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She wasn’t sure after leaving Sophie’s. Her friend wished to try, Teresa believed that, but Ford’s curt “We’ll discuss it” had sounded like every other brush-off she’ been given over the course of five years. Add to injury the way he’d been judging her, fake-polite as if she couldn’t tell he thought serving time for murder was only what her Ray deserved… She didn’t have a lot of hope.
So when Sophie came by the tiny hole in the wall that was all she could afford for her daughter now, Teresa refused to think. Refused to wonder why she was being taken to her and Ray’s old restaurant, refused to search for words to explain to Gigi what was happening.
Somehow, Sophie had won over grumpy Ford. Somehow, they had everything back. Somehow, Ray was getting used to freedom and Gigi as a six-year-old while Teresa curated the menu and hired new staff.
She was grateful. So much more than she could ever express. ...It was just a shame that she couldn’t have the long-haired guy as a chef.
*
Maria slipped into the car beside Adam and didn’t look back. The storm mentioned by that DJ turned out not to be over the Rockies but back home. In the wedding suite of their four-star hotel Maria held Adam close to her breast and didn’t look back.
She would never know if Daddy had known what was coming, but they had danced at her wedding; a perfect goodbye that had to be enough. He’d never approved of her choice in boyfriends, Adam least of all. When they had found the cash her man had confessed about being offered two hundred grand - all Maria could think was that Daddy must have found something to appreciate of him, of her with him, of their future at last.
The FBI never called her – Ms. No-longer-Moscone didn’t know anything. She definitely didn’t know where their head-start into their new life was from.
Through the grapevine she heard that some rival had drained Daddy’s accounts and left Heather with nothing. Maria went to buy two annual season-tickets for Swim With Dolphins and spent one blissful weekend frolicking every month.
They were well shot of Los Angeles. She didn’t look back.
.