•CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM•

Julia's POV

"We hottest in the world right now, just touched down in London town...." Nicolai stood hum-singing a few feet away as he danced around his Black Panther suitcase.

Me and a few others glanced at him as my muscles flexed to lift my overstuffed suitcase from the conveyer belt.

The wheels slammed to the ground as an arm grabbed Nicky from behind and flipped him into the air and over their shoulder. Nicky squealed as he saw the culprit's smiling face.

"Uncle Andres!!" Andres chuckled as Nicolai hugged his neck and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

Andres rubbed his back and cruised toward me.

"You sure know how to make an entrance huh?" I smirked and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Greek gods always know how to make their presence known." 

"That again..." -I pushed his shoulder weakly and rolled me and Nick's suitcases- "Where's the car?"

He nodded his head toward the automatic doors of the airport. Nicolai bounced over Andres' shoulder as we stepped out of the building meeting the crisp spring UK air. It reminded me of my time spent here as a kid. Faust, my mother's driver, stood patiently at the open door of her Prussian blue Tesla. My friend and I settled in as Nick pulled his Nintendo Switch from his cross-body bag.

As we drove off, the tires smoothy rolled us right into the mid-day traffic.

"Ugh, I should've asked Bianca to make me something." Andres groaned and threw his head against the head rest.

I pulled a half-eaten chocolate Poptart from my purse and handed it to Andres.

"Wow, all for me....thanks." He held his hand over his heart.

"Next time, I'll let you starve."

He broke a piece of the crust with his teeth and tilted his head, "I don't think your offer is gonna save me from starving, but grazie."

I smiled and dusted the clinging crumbs from the corner of his mouth, "You're welcome."

"I been meaning to ask you. I forgot last time. How're the sessions with that doctor going?" Andres combed through Nicky's chestnut curls and watched them bounce back into place. 

"They're not going anywhere. I stopped seeing Dr. Sullivan."

Andres cut his eyes at me and took another bite.

"Then what's my money been going to for the last eight months?"

"....car payments?" I turned my face to the window and brushed my hand across my mouth.

"CAR PAYMENTS?" Andres' head thrust forward as he squinted.

"What? The money is going to good use! Getting from Oakland to San Fran and back was getting harder without that car."

"The only thing getting harder seems to be your head! I told you the only way this works is if....?" Andres checked if Nicolai's ears were plugged.

I sighed, "I'm honest."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm always asking you for money, I just wanted to do something on my own for once."

"Look Julia, it's getting tough on our side, alright. We can't afford any screw ups. Got it?"

Andres' voice brushed harshly against my ears as I sunk into the leather upholstery and nodded.

"And what about the Dr. Sullivan thing? Don't think you need the help anymore or something?" He spoke through another bite of Poptart, his words still rough.

"She wasn't helping me."

Andres' eyebrows furrowed as his chewing slowed.

"How long did you go?"

I shrugged and squirmed, "I got Hummingbird in June....so..."

"You only went for one month? Your mom know?"

"No! And I want to keep it that way, Andres."

"I mean...I'll do my best...but I don't know, that wine she serves is really strong."

"Don't play with me Andres."

"Be cool warrior goddess. I'm not gonna tell her." He balled up the foil wrapping and stuck it in my purse.

I pressed my lips into a straight line and thought about my last visit. It had actually gone extremely well. So well that I was forced to face what I had been repressing for almost six years. My hand reflexively rested on my flat belly and I blinked away the haunting memories attempting to resurface as we finally broke through traffic.

We drifted through the nostalgic streets of Cardiff, my eyes captured by the quaint weather-beaten townhomes and businesses that lined the streets. I pressed my nose against the glass and pointed.

"That's where I used to get gelato with my dad when he'd visit." I flapped my hand against Andres' arm.

He tapped his hand against my leg in the same way, "I know, you tell me every time we pass it."

I smirked and soaked in the warm memories of my teen-hood. I was born in the states, but spent some of my childhood and most of my teen years in Cardiff with my mom. My dad would visit from time to time, but he stayed busy with the Maniscalco family finances. He didn't want that life for me, and he probably rolled in his grave when I married my ex-husband.

It's funny how life works though. If my dad hadn't passed, I wouldn't have met my ex. I can still recall his subtle glances and devilish grin that seemed to stalk me during the entire funeral. Even then, when I was only 11, his steely blue eyes had a chain-lock hold on me.

The car pulled into the brick driveway as the iron gate with my mother's initials within it slid open; and Faust parked in in front of the closed garage. I pushed away my thoughts and stepped out of the car. Andres scooped the distracted Nicolai from his lap and guided him to the front door as Faust and another of my mother's valet's grabbed our suitcases.

"Oakland in the hooooouuuussseee!" Nial, my mom's assistant, cheered as he twerked at the foot of the front steps.

My hands gripped my knees and I dropped down trying to pull a Meg.

"Ayeee! Mess it up sis! Mess it up sis!" Nial clapped and chanted the lower I got.

Andres laughed and held his side while Nicolai continued past us, his eyes glued to the electronic screen. 

I flipped my hair back, my knees locking and knocking me on my butt. Nial and I cackled as we skipped into the house with Andres on our heels.

Nial and Andres exchanged pleasantries as I pranced through the luxurious foyer to the bright, open-concept kitchen. An aroma of lamb and potatoes resonated through the air draping a sense of home over me.

"I've missed you baby!" My mother's cheery voice echoed from the far side of the room.

She was squatting down with Nicolai wrapped in her arms.

"Hey Mom."

"Jules!" -she patted Nick on the butt and whispered- "go check out what I put in your room."

I rushed into her embrace, "Thank you for letting us come. I know it's been really busy for you this month."

"Oh please, girl. Nothing comes before my babies."

The rumble of Nial and Andres' voices flowed into the kitchen as the two men came in and sat down at the marble island.

"You got it smelling right in here Ms. Nicole." Andres's nose flared as she gave him a side hug.

"Actually, I  have it smelling right in here, okay," Nial smirked and gave a quick snap as he grabbed some wine and glasses. 

My mom made our plates as Nicolai soon returned, ready to eat. We all sat around the table near the balcony overlooking my mom's garden.

I loved the design of my mother's house. As one of the most influential fashion designers in UK, she had the best team of people to decorate her homes. Inside inhaled minimalist, and exhaled aspects my mom's personality.

The golden sun rays settled over the balcony bringing the afternoon to evening as we laughed and caught up with the events in our lives. Soon a crescent moon took its turn in the sky, leaving us with flickers of light from the stars.

"So when's the fashion show?" A glimmer shined in my eyes as I swirled my wine.

"Two weeks!"

"And she's been running me ragged trying to get everything done." Nial chimed in, leaning his body over the table.

Andres smacked Nial's arm playfully and gestured to my mom.

"She's a perfectionist-visionary man, don't down her like that."

"Thank you, Andres. See, he gets it." She chuckled.  

"Pft. Andres just gets that being on your side means he can get his hands on that new Givenchy jacket."

"Shhh. You're blowing my cover!" Andres sloppily tried to cover my mouth.

"You two should join us. It'll be a good place to mingle."

Nial shimmied his shoulders as his eyebrows jumped up and down.

"Haha I bet, but I don't know.", I waved him off, "I'll think about it."

"You know you should try and get back out there, Jules. I'm sure Dr.Sullivan has been suggesting the same thing."

"I thought you stopped going?" Nial mindlessly blurted.

My neck nearly snapped as my head swiveled to Andres.

He nonchalantly sipped his wine, "What, you told me not to tell her. I didn't, Nial did."

"You didn't say I wasn't supposed to say anything Andres!"

"Hold on hold on- what does he you mean you stopped going?" My mom waved her hands and shook her head.

I shrugged, taking my final sip of the sweet red liquid.

"Boys, can you excuse us for a moment?"

Both men got up from the table following the more so command than request.

"Actually I think I'm going to turn in for the night loves. I've been up too long and I'm starting to see double." Nial threw up a peace sign.

"I'd better check on Nicolai. Make sure he doesn't go blind looking at that game."

"Yeah, you do that." I snarled and cut my eyes at the backhanded snitch.

We all exchanged goodnight hugs before a prickly silence fell between my mother and I.

She pulled a cigarette from a hidden compartment in the table and blew a stream of smoke to the open air.

"I didn't know you smoked."

She took another hit and silently tapped the butt of the cigarette, never taking her glare off of me.

"Ya' know I never realized how much you are truly your father's child. He used to hide things from me and reject my help too. It ended up getting him killed."

"I'm not hiding anything Mom. I am allowed secrets, ya know."

"It's those same secrets that got you here; and it'll be those same ones costing you your life."

"Well I can't go back, so what do you want me to do?"

She put out the flaming tube in the silver ashtray and stood, her gaze glossed with a mix of concern and disdain.

"Start with being honest with me."

She turned back to the kitchen throwing words over her shoulder.

"And accept the help we give you."

A/N: Above in the media is where Nicole, Julia's mother, lives. Y'all when I TEELLLLLL you this chapter went through so much to get done!! Whew! It actually brought me to a new piece of the plot! So it wasn't all bad. Kk. See you soon.