The Feeling is Mutual, Love.

13.Where Do We Go From Here?

The loud muffled music through their locked door stirred them awake. Giavanna and Joseph looked around and jumped, scurrying away from each other once they realized they were cuddling. Best not to tell them they did that all night.

Though they had agreed to be cordial with each other, they were still not comfortable one another. Their mutual agreement does not mean that things automatically change between them. They still held an animosity and hatred for one another; feelings of that nature do not just vanish over night.

Even when, or if, they did get over those feelings they then had to determine whether or not they liked each other well enough to become at the very least acquaintances. Then, they could take their feelings for each other and grow from there.

Yet they were far from that; a loud clammer and laughter bellowed up towards their room, over the loud music, pulling their attention to their bedroom door. Fully aware of the unexpected and unwanted guests invading their home and waking them up, unpleasantly, they cleaned up and got dressed.

Once ready, Joseph opened the door and peered out and down the step. Only to find his and Giavanna's family commemorating and drinking. Unfortunately his incredibly drunk, crude and brute cousins spotted him as soon as he opened the door.

'SASHA!' I could hear them yell up towards us followed by the heavy slamming of feet as they seemingly stammered up the steps. 'DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!' Jo seemed to struggle at closing the door with them being right on the other side.

Soon after, three huge Russian men came clambering into the room laughing and falling all over themselves. I would not be surprised if my cousins were not far behind them in the same state of being.

What did surprise me however was how they came for me and not Jo. Picking me up and carrying me out of the room as if I weighed nothing at all to them. "Wait! No! No!" I scratched and reached for anything within my grasp to get away.

One con of being a petite person in a family of giants: you will be manhandled!

I froze and stopped fighting for all but a second when I noticed that Jo was chasing after his cousins to try and get them to stop and put me down. His efforts were useless but I appreciate the notion.

Apparently both Jo and I complaining about the matter fell upon death ears because we both got swept up in a crowd of each other's families. Instantly I was on my feet being shuffled around from Aunt, to cousin, to mother in law.

It was hard to determine what everyone was saying to me but from what I could gather,I know it was mainly them wondering when I was going to have a little Zwon for them to raise.

This really was the last thing I needed...

I concealed my pain on the matter; simply smiling and laughing it off. Pretending it did not hurt; that it did not hurt to have lost the one they were asking me for. That it did not hurt that I could not tell them about him or that it did not hurt that they were unknowingly, innocently, bring back all the pain I felt still for my son.

I worked my way through the crowd trying not to really answer anyone or even look them in the eyes. Soon enough I was being encased within someone's arms, and his scent was nostalgically pleasant. 'Mi dispiace tanto la mia bella(I am so sorry my beauty)

"Papa!" I looked up to confirm, I may have been mad at him previously but it was nice to just hug him and savor this moment even if I did not accept his apology. Maybe if I say nothing he will just think I did...