Chapter 6- THIS IS IT

Leonardo stood behind both his parents as he watched them reunite with their oldest friends and soon to be in-laws. The sickening feeling he felt in his stomach, derived from knowing that he might never be as happy as they were now when he eventually got married.

Not that he had never thought of the prospect of marriage, at the age of thirty-six, Leonardo had always thought that by now he would have been married with children. The only thing he loved was his students and his profession.

'My friend it has been such a long time!" Giovanni hugged his friend one last time whilst the women chatted away, leaving Leonardo to stand there like a statue.

'It has been, here! Here is my son, your soon to be son-law" His father presented him to his best friends as though he was some kind of sacrificial animal. Leonardo plastered a quick smile on his face, an action that has become part of him in the last two weeks.

'Buona serata Signor Giovanni, Signora Mia" Leonardo greeted both the Russo's whom returned his greetings, Signora Mia going as far as pitching his cheeks.

'Oh my goodness, you are so big since the last time we saw you. I just knew that you would make a lovely husband for my beautiful daughter" Signora Mia Squealed excitedly.

'Well it has been long since I have visited Sicily and might I add how come I have never seen your daughter when I lived here?" Leonardo asked the Russo's, inwardly knowing why it was that he had never set eyes on Avena.

'Oh that is because we adopted her after your family moved to the United States, anyway come on in and let us go and have some drinks," Signora cheered ecstatically as they walked towards the private room.

'I know what you are trying to do but let me warn you that if this marriage does not take place then I will certainly ruin any chance of you ever becoming a teacher" his father whispered to him, a threat that Leonardo did not take lightly.

'What are you going to do, cut my allowance? The very same one that I have left in my bank, untouched for years?" Leonardo dared his father, keeping a bright smile on his face as he said this.

'Well let's just say that I do have a plan up my sleeves and it has to do with that poverty stricken school of yours" Signor Metteo told his son, his words sending a cold shiver down Leonardo's spine as he heard his father's threat.

'Father you better not hurt my kids"

'Firstly, they are not your kids, they are your students and secondly if you mess up this marriage proposal then, I will bulldoze that school and build a grave yard just so that you can see what dead dreams look like" His father threatened. Even as he saw his father from his peripheral vision, Leonardo knew that it was best not to test the older man.

He knew his father as a man of his word and when he said things such as these, there was always a plan brewing when things did not go his way. For years, Leonardo had watched his father take land amongst other things that did not belong to him. For someone such as Metteo Romano, the poor were just pawns in his elaborate games and he found pleasure in playing it.

‘Play them like the pawns that they are' was his father's favorite words when Leonardo was just a little boy , so much that those infamous words had become law in the Romano household. Those very same words were those that had landed Leonardo to make the biggest mistakes of his life, one that he regretted until this day.

'Do not touch my kids, father" he tried warning his father but knowing that his warning was not enough to stand between his father and his goals.

'Then do not hinder the plans that I have worked all my life to achieve" His father's stark warning was enough for Leonardo to step back. His father had no problem ruining lives, even if that meant ruining the life of his very own son.

**

Leonardo sought the sight of the woman who was to be his soon to be wife but she was nowhere in sight, the conversations he listened in on with his parents and the Russo's were one that he did not find pleasing. Although they used the code words, Leonardo was well aware of the matter at hand and why the marriage was necessary for both families.

His family needed more land to build more vineyards and to dominate the wine industry in Italy and the Russo needed all the money and newfound status to rid themselves of all the cases leveled against them

Claims of money laundering and stolen properties were rife in Italy amongst the rich and the Russo's needed influence and power that might sway influential people to back them up. Even as Leonardo drank his juice, he could not help but feel sickened that he was part of that this family and that he would also be joining another family with even bigger problems than that of his own.

'Mio figlio, would you not be having any wine, I mean we took the liberty of purchasing the best wines from your family estate so that you could feel right at home" Signora Mia offered him, Leonardo plastered a smile as to not offend his future mother in-law.

'Grazie signora Mia, I do not drink but thank you for going out of your way to make me feel at home. I highly appreciate it" Both the Russo's stared at each other and laughed, soon Leonardo's parents laughed too.

Leonardo stared at all of them, wondering what they found so funny but could not voice his opinion.

'Forgive me Mio figlio but I have never heard of a winemaker that does not drink wine" Signor Giovanni chimed in.

'I am actually a mathematics and science teacher by the way and—"

'Our son is such a good hearted man; he devotes his time to teaching underprivileged children" Signora Carina, Leonardo's mother interrupted him. Leonardo looked out the window as his mother continued to praise or rather hide that her son had chosen such a noble profession or rather what they considered as a waste of time.

What they considered worthy was a job that brought in millions and not a school that was kept running on the generous donation donated by the public and whatever rich person that wanted to pay less taxes.

'Well that is great, now I know that my daughter will be marrying a caring man" Signora Mia cheered and clapped her hands together.

'Yes you are right my wife, it is best that we educate those little criminals before they become a menace to society. At least they can work on our farms and clean our gardens" Signora Giovanni joked and they all laughed, all but Leonardo, who gripped the handles of his seat to stop himself from lashing out.

His mother who sat close to him, placed her hand over his, knowing that the joke had offended Leonardo immensely.

'Come to think of it, I haven't met Avena yet. I mean if she is going to be my wife soon, is it not best that I should meet and speak to her?" Leonardo asked, anything at this point was better than having his students made a mockery out of.

The room went silent as though he had asked a forbidden question until signora Giovanni cleared his throat.

'I thought your parents had told you already"

'Told me what exactly?" Leonard looked to his parents, his mother in particular looking worried as he asked the question.

'My dear, in line with the Russo family tradition, the groom nor his family can see the bride before the wedding. I mean if you look closely we have removed all Avena's pictures from the walls" Signora Mia explained herself and Leonardo looked at his mother, trying to mask his surprise.

He turned his attention back to the Russo's and smiled at them, raising his glass of juice in the air and smiling at them.

'Cheers to the wonderful union between me and your wonderful daughter, Avena" Leonardo cheered as the family members followed suit and smiled. Leonardo drank his juice, trying to rid himself of the bitter taste in his mouth from calling Avena Russo his wife.

Both families continued to chat away whilst Leonard adjusted himself in his seat and with every passing moment, he felt suffocated, so much that loosening his tie had not done much sooth his discomfort.

'Are you okay?" Leonardo turned his attention towards his mother, who looked worried about his sudden discomfort.

'I need to go out and get some fresh air, I will be right back" Leonardo excused himself without waiting for a reply from either the Russo or the Romano's.

**flashback**

'I need you all to remove any pictures of my daughter from the walls; I also want you to keep everyone away from her room. Please people, we only have two hours left before my soon to be in-laws and the rest of the guests arrive!" Signora Mia yelled at the staff and they all quickly dispersed.

Aurora followed behind the rest of the employees too.

'Aurora, stay!" She paused as she heard Signora Mia call out to her. Turning around slowly, she looked at her employer.

'Si signora Mia" she responded. She did not have to be told that Signora Mia was upset, once again, Avena had chosen to disappoint her mother and luckily for Aurora, the blame was not hers.

Signora Mia waited for all the employees to leave the room and then she smiled at Aurora, a smile that Aurora was all too familiar with. She definitely wanted something from Aurora.

'I need a favor from you, would you like to help me? I promise that I will forever be grateful for your help" Signora Mia asked her.

There it is. Aurora told herself as she knew that this was about to come. Señora Mia was notorious for being nice and then asking for favors right after.

'Si signora" Aurora answered, smiling but inwardly nervous that she might be asked to do something that she might not like. Signora Mia walked towards Aurora, took her by the hand and walked her towards the couch in the living room area.

'Sit down" she ordered her and without waiting, Aurora did what she was told and took a seat next to Signora Mia.

'You are aware that Avena, my daughter has pulled one of her notorious escapes again?"

'Yes signora, I heard about you and I promise I have no involvement in this I swear—"

'No need to apologies Mio caro, it was to be expected. The groom's family will be visiting and since Avena is a no show, you are responsible for making sure that no one knows that she has gone missing. Can you do that for me?" Signora Mia asked Aurora, with a glimmer in her eyes filled with nothing other than hope.

'Si signora Mia"