Page 206 of I Will Mend You
“Bring him,” she snarls.
NINETY-FOUR
AMETHYST
My heart pounds as Xero pulls into the Newton Crematorium parking lot. At this time of the afternoon, the sun is at its strongest, drenching the brick building in light. He exits, walks around the hood, and opens my door.
Stepping out of the car, I crane my neck to take in its twin chimneys. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve walked past this place on the way to the supermarket.”
Xero wraps an arm around my shoulders. “I hate to be on team Melonie, but she had a good reason for keeping you away from your father’s side of your family.”
A shudder runs down my spine at the reminder of my paternal grandmother, who forced Mom to work as some kind of escort. “She never had a moment of happiness, did she?”
Xero sighs. “Do you remember writing to me about unreliable narrators?”
I turn my gaze away from the crematorium to meet his eyes. His hair is dark blond today, with bronze skin that makes him look more like Vinzent from the vineyard. “You think she exaggerated?”
“People lie to themselves all the time, even in their own diaries. There was no mention of her affair with Dr. Forster until she was facing its consequences.”
“No one deserved that kind of punishment.”
“Agreed.” He gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Ready to go in?”
Nodding, I inhale a deep, shaky breath.
We step through a set of double doors, greeted by the mingled scents of disinfectant and lilies. The receptionist is an elderly woman with pencil-thin eyebrows and a tight gray bun. Her spectacles hang low on the bridge of her nose, held in place by a delicate metal chain draped around her neck.
She scrambles to her feet, her eyes widening. “Amy?”
Gulping, I study her features, wondering if she’s Mother Salentino. “Yes?”
“Oh, my dear.” She rounds the desk, her eyes welling with tears. “You look so much like Melonie.”
My throat thickens, and an ache spreads down to my chest. I swallow hard and lean into Xero’s side. “You knew her?”
“She used to drop off items for the twins?—”
“Thank you, Angela,” says a sharp voice.
The woman stepping out of a door behind the reception desk is tall, with long dark hair cascading down her shoulders in gentle waves. She’s in her mid-thirties, wearing a full face of dramatic makeup to enhance her stern features. Her gaze sweeps over Xero before settling on my face.
“Amethyst,” she says, her voice softening. “Come in and meet your aunt.”
I glance at Xero, wondering if this is one of the Salentino twins. As if sensing my silent question, he nods. The woman disappears behind the door, letting it swing shut.
Gulping, I round the desk with Xero, wondering if turning down their invitation for dinner was a mistake. I thoughtmeeting my paternal aunts at their place of business would be far less intimidating than entering their mansion near the top of Alderney Hill.
There’s an entire mafia militia at its summit, protecting the Montesano and Salentino families. According to the diary, they brought me to their mansion after rescuing me from the asylum.
Besides, I’m mostly here for closure. Mom’s body has been resting here since the day of her murder. She and Dolly need a funeral. I want to close that chapter in my life and move forward.
I step into an elegant office of black furniture, overlooking the cemetery gardens. The woman from earlier stands by the windows, while another rises from behind the twin desks. She’s almost as tall as the first one, with short hair, but dressed in a man’s tailored suit.
My gaze darts back to the other, who shares the exact features. I’ve never seen identical twins looking so alike yet so distinct.
The short-haired twin walks around the desk, her eyes lighting up, and scoops me into a tight hug. “It’s so good to finally meet you in person. You look just like Melonie did at that age.”
“Hi.” I relax into her embrace, trying not to cringe at the implication that she’s seen my viral videos.