Hers To Love (complete) Cover By @army_ss841

Chapter 12 (edited)

As they entered the kitchen, Luca made a comment about the food. "Wow! You cooked all of this?" He sounded amazed. 

"I did! I love cooking and I don't do it as much as I used to and I guess I got a little carried away." He had asked for a run down on the menu, so Ari explained that she had made lasagna roll ups with a bechamel sauce, the bruschetta with the homemade topping and fresh mozzarella cheese, the salad and the Italian Cream Cake, which really seemed to have his interest. 

After fixing their plates, they made their way to the table. While Luca got settled, Ari walked back to the kitchen, grabbed the wine, their glasses and then sat down across from Luca.  He picked up his glass, to do another toast, so Ari picked up her glass as well. 

"To you, Ari, my gracious hostess, my beautiful dinner companion and amazing chef! Let's eat! Salute!" That was so sweet!  They went for a period of time where neither of them said anything. They were too busy eating, but the silence was comfortable. 

Luca praised her several times for her culinary prowess and Ari was in her element.  She enjoyed times like this, having someone to cook for and have meaningful conversation with. When they finally finished eating, Luca grabbed their plates and headed to the kitchen. There wasn't a lot of food left which was fine by Ari.  She hadn't wanted a lot of leftover food.  

"I don't think I could eat another bite" sighed Luca. She let out a little laugh. 

"So wait on dessert, is that what you're saying?" She inquired.  He gave her a quick nod while walking over to her.  

He stuck out his hand and said "Dance with me". 

That's when Ari noticed her favorite Sinatra song was playing, I've Got You Under My Skin. She blushed a little, but took the offered hand.  Her hand felt dwarfed in his. Ari then placed her hand around his waist because she couldn't reach his shoulder.  He then placed his right hand around her waist, pulling her into him. 

Ari placed her head on his chest and felt very content. She felt selfish in the fact that she didn't want this particular moment to end. She knew it would, at some point, but she could dream, couldn't she? 

Luca's voice broke the reverie she was in. "You're an excellent dancer, Ms. Kristine."  Ari could hear the smile in his voice. 

"It's actually Lucchese" she replied. 

"What?" he asked. 

"My last name is actually Lucchese" she said repeating herself.  For whatever reason, the iPod picked that exact moment to take itself off of loop and you could hear a pin drop.

Walking over to the couch, Luca stood there with a look she couldn't discern. She didn't know him well enough yet, but she patted the couch indicating for him to come take a seat. Thank God he didn't hesitate, but she could tell he was ready for an explanation, so she took a deep breath and started. 

"My real father's last name was Walker. He passed away when I was 5. My mother became a flight attendant, to make ends meet, so I was basically raised by my Gram for a large part of my life. I understood what my mother was doing for us and I was okay with it. On one of her trips to New York, she met a man named Luciano Lucchese. She was unaware of his 'background'.  You weren't supposed to ask questions and I assume that still holds true to this day, although I know now that she had her suspicions at what he did for a living". 

Ari looked at Luca and he nodded so she continued. "He was a nice enough man from what my grandmother told me and she said that she never saw him lay a finger on my mother, as a matter of fact he doted on her, took care of her and even though my mother begged him not to, he would send money to my Gram for me. He'd never even met me but he was helping my mother support me. 

After they had been seeing each other for about a year my mom decided it was time Luc and I meet. Of course I found out much later from Luc that he and my grandmother had met along time ago. She had put her foot down and insisted. She was not going to have a stranger in my life without getting her impression first. She was a feisty one!" Ari laughed. 

"Anyway I finally met Luc and I fell in love with him. He always treated me like I was his true daughter. He'd never married and never had any children of his own and he eventually married my mom when I was 10. About a year later I overheard he and my mother talking about me. He wanted to adopt me. My mom was all for it, but she told Luc that it would be up to me. When he married my mom, she stopped working. There wasn't a need for her to anymore and the four of us became a family like I had always wanted. The week of my 11th birthday Luc surprised me with a trip to New York. My mom and Gram already knew about it. This is where my love for this city comes into play and why I chose to live here as an adult." 

Ari had been talking for quite a while and Luca was very patiently listening to every word. "I guess now would be a good time to ask if you have any questions up to this point?" 

"I have just one for right now. Do you still have contact with your step father?" She wasn't surprised by this question and she answered honestly. 

"Yes I do." That seemed to satisfy for the moment, so she continued.

"Like I said Luc brought me here for my birthday and we went to a play, a Broadway musical, museums, art galleries, Central Park, Ellis Island and the Empire State Building. Not all in one day, of course, but over 4 or 5 days. Those places were great, but the place we went, the day of my birthday, that has a special place in my memory is the courthouse." 

Ari stood up for a minute and Luca looked at her,  puzzled. "I want to show you something". That's all she said and she came back in just as quickly as she had left, clutching a frame in her hand. 

"You see, Luc wanted to adopt me on my birthday. He wanted me to know that not only was my birthday special, but it would be more special to him and I because of the adoption. I remember going in before the judge, my mom was crying, I was crying and Luc was crying. It seemed to go very quickly and then we had someone take a picture for us." 

Ari handed Luca the frame. It was a color photo of her, her mom, Luc and the judge. They were all smiling and had their arms around each other. This picture had pride of place on her desk and everyday she would look at it, she was reminded that she was and is always wanted and someone's daughter. That meant the world to her.