don't want to say I don't believe it, but something doesn't make sense. She supposedly went out to Florida for some me time, and that's all she will say. I won't force her to talk about it, but I wish she would.

There is a knock on the door. "Cat, are you almost ready?" Francesca asks.

I look at myself once more. The spaghetti strap bloody red dress falls to my knees, and I swap out my ballerina flats for my gold strappy heels. With so many influential families coming together for this wedding, something is bound to happen. Yet, I still need to look the part. My father would disapprove of seeing me today with flats on. Events like this call for heels. Hell, any public event calls for heels, according to Father.

"Cat?" She knocks again.

"Yes, one minute." I snatch the lipgloss and apply one more coat. My eyes linger on my hair. Maybe I should have let Fran give me beach wave curls. The sleek ponytail makes me look like I'm going into an interview, not an engagement party. To spite my father and Ronnie, I wore red today when they told me the colors are pastels. Well, this is my middle finger to them for trying to control the narrative of my life.

I had freedom before this.

I was able to do what I wanted before this god-forsaken marriage.

"Caterina!"

"I'm coming!" I unlock the door, flinging it open. "Hold your horses. This," I gesture to my body. "Takes time."

She steps back, looking me up and down, shaking her head with a slight smile on her face. "What happened to the baby pink dress? You're going to look like a sore thumb. Ronnie is going to have an aneurysm when she sees you."

"That's what I'm hoping for." I let out a deep sigh. "Not really, but close to it."

"Are all the Valentino brothers going to be there?" She asks as we head downstairs. She wants to know about Rafael. This is her first time asking about him, and I'm shocked he hasn't shown up to Lex's villa. Either he knows but doesn't want to see her, or he doesn't know.

"They should be. It's the eldest brother's engagement party. Are you going to be okay if you see Rafael?" I should be more concerned about her being around the other families who all wanted to end the Petrov family's bloodline. I just know that, more than anything, mentally, she isn't strong enough to encounter him. "If you ever want to leave the party, let me know, and we can go."

"I'm a big girl, Cat. Seeing Rafael will be difficult, but I know I can manage."

"Right, you're a big girl now." I squint my eyes at her.

"What does that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." I shrug. "I leave for Italy, and you go off frocking in Florida. I was so worried about you. I even asked Lex to help find you. Once I found out you just disappeared, I became your personal social media stalker. You are my sister, Fran. I don't want to lose you."

"You will never lose me. We're sisters for life. Me and you until the end of time. I told you already it was for some me time. I stayed at a resort. I was fine. I am fine."

"Me time at Florida beaches. Fran, I'm not stupid, so don't insult me. I just want to make sure you're okay. We haven't been away from each other this long."

"I'm sure we were apart for almost a month when you visited Russia. I don't ask you how that went." She crosses her arms at her chest.

"You don't like to hear about that side of my life," I remind her.