Secrets & Lies

Chapter Twenty-Two

When the last guest left and the door was closed Gia's mother turned to Alex, "Alexander will you be joining us for Mass tonight?" She asked.

"No mom, Alex is very tired and I thought he could just go to sleep, it has been a long day for him." Gia answered.

Alex looked at Gia, he didn't understand why Gia didn't want him to go to church with them. It seemed strange that she was so adamant that he didn't go.   He didn't want to seem contradictory but he was looking forward to going with them.

"Thank you Mrs. Princiotto, I would be happy to come to church. I'm not really tired." Alex answered.

"Good. Gia go get a scarf you are not having that much cleavage showing at church."

"Mom that's silly."

"I didn't say anything at the party but seriously that dress is clearly inappropriate." She continued.

"Stop treating me like I'm a child." Gia screeched and stomped her foot just like a child.

"You heard me, get a scarf!" She screamed back.

"You can't treat me this way I'm an adult and I will wear what I want when I want." Gia continued.

"Gia calm down." Alex said stepping up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulder. Gia pushed him away.

"Don't take her side after what you did."

"What did you do?" Daddy asked stepping toward Alex.

"Nothing Daddy, it's not important." Gia said shoving Alex back away from her father.

"Is that why you are here?" Daddy asked.

"I'm here because I want to ask your permission to marry Gia." Alex said looking directly at Gia's father.

"Alex, we haven't really discussed this." Gia interceded.

"I think it is what we should do." Alex said looking deeply into her eyes.

"I can't...I need to think...you just asked me an hour ago..." Gia started.

"Why don't we all just get our coats and head to Mass. We don't want to be late." Nick said.

"Why should you get married?" Mother asked picking out the one word a normal person would never have noticed.

"Why don't we all have a seat in the other room and discuss this calmly."  Nonna said trying to calm the situation down, she had a feeling exactly where this conversation was going to go and she knew it wasn't going to be easy for any of them. 

The group all moved to the living room, Alex and Gia sat on the sofa, Nonna in her favorite wing chair daddy and Nick on the love seat. Gia's Mother refused to sit at all, she kept pacing back and forth across the room.

"It isn't that we should get married mom, we just want to spend more time together." Gia tried to cover for what had been said.

"Gia, do you want to marry him?" Daddy asked looking from Gia to Alex.

"I love him." Gia said honestly holding tight to Alex's hand.

"Sir, I love your daughter with all my heart and I want to be with her always." Alex said looking directly at Gia's father.

"Oh Tesoro I'm so happy you have found your destiny.  This is so wonderful." Nonna exclaimed clapping her hands together.

"You two can't possible get married. What about school, your degree, your dream" Mother questioned pacing in front of Alex and Gia as they sat on the sofa like children.