Be mine

Chapter 35

The time that Danielle and Stefania weren't looking forward to finally arrived.

They had to go back to America today.

However, their day wasn't completely terrible.

Stefania had decided to pop in to see her mother before they left.

She loved her father but she couldn't be bothered to deal with his dislike towards Danielle, so they had picked a time he wouldn't be home.

They had all of their belongings from their hotel room and were stood outside of the building waiting for their taxi.

"You definitely called them?" Danielle asked Stefania as she impatiently stood waiting for the taxi.

"Sì Bella be patient" Danielle rolled her eyes and continued to rock on her heals.

"Rolling your eyes at me? I prefer when your eyes are rolling back when I-" Danielle placed her index finger over Stefania's lips to halt her words she knew were coming next.

"Don't" Stefania laughed against her fiancé's finger playfully biting it before Danielle pulled it away from her grasp.

"Finally" Danielle sighed when she saw the taxi Stefania had described to her start to drive towards where they were standing.

"So impatient" Stefania shook her head laughing softly as she grabbed their luggage.

****

"Bambini!" The smaller woman opened her arms for her daughter.

"Missed me that much huh?" Stefania teased as she pulled out of her mother's embrace.

"Of course" it didn't take her long to turn her attention to Danielle who was stood behind Stefania fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"Bella come in, come in!" Danielle walked forward before closing the door behind her.

Before she knew it she was being pulled into the arms of the smaller Italian.

"It's so good to finally meet you in the flesh" Danielle smiled laughing nervously.

"It's good to finally meet you as well" Stefania had a thicker accent than her mother, as the older woman had spent many years in America previously.

"Come on, let's go sit down" she guided both women into the living room.

Stefania left the luggage by the door before following behind Danielle.

"Oh wow it's lovely in here" Danielle mused, her eyes scanning the many paintings and photos of Stefania as a baby on the wall.

"Oh look at you" Danielle admired one photo in particular of Stefania standing on a Sandy beach her body turned but face looking at the camera, she looked young but not so different to how she did now, perhaps in a her mid teens?

"I remember that day" Stefania placed her hand against Danielle's lower back standing behind her.

The gesture always made Danielle tense up, but in the best way possible: the kind of way that made her skin feel as though it wasn't attached to her anymore, she always felt like she was floating when Stefania touched her.

"I took that photo" Stefania's mother had brought cups for the tea she had boiling and brought biscuits on a tray and placed them down on the table, before walking over to both women to get a better look at the photograph.

"Sì you did" Stefania moved away from Danielle's embrace so she could sit down on the sofa.

"Danielle, how do you have you tea?" If Danielle was being honest she would say that she didn't drink it and only had coffee, but seen as though it was a kind gesture from the older woman and the first time meeting her she decided to not mention anything.

"Two sugars and milk please" Stefania knew her fiancé too well, she knew that she only drank coffee.

Danielle joined Stefania on the sofa whilst her mother went back into the kitchen to make Danielle's tea as requested.

"You don't drink tea" Stefania whispered amused that Danielle didn't tell her mother she preferred coffee.

"I know but I can manage" Danielle whispered back.

"So Danielle, tell me about yourself" tea was placed on the table before the Italian sat down on the sofa chair opposite both women.

"There's not really much to tell" Danielle responded as she grabbed the cup from the table attempting to sip the beverage without burning her tongue.

"Well in some ways that's true, my daughter has told me quite a lot, but I'm sure there are things I don't know" Danielle smiled amused at hearing Stefania speaking about her.

"You speak about me?" She asked tilting her head to one side slightly as she awaited for Stefania's response.

"Si" Stefania nodded smiling at her fiancé before turning her head so she was facing her mother again.

"She does quite a lot, it's quite concerning" Danielle laughed whilst Stefania just rolled her eyes.

"Well, I would do the same if my mother ever asked" the room was silent for a moment before Stefania's mother started to speak again.

"She doesn't accept you?" She asked, sensing sensitivity on the topic so treading carefully with her words.

Danielle shook her head.

Stefania placed a comforting hand against the small of Danielle's back before she spoke again.

"They kicked me out when I was young" the older woman shook her head.

She really didn't understand why people had to act so harshly against another person when they didn't like what they were hearing/saw.

She had always accepted her daughter for who she is and could not imagine it any other way.

"You are always welcome here Bella" Danielle swallowed the impending lump forming in her throat, willing the threatening tears to go away.

Stefania could sense that Danielle was getting emotional over the topic so leaned closer to her fiancé, her hand that was previously resting on her lower back now wrapped around her shoulders.

"Thank you" Danielle whispered, she took a deep breath and turned to give Stefania a kiss on the cheek before whispering into her ear.

"I'm ok" Stefania smiled and removed her arm, before soon placing it back against her lower back.

"That was quite an intense topic for the first time meeting me, I do apologise" Danielle shook her head laughing softly.

"It's ok" the Italian lifted her cup of tea to her lips before speaking again.

"So, how has Italy been treating you both?"

AN:

WOOO