Who We Were Before

Chapter 21

Lorenzo

After leaving Luca's house I instantly take a flight on my private plane, arriving in Texas in only 4 hours. I rent a car a Mercedes, not my preference but it'll do.
Following the GPS it takes me far and deep into the countryside. 3 hours into driving I think I've arrived at my destination, a really small town with a few stores scattered around.
I didn't think Aella would choose to hide out here but it seems that she likes it, staying in one place for three years and not moving.
I see a house with the address, turning off the GPS I pull into the gravel driveway and put the car in park. The house is actually nice, it's 2 stories American style on a big plot of land. I can see she did well for herself.
Knocking on the door, I hear footsteps until a man opens up. I stare at him, who the fuck is he?
"Can I help you?" He asked. I pull up Aella's picture from my phone and show it to him.
"I'm looking for this woman." He looks at the picture for a few seconds before replying "I'll be back." And shuts the door in my face.
A few minutes later the love of my life opens the door.
"Hello Aella."I rake my eyes up and down her body, her figures gotten fuller, her hips a little wider and her tits, have they become larger? She stares at me in horror until she suddenly passes out, catching her before she hits the floor.
"What happened?" The man questions before taking her from my arms and setting her on the couch.
"She just passed out." I told him. Now I really want to know who the fuck this man is. Did she find someone else? No, she wouldn't do that.
"Come in, have a seat." I walk in and take a seat, there's a homey feel in here, I'm not sure if I like it.
5 minutes later Aella wakes up and looks around, her eyes widening when they settle on me. Caine, I found out his name from earlier sits across from me.
"Enzo, why are you here?" Fuck, I miss her voice it's been too long.
"I'm here to bring you back home." I tell her.
"What do you mean take her home, her home's here with me." Caine said, I try to calm myself down no sense in fighting with him, he's nothing to Aella.
"Look I appreciate you looking after Aella all these years but now I'm taking her home." I leveled him with a look making him see how serious I am. He gets up but Aella's hand on his arm stops him, he sits back down.
"Enzo, I can't go back my home is here." Her words hit me in my chest, she can't mean that. Tiny feet patters down the stairs.
"Mama, mama! Look I shower." A little boy I think about 2 years old run into the room in dinosaur pajamas. Aella looks over at me panic all over her face.
"Baby how about you go upstairs to Mimi." The boy turns and finally sees the stranger in the room.
"Mama who this?" Staring at him is like looking at one of the photos from my childhood, there's no mistaking that he's mine. He's literally a miniature version of me.
"Caine, can you please take Luciano upstairs please?" She begged him, so she named him an Italian name he's definitely mine.
"No, they can stay here." I demanded.
"Now Amorina, why don't you introduce me to my son, and don't deny it because there's no mistaking who he looks like." My voice is cold and callous, how could she keep my son from me. I've missed 2 years of his life, time that I won't be able to get back.
"He might be biologically your son but I raised him." Caine speaks out. I choose to ignore him, this is between me and my family. All of a sudden crying is heard from the kitchen.
"Can you grab her please?" Aella asked. Caine leaves to grab whatever is crying in the kitchen.
"Aella how could you keep my son from me?" She covers Luciano's ears, he will know one way or another that I'm his father.
"Luciano, why don't you go upstairs and help Mimi."
"Ok mama." Mini me takes off.
"Tell me Aella how could you?" She sighs.
"Enzo, that day in your office I was trying to tell you that I was pregnant but instead I find out you're fucking married." Her eyes are lit in anger.
"I'm divorced now." She scoffs.
"You think that matters now? I have my family here Enzo."
"You mean our family." I try telling her, it is our family after all, we can go back home just the three of us. At that moment Caine comes back with a smiling baby in his arms, she looks just like him must be his daughter.
"She didn't want to go back to sleep." He said, the way Aella stares at them lovingly makes me sorrowful, I rub my chest willing the ache to go away.
"And I assume that's your daughter?" I asked him. He smiles and sits next to Aella on the couch.
"Our daughter." He answers back, my heart skips a beat the ache becoming prominent, I look at Aella and she almost looks sorry for me.
"You have a daughter?." I asked. She nods her head. Fuck! Why? I can't deal with this, she already has someone, I'm too late.
"I'm sorry Enzo but you broke me, hurt me, destroyed me. I was a broken shell of my former self until Caine came along and healed all the pieces back together. It took me awhile to give my heart to him." Her words breaks something inside me, the future I envisioned for us goes down the drain. There will be no marriage no kids running in the backyard.
I stare at her with soulless eyes, knowing there's nothing here for me anymore.
"You can still see Luciano and visit him." I laugh inside, she'll let me visit my son? How thoughtful.
I stare at the trio, they look happy. She's made a life for herself here and I don't want to destroy it. It's my fault that she's here in the first place.
"Are you happy?" I asked. She looks over at Caine with their daughter in his arms and the look in her eyes is full of love, at that moment I truly knew I already lost her.
"I want to know everything about Luciano, his birthday and everything. I'll take him on the weekends and on holidays we'll all spend them together." I wasn't requesting this, no I was demanding this of her. She opens her mouth getting ready to protest but I stop her with a look.
"You will do this, because I said so. You already took so much from me." She looks guilty, good I hope you feel guilty.
"Just because you and her had a past doesn't mean I don't want you here, you have the right to get to know your son." I respect this guy already even though he took my love from me. From the way he looks at her I know he'll cherish her the way I never could. I get up to leave and give Aella one last final look.
"Wait, Enzo." I stop
"I hope you find the same happiness I have." That will never happen, there will ever only be you.

I drive back to the airport, this doesn't mean I've given up. It just  means I'll have to be patient. Who knows what can happen in five years or ten, accidents can happen. In the meantime I'll be waiting for you Amorina, always.