Rio parked in front of Nicholas's school and waited. Two weeks later, the situation with Nicholas had improved almost entirely. He didn't love Ralph, but he had become pleasant, just like he was before Ralph became his... stepfather.
Nicholas tapped twice on the window, and Rio snapped out of her distraction. In truth, she hadn't slept very well... but she promised to pick him up, and she would honor that promise.
"Is it true that you're going to see my birthday present this week? "the boy couldn't contain the happiness and excitement that filled his body.
Rio wanted it to be a surprise.
"Your mom didn't approve the piano, buddy. You better choose something else.." She started the car, and Nicholas leaned back in his seat. He wasn't upset because he knew Rio.
"Oh... then I want a McDonald's snack."
"Think of something that's real, Nicholas!"
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Rio parked the car in front of Agatha's garden. Nicholas jumped out and Agatha appeared. Rio stayed in the car but waited.
"He wants a Christmas McDonald's snack. Are you happy? You suffocated an artist!" Rio's tone was falsely serious.
"Stop it! What time are we going?" Agatha had given in. After hearing Nicholas talk about the piano at Rio's house, she wanted to ease her son's anguish.
"Fine, he would have a piano. But if he really wanted to learn, he would do it on his own."
It was a silly condition, considering Rio called herself a beautiful musician. How much more time would she spend at Agatha's house now that Nicholas would have the instrument?
"Now. Get in there." The car doors unlocked, and Agatha noticed that this car was different. But something stood out in her mind.
"Explain to me who, in their right mind, is going to evaluate a piano at eleven in the morning?" she said, genuinely confused.
"The piano is custom-made. That's why I had to find a good luthier. So we're not doing this in New York. We're taking a quick trip to Pennsylvania." Rio had some lesser-known facets.
Generally, she was Rio Vidal, the badass from Vogue. Editor-in-chief. The one who instilled fear.
But with Agatha, she was like putty in her hands.
Vidal smiled like a mischievous child when she finally revealed that the luthier was in Pennsylvania. Agatha didn't appreciate this lack of information very much.
"Do you really think I'm going to spend—I don't know—four hours in this car for a piano?" Agatha leaned against Rio's window.
Rio flashed a wide smile and pressed the accelerator while the car was still stopped to provoke the sound of the engine.
"I want to test my new car. — She continued smiling and pressed the accelerator again.
The car in question was an all-black Jaguar I-Pace.
"I can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in less than five seconds, besides we won't take long. " Rio tilted her head to the side, trying to convince Agatha.
" You do realize we have a child to raise, right? I hope you're not planning on using those for five seconds."
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Although Rio had her funny moments, she didn't really think about what a four-hour journey with just her and Agatha in a car meant. When the journey reached an hour or so, she began to think about whether she should say something or keep quiet.
