That One Night

- ⅩⅩⅩⅦ -

We were in the middle of spring.I wanted to take Luca out of the house.With civil guards watching and me in disguise,I took Armani to the park.He liked swinging the most!

While he was sliding down the slide,my phone rang."Baby,wait for a moment."I picked him up and answered the phone."Lio?""I have a file.Could I meet you somewhere?"

"I'll go back home.It's almost lunch time anyways."We came back to Damien's place and Lio was there."Let me get out of this disguise."I took the cap,the wig and the stupid jacket!

I threw my head to my front and then to back."Oh...That felt good."I turned to Lio."So?""Here."He sighed."You need to sign this one."

"What?!For four year,I never signed shit!What is this?Give me that!"I snatched the file."Treaty renewal.""I want to read it first."He nodded."Fine.Call me when you do."

While Ruby and Damien played with and took care of Armani,I kept working on the file.I wrote my opinions on another paper according to the accountant stuff I always do.

I called Lio around midnight after I tucked in Luca and kept working on it."No wonder he didn't sign this.Even if we think long term,we are at loss here."

"You too?!""Lio,Roman and I both want what is best for the gang.This will put our account to unbalance!Short or long term,doesn't matter!I'm keeping these but I am never signing these."

"He's not signing either!Come on!""Tell Pedro we are not getting those drugs when we can get them from Alain Corbin from a much cheaper price and much better quality."

"But the supplying is for years unlike Corbin.""Doesn't matter!It is not good!End of discussion!Don't even bring this up to Roman!"

I hung up on him and after a shower,I crawled next to Armani's side.

Days went on like this and everything was on a system now.I was working from home.I found this job in an IT department.I work from home and I get to home school Armani.

"Mommy,I finished my 'G's."I smiled."Let me check.You can go play with auntie Ruby in the mean time."He did them all perfectly.I went over to him and sat next to him on the table as he was drawing.

"Baby,you did great.What's the next letter?""Uhm...A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H-The next letter is H."I smiled."Let's practice it togather and then I'm going to ask you to do it on your own again."

"Alright,mommy."The door bell rang and I went to answer it."Hey,mom.""Where is my little boy?"I smiled."He is working on his 'H' now.Spend time with me?"

"Sure."We went to the kitchen but then I got into a meeting."Mom,can you check his 'H'?Then ask him what is the next letter and after he does that,go over to basi addition in math."

"O-O-Ok.I mean,I'll try.""Thanks."About an hour later,she came back."This kid knows up to 100?!"I sighed."Didn't I tell you that?!"

"A basic 8 year old struggles with this stuff and he's just...doing it?!"I shrugged."Ever since he started speaking word after word,I teach him stuff.He's a smart kid and he absorbs knowledge like no other."

After my meeting,I went to check his math questions."Baby,there was hundred questions but you did three wrongs.That's great!"

"Last time it was five!This is great,mommy!Can you explain?"I nodded."Of course baby.See,you added 45 and 38 wrong over here.Try again."

I watched him find the right answer."Is it 83 mommy?"I nodded."It is,my prince.Good job."We corrected the other two too and then we moved onto making dinner togather.

Next day,Basilio's ringing woke up Luca."Mommy,who is it?It's noisy."I yawned."I don't know,Armani.Let mommy check.I'll be right back."

I saw that it was seven."Basilio,it is seven am.What do you want?""You forgot?!"I whined."It's too early for all of this!Forgot about what?"

"Tonight is the ball!""No,it's tomorrow."He scoffed."Today is tomorrow!"My eyes widened!"Shit!I forgot!"I went back to see Luca asleep.I sighed in relief and got back to Lio.

"Thanks for waking me up early.Since Damien left last week,I have been all over the place again.""I figured.I brought Nora with me too."

Another car pulled over and Nora got out."Good morning,mom.""Good morning,bambina."Lio sighed."By the way,it's not seven.It's nine."

I whined."Mom,wake up Luca.Please?"She nodded and I turned back to Lio."Let's go."We hit the gym and I was in disguise again.I couldn't go to the gym for week after I came here.

Then I went dress shopping and came back before Armani's lunch time."Sweetie,can I talk to you for a second?"Nora left and we sat down togather.

"I'm going to go see daddy today.It is finally time.""Really,mommy?Can I come too?"I shook my head."I'm sorry baby but you can't.I will ease him into understanding your feelings first."

"Do you think he won't want me?!Mommy?!""No,no,no,no,no,no!No,baby!I need him to understand that whatever happened between daddy and mommy should stay between us."

"So,he'll want me?""Of course,he will!Five years ago,today,he said I'd make an amazing mother!He wanted me to be a mother.With his child.And here you are,sweetie."

"What if he doesn't want you,mommy?What if he tries to take me from you?"I shook my head and got serious."I would never let him take you from me!Nor anyone else!You hear me?"

He nodded."I hear you,mommy."He out his hands on my cheek."You're beautiful,mommy,and my daddy would be lucky to have you back."He kissed the tip of my nose.

"What did I do to deserve such a sweet boy like you,baby,I will never know."I hugged him tight and cried a little."Don't cry,mommy.I didn't mean to upset you."

"These are happy tears,baby!""Oh...Ok."Nora walked back in."You raised him better than any mother I have ever seen.Even myself."

"There is a compliment I never thought I'd get."She came over and hugged us."Mom,he's going to be with you,tonight.I will leave after I tuck him in,alright?"

"Of course."

I got to preparing and I changed into the dress I got today with Basilio.It's a black long sleeved dress with a split and an open back.

I looked great.I straightened my hair and wore my 'armani' and 'roman' necklaces.I put on gold earrings.No motive,just a simple earring.

Around nine,I tucked in Luca and made it to the ball."Good luck.""Thank you,Lio.For everything."He shrugged."The least I could've done was this."

I got out of the car and walked through the red carpet like I did five years ago.I walked into the ball room and since I was late,the doors had to reopen.Getting all the attention.

But I found Roman's eyes.He is still the same.His hair is a bit longer and he has this beard.It's not even enough to be considered a beard but it suits him good.

He came over."Play along.We're going to talk later."

Oh...How I missed his voice!