ELENA

~•~

I sat in the living room, legs crossed, hands resting on my lap like I wasn’t gripping the fabric of my dress to keep them from shaking. The chandelier above cast a soft glow across the space, and the food I’d spent all morning helping prepare filled the house with warm, rich scents. It was quiet. Too quiet. And I hated it.

I stared at the clock again. Still not here.

Lucia had done most of the finishing touches, but I made sure everything looked exactly how it should. My ...