Chapter 64
Elisabetta
Elisabetta in the City
There are days when I feel like I'm floating in the clouds.
All I can do is smile and thank God for all my blessings.
And then there are days when I look in the mirror and don't even recognize the reflection in the mirror.
Some days, the sadness pervades my soul.
I try not to feel sad for myself, but sometimes I can't help it.
I know, to most people in the world, it looks like I'm living my best life, but there's always been a loneliness in me.
I remember when I was a child, I'd go to the playground and swing on the swings.
And I would kick my little legs higher and higher, hoping I could reach the clouds so that I could see my mom in heaven.
I just wanted to see her smile, hear her voice, and feel her hug.
I wanted her to tell me she loved me. That she was looking over me.
That she would always be with me. But I was never able to kick high enough.
Sometimes, I want to ask my dad about my mom.
I want to find out what she was like. If she was excited to have me.
If I'd been something she'd dreamed of her entire life.
But he never talks about her. I suppose the hurt and pain is too much.
Sometimes I wonder if he misses her. If he blames me.
Maybe that's why he's never around. I love my dad.
He's provided for me my entire life, but sometimes I wonder if he loves me.
I wonder if he wishes I didn't exist, but I mask the pain and live my life because I'm a glass-half-full kind of person. It’s scary to admit that sometimes I think I’m unloveable.
I know my best friend, Skye, would wring my neck if she ever heard me say such a thing.
I know she loves me. I know she will always have my back, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Who said family had to be blood-related, anyways?
Thanks for reading tonight, guys! I was feeling a little sad. I think it's that time of the month (TMI, I know)!
As always,
Elisabetta in the City
Comments:
StuckinDesmoines: I know you don't know me, but this had me in my feels. My dad abandoned my mom when I was four, and I’ve always wondered if he ever regretted that decision. Love you!
LisaFranklin1962: This was so heartfelt. I am your internet momma. Keep shining brightly!
Onceuponatime69: Love your profile pic. You single? DTF?
StuckinDesmoines: @Onceuponatime69 get a life, you pervert.
Hotdude1969: @Onceuponatime69 stop giving us dudes a bad name.
Hotdude1969: Elisabetta, you are allowed to miss your mom. I still miss mine every day.
Loveisntblind2025: Cheer up, buttercup. You'll be surprised at what the universe has in store for us.
I always love chatting with Romeo. He's my stepbrother by law, but he feels like my full-blood brother. I can’t really stand his mother, but I am grateful every single day for the moment my dad decided to marry her and bring Romeo into my life.
He’s the ying to my yang, and he always makes me laugh.
I giggle into the phone as I listen to him lecturing me.
I grab my pillow as I turn onto my side and try not to fall asleep.
“Darling, I hate to say this, but I think you’re in over your head.” He pauses dramatically. "And when I say over your head, I mean, waaaay over your head."
“Romeo, it’s going to be fine. Trust me; I know what I’m doing.
” I have no clue what I'm doing, but I'm not going to admit that.
Especially because my feelings are so complex.
I took the job to ensure Skye didn't have to work for him again, but even more than that, I was hypnotized by the man’s eyes and scent.
I felt like a dog in heat. I couldn't resist being close to him, even though my brain told me he was bad news.
“I think you’re just doing this to avoid going to Italy this summer, but it’s not like your dad is going to be like, hey, you don’t have to get married because now you’re an assistant to an attorney.
” He cackles. "He might die of a heart attack if he knew you were working at a law firm.
Remember how he reacted when you told him Skye was working there? "
"I mean, he was surprised," I admit. "He was asking all about the firm."
"Because he was probably worried they were going to sue him or something. Your dad is not going to be happy you're working for an attorney."
“I’m not even going to be an assistant to an attorney, Romeo.
My boss, Liam, is a businessman.” Saying Liam's name makes me feel giddy, like when I was fifteen and had schoolgirl crushes.
Why does he have to be so handsome? I blame it on the twinkle in his eyes and the fact that I haven't been on any good dates in donkeys’ years.
“Oh, yeah, you’re not even going to be an assistant to an attorney.
You’re going to be an assistant to some Joe Schmoe nobody.
” Romeo is not impressed, but I know I could say I'm working for Bill Gates, and he'd be like Bill who.
The only people Romeo cares about are in the fashion industry.
If I'd said Christian Siriano wanted me to pick up his groceries, he'd be all over it.
“He’s not a Joe Schmoe nobody. He’s a client of the law firm, and he brings them a lot of money.”
“He’s a client that nobody has ever heard of. He's so not a big deal.”
“He is a big deal. He’s very rich. He—”
“You’re very rich.” Romeo cuts me off and laughs. “Sis, I love you, but what are you doing? Go to Italy, meet those hot-ass men your dad has picked out for you, and just live your life.” He pauses. "Maybe one of them will be drop-dead gorgeous and sweep you off your feet. I'd love to be hooked up."
“Really, Romeo? Do you want to take my place? I'm sure that..."
“He’s not my dad,” he says, cutting me off. "He doesn't care about me finding a stud muffin."
“He is your dad, Romeo.”
“He’s my stepdad.” He says stepdad as if it were a dirty word. "He doesn't care about my love life."
“Let’s be real. He provides for you just like he provides for me.”
“Yeah, but I never hear from him. It’s not like he’s emailing me and calling me and making sure I’m okay.
Sure, he barely keeps in contact with my mom, who we both know is a gold digger and only with him because of the allowance she gets, but I wish he wouldn't judge me by her stick.” He sniffs. "I'm only 50 percent gold-digger."
“Romeo,” I say, laughing slightly. This is why I love Romeo. He may be my stepbrother and not blood-related to me at all, and he may be the only son of a gold-digging whore who literally only married my father for his money, but he’s honest about it.
“I’m just being honest. You know I love you, girl, like a real sister. And that has nothing to do with the fact that your dad is rolling in gold bullion somewhere in Italy.”
“You are my brother, my real brother.” My voice cracks slightly. I’m feeling emotional and wish that he was here with me.
“I mean, I know I am, but…” His voice trails off, and he lets out a deep sigh.
“But what?”
“But it would be legal for us to get married, and not just in Alabama or Kentucky.” He giggles. "Sorry to all the normal people in Alabama and Kentucky."
"That's horrible, Romeo. Everyone in the South isn't a hillbilly."
"I know." He groans. "I take it back...kinda. But the fact of the matter is we could be man and wife if we wanted to."
“We’re never going to get married.” I pretend to throw up. "Gross."
“That’s because I’m gay, darling, not because I have scruples.”
I burst out laughing then. “Romeo!”
“What? I’m just saying, if I was the sort of guy that didn’t care, I’d flirt with you and do whatever I had to to get you to fall in love me so I could get your millions.” He grunts. "You know there's a whole group of people who marry their stepbrother or sister."
"That's disgusting, and you know that I don’t have any millions.” I giggle. "In fact, I need to call my dad, my monthly deposit hasn't arrived yet, and I have bills to pay."
“He's probably so busy trying to find you the perfect match. And you know that one day, you'll be a millionaire, heiress.”
“Romeo!”
“What?”
“We don’t even know what my dad does for his money. I'm not an heiress. It's not like I'm related to the King of England or anything."
“I mean, we don’t know, but we have an idea,” he exclaims. “I don't want to get him in trouble with the FBI, but can we say mafia don?”
“He’s not a mafia don,” I say, to convince myself as well as him.
“Come on, we’ve both thought it.” His voice is solemn. "What if he's literally the real Godfather?"
“Romeo, you watch too much TV. My father is not The Godfather."
"Move over, Marlon Brando, there's a new Godfather in town."
"Romeo, get a grip."
"Marlon Brando was gorgeous in that movie, by the way." He makes a smacking sound with his lips, and I can't stop myself from giggling.
"My dad is not in the mafia."
“He’s literally having you fly over to Sicily. The birthplace of the mafia.”
“No, actually, I’m going to Florence.”
“Ooh, okay, Florence, Sicily, same difference.”
“I’m sure the people in Italy think there’s a huge difference.”
“Whatever. He’s literally having you fly over to Italy to have a ball, to meet a bunch of men who want to marry you, which, by the way, these men are from the right families. He literally said that to my mom. Like what is a right family?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t even want to go. I don’t want to marry one of these random men.”
“Since when?” He sounds surprised.
“Since I actually thought about it and since Skye fell in love with someone normal and real. I want to meet a regular man, not some rich dude at a ball.”
“You do not want a regular dude. I cannot see you dating Bob the Postman.”
“I didn’t say I want to date Bob the Postman, though I’ve never met a postman in real life and certainly not one named Bob.”
“Okay, would you rather date Jack the electrician?”
“I actually wouldn’t mind dating Jack the electrician if he was cute. That way, I know he could always change my light bulbs.”