Created by the devil

The calm wind before the raging storm.

A silent prayer is being said on her lips as she's sat on a wooden chair. Her golden chain is in her hands rather than around her neck. She whispers with her eyes closed, "Dear Father in heaven, on my birthday, I pray that You bless me with a lifetime of joy and peace. Thank you, Father, for I know you have already answered my prayer."

"Amen." A voice finishes her sentence. Her eyes fly open as the footsteps of the owner of the voice come closer. The voice sounds deep but, is owned by a young man. She faces him with a smile on her face. He congratulates her with his hands in his pockets, "Happy birthday, madrina."

Gia can't believe her eyes as a once young boy is stood tall in front of her. She laughs, "Ti sviluppi più velocemente di quanto i tuoi capelli crescono." He steps closer and hugs Gia. "What do you want me to say? I've become a real man." She puts her hands on his chest and pushes him away. "I'm not sure about that. You're still old enough to get your ass whooped." She says with a raised eyebrow.

He puts his hands up in surrender and laughs, "Wouldn't want to get a beating from the Giovanna Shelby." She links their arms and walks to the exit. She stops walking to ask, "Have you greeted the cross?" He looks down at her and shakes his head, "I don't feel any need to. I only come to church when I feel the need to, anyway."

Gia looks up at him with a questioning look. He sighs a chuckle and defences himself, "Look, you don't pray every day, do you?" She answers, "When I feel the need to." He unlinks their arms to use them to explain his point, "See, that's what I mean. I pray when I feel the need to. I burn a candle when I feel the need to. I go to church when I feel the need to, and I greet the cross when I feel the need to. All that matters is the faith that you put into it, anyway."

She puts her hands on her mouth in shock. "What? What? You're scaring me." He looks behind him as if someone was standing there. "You have grown haven't you?" She laughs. He growls in annoyance and pushes her shoulder. "I told you so." He winks at her. She pushes him back, "Let's not get too confident cause you have two hairs on your chest." His smile got bigger, "Thank you, Gigi, for the compliment, I actually only have one hair on my chest." She sighs and makes her way out of the old church, "Oh Christ."

"A little soon to start cursing again, don't you think?" He jogs behind her. "I will put you in a wooden box and ship you back to your father if you keep on talking." Gia steps into her car. He leans on the car door and squints his eyes. "I'm actually not really talking to papa at the moment." He announces. "Well, me neither." She starts the car. "We got into a little fight." He opens the door and sits down.

She lets a chuckle past her lips, "Well, that's a new one. Let me guess you wore the wrong pants, and he had a mental breakdown." He seems a bit nervous, "I actually... Got into a fight at school with a teacher." He looks anywhere but in Gia's direction. Gia traces her gaze over to the brown-haired boy. "Pardon?" Her voice is strong but not loud. "Listen, it was stupid and-" He's cut short.

"Step out." She looks ahead of her. He looks over at her with a questioning look in his eyes. "Go on." She turns her head back over to him. He opens the door reluctantly. "My father never went to school. No person starts this business with hope, but he did. He wanted an education for his children and grandchildren. He was the first person I saw after I graduated, and that's an image I'll never forget. I want you to think about that image while you're walking to my office." She starts her car and drives off, not leaving him the time to scream something or sit back in the car.

Gia arrives shortly after. She steps on the concrete with her 4-inch heels. Her hand slide down to her pocket, where she takes a look at her watch. She sees his silhouette coming her way as the clock strikes 10 AM. She looks at her fresh red nails that match her red heels. "I had to run." He announces out of breath. She looks up, "Finally, you had me growing grey hairs." She turns around and walks towards the entrance of her building. "Come on, Gigi. Couldn't you get a place without stairs?" He sighs once he sees the bundle of stairs in front of him. She chuckles, "No, it wouldn't give the same impression."

He furrows his brows as he catches up to her fast pace, "Impression?" She rolls her eyes as they finally arrive at the grand doors. "The most important someone is, the highest that person is in society. They have more power etc." She nods at the two guards to open the doors. "So a high building and ceilings for a high profile individual?" He looks around once they're inside. "Yeah, and it's also just a nice-looking building." She answers as she keeps on walking toward the income bureau.

She is greeted by a young blond woman who suddenly seems red in the face, "Good morning, Mrs Shelby." Gia furrows her brows as she sees her timid stare. Rocco gives his hand to Naomi for her to shake, "I'm Rocco Changretta." She shakes his hand, "I'm Naomi. Richardson." She almost seems to forget her last name. "And I am Giovanna Changretta. Your boss." Gia pokes her head between the two of them.

"I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind showing him around the office and show him the ropes a bit. But I get the impression that you wouldn't mind it, correct me if I'm wrong." Gia tilts an eyebrow. Naomi stumbles out of her words, "No, no, sure. I don't mind. Do I- uh show him everything?" Gia answers, "No, not everything. Are you crazy? Only the harmless boring stuff." Rocco sighs, "Come on, Gigi. I can take the hard stuff." Gia laughs, "It's cute that you think that. You should be happy I don't leave you at home to play with Elijah and Stella all day. I'll talk to you at home" She pats him on the back and goes off. He yells, "What are you going to do?" Gia shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know. Tommy gave me a time, that's all." She answers but keeps on walking.

After driving for what seemed to be an eternity for Gia, she arrived home. Gia notices the multiple cars on the driveway as she steps out of her car. Some are hers or Tommy's, but the other ones indicate the company of the other Shelby brothers. She makes her way to the front door when she hears her name being called from her right side. She turns her head to see a smiling Tommy standing in front of the stables. A smile appears on her face the moment that she sees her husband.

His smile indicates happiness with a little bit of pride. "How are my princesses doing?" He questions as his wife is merely a couple of meters away from him. "Tommy, you don't know if it's a girl." Gia repeats what she's been saying for the past week. He hums as he kisses his wife. He leans his forehead against hers. "Gypsy witchcraft, darling." He blames. Gia places her hands on his cheeks, "Why are you smiling so much?" She asks with a bigger smile on her face "I'm just happy." He whispers.

Gia might not realise it, but she is the silence in his head. She is his medicine. She's like a tiny red pill, which he takes every time it all becomes too much. One might believe that if she wouldn't have walked into his life, he would've walked out of it long ago. She is the calm wind before the raging storm.

He takes her hand and leads her into the stables. He abruptly stops in front of a mare and her foal. The young horse mustn't be born before this very day. Tommy watches her facial expressions as she lovingly looks at the mother and child. "This filly here is going to be put out for racing. He has yet to be named. So, I thought who would be better for this upcoming champion to be named after than 'Big Jim' " He looked at her with question in his eyes. "You want to name him after my father?" She questions. "If I can, of course." He looks at her in await of an answer. "It would be an honour." She smiles. "The honour would be mine." He kisses her forehead.

"Keep that for the bedroom. There are kids around." Tommy looks up to see Arthur put his hands before Finn's eyes. "Come on Arthur, I'm not a child anymore." He comments which makes them laugh. "Tommy, I didn't know you had a piano." John makes his appearance. "A piano?" Gia questions as she turns around to face Tommy who's staring daggers into John's head. Arthur sighs and slaps John on the back of his head. Tommy softens as he looks down at her and explains, "It was supposed to be a surprise, but some people can't keep their mouths closed." He looks over her head back at John.

Gia laughs and takes his face in her hands. "Thank you, Tommy." She kisses him on the lips. "Argh come on, do that in your bedroom." John turns around in disgust. Tommy doesn't pay him any mind as he looks into the eyes of the most precious present life has given him.