Chapter 76 Mrs. Ashbourne
“Today was really great,” Lila sighed as Theo pushed open Juilliard’s heavy doors. Cool evening air rushed in, carrying the faint hum of the city.
“Yeah,” Mikey agreed, stretching her arms high until her spine cracked. She yawned so wide her eyes watered. “Finally free.”
“And it was even better with our new crew member,” Theo added, spinning dramatically toward Leitana with a grin.
Ethan glanced sideways at her and smiled, soft, quiet, genuine.
Leitana’s cheeks warmed. “Mi really happy to be part of yu crew.”
“We’re happy too,” Mia said, walking beside her. “You’re just… amazing. Different. In the best way.”
Leitana tilted her head. “Different?”
They drifted down the long driveway, shoes crunching on gravel.
“Don’t take it wrong,” Mia said quickly. “Not bad different. Just… the way you talk about faith. You said something earlier um, what was the word again? Papa…?”
Kai supplied softly, “Papa God.”
Mia nodded. “You seem really religious.”
Leitana blinked. “Yu not Christian?”
Mia glanced at Ethan and Lila, then gave a small, wry smile. “I grew up Catholic. Went to Mass every Sunday. But…” She shrugged. “I don’t really believe anymore.”
Leitana went very still. Even against her warm golden skin, the color drained noticeably.
“The thing is,” Mia went on, voice steady but carrying old scars, “I couldn’t believe in a God who’d hate me for being lesbian. My family kicked me out at sixteen when they found out. The priest told them I was possessed. Said I needed an exorcism.” She let out a humorless huff of laughter. “So yeah. I walked away.”
The group slowed. The easy chatter faded.
Leitana stopped walking entirely, staring at Mia like she’d spoken in another language.
“Yu… yu no believe in God?” she whispered. “At all? No Papa God?”
Mia shook her head. “No.”
Ethan rested a gentle hand on Leitana’s shoulder. She barely felt it.
“Back home in Vanuatu,” Leitana said slowly, voice trembling, “in di orphanage where mi grow up… everybody believe. Di sisters teach us every day. God real. Him love us. How yu live without dat?”
Theo cleared his throat. “Leitana, people believe different things here. Mia’s still the same Mia.”
Leitana shook her head, eyes glistening. “God no problem with love. Him is love. People twist di words—people hurt yu. But God no do dat.”
Mia’s expression softened. “I get that. I really do. But believing… it just didn’t work for me anymore.”
Leitana’s lip quivered. Not anger, pure, aching sorrow. She reached out and touched Mia’s arm, light as a bird.
“Mi pray for yu,” she said quietly. “God real. Him no ever give up on yu.”
Kai smiled faintly. “That’s actually really sweet.”
Mikey broke the tension with an exaggerated yawn. “Okay, trauma dump complete can we please get pizza now? Deep conversations make me starving.”
Lila laughed, looping an arm through Mia’s. “Pizza it is. And Leitana? You’re intense. In the best way.”
Leitana wiped at her eyes, managing a small smile. “Mi happy to be here. Even if yu no believe… mi still yu friend.”
“And we’re glad you’re here,” Ethan said warmly.
Laughter trickled back in as they resumed walking.
Only then did it hit Leitana, she didn’t actually know her way around anywhere in America.
She opened her mouth to say something just as a cool, clipped voice sounded behind them.
“Mrs. Ashbourne.”
The group turned.
Two broad-shouldered men in dark suits stood beside a sleek black car idling at the curb.
Lila raised an eyebrow. “Well. Looks like your chariot awaits.”
Leitana gave a sheepish nod. “Mi almost forget… mi no know how to get home from here.”
She stepped toward the car, then paused and turned back. “Sorry, mi can’t come for pizza.”
“Rain check,” Mikey said with a wink.
“Raincheck?” Leitana repeated carefully.
Theo chuckled. “Means next time.”
“Oh.” She nodded solemnly. “Next time.”
“Definitely next time,” Ethan promised.
Mia stepped forward and pulled Leitana into a quick, firm hug before she could react. “Get home safe, okay?”
Leitana stiffened for half a second—then melted into it, hugging back. “Yu too.”
One of the men cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ashbourne.”
Leitana waved to the group. “Good night.”
“Good night!” they called, voices overlapping.
She walked to the car, that odd prickling sensation creeping up her spine again—like eyes on her back. The rear door opened smoothly. She slipped inside, smoothing her dress over her knees.
The door shut with a heavy, final thud.
Inside smelled of new leather and faint cedar, expensive, impersonal.
As the car pulled away, she glanced through the tinted window. Her new friends were still on the sidewalk, laughing, waving.
The distance grew quickly.
Too quickly.
She turned forward, hands folded tight in her lap.
Then she caught the driver’s eyes in the rearview mirror.
Cold. Watching.
Her stomach dropped.
He spoke, voice flat and professional.
“Ma’am, the boss has instructed us to bring you directly to him.”
Leitana froze.
The city lights blurred past the windows.
Her breath snagged in her throat.