What Really Happened

Chapter 72

Stefania POV

Myself and Leco have just landed in Brazil. The heat hits my body and I have missed it so much. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, taking in the humidity. As I pull myself back to reality, I see Leco smiling at me, "are you ready to go now?"

"Si." I start skipping through to baggage claim. I get a few weird looks but I'm used to that now. I instantly message Danielle:

Goddess: Ciao Bella, we have landed! It would be so much better with you here though. I'm guessing you haven't found your surprise yet?

I put my phone in my back pocket as we head out to the cab waiting for us. I take in the picturesque surroundings, it feels like a home away from home now.

"Stef?" Leco pulls my attention to him.

"Yes?" I am very happy so he better not ruin my mood.

"Why didn't you bring Danielle? She is supposed to be your wife." There it is. Mood killer.

I take a deep breath trying to calm my anger down, "she is my wife and I wish she was here but we both know that going on a vacation with her, just us two, will bring up so many questions that we just aren't allowed to answer at the moment. And I don't want to hear her name come out of your mouth again ok?"

Leco just nods his head and turns back to look out the window. The rest of the drive to the hotel is silent, he knows not to talk to me when I get angry.

As I start to unpack my things, my phone starts buzzing. Danielle is facetiming mee, "hello Bambina!"

"I fricking love you!" Danielle slightly shouts but with the biggest smile on her face.

"I hope you do, did you finish it?" I don't want to give away anything just in case she hasn't finished the game yet.

Danielle's little face disappears from camera view for a second then she returns holding up the present I left her, "this is amazing babe!"

I admire her excitement and happiness whilst she goes through the giant basket of things that will remind her of me when we are apart. It contains everything from my perfume, bath salts, one of my shirts, to notes for her to read when she's feeling different emotions, "do you like it?"

"Stefania, this is perfect." Danielle looks at me and starts tearing up.

"Why are you crying bambina?" My smile turns to a frown rather quickly.

Danielle's smile comes back slightly, "because I love this but I love you so much more and I know you've only been gone a day but I miss you so much."

It feels like my heart has been ripped out of my chest, seeing Danielle cry and not being able to hold her and stop those tears is killing me inside, "we will see each other in a few weeks Bella, I miss you too."

"I'm going to Chris' in a few hours, wait until I show him this! Oh what are these letters?" Danielle holds up the bundle of letters I have given her.

"They are letters that I have written for you. Say you're feeling stressed out, you read the stressed one. If you miss me, you read that one. Got it?" My face is hurting where I'm smiling so much.

There's a knock on the door and Leco walks in, he notices me on the phone and pokes his hear into camera view, "ciao Danielle, how are you?" I swear I asked him not to say her name again?

"I'm very good thank you, please take good care of my wife Leco." Danielle's smile slowly starts to fade.

That is my cue to change the conversation, "say hello to the guys and little Aspen for me please." Her eyes lock back to mine and that smile forms again.

"I will. I'll leave you to do what you do best, being gorgeous and flawless. I'll call you when I'm at Chris'?" I can't tell if the glassiness in Danielle's eyes if because she is about to cry or because she's excited about going on adventures.

"Si Bella, I'll talk to you later. I love you." I made that last part extra loud so Leco could hear it clearly.

"I love you too beautiful!" Danielle understood the assignment and nearly shouted that.

As we hang up, I take a deep breath and grab my bag. Leco is waiting by the door for me, "where do you want to go first?"

"I want to check out the hotel, go to the roof top pool or something?" I glance at him whilst putting on my shoes, his demeaner is very distant, "what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, let's go." Leco walks out of the room before I can even stand up.

"LECO!" I run after him, catching up to him and grabbing his arm, "what is up with you?"

Leco takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry I ever tried to interfere with your relationship. I just want the best for you and I can see Danielle is that. I just don't want to be a pawn in the game for you two."

I frown at him, "I don't understand."

"Because of the whole secrecy of you two, I don't want to be the person you hang out with just to get the scent off you and Danielle." The tone in his voice is angry and sad at the same time.

"Leco, that's not what this is ok? You are my friend and have been for a long time. Danielle and I always do very different things during hiatus which actually helps us appreciate the times we get to have together. You are defiantly not something to keep people wondering." I place my hand on his shoulder to reassure him once again.

"Good. And again, I'm sorry." We both nod and smile. A mutual forgiveness.

We head up to the rooftop pool and Leco starts snapping some photos of the landscape then of me. I have always loved how he can capture so many small details in just one photo. From the lighting on my hand with the landscape in the background, to water droplets on my skin with my reflection in it.

Leco always asks for my permission before he posts anything online just in case it's a bit too revealing, so we send those to Danielle instead. Got to keep her on her toes.

A few hours pass and we are still relaxing at the pool with a few drinks. I message Danielle:

Goddess: Bambina! Ciao. I miss you, we have been sat by the pool for the most of today which has been really nice. Are you with Chris now?

Bambina: HELLO BEAUTIFUL! I am not opening that photo you sent me because I know when I get sent a photo whilst you're away, it is going to be sexy as hell. Yes I haven't long got here, I will facetime you soon ok?

I put my phone down and lean my head back, taking in the sun when Leco chuckles at me. I lift my head back up and look at him, "what?"

"I understand when people say about you in sunshine land. She really does make you giddy." Leco carries on flicking through his camera shots.

"And I still don't get why people are still surprised about it." I relax in my chair for all of two seconds when Chris posts a photo on Instagram of him, Danielle and Aspen. I gasp so loudly I think I swallowed a fly. I instantly facetime Danielle.

"I was just about to call you." Danielle's smile is so big right now.

Her smile soon fades when she sees the sheer panic on my face, "Dani, why have you got your wedding ring on in that photo?"