Tuscan Love Letter

CHAPTER 3

It's finally afternoon, and Sofia should be here any minute now. The anticipation is almost palpable as most of us gather in the kitchen or set up the table for dinner. I keep checking my phone, waiting for her text which will let me know she's arrived.

"She's still coming, right?" Mark asks from behind me, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"Yeah, yeah, she said she'll text when she gets here," I reply, looking up from my phone with a reassuring smile.

Not even ten minutes later, my phone buzzes with a text.

Sof 🤍

I'm at the door ❤️

Without wasting a moment, I rush towards the door, grateful for the brief privacy that the distance from the kitchen to the door provides. I reach for the handle, take a deep breath to steady my nerves, and open it.

There she is, looking as radiant as ever. Before I say anything, I pull her into a tight hug, my arms wrapping around her as if I never want to let go. I can feel her warmth and the familiar scent of her perfume fills the air.

"I've missed you so much," I whisper against her ear before leaning back slightly to look into her eyes.

"I've missed you too," she says softly, her eyes sparkling with the same joy I feel.

I can't resist any longer so I crush my lips against hers, deeply and passionately, forgetting everything else for that moment. It's a kiss that holds all the love and longing we've felt during our time apart.

When we finally pull away, breathless, I take her hand and lead her inside. "Come on, I can't wait for you to meet everyone properly," I say, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

As we walk back towards the kitchen, I can't help but feel that everything is finally falling into place.

I lead her inside, heading towards the living room where everyone is gathered. As soon as we step inside, all heads turn toward us, their faces a mix of surprise and confusion.

"Guys... this is Sofia," I announce, my voice filled with pride and a hint of amusement. "My very real girlfriend."

"Hi," Sofia says with a warm smile, waving slightly.

There's a moment of stunned silence, and then the room erupts with reactions.

"Whoa, Noah wasn't kidding," Chris says, clearly impressed.

Lisa steps forward, her face lighting up. "It's so great to finally meet you, Sofia. Noah's told us so much about you." She says, embracing her in a tight hug.

Sofia laughs, a bit of nervousness showing through. "I hope only good things."

"Of course," Mark chimes in, coming over to give her two kisses. "Welcome to the group."

As everyone starts to introduce themselves and engage Sofia in conversation, I can't help but feel a swell of relief and happiness. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I'm thrilled that Sofia is finally here with us.

I glance over at Finn, who is standing at the back of the room, his expression a mix of shock and something I can't quite read, but quickly recovers, his expression shifting to a playful grin.

"Finn," Sofia begins, her tone sincere, "I'm really sorry for the secrecy. We just didn't get a chance to introduce me properly to the group before now."

Finn laughs, "No worries, Sofia," he says, waving off her apology and giving her two kisses. "I guess I should've figured it out sooner. I mean, Noah was way too insistent that I didn't have a shot with you. We're just glad to finally meet you."

Sofia chuckles, clearly relieved by his reaction. "Thanks, I'm so happy to meet all of you too."

"Hey, it's all good," Finn replies, still chuckling. "I have to admit, it's kind of hilarious how this all played out."

As the tension eases, the rest of the group begins to relax as well. Conversations resume, and soon everyone is chatting and laughing together.

Julia, Mark and Hannah's daughter, approaches us with a bright smile. "Hi! I'm Julia," she chirps. "Noah told me your favourite colour is red, so I made you this." She holds out a beautifully braided bracelet, a mix of red hues intertwined.

Sofia's smile widens as she accepts the bracelet from Julia. "Thank you so much, Julia! It's absolutely gorgeous," she says, her eyes twinkling with genuine appreciation. She squats down to be at Julia's eye level, her fingers delicately tracing the intricate pattern of the bracelet.

"Can I put it on for you?" Julia asks eagerly, her excitement palpable.

"Of course!" Sofia replies, her enthusiasm matching Julia's. She extends her wrist, and Julia carefully fastens the bracelet around it, her small hands working with practised ease.

Once the bracelet is secured, Sofia admires it with a delighted grin. "It's perfect," she declares, giving Julia a warm hug. "Thank you again, Julia."

Julia beams at the praise, her eyes shining with happiness. "You're welcome, Sofia! I'm glad you like it."

As Julia skips off to join the other kids, Sofia stands up again smiling at me, I fasten the bracelet a little tighter so it won't fall off and kiss her before we rejoin the conversation.

Dinner is a lively affair, filled with good food, even better company, and the undeniable feeling that everything is exactly as it should be. For the first time in a long time, I feel completely content, surrounded by my closest friends and the woman I love.