Fragile Longing

by Cora Reilly

“You look like a bad copy of your sister. Do you want people to badmouth your family again because of what happened?” “I–I didn’t mean it like that.”

Problem was my pride. It had always been and would always be a problem.

It would stop now. I was a prideful Mione woman, and it was time to act like one. Danilo be damned. “I think I lost myself.” “She’s still in there. You just lock her in way too often.

“Be selfish for once, Sofia. In this world, we women get so few choices, so little freedom. We have to grasp happiness by the collar and drag it with us. We can’t hope for happiness to jump into our lap. Be selfish. You deserve it.”

You can only love whom you know. Love means work and dedication, but most of all, time.”