Look Up Child

Stefania Spampinato

Stefania's POV

Of all days that LA traffic could be bad, today had to be one of them. Today is the day of season 5 and I was so excited. We were getting a new character this season and she is young. 

We have never had someone so young be a regular on the show before. It is exciting and I am so excited to meet her.

I make it into the parking lot with five minutes to spare and I run to the read room. I make it to the room with everyone still conversing with one another. Luckily they hadn't started yet. 

I look to see Danielle. She's talking with a little girl. That must be the new character for the season. I walk up to my seat next to them and Danielle jumps up to greet me. "Hi, beautiful! How have you been?" She asks with a big smile after we pull back from the hug. "I've been good bella." I tell her with a sheepish smile.

I look down to see this young girl looking into her lap, fooling with her thumbs. "Nat, this is Stefania Spampinato. She plays my wife, Dr. Carina DeLuca. Stef, this is Nat. She's playing the foster daughter of Ben and Miranda this season." Danielle says with a big smile again. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Spampinato." She says politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, bambina. Please call me Stef. I find it hard to get people to pronounce my last name, even though you pronounced it perfectly." I say with a smile.

"Alright everyone, take your seats. I hope everyone enjoyed their break. Just a few things before we start the table read." Krista pauses. "We have a new character this season. She will be playing Ben and Miranda's foster daughter, Joey's little sister, although not biological. She is our youngest character yet at eight years old so please make her feel welcome!" Krista finishes and looks at me. "Please let me introduce you to our fresh new face who will be playing Stella Russo. Natalia DeLuca everyone, she goes by Nat!" She says with a smile and gestures for her to stand. Everyone gives her a big round of applause.

That name was familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was definitely familiar. 

Natalia stands and gives a shy wave to everyone before returning to her seat. "Looks like I have your last name." I say to try to break the ice. "Huh, you're right! It's an honor, Ms. Stefania." She tells me. I swear I could die of cuteness from that. "Bambina, I will die of cuteness if you call me that. Stef is fine." I tell her. "Okay, you got it  Stef." She says with a smile.

"Alright, season 5 episode 1 table read. Have some fun people!" Ellen said to us before it started.

We were about halfway through and I noticed Nat fooling with her hands again and running them up and down her legs like she was really nervous. I think Dani noticed too because we both reached for her leg at the same time. 

We just left our hands there without saying anything. Nat let out a big sigh and bought her little arms arounds ours. She only moved them when she needed to turn the page. When it came to her part, she was so confident and her dictation was incredible. I don't think I was this way as a kid.

"Season 5, episode 1. End table read." Ellen says. "That was amazing! Tell me we made the perfect choice for Stella." She says smiling over to Nat. Nat just blushes and looks down. 

"You did great, bambina. That was amazing!" I looked over to her, putting my hand on her shoulder. "Grazie mille (Thanks a million)." She says and her eyes go wide for a second and recovers thinking I didn't see it. "I just know a little Italian. I'm a big fan and wanted to be prepared." She tells me shyly. I'm not buying it, but I let it go. 

"So bambina, how about we get some lunch? I'm sure we can ask chocolate monster over there to join us too." I say loudly enough to catch Danielle's attention. "She really does like her chocolate." Nat adds on. Danielle gasps in fake shock that we were ganging up on her.

"Sei ossessionato dal cioccolato e lo fai anche bella (You're obsessed with chocolate and you make it look beautiful too)." I tell her sweetly. Nat gives me a look like she knows, and I grow even more suspicious. I am pulled out of the thought by Danielle smiling at me sweetly. "I love when you talk Italian, I just hate when I cannot understand it." Danielle says with a smile. "Probably for the better." I say to her with an equal smile. 

"You up for lunch, bambina?" I ask Nat softly, knowing she's still kind of nervous. "Oh, I wish I could. I have to find my trailer and meet my tutor for school." She says with a groan. "How about I come with you? I can tell Jason I'll text him when you're settled." I offer her with a big smile. "No Stef, I know you have other things to be doing than being stuck babysitting an eight year old." She says, looking down.

I lift her chin with my fingers. "I want to get to know you, you're going to be my cast mate. Plus, Italians always make it better, big personalities." I tell her and she laughs for the first time since I've met her. "If you're sure, then thank you." She says shyly. I smile at her and reach out my hand for her to take wordlessly. 

She happily takes my hand as we go to talk to Jason, wordlessly telling Danielle we would be back in a minute. "Hey Jase, would you mind if I got Nat settled in her trailer and with the tutor? I figured she could use a friend since TV dad could get overprotective." I say in a joking tone. "Watch it there, Spampi." He says with a laugh. I punch him playfully in the arm. "That's fine with me. Is that fine with you, my little princess?" He kneels down to Nat. "Yes. Stef is nice, and she's funny, dad." She says with a sarcastic end on dad. "Oh you two have already spent too much time together. But that's fine. Text me if you need anything." He says with a laugh and goes off to the boys.

We return over to Danielle talking to Grey and Jay. Nat grips onto my hand tighter as we stop to talk to them. She makes her way behind me as they both turn to face us. "Hi Stef, hi Nat. It's nice to meet you." Jay says, getting down to her level. "I am Jay and this is Grey." He finished. Grey got down on her level as well. "Hi sweetheart. It's a pleasure to meet you. Don't worry, we are friendly. I promise." Grey chimes in. 

Nat slowly comes out from behind me and shakes their hands politely. "You are so polite." Jay comments. "Thank you, my mamma and papà always made sure I knew my manners." Nat says proudly. She says that the way I would call my parents. 

They make their way to the food table and we turn to Danielle. "Do you want to come get Nat into her trailer and set up with her tutor, bella?" I ask Danielle. "You don't have to do that, Dani. You're probably hungry." Nat quickly says. "Actually, I would love to come. Don't worry, I'll have them stop by your trailer and bring us lunch!" Danielle says with a smile.

She walks off to one of the assistants and is back to us in a flash. "Okay, ready to go?" She asks us. "Sì" Nat and I said in unison. She looked down again and I left it. I wasn't going to pry if she was not ready.

Danielle took her other hand and we made it out to the trailers. I looked at Danielle with a smile and a nod, knowing what we were going to do. We took Nat's arms and picked her up as we gently pulled them. She let out a loud giggle and kept saying again, again.

It was the cutest thing ever and I could get used to have her around. She was a breath of fresh air.