AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can I have Ellie?” I asked.
“I’ll give her a call and let her know to meet us there.” Damiano said, and I held his hand to give him some comfort too.
I wasn’t sure how long we sat in silence until Damiano suggested we should go. I sighed, and we slowly made our way downstairs, primarily because I didn’t want him to overexert himself when he just had surgery. He shouldn’t even be moving, but he was one stubborn man.
I stopped in the middle of the staircase, feeling my heart beat faster.
It was my mother, standing right by the doorway to the living room.
I swallowed hard, feeling my lips tremble. I walked down the rest of the stairs, closing the distance between us, but stopped a few steps away from her. My mother stood still, watching me, waiting for me to make the first move.
I observed her closely, noting the color in her cheeks, the brightness of her green eyes, and the rise and fall of her chest with each breath. She looked just as I remembered her before I thought I had lost her.
“Mamá!” I cried out and reached for her.
“My baby, Althaia.” My mother wrapped her arms around me tightly, holding me as close to her body as she could.
I let out a shaky breath, feeling her arms around me and hearing her heart thumping in her chest.
“My sweet Althaia.” She whispered, gazing at me with teary eyes as she placed her hands on my cheeks.
“I thought I had lost you.” My voice barely above a whisper, I sniffed, trying to control my tears. My mother gave me a sad smile.
“Your boyfriend took good care of me. It pained me not to see you, but I knew it had to be done this way, for your safety too. He promised me I would see you again, and I’ve been waiting ever since.” She explained.
I wiped away my tears and managed a small smile.
“Husband, mamá. He’s my husband.”
My mother took in a sharp breath in surprise.
“You got married?” I nodded, and she glanced behind me at Damiano. “Even though she’s -” She stopped talking, returning her gaze to me.
“Yes, even though I don’t have a drop of Italian in me.” I said, letting her know that I was aware of Gaetano not being my biological father.
“As if that would have stopped me from marrying her.” Damiano retorted, making me face him. His arms were crossed as he stared at my mother with an expression that said he still wasn’t quite fond of her.
It made me let out a small smile.
Damiano’s gaze went to meet mine, and his expression softened.
“I know what I want when I see it.” He said with a wink. Even in the midst of my emotional turmoil, he had the power to make me blush.
My mother wore a warm smile as she watched us, and I embraced her once more, needing to reassure myself that she was truly here with me.
“Cara... How’s my Cara?” My mother’s smile faded when she saw the look on my face.
“She’ll be okay.” I assured her with a small sigh. “I will tell you everything, but maybe we should start with…” I trailed off, unsure how to word it.
“Of course, honey. I’m the one who owes you an explanation.” She cupped my cheek, and I gave a small nod.
It was time for me to learn the whole truth.
“Also, he’s outside. He deserves to hear it too.” I didn’t need to clarify whom I was referring to, as her expression already showed she knew.
My mother remained silent, her fingers tenderly brushing through my hair and tucking a strand behind my ear. She offered a small, but forced, smile.
“Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?”
