◇ KEL ◇

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from: ***6023***

"K it's D. If Ilya contacts you, don't meet up with him. Talk over the phone but DO NOT agree to meet up."

Today 19:39

The text was from an unregistered number.  Unfamiliar area code.  I didn't have  friends outside of New York and Italy, and none of them knew my other nickname.  My friends and acquaintances in the modeling industry knew me as "Kel Nielsen" or just "Kel".  Only my mom and my sister called me "K".  Sometimes Drew called me "K", too.

Could this really be Andrew?  Was he doing okay?  Was he in Los Angeles with Beth? 

My heart started beating faster as I stared at the screen, reading the message over and over.  I took off my face mask and leaned against the cold locker door.  I had just come out of the examination room with my classmates after a sit-in OPD consult.  

If it was actually Andrew trying to get in touch with me again, I should call him to make sure he was okay and to ask what he really meant in his text.  I tried calling the number. 

No answer.  

I tried again, but my call couldn't even get through.  Should I just text the number?  I dithered for a moment as I stood alone next to the metal locker.  The changing room smelled of some strong antiseptic, but I didn't mind.  My thoughts were too focused on the cryptic message Andrew himself might've sent just half an hour ago. 

He seemed insistent about me avoiding Ilya, even warning me not to meet up with the man again.   Why?  Did he think Ilya would do something bad to me?  His own flesh and blood?  His only daughter? 

That's if Niccolo was telling the truth...about me being Ilya's only daughter among his four children. 

Wow.  For 25 years, I thought Jill was my only sibling.  Apparently, I had three half-brothers whose first names I didn't even know.  I had been planning to do more research on Ilya the past few weeks, but schoolwork and trainings had been taking up most of my time and energy lately.

Distracted, I tried texting the number to ask if it was really him.  If it was actually Andrew, he would reply to me in an instant.  Hopefully he's doing fine and safe in Los Angeles with Beth.  Hopefully he wasn't in any kind of trouble. 

After sending the message, I made up a short prayer in my head and left the changing room.

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9:29PM

"How's Beth?" I sat on the couch as I watched my Mommy Tilda tidy up the small dining table, unsure whether I should mention that I was on the phone with Drew.

She cooked us dinner and practically forced me to eat more than a few spoonfuls, knowing I was mentally and physically exhausted from an entire day of training in the hospital.  She said she would only be staying here for two days, and I was glad to have her company this weekend after a long week of stressful schoolwork.

"Better. Still not talking to me, but...we're getting there," Drew replied over the phone, his voice sounding rather gruff.  He was the one who called me this time.  

Although I hesitated at first, I took the call and was pleasantly surprised when I heard his voice again.  "Did you tell her? About Ilya? I mean, she knows him. Right?"

"Yeah. They met one time. Here in California. Ilya's son has a house in Calabasas."

Did he mean my brother?  Well, half-brother, to be precise.  "What's his name?" I muttered, actually eager to know. 

"Magnus. He's not using Božić 'cause...it's not Ilya's real last name, like I said last time."

"So, Magnus Mihajlović?" I whispered over the phone, careful not to startle my mom.  She didn't know I'd already met Ilya in person.  I had mulled over it many times and decided to keep it a secret from her because I knew she wasn't ready for all of it.  Not yet.   

If Ilya's actual birth name was  "Ilija Mihajlović", then his sons must be using the same surname.

"Not sure.  Maybe he changed his name.  Businessman, too," Drew mumbled in reply.  "Haven't met him. But maybe you will. Soon."

Soon? Why did he think so?  "Why? Wait. Where are you exactly? In LA?"  I glanced at my mom. She was now busy cleaning up the dishes in the sink  while some classical music played through my portable speaker on the dining table.

"Yeah. We're leaving for Brazil in a few days. Or next week, depending on Beth's schedule."

Brazil?  "You mean you two? You're going to Brazil?"  I made a face and mentally reminded myself to keep my voice down.  "Why? Vacation?"

"Just bought a house there. Don't tell anyone." Drew sighed on the other end.

"But...you're sure you're okay? I mean...is he paying someone to keep track of you?"

"Most likely. I don't really give a shit anymore." Drew chuckled. "Already told him no, more than twice. If he wants to get rid of the Falcos, he'll find someone else to do it, and faster. You know how money talks...and he's got a lot of it now."

"Shit." I reclined in the couch and suppressed a sigh with my palm, unsure whether I swore loudly.  I glanced at my mom again.  She was still busy rinsing the plates.  "What d'you mean 'get rid'?" 

Did Ilya really want to kill Stefano and his family that bad?  All because of a stupid drug war, from what I could comprehend.  I still didn't have all the facts straight because Miles wouldn't tell me much about his father's real business plans with Enzo's family.  With Leandro, especially.

"Better you know less, for now," Drew said in a hushed tone. "Just don't meet up with him. Okay? Don't."

Hmm. He was warning me again. Did he really think Ilya would hurt me or something?  "You think he'll do something to me?"

"No—I know he will, K." His voice got louder now.  "So don't fall for his lies. You can talk to him on the phone all you want, but don't meet up with him and never tell him where you live. Make up an excuse and lie to him if he asks. Okay?"

"Um...yeah. Okay."

"How's school?"

"Difficult," I replied in a murmur, not bothering to sugarcoat my sentiments.  I just realized I kinda missed our long talks on the phone.  It had been a while since we had a lengthy conversation, and, no matter what Miles thought of Drew, I still appreciated it whenever Drew would make an effort to check up on me.

"I'm sure it is. But I know you'll push through it." Drew sounded convincingly optimistic now. "Just take care of yourself. Then graduate."

"Thanks."

"Your dad would've been so proud. Rest his soul," he mumbled with a short sigh.

Yeah. Probably. My Daddy Jim would be quite proud that I was pursuing my medical degree now and would be graduating in a year.  Then I'd be off to residency.  I still thought of my dad most days.  Lately, the only thing that relieved my grief was the fact that he was no longer suffering in pain and probably in heaven now with his angels.  

"Yeah. We miss him," I sighed, imagining my graduation and our oath-taking ceremonies next year.  Most likely it would just be my Mommy Tilda, Jill, little Meesha and David cheering me on by the sidelines.  I could imagine Gaia being too busy that time with her blossoming career as a full-fledged lawyer.  But maybe she'd make time for me then.  And perhaps, Miles as well?

"Beth wants to go somewhere. Talk soon," Drew said before we said goodbye to each other.  He ended the call just as my mom approached me and sat beside me on the couch.

"You goin' to bed?" I asked with a slight smile.  I watched her massage her temples with her favorite liniment rub.  Her migraine was having another episode again, it seemed.

"Yeah. What d'you want for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Um..." I combed some of her hair away from her face. "Just poached eggs. You? Want me to cook pancakes?"

"Okay." Mommy smiled at me and started checking her phone notifications. "But I don't think you have much butter left. Let's go shopping tomorrow."

"Ugh. In the morning?"

"Want me to stay overnight tomorrow?" she asked with a slight grin. "So you can eat real food for another day."

I snickered.  "Can you? I thought you gotta meet up with your boss?"

"Only if you promise to eat healthier while I'm not here."

"Eh...tough one. But, I'll try."  I hugged her and sniffed her long and fairly wavy brown hair that reached the top of her arms.  Her shampoo smelled of jasmine.

"How's Miles?" Mommy asked after a minute of us just quietly sitting on the small sofa while she replied to her new messages.

"Fine. Busy." 

"Is he gonna visit you this Christmas?"

"Probably not. He's real busy with his job," I muttered while my chin rested on her shoulder. 

"He's not dating someone, is he?"

"Um..." I paused to think.  Was Miles seeing someone seriously?  I wasn't sure.  He didn't say he'd stopped meeting up with strangers for his "regular dose"—nor did he mention anything about him dating someone there in Italy.  I held back a frown, recalling the last time I was with him.

We were at the airport then.  We had quite a lengthy talk that night, and I could vividly recall those last ten minutes I'd spent with him in his car. 

So short but...so memorable.  I could even remember the rusty smell and metallic taste of my own blood in his breath while we were kissing in the backseat of his car.  Did he think of me every night before he went to bed?  Because I often thought of him at night whenever my brain was in the mood to reminisce.

Before I could answer my mom's question and before I could daydream about Miles again, my mom got busy with a work-related call.  Then my phone screen lit up with my best friend's name on top of the notifications panel.

Gaia just sent me two texts.

2 New Chats

from:  Gaia - New

"Is this a joke?"

Today 21:51

"What the total fuckery is this? U owe him almost 100k?!"

Today 21:51

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