Drown in your love (Mafia story) (Book 1)

Chapter 28: Little Champ

"You can call it madness, but I call it love"

——

I stared from afar, the chilling cold weather of London. I could see the smoke of fog, each time I exhaled my breath. But my eyes were focused on the little girl, who giggled as she was chased by an older women. She looked around the age of my mother, or maybe slightly older.

Her hair was raven black, a few wrinkles on her face and she had worn a long black dress. My eyes drifted back to the small girl no older than four, she had beautiful golden blonde hair, she had fair skin I could not see her eye colour from here but I knew instantly she was a reflection of her mother.

"Mr De Luca." I turned around as the girl I had seen with Kelsey stood in front of me, she had worn a thick jacket with a winter hat. Her hands were covered with gloves.
"Ariel, I assume." I spoke to which she nodded her head at me.

"When Kelsey had first mentioned your name, I had my suspicion. I had previous ran a back ground check on Katherine, to help my friend and I came across you name but I was never really sure if it was really you." She said making me arch my eyebrows, I did not really know who this girl in front of me was. She seemed ordinary but from what she was telling me I knew instantly she far from innocent or ordinary.

"Why did you not tell Kelsey the first moment she mentioned me?" I asked, she shrugged her shoulders at me as I watched her intently.
"She did not realise it, but I could see the love she held for you. Call it an a guess, or what ever. But I love Kelsey like a sister. I could not bare to hurt her." I nodded my head at her words, I was stunned by her confession on Kelsey being in love with me. I had never clocked on if she was.

"My daughter." I pointed towards the little girl, before looking back at Ariel who nodded her head at me.

"The night Katherine committed suicide, she may have died but she failed to kill the child who was hell bent on coming into this world. She's a fighter, from what Kelsey had told me. Kelsey's father wanted nothing to do with the child, and Kelsey never knew who the child's biological father was, but she was her aunt and she could not give it up. So when the baby turned two, Kelsey moved to England, she met me. I am a lesbian, a person who dreams to have a child but with my financial background I could not adopt. Kelsey gave her too me." I looked at the little girl who unknowingly went through so much, I felt guilty for everything I had put Kelsey through. She was only eighteen and was left to fight against her parents to look after her niece, and only twenty when she moved away from Italy.

"What's her name?" I asked Ariel, she smiled staring adoringly at the little girl.
"The moment I saw her two words crossed my head dear and lovable so I named her Mabel, before that Kelsey use to call her little champ. Mabel is still under the name of Kelsey's guardianship." I nodded my head as I stared at Mabel a small smile formed on my lips as I continued to stare, I had created this child. She was mine.

I may never had been able to see her come into this world, but she was already my everything.

"Can I meet her?" I asked, Ariel nodded her head as we crossed the road and the moment Mabel saw Ariel a wide smile broke out on to her face.
"Mummy." She screamed rushing towards Ariel before wrapping her arms around Ariel's waist. Ariel giggled, listing the little girl up and pecking her forehead. At a closer look I could see my grey eyes, I smiled watching as she stared at me with curiosity. Which she just had got from her Aunt Kelsey.

"How has your day been?" Ariel asked, Mabel giggled and began to talk nonstop about her day. I was so invested just silently listening to her words. Her voice was like melody to my ears.
"Ariel, I am leaving." The older women said, Ariel placed Mabel down before pulling out a twenty pound note, I stopped Ariel from handing the money before pulling my wallet out and handing the old lady a fifty pound note.

"Thanks for you service." I said to which the old women smiled widely, she nodded her head and walked away. I turned to Ariel who tucked the twenty pound note away into her Jean pocket.

"We did try to find you, it was never something we kept hidden. But we did not know your first name or surname, it became almost impossible." I nodded my head at Ariel, I did not blame her. My relationship with Katherine had always been on the low, from hiding it from her parents to keeping it low due to being a mafia leader.

As if sensing I wanted to say something, Ariel sent Mabel inside before turning to me.

"I was never part of Mabel's life for four years, I want to be part of her life now." I said and Ariel nodded her head, a small frown on her face.
"I understand, me and Kelsey always said the day we find Mabel's biological father we would hand Mabel over to him if he wants her. She's an amazing little girl." Ariel seemed to adore Mabel and I could see it in her eyes, and I was glad she could understand me.

"I never want Mabel to know who her biological mother was, she never wanted to be part of Mabel's life so I do not think she needs to be involved. For Mabel, you will always be her mother. I respect you for raising my daughter to be who she is today." I said and Ariel smiled widely, I could never separate Mabel from the women she had grown to call her mother. But I was now going to be involved, I was going to put effort, make a relationship and be there for each and every birthdays of her.

"Thank you, Mr De Luca. Come inside I'll introduce you to Mabel." I nodded my head with a smile as I followed her inside the house.