Chapter 6

Dad held his peace until we went through the front door.

“This is too much, “ He proclaimed as he marched to the living room, the rest of us following solemnly behind him. We waited in silence as he took his place on his recliner and began struggling with his shoes. Frustrated, He cursed when they remained unyielding. Before Miles could step in, mum was at his side, slipping them off.

“A month?! “ He continued, “That is ... absurd -is this what I have been reduced to in my house? My daughter meets a man, dates him in MY restaurant, and I only learn about it a MONTH to her wedding?” his accent came out stronger when he was getting worked up . We needed to make

sure he didn’t get more agitated, or a coughing fit would be next.

“I didn’t think my relationship with Ethan was serious at first. That’s why I never mentioned it papa.” I looked to my mother for help.

“Paolo, you need to calm down. See, this is why I didn’t mention anything about the dating. I know you’ll act like he’s trying to steal Mae and start stressing about it.” she added while rubbing his foot. His ankles were a tad swollen.

“I wouldn’t act like this if I knew of his existence before now-“ his sentence was cut off by violent coughing.

“I got it.” Miles voiced and went in fetch of water. He looked relieved to be out of the room for a while.

I settled on the floor beside dad, still with my shoes on and placed my hands on his arm. “Papa...you know how you felt when you met mum for the first time, at the station in Bend?” like Ethan’s parents, mine understood love too. “You said you walked up to her and told her she was going to be your wife.”

“I married her seven years after, not a month.” He argued.

“That’s because you were selling newspapers for a living, I know you would have tried to marry her that second if you had enough to care for the both of you, wouldn’t you papa?”

Begrudgingly he lowered his face to mine. He knew I was right. Their love story was one I always dreamed of; to see someone and know that they were the one for you. I thought I found that when I first met Ethan two years ago, but I was young, stupid, alcohol fueled and in need of sympathy. That delusion quickly disappeared.

Dad sighed in defeat. “I don’t mind you meeting someone mia figlia, the problem is the fact that you all hide things from me. Your mother never tells me what happens in the restaurant, good or bad. Miles –I don’t even know what my son does for fun, and you’re getting married...you all tiptoe around me, like you’re afraid I’ll break to a thousand pieces the second you say something other than ‘fine’.”

“That’s not true.” Miles responded, as he walked back in, a glass of water in one hand and a prescription bottle in the other, both of which he handed to dad.

“Please-Even our neighbors tiptoe around me. Wes refused to tell me the result of a football match I missed last week.”

The people I our community were a treasure, a second family even. They had witnessed our many struggles with dad’s heart failure and all his emergencies. I was confident in the fact that they would never reveal that things had gone sour. It eased their worries that Mikhalov had gone around to inform them that the ‘renovation” were to be held off till further notice

“He was just mad he lost your bet.” Miles said smoothly.

“I promise you’re not missing anything important Papa.” I soothed. He sighed again.

“I want you to be happy my little princess. That, above all else. If getting married to this man in a month...is what does it, then alright.” I beamed up at him “But-I will get to know him in person. Billionaire or no, I want to know whom I’m giving my only daughter to.”

“Si papa.”

My eyes made contact with Miles and he smiled at me briefly. My Brother’s eyes were dark, Dealing with our father’s illness was telling on him. Kids his age worried about girls and games but Miles had to learn responsibility early in life. It was selfish of me, but I was glad, I wasn’t in this alone, and with him and mamma supporting me, I could make our lives better. I just had to survive a year with Ethan.

The sound of my phone ringing filled the room pulling me out of my fitful sleep. I had only managed to fall asleep during the early hours of the morning after spending half the night tossing and turning in an attempt to shake off my train of thoughts. Whenever I closed my eyes, images of Ethan naked above me in bed flooded my mind. Reaching blindly for my night table I felt around till my hands connected with the cold screen of my cell. One look at the caller ID and the remnants of sleep vanished and just like that, I was wide-awake, wide-awake and late for my outing with Ethan. Shoot.

I bolted off the bed just as I put the phone to my ear. “I am so sorry. I never sleep this late but yesterday was so crazy, and I didn’t even know I was this exhausted.” I apologized before he could get a word out. I flung clothes out of my wardrobe as I searched. Searched for what? What do you wear to breakfast with a billionaire? A breakfast that would include pictures of us getting leaked to the press.

“Just get here. “ He responded in a clipped tone, and the line went dead. Freaking asshole.

After I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower, I slipped on a white summer dress and brown heels and I paused and gave my entire look a final once-over. My hair was curling back up, but it still looked presentable it would have to do.