AND THUS IT BEGAN

CHAPTER 8

ADRIANA :

  Couple of minutes later they had began cutting Sophie's hair while I waited for someone to come get started on mine,  you would think that Sophie finally got some manners by focusing on her damn face in the mirror but no, the kid would stare from me to the handsome man beside her, I had a feeling or a slight inkling of what could be going on in that pretty head of hers and it made me realize that maybe I needed to start going out or something,  if my four year old daughter was beginning to think of match making me, then it was a clear sign that I was doing it wrong.

Some hours later both Sophie and the handsome stranger whose name I finally heard was Luca De Luca were through and were now buried deep in a conversation, making me wonder what a four year old and a grown man could be talking about.   I admire  my daughter and I'm really proud of her cause sometimes she handles social interactions more than I ever could.

Soon enough I was cleared to look in the mirror which I did and I've never been more proud of the person staring back at me, this was my real self, the woman I always was, without the contacts, the dye, the stupid piercings, this was the real Catherina Maliz except I could never go back to that person, not if I planned on staying alive for my daughter.

I thanked everyone, paid up and went over to Luca and Sophie who was now being carried by him considering that she slept off while they were talking.

    "Thank you so much for holding her while I got my hair done"
I said before walking ahead of him so I could open the doors since he insisted on helping me carry her to the car.

   "Don't mention it besides you have a very lovely daughter and I liked spending my time with her"
His Italian accent was so strong you would recognize his origin before he told you himself.

  "I'll leave you both now, I've got an event to attend and as it is I'm running really late"
He said as soon as he strapped a now stirring Sophie to her sit.

  "It's okay, I won't hold you any longer, stay safe and take care of yourself Luca"
I waved as soon as I strapped myself in too.

   "Here's my card, if you guys need anything please call me or text me, I'll be there."
I collected the card and yelled a quick thanks to the now retreating Luca.

Some minutes later I drove to a high end restaurant so I could treat my baby girl, I know I still need to be careful mostly now that I was back to my old self but I feel like it's time I tried to live a little, my family are in the other side of the world and I know that they were always on thin ice with the Italian mafia, so yeah I was still a bit safe for now.

  Thankfully Soph was awake already so I took her hand in hand into the restaurant where we were directed to a table at the far end.  We sat and ordered our meals while we sat and looked around the place.
It was nice, had that homey feel to it.

    "Mama, uncle Luca says he'll see us again, did you get his number?"
Uncle? When did they get to the uncle stage, I guess we're even having the "Did you get his number conversation" honestly Sometimes I wonder if I'm raising an adult, I think I should get her a job real soon.

   "Yes baby, I got his card, and it's okay if you want to see him again"
I replied, helping her pull her hair behind her ear.

   "Are you excited about tomorrow?"
I asked, remembering how she hasn't stopped rambling about all the things we're going to do when that friend of hers arrives.

   "Si' mama, I can't wait for him to finally meet my beautiful mama"
Aww, all her excitement was for him to meet me.

     "Do you think he'll like me?, I don't want you to get uncomfortable because the adults couldn't get civil or anything"
 
I hope I can impress him at least for my babies sake, I didn't want her thinking I wasn't good enough. 

   "You are amazing mama, if he doesn't like you then I won't be his friend anymore"
She replied, scrunching her face some type of way.

  "I love you baby, and if he doesn't like me then it's okay too, he's your friend and I want you to be able to talk to anyone you are comfortable with, regardless of how I feel about them"
I reasoned with her to which she nodded but still seemed like she had something else to say.

Thankfully our dinner arrived and we dived into our food, I didn't want us staying out too late cause I still had to start baking a couple of snacks.

Some time later Sophie and I arrived home where she rushed to the living room and picked up the remote and began scrolling through the stations while I went up to my room to change into something light so I could get to work.

I planned on cooking different delicacies seeing as Sophie's friend said he would love to be surprised, I didn't need to know him to know that he was one of those ones who liked having versatile meals before they could settle for one.

I wasn't judging but I kinda found it weird that you would taste multiple meals before you arrive at one favorite, my question was always how did they figure out "the One" considering all the tastes and spices and what not still lingering in their taste buds.
And answer I will never get I guess.

   Anyways I'll just do my best to be the best host possible, I needed to make my princess proud, talk about princess why was she screaming.

I quickly flew out of my room to the sitting room with a gun only to find her alone, eyes still stuck on the TV, beaming with excitement.

I quickly pulled away the gun before she noticed, then walked over to her except she was still glued to the TV where I was now hearing a voice I could sworn I could never hear again.

Following her line of sight, there stood the man I thought died because of me.
It wasn't possible cause I heard the bullet, I was shown his body, I knew for a certainty that he died that night, how was it possible?

    "Mama, that's my friend, Marco and look over there it's uncle Luca, they are celebrities mama, I am friends with celebrities mama"
I watched in a daze as my child began to jump and screamed to the world how she was friends with her father.

How did it get to this Dio
(God).

I don't know what happened next but through blurry vision I saw my daughter rush to my side, screaming something but I didn't hear a word she was saying and before I knew it I passed out right in her arms.

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Love❤️❤️
Diamond 💎