The Prince's Cure

Coming to Know the Man in Shadows (The Meeting)

When Bella Got home that night and cooked dinner while telling her parents about her new job and what all would be required of her there. River, Bella's mother who is a full blood Choctaw Indian, was proud of her little tohbi chula, which means white fox in her mother's native language and was happy that she was getting out of the house for more than errands for the family.

"That's great honey, I'm so glad you found a place to work. I know you want to help with the bills now that i'm only working part-time," Julius, Bella's father an Italian born man, said while dishing up his plate.

"Thanks papa, I know you and mama need the help and I'm grateful for this job," she mentioned passing the vegetables to her mother.

"I think it's going to be a little hard for you, tohbi chula don't you," her mother had asked Bella.

"Why do you say that mi cara," was her father's reply.

"Well think darling, she will be working in a butcher shop and can't go into the back and get the meat that's back there when it's not upfront and a customer asks for it."

"Well mom, that's when I will use the phone and ask for it to be brought up or to the door that way I can get it to the customer," Bella says thinking of a solution on the spot that she could do when she was put into a situation like that.

The rest of the night was spent as a family, sharing stories and playing some games until Bella heads to bed that way she can be at the shop before it opens the next day.

"Leo that girl's here early. What time did you tell her to be here again," Adelric yelled from the back and up into the apartment above the shop.

"I told her to be here about ten minutes before we open the shop. We open in nine now, how long has it been since you seen Miss Amore-Meravigliosamente there," said Leo coming down the stairs.

"She was there when I looked that way about a minute ago."

"Well I'll go let her in then, sense you don't plan on going to open it for her," with that he walked to the front of the store.

"You know I hate going out front no matter what. People always run in terror when they see this face," Adelric mumbled going over to hide next to the door leading to the front of the shop.

Ignoring the prince's statement, Leo opened the door for Bella, "Perder Amore-Meravigliosamente, how long have you been outside for?"

"About five minutes, that's long enough to watch your son stand in the doorway to the back for two to three minutes watching me freeze and then for him to turn around and walk away like he never seen me in the first place. Is he that scared of what others think of him, Signore Leo." Bella said stepping into the shop once Leo had stepped aside.

"You know Italian, and just Leo is fine cara," he said while closing the door.

"My father is Italian, while my mother is full blooded Choctaw Indian. So I know three languages, Choctaw, Italian and English. Also just Bella will be fine."

"Wonderfully beautiful love in italiano," Adelric said from his place by the door.

"Sì, è scumbag," Bella said while facing the door. "I can understand the language very well to as I'm sure you can also speak it well to for no one knows that unless they can speak the language. What is your name anyways, Leo never mentioned it to me yesterday."

"Just call me Ace like Leo does. No one will ever know my real name," came the reply.

"Why don't you call him papà, or father instead of Leo," she asked tilting her head to the side in curiosity.

"Just go home we don't need a cagna, like you here to help," the man in the shadows yelled at her before walking further into the back.

Tears stung Bella's eyes when that was said to her. Turning around she tried to show how much they didn't hurt her from Leo.

"Bella he didn't mean that. He is just upset that he has to share this place with someone other than me now." said Leo walking up to her.

"He meant them Leo don't try and say otherwise. I just don't understand why he is so mad about it. It's not like I'm going into the back or near him in anyway that he doesn't want." She had said while putting her purse and coat under the counter and donning an apron.

Little did they know was that Adelric was listening to their conversation. "If only you knew the reason behind my words mia colomba." He said before getting some meat ready for a restaurant that needed a certain amount by noon that day.

The day flew by with Bella staying upfront the whole time and only a few people coming in for a few things and a server boy coming for the order made by the restaurant.

"Addio, Leo and Ace see you tomorrow at the sametime, and hopefully this time I'm not out in the cold for five minutes once I get here." Bella said from the doorway separating the front of the shop from the back.

"Good bye, Bella I should have a key made for you tomorrow that way you can let yourself in after that." Leo called from the top of the stairs where he had gone into the apartment an hour ago. Adelric just said nothing, but continued to clean up from the last of the meat cut that day.

"Well glad to know who wants me here and who would like me to go die, than come back," with that said she left the shop for home. Leaving Adelric to his thoughts on a beautiful girl with a name to match.