Love & Affinities (18+)

22

SOFIA MARCELLO

I was lying on the bed reading a book when I heard a knock on my door. Straightening up I sit on the bed before moving to open the door. "Oh, hi." The fresh scent of his infiltrating my mind makes me weak in the knees.

"Hi, can I come in?" I open the door invitingly as he moves to the couch opposite my bed. He sits on it as I plop down on the bed.

"Maybe you could come here." He gestures towards the space next to him. "Only if that's okay with you." I nod before plopping down next to him. He turns slightly to face me while placing a hand on mine. "How do you feel about meeting your dad tonight? I know it can be overwhelming."

My eyes lit up at the thought of meeting  my dad tonight. But why just dad? Why not mom? "What about mom? Does she not want to see me?"

"No, no ragazza, it's not that. No one can ever not like to see you. I just need to tell you something." A deep pit forms in my stomach from the hesitation on his face. The man in front of me never hesitated. "Can I hold you?"

I was taken aback by his question. "Why?"

"I just wanna hold you darling, please?" I gushed as a blush spread across my face. I outstretched my arms like a toddler waiting for him to pick me up. He picked me up placing my legs on each of his sides as I straddled him. He kissed my forehead while running his hand down my hair.

"Tell me what it is." He sighs before speaking again.

"When you were gone, your mother, Maria, left Alan. Your father. She blamed him for your disappearance and couldn't forgive him despite the love they had for each other and we just never heard from her again." Why would she just disappear?

"But can't you find her?" I asked trying to keep my tears at bay. "I know you can, please?"

"I did, but she doesn't want to come back. I didn't tell her about you yet because I was trying to get her location by tracking the call first." Frustration bubbled through me at the helplessness of the situation. 

"So tell her about me, she will come!" By now I was crying ugly tears while he wiped them free while rubbing circles on my back with his right hand. It wasn't the thought that my parents were apart that formed a deep pit in my chest. It was the fact that I no longer had anyone but Adriano to rely on. Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, Adriano proves me wrong. 

"There's more that has happened... Your father had decided to remarry after a few months when Maria asked for a divorce and freedom from our world. Samantha is his daughter, actually his wife, Nadine's. Tonight they will also be there. But if you don't want to go, then you can stay back." Samantha is my father's daughter? And he has another wife? The fact that my own family has moved on so much in their lives bothers me.

"No, I'll go. I will have to, it doesn't matter if it's today or months later." By now the tears had subsided as I lay on his chest. What did I ever do to deserve this?

"But, you have to promise me one thing. " I pull back from his chest to look into his eyes. Eyes that pity me, and though I want to leave to gather my mind in my own space, I can't. Not when this amazing man is before me. 

"Anything mishka, I'd promise you anything." I placed my forehead on his to make both of our eyes close, the eyes that pity me are now closed. 

"Never leave me." I feel him stiffen but he replies.

"Of course not. I promise. Do you wanna sleep? You look tired."

I giggle. "Have you seen yourself? You're always working. You're the one who needs to rest, not me. Come on, I wanna try something." I get off of him and grab his hand as he walks behind me. I open the door to his room before entering the bathroom and making him sit on a chair facing the mirror.