I scraped together enough money to catch a taxi back home. Walking through my apartment door felt foreign to me. I haven't been here in so long I don't feel like I belong.
Picking up the phone I call my dad, he answers on the third ring.
"Tatiana?"
"Hi daddy." I sob enjoying the sound of his voice.
He goes into a fit of coughs and immediately I'm on edge. My dad is usually not a sick person. I can't think of a time where he has been sick.
"Are you okay?"
"No sweetie, I'm not. I was hoping to get in contact with you before it was too late."
"Too late? Dad you're scaring me what's wrong?"
"I'm dying. I've had cancer for a while now, it's gotten worse. I just haven't had the time to tell you."
My body goes numb at this news. Tears well in my eyes and my throat tightens. It's like my mom all over again. I barely survived that loss, this is already breaking my heart and we're talking now.
"Where are you? Dad I'm coming right now just tell me where you are." I plead in the phone.
"No sweetie."
"Please dad don't do this, I don't want you to be alone."
"Tatiana no. I don't want you to see me like this. Stay home."
"What am I going to do without you? I have no one." I cry.
"Adopt some cats."
Leave it to my dad to joke in a serious situation. Typical dad behavior.
Despite the mixed emotions I'm feeling right now, I laugh.
"I love you."
"I love you too Tatiana. You're a beautiful person. I'm so so proud to call you my daughter."
"I'm so honored to be your daughter."
Once we've said our goodbyes and I beg him one last time to tell me where he is, we hang up.
All I got out of him was hospice and nothing more. He's infuriating.
I trudge to my bed skipping dinner and not changing my clothes. I lie there staring at the popcorn ceiling wondering what Alessandro is doing.
I know he wants me to stay away but already I miss him.
A week has gone by and try as I might to fall into some sort of rhythm of life, I can't.
My dad died that night we spoke, his funeral was very beautiful. Alessandro paid for everything although he didn't attend.
He sent Nathaniel and Dylan in his place with a card of course. I never bothered to open it. If I hear another 'sorry for your loss' I'm going to lose it.
I've gone back to singing at events just to take my mind off of things. It is a nice distraction for a little while. When I'm home alone though...it's hard.
Sprawled across the couch my phone rings. Stretching to reach it on the coffee table, I pick up not even seeing who it is.
I haven't talked to anyone all week. Not Alessandro,Dylan, nobody. Dylan has called and stopped by with notes but I haven't opened any of them.
They've been collecting on the floor to the door.
"Hello?"
"Princess."
His soothing voice melts me like butter and every emotion comes rushing out.
"Hi." I giggle and sob.
"Are you crying? Tatiana don't do that don't cry. I'm not there to hold you."
"I know." I sniffle. I'm so excited to actually be on the phone with him. I have missed him so much, I just want to jump through the phone and kiss him.
"Come home,I miss you so fucking bad. And I know you're hurting, I can't stand to have you away from me dealing with this alone."
His words make me cry more. I've missed him so much if I could be with him right this second life would be great.
"Alessandro, I miss you."
The other line is quiet for a few seconds. "Say that again." He whipers.
"I said I miss you."
He sighs,"You're coming home. Nathaniel is on his way to get you."
"But I thought you said-"
"Fuck what I said, it was stupid and immature. I need you princess."
45 minutes later Nathaniel picks me up, no rude comments at all. Matter of fact we don't even talk the whole way back.
As we pull in to the drive way I don't get out right away just looking at the big house.
The tan color, the black shutters, the vine creeping up the side of the house. I've missed this place.
"Are you ok Luna?"
I nod climbing out of the car. Reaching the front door it rips open as Dylan pulls me into a warm embrace.
"Thank God you're back!" she exclaims. "I was so worried you'd done something terrible to yourself." Holding me at arms length she gives me the once over before pulling me back in for another hug.
"I'm still here." I say. As she lets go a loud bang makes us jump.
Clomping up the steps from his 'dungeon' is my mate.
"Hey." I say sheepishly. He rushes over to me crushing me in a hug. "I missed you."
"I know princess; that was so stupid I shouldn't have sent you away. I'm so sorry about everything. Your dad, letting you go all of it I'm so-"
Covering his mouth with my hand he shuts up kissing my fingers.
"You talk too much. It's okay I'm not mad at you."
He smiles lifting me up carrying me down to his room locking the door behind us.
"Tatiana, I... I don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything, there's nothing you can say to bring him back."
He nods sitting on the edge of his bed. He looks off, really pale and hair a mess. Bags under his eyes and his room. The only things not flipped over or broken are the bed and the flower sitting on the nightstand.
"I uh, I meant to clean up before you came."
"S'okay." I shrug picking up the jar observing the flower.
"Alessandro?"
"Yes?"
"There's one petal on this rose."
He gently grabs the jar from me placing down. "Can I hold you?"
"Mhm."
Laying us both down he kisses my neck burying his face in my hair.
"Promise me whatever she does to me tomorrow you won't interfere."
"I don't want to promise that."
"My love you have to. If anything happened to you I don't know what I would do."
The tears I've been holding in spill onto his arm wrapped around me. He rolls me over so we're face to face as he kisses the tears away.
"You're going to be fine."
"Not without you." I sob harder resting my head on his chest.
I can't take another loss, this is overwhelming. Everyone I care for is being taken away from me. I'm falling for him and now he's being taken away because of some bitter woman.
"Princess you're breaking my heart right now."
