Page 158 of Enzo

None at the moment, but she’s given me ideas.

I go back into the kitchen, just as Jett walks in.

“Can I do something?” he asks.

“You can take the bread in.” Isabella hands him a breadbasket. She touches his arm gently. “Will Brooke eat all of this? I can quickly make her something else if—”

“No. She’ll eat it all, don’t you worry. It smells delicious. Thank you, Isabella, for doing this. It means a lot.”

Isabella nods. “It means a lot to me.”

A quiet moment passes between them. I hastily pick up a steaming hot tray of what looks like roasted potatoes and vegetables and take those in. I set it down on the table. Cari comes over carrying a huge bowl of colorful salad.

She nudges me gently. “Have you heard from the school yet?”

They were all asking me about it at Cari’s café. She invited all of us women there las week, so we all went: Raquel, Dani, Maya and Elizabeth. It was a sedate ladies' night out. Dani wanted to have cocktails followed by dinner and she suggested her favorite place, The Midnight Lounge, I think it was called, but Raquel had work pressure and wanted something quick and simple, so it was decided we’d all go to Cari's coffee shop instead.

I absolutely love that place. I’ll be going there more often, whenever I’m in New York.

“I did, and it’s all good.” I can’t help but grin like a child, because I’m so ridiculously happy. The relief I felt when Miss T told me I could return to school was immense.

“The situation finally got resolved. The board came to their own conclusion and cleared me. I start back next week.”

Cari puts her arm around me, giving me a gentle hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you. Me, too. I can’t wait to get back to the children.”

“Great. We’ll have to celebrate.”

I wave a hand. “It’s not—”

“Every win should be celebrated,” Cari insists.

It hits me then.

Yes.

Every win should be celebrated..

“Come by the coffee shop again.”

“I sure will.”

“But,” she frowns. “How will it work, with you there and Enzo here?”

“Good question.” I glance over at Enzo who appears to be deep in conversation with Zach. “We’ve been talking about it, and we're going to make it work,” I say decisively.

“That’s the spirit.”

Cari and I return to the kitchen and carry the few remaining platters left to take in. The dining table looks like a feast to behold. Isabella tells everyone to come and eat. No one needs to be told twice.

Enzo grabs my hand and leads me to the table, even though I don’t need to be led anywhere. I’d follow this man to the ends of the earth if need be. We sit. For a quiet moment I take it all in.

All of us sitting around the table like this is something I never envisaged.

A big family, with so much heart and love. I’ve never sat around a family table like this before. A table that is safe, where dinner won’t turn violent without warning. Here there’s noise and teasing, there's food and chaos. I don't have to look around to scan anyone's face to gauge their mood.

I already know.