“By the way, Marco, this is my Aunt Faye,” Sabrina said, spinning around.
Faye approached and held out a hand, but Marco ignored it and instead pulled Faye in for a hug.
“Thank you for coming,” Marco said. “Thank you for taking care of my girl. You're a saint.”
“I'm far from a saint, I assure you,” Faye said, laughing. “But you're welcome. I'm happy to be here.”
“Please, come back to the Palace with us,” Marco said, still squeezing Faye with a bear hug. “Stay as long as you like.”
“Thank you,” Faye said. “I'll certainly take you up on the offer.”
With that, the three of them left the motel and walked down to the black town car that was running in the parking lot. They all clamored in the back and Marco ordered the driver to take them back to the Palace.
Sabrina and Marco couldn't take their eyes off of each other. It had only been two days, but to Sabrina, it had felt like an agonizing eternity. She had missed him so much.
“I want to apologize for what Magdalena did to you at the ball,” Marco said. “You didn't deserve that and it wasn't your fault.”
“It's okay,” Sabrina said, scooting close to him on the leather car seat. “I just didn't know what to do, so I ran. I'll admit that I was a little upset at first that you didn't come and talk to me afterwards. It made me feel like I wasn't even there.”
“I was so angry at Magdalena,” Marco explained. “I saw red and she became my focus. I wanted to put an end to her nonsense so badly that I didn't consider your embarrassment by what had happened. I regret not running to you right away.”
“I understand,” Sabrina replied. “I didn't at first, but I do now.”
Faye cleared her throat and smirked at the two of them.
“Sabrina, before we get to the Palace, do you think we should tell Marco my relation to his family?” Faye asked. “It might spare us an awkward moment in front of everyone.”
“Yes, I suppose we should...” Sabrina said, turning to Marco.
The town car pulled up to the Palace and Marco was still shaking his head in awe from the story that Faye had shared with him about her origins.
“The universe does like to use her favorite characters,” Marco commented.
A guard opened the rear door and the three of them stepped out. Sabrina walked up the stairs, with Marco on one side and Faye on the other. Her heart was beating through her chest as they neared the front entrance.
“Are you sure Magdalena isn't going to kill me?” Sabrina said, with a half-smile.
“I'm positive,” Marco said. “Don't you worry about her. Besides, my father needs us now during his recovery. I don't want to waste any extra energy on Magdalena.”
Oh my God. Carlo's surgery. I completely forgot about that, since I've been so absorbed in my own feelings, Sabrina thought.
“Marco, how did everything go with the surgery?” she asked, as the guard opened the front door for them and they stepped inside.
“It went okay, given the circumstances,” he said. “He had the surgery the morning after the ball and just got home last night. The doctors were able to remove the tumor, so hopefully it doesn't come back. They'll be running tests for the next few months just to make sure. He's been sleeping a lot, and I haven't really had the chance to speak with him. Most of the information I've obtained has been from his doctors. I'm hoping he's awake now, though. He'll be happy to hear that I finally found you.”
Sabrina looked over to Faye, who appeared to be amazed while taking in the sight of the Palace's interior. She was smiling and her eyes were wide with wonder.
“What do you think, Faye?” Sabrina asked. “Does it bring back memories of your past life?”
“In so many ways, child,” she said. “Although, the palace where I resided in Britain is nowhere near the size of this one. But yes, I'm feeling rather nostalgic at the moment.”
“Do you think my parents would like it?” Sabrina asked.
“I'm not sure that they'll even believe it once they see it,” she replied. “I hope we can find a way to get them out here sometime.”
Marco stopped when they got to the bottom of the interior stairway. “I'll fly your parents out here, Sabrina. Just give me the word and I'll have them on a plane the same day.”
“You'd do that?” she asked. “For me?”