Aella

XXV

Together, Aella and I lay in silence on my bed. My head rests on her chest, and her arm wraps around me, her fingers running little circles on my waist. My arm lays over her stomach, and my hand holds her opposite side as if I'm never going to let her go.

Breaking the silence, I hear my mother screaming downstairs. I jump up and run over to the door, cracking it open.

"You are so dense", Mama yells in Italian. "Aella and Penelope are together."

I walk out of my room, towards the stairs. I stop at the end of the wall where the banister starts. Mama and Papa are down in the foyer standing probably ten feet apart.

Papa throws his hands in the air. "They're good friends, Marissa."

Mama laughs at his ignorance. I feel Aella presses up against my back, listening in as well.

"You are so clueless, Marcello", she yells at him, so extremely frustrated. "That's who she went on the date with a few weeks ago. The guy she went on a date with is fake."

"But she was with Ace."

I hear Aella scoff quietly. I turn and elbow her lightly. She smirks.

"She was never in love with Ace, Marcello, you idiot", Mama's voice drops a little in volume. "And even if she was, that doesn't stop her from falling for a woman. It's completely normal, old man."

Mama is really coming in with the insults today.

"What do you want me to do, Marissa?", Papa tries to prove his own point. "Aella said yes. This is the family. I need people who will do good things for the family. Aella is the perfect Head of House."

"Then Penelope is going to Rome." Mama competes.

"No", Papa booms. "One daughter has already defied me and moved out. The other will not."

"You can't expect to trap our daughters in this house forever." Mama groans. "Let them live their own lives, doing what they love. Our girls have all the money and means in the world to go do what they want. Let them use it."

"She's not ready to leave. She's still too young.", Papa retorts. My breath hitches. I feel Aella lay her hand on my back.

"Penelope is plenty old enough", Mama snips. "I think she should've moved out the second she turned eighteen, just like I did".

"Marissa, I'm not letting her leave. Especially with a woman she's just met".

"Let her live her life." Mama raises her voice once again. "If you can trust Aella to run a whole branch of our family, I think we can trust her with a woman that she loves."

I think the word love shuts Papa down.

"Fine. But she's not leaving yet. Aella needs to settle in first."

"Fine."

And then, just like that, they walk away from each other. Papa walks back towards the kitchen, and Mama starts walking towards the stairs.

Aella and I scramble away. I run into my room, and Aella stands her post outside of the door. I listen for Mama's steps, and she ends up in my doorway a few seconds later. I sit in my chair in the far corner of my room, pretending to play on my phone.

"Hey, Pen", she greets me. "I have some good news for you."

I perk up as if I don't already know, setting my phone down. "Do you want to go to Rome, Sweetheart? Do you want to go with Aella?"

I stand up, walking closer to her. "More than anything, Mama."

She smiles at me, then turns to the door. "Aella. Would you come in here?"

Aella walks through the door, standing just barely inside, a few feet away from Mama and I. Mama turns to her and grabs her hands. Aella is much taller than Mama, who is shorter than me. "Welcome to the family, my Love."

Aella smiles down at Mama. "Thank you so much, Ma'am. It's an honor."

Mama turns back to me. "Your father knows, Darling. I'm sorry, I had to tell him. I had to stick up for you. I'm so tired of you being miserable in this house. It's your time to see everything you want."

"Thank you, Mama." I take her in a hug. Behind her still stands Aella, watching us. She smiles at me, and I smile back. "I love you."

"I love you, Darling", she squeezes me tighter. "I want you to have everything the world has to offer."

She lets go of me, and positions herself so both Aella and I can see her. "Aella is going to leave for Rome first, to get things situated and set. Then, Pen, we can send you over. Is that okay with you two?"

Aella simply nods her head. "It's better than having to stay." I say.

"I have to go find your father", Mama almost complains. "We can figure out when we'll send you over later."

With that, Mama leaves the room, leaving me alone with Aella.

"Topolina", Aella smiles. She takes a step towards me. "You're coming to Rome with me, my Darling."

My own smile lights up my face, and I walk over to her. We embrace each other in a hug.

I look up at her, and she stares down at me. "I love you, Aella."

Aella lets out a small laugh. "I love you too, Poppy."

She squeezes me once, then unhooks her arms, grabbing my upper biceps. Aella bends down to get to my level. Our lips gently touch. I wrap my arms over and around her neck to pull her closer to me. She smiles against my lips, and I do the same.

We kiss for a moment, slowly. It's a different kind of intimate right now. It's a loving kind, not a rushed sexual one.

"Let me take you out again", Aella says against my lips.

I nod my head yes. She starts to chuckle. Then we start to kiss again. Aella's hands hold me at the small of my back, holding my hips against hers.

"You are so perfect, Topolina."