A Love Restored

Since Jalian had told me about Nico and Mua’s engagement, it was the only thing that had been on my mind. I wanted so desperately to talk to him, to ask him how he was doing, and most of all, to ask him about this decision this new development in his life that would change everything for him forever.

But I didn’t know how to.

It had been easier to talk to Julian.

But it wouldn’t be with Nico

I knew whom I needed to speak to about this. I rang up Bethany on her phone number. She answered after a few rings. “Hello?”

“HL Bethany. Hope I didn’t disturb you or anything”

“Of course not, Ginny. Her voice on the other side was warm and welcoming. “What’s going on?”

“Not much. Things are fine. Slowly getting back to normal.” I hesitated, “Um. I heard about Nico and Nu

“Yeah.” She sighed, “So that’s happening.”

“Why?” I couldn’t help but say

Bethany was silent for a few seconds. I thought I had said something wrong. “You should talk to him about this.” She answered finally.

“I’ve been meaning to. That’s why I called you. I want to talk to him, but I don’t know what to say.”

“He’s your friend. If you make it more complicated than it is, it will get more complicated. Just go see him. It will be fine.”

I agreed and thanked her. Whatever she had said was true, and I knew it in my heart. But I couldn’t help from making it awkward and complicated. Nico and I had never even fought before, let alone face a situation like this. We didn’t even know how to solve a conflict between ourselves.

I had to do it. There was no other option.

It was late in the evening and I had a hunch Nico would be at home. I drove to his place, stopping on the way to buy his favorite cookies. Just as a small

gift. A sorry gift, or a thank you gift. Or am I miss you and please let’s be friends again gift. I didn’t know,

When I reached his place, I rang the doorbell I still had his keys and had brought them with me, so I could give them back to him. I’d had his keys for years now, but I didn’t know if he would be comfortable with that, anymore.

Nico opened his door. When he looked at me, the expression on his face didn’t change, but he shifted a little.

“Ginny!” He exclaimed. His voice was thick but pitchy.

“Hey, I hope it’s okay that I came.”

“Of course.” He answered. “Come in,”

I followed him inside. The inside of his house was so familiar. I had been here so much, I had lived here for so long. But today I felt like a stranger here.

I guess places really are made by the people that inhabit them, and the relationships you have with those people.

“Sit down. Did you drive yourself?” Nico asked as I sat down on a chair. He told me to stay put and then brought some water.

I nodded. He frowned. “You should have asked Gabe. Or Dante.”

I laughed. Same old Nico. “I can drive, Nico. It won’t hurt me.”

He shook his head but didn’t argue further. “How’ve you been?” I asked. He was sitting so far away from me. No, it was maybe a few feet. He was on the couch while I was on a chair. But it felt like he was miles away.

“I’m alright. You?” He looked toward the kitchen. “You want something to eat?”

“No, thank you. I’m good, too.”

There was silence. Awkwardness filled the space between us. It made my throat fill up and made my heart feel insanely heavy.

I looked up at him. Nico was sitting up straight, his eyes on me.

“We never talked about it, you know.”

“There’s nothing left to say, Ginny We both made some mistakes. I rushed you into it. You told me yes when you didn’t want to. It’s a good thing. actually. We got saved from a mamage that was doomed to fail.”

I stood up from the chair and moved to him, settling down right beside him. He didn’t move, but his eyes moved to look at me. “You didst drive that. Nion. I’m so, so sorry. You’re my best friend, and I love you, and I will regret this my whole life, that I risked our tendship and broke your heart because I didn’t have a handle on my own feelings.”

He smiled a little, looking down at his lap, and shaking his head. “You’re not the only one who will regret it.”

“I heard about Nua

His head whipped to the side, a particky emotion in his eyes for a second, which then subsided, “Yeah.”

“Why are you marrying her,

He continued to stare at me, his gaze was so intense it made everything inside of me shrivel up. “Why do you think?”

I didn’t know what to say to that. “Nico, please.” I whispered. “You don’t even know her. Why?!”

He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Arranged marriages happen all the time. They turn out well. Maybe I won’t love her like I do you, Ginny. But we could be happy.”

“But you deserve more than that. She does, too.”

“I don’t think it’s about who deserves what,” He sald Berthed out and took my hand, squeezing it “I’m doing this for you, at some level. Ginny. But more than that, I’m doing it for me. I have a debt to repay the family. I was always meant to do this. Meant to marry her. We just added a few extra steps to that

A debt to repay. He used to keep going on and on about that bout how he was grateful to be given the choice to opt out of the dirty work. But this meant he was indebted, now. And how he had to fulfě lz, repay it.

It hurt me that he was forced to do this.

I guess one of us had always been doomed to be in a loveless marriage. If not with me, it had to be with her.

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