I don’t know how long I sit there in the near dark staring at nothing. My face sticky from tears. My vision empty. It’s when I hear the lock of the front door open that I move. That I shift my gaze to the partially closed study door.

“Natalie.”

I startle. They sound so alike.

Footsteps approach the study and a moment later, the door is pushed open and Salvatore stands in the doorway and I realize the night is over because the warm glow of the morning sun surrounds him. It’s strange. Like a halo all around him.

He looks at me. I almost have to smile at what he must see. I haven’t showered in days. Haven’t brushed my hair in that long. I’m still wearing one of Sergio’s T-shirts I’d dug out of the laundry hamper.

Salvatore takes in the contents of the desk. Eyes the empty glass of whiskey. He steps inside.

“You don’t look so good, Nat.”

The way he says it, leaning against the door, taking off his gloves, one eyebrow raised and one side of his mouth quirking into a lopsided smile, it makes me smile, actually.

“Is that yours?” he asks, gesturing to the whiskey.

I shake my head. “It’s his.” I touch the pattern on the crystal. “Was his,” I correct.

He takes off his coat, sets it and the gloves over the back of the chair.

“You’re not drinking, are you? He wouldn’t want that. With the baby and all.”

“I’m not drinking.”

“Good. When’s the last time you ate?”

I shrug a shoulder.

“Called your parents? Called Drew?”

I shake my head. I don’t know. I know they’ve called. I’ve seen the countless messages but I switched off my phone a few days ago.

“Drew called me this morning. Said you haven’t been to school.”

“I don’t think school matters right now.”

“Well, it does.” He shifts his gaze to the parchment, steps closer to get a better look. Gives a shake of his head. “Fucking Sergio. Leave it to him to draw a fucking graveyard.”

When he reaches out to touch it, I put my hand out, stop him.

He looks at me. “Have you been outside since the funeral?”

“What are you doing here? Why do you have a key?”

“Because my brother made me promise something. One thing. If anything happened.”

Fuck. I’m going to lose it again.

Salvatore sits down, and a darkness shadows his features. “He called me one night after you two had met and told me if anything happened to him that I was to take care of you. Make sure you were okay.”

“He did?”

Salvatore nods.

“I think he knew. I know he did.” I say through sobs and tears. “He told me once that time was a luxury. One that he wouldn’t have.”

“Yeah, well, you know Sergio.”