Chapter 47
Luci
The Next Day
M y plan to stay in this room falters when my bladder threatens to win. I slowly open the door, hoping to find the bathroom. Fingers crossed I can sneak there and back without anyone noticing me. When the door opens I run into a body, letting out a small shriek until I realize it’s Elio.
“Elio! What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to check on you. Everyone else is awake and downstairs. Would you come down and speak with everyone? Even if the answer is no, you need to eat. Your body is creating life and you need to treat it like a temple. If you won’t eat for me you need to for your baby, our baby.”
Our baby. What a joke. “This isn’t your baby, Elio. This is my baby with Alessandro. I won’t let this baby be yours, I can’t.”
He wants to argue with me but doesn’t want to upset me. That makes me miss Alessandro more. The fire Alessandro has in his eyes and body language when we argue is one thing I never thought I’d miss. Women everywhere want a man like Elio. He’s kind, and considerate, will do anything to help the people he cares about, and I don’t want any of it. I want Alessandro and his stubbornness, the passion he gives me both intimately and in our daily lives. Most importantly, I want his love.
The sweet smell floats from downstairs and my stomach growls, beating me to the punch of my plan to avoid everyone in the house. “Are those croissants?”
“Yes. Stella has been making them all morning. She made some of them with custard drizzled in chocolate.” Of course, she did. “Will you come downstairs now?”
I don’t want to give him the pleasure of knowing he got me out of this room and downstairs. Instead, I don’t respond as I head into the bathroom I spot over Elio’s shoulders. I know he’s waiting in the hallway and once I’m done, I walk past him down the stairs, his quiet footsteps behind me.
My family turns to me as I appear in the kitchen, but Nonna is the first to speak.
“La mia dolce nipotina. Come have a seat and let me get you some breakfast. You shouldn’t have coffee, but you can have all the croissants you want.” My silence continues as I gather two in my hands and sit down at the table. I don’t miss Mamma studying me and the croissants while holding back her opinions on my eating. A groan verbally escapes me as Nonno ruins my breakfast by getting straight to the conversation I was hoping to avoid.
“We need to finish our conversation from last night.” The hope I had to at least enjoy breakfast sinks. Elio sits next to me, reaching for my hand but I swipe it away, grabbing my croissant with both hands.
“What conversation? Knowing you, you’ve probably already decided what’s best for me and this family.” I must have the same look on my face as everyone else in this kitchen because I’m just as shocked by what came out of my mouth. Questioning my family was something I never did. I always knew they wouldn’t be insistent on something if it wasn’t covered with good intentions.
“Luci, please listen to your nonno. I know I’ve overreacted lately with your decisions. You have to know it’s only because not too long ago I was in the same situation. I was, am , lucky to have my parents, but they’re getting older, and you need more than my help alone to take care of you and your baby. You need a man.” I think I would rather have Mamma yell at me versus comparing me to her mistakes in life.
Maybe if I give into this conversation, we can have it and move on with our lives, including trying to get back to Alessandro. “Then what do you suggest, Mamma?”
“Your nonno, nonna, and I were talking and we think it’s important that you have as many people as possible supporting you.”
The half-eaten croissant lies on the table next to the other one and my heart beats faster as I wait for the point that they’re reaching for. “Will someone please tell me what everyone is trying to say?”
Elio sits next to me managing to grasp my hand in his, kissing the palms of my hands. It’s something small he used to do when we dated. Now it just gives me the ick. “Luci, will you marry me?”
Outside of this house, time keeps ticking but in this room, it ceases to exist. How is this happening again? “I’ve always hated myself for how I ended our relationship. I will do anything to have you back. We’re going to have a baby together. If we get married all three of us can have the same last name and raise this baby together, as a family.”
“No! No. No. No.” I can’t get any other words to come out of my panic. I refuse to let Elio raise Alessandro’s baby. The last few weeks flash through my head, replaying the prison I was in when Alessandro first took me. And now, being here in this house may not be the same but it’s a prison, nonetheless.
“What do you mean no? We were together most of our senior year and my love for you hasn’t changed since the day I left. My biggest regret is having to leave you, especially the way I did. I want to make it up to you. Will you let me help you?”
Nonno cuts in, emotional and passionate. “Of course, she’ll let you help her! Luci, why are you being difficult? Your family is trying to help you. Has that man brainwashed you enough that you can’t see how evil he is?”
“He’s not evil! I love him! This baby is his and mine. I need to go back. I need to get back to him. It’s . . . this . . . my baby is his.” I’ve seen virtually nothing the past twelve hours except the same four sets of eyes with the same emotions on them. My own personal horror movie. I collapse on the floor, my face in my hands, and sob until someone pulls me up and moves me to the sofa as they hold me in their arms. Nonna hushes me and whispers sweet words to me as I cry.
At least someone wants to make sure I’m okay.