Confessions

19. We have to talk

Monday 7th of June 2021

It was the next day. Stefania was dying to take Danielle out on a date, but she knew they had to talk. About what was going on between them, the letter that she had read, but also their plans for the next few weeks.

Stefania was staying in Italy for at least another month because of the short film that she was directing and producing but she didn't know how long Danielle was staying for.

She was already dreading to have to say goodbye, wanting Danielle to stay right until she would have to go back to LA. Not wanting the American to go back because right now, she was her rock. She was the reason that kept her together. For right now at least.

You would think that they had time to have that conversation, but that was rather a difficult task. It didn't help that Stefania had noticed a change in behavior from Danielle, which worried her to no end.

They did fall asleep in each other's arms. Both were dreading to fall asleep without each other's embrace. However, even their embrace could not subside their clouded and busy minds as they both drifted off much later than the previous nights.

***

Ever since they woke up in each other's arms this morning, Danielle had been acting more distant. Whenever the blonde struggled with something, she internalized her problems.

It was a mixture of closing herself off from the people who loved her and overanalyzing everything. She had always found it tiresome and lonely but it was the only way she knew how to cope.

Instead of snuggling up to the Italian like she had done for the past two days, she wriggled her way out of her koala's hold. She put on some black leggings and found an oversized shirt from Stefania hanging over the chair.

Even though she felt the need to keep to herself for a bit, the smell of Stefania still have her the comfort that she needed. After freshening up in the bathroom, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen.

"Buon giorno Danielle," startling the blonde, earning a somewhat worried look on Mr. Spampinato's face. "Good morning," she replied giving a weak smile that did not convince the man.

Whereas Danielle normally would feel a bit socially anxious, which most would find surprising, she felt comfortable with Mr. Spampinato. Stefania's father's English was not the best but he always tried to include Danielle in conversations.

With a think Italian accent he asked, "What is troubling you cara?" Danielle saw him pointing to the couch, sitting down across from him. Even though she was comfortable with him, she could not discuss what was actually on her mind.

She didn't know his stance on same sex love. Plus she did not want to think about his response if he knew that she was in love with his daughter. She looked anywhere but towards Mr. Spampinato as she started to fiddle with her fingers.

Danielle felt conflicted. On the one hand, she loved how attentive Stefania's father was. How he actually noticed that she had something troubling her mind, making her want to spill her heart out. She had a good relationship with her own father but it wasn't an emotional one per se. It was more of a practical one. On the other hand she felt scared to do so.

After a few seconds of silence, the father asked "Is it about my daughter?" He smiled softly while Danielle's breathing got heavy. Somehow feeling caught by her, hopefully, almost father in law.

His soft look almost melted her heart, it gave her the reassurance that if it was the case, he was not going to be upset. Danielle let out a nervous chuckle, as she met the man's eyes. She leaned back down on the couch, crossing her left leg over the right one.