I pushed open the door and stepped out into the chilly night. I clicked my phone on and saw the time staring back at me. It was too late to call the family driver so I ordered an Uber. The curb behind me was starting to look comfortable so I made my way over to sit down. Tonight was successful. I was able to forget about the deal my father made for a few hours. I didn't want to return home, I knew what would be waiting for me when I did. Tomorrow would be a nightmare, Dad would want to discuss the fine print of the deal with me and Mom would want to talk about the wedding. I ran my hands over my face praying that when I removed them I would realize this was all a bad dream. A car horn honked, pulling me from my thoughts. I stand up from the curb and walk over to the car. The ride home was mostly quiet leaving me to overthink what tomorrow would hold.
I thanked the driver and shut the door before making the walk to the front door. I'm surprised to see my mom standing in the foyer when I open the door. She has her arms crossed over her chest and is sitting in one of the plush chairs next to the staircase. I walk over to join her in the opposite chair.
"Do I want to know what you've been doing for the last three hours?'
I'm shocked she can't tell. My makeup is smudged and my hair is rumpled. I just pray she doesn't want to know the answer to that question. I try to smooth out my dress and cross my legs.
"Probably not. Were you waiting for me to come home?"
"No, I just happened to hear the car pull into the driveway when I was headed up to bed. I decided I might as well wait until you come inside so I could say goodnight to you."
I was too busy worrying about my appearance I didn't even notice my mom had on her silk blue nightgown.
"Oh well, that's sweet of you."
She stands up from the chair and places a kiss on top of my head before telling me goodnight. I watch her walk up the winding staircase before making my way to the kitchen. I was pretty hungry considering that I didn't eat dinner. The refrigerator seemed to be calling my name. My feet guide me to the fridge and I wrap my hands around the cool metal bars of the door and pull it open. Every shelf is stacked with a mix of leftovers and fresh ingredients. I push aside containers until I find the carton of raspberries and blackberries. The plastic of the container bites against my skin as I pull them out and set them down on the counter. A cabinet to the left of the refrigerator stores the bowls. I open it up and pull out a small glass bowl. Spinning around I flick on the sink and rinse a handful of each berries before plopping them down in the bowl. I turn off the sink and wipe my hands with a towel. The berries are ripe and sweet as I pop them in my mouth. After I finish my bowl of berries I head upstairs to get ready for bed.
The bathroom is way too fancy for me. It has both a shower and a bathtub. Which I find a complete waste of space because I hate baths and never use them. I turn the shower handle up until I can see steam rising from the water falling from the shower head. I slip off my dress and toss it into the hamper before stepping into the shower. The water feels like the hot springs that I visited last year in Iceland. I dip my head under the water letting the water run down my body. I follow the streams of water down my body with my hands, wincing at the bruises forming on my hips. Once I finish cleaning myself off, I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body. My pajamas are laid out on the edge of my bed. I pick them up and change into them. The cool material of the clothes feels good against my warm skin. I head back into my bathroom to finish getting ready for bed.
When I finish my nightly routine I make my way over to my bed and pull back the covers. I slip into the sheets and plug my phone into the charger before lying on my back. The mural on the ceiling continues to provide a distraction as I try to shut my brain off. As much as I don't want to marry a stranger, maybe it's for the best. I mean what if this ends up being the best thing to ever happen to me? Plus I don't have to continue to pretend to be interested in guys I find at the bar or on a dating app. I close my eyes and hope that sleep will find me quickly.
YOU ARE READING
Intertwined
RomanceMaddalena is the daughter of one of the four Italian Mafia Bosses in New York. She is offered up to an opposing Mafia Boss when a plan goes wrong. Nico is not the type of guy she planned on marrying. He makes it incredibly difficult for her to want...