Finding Sebastian

Chapter 14

Marcia walked over to the bed that Talia was currently sitting on. "Thank you for helping me, Mrs. Ricci."

Marcia smiled softly. "It's not a problem at all. Thank you for helping us find our baby."

Talia noticed once a again how Marcia put her hand on her stomach. "Sei incinta?" Talia asked. Marcia gave her a quizzical look. Talia remembered that Marcia did not speak Italian. "Are you with child?"

Marcia went white. "H-how did you know?"

Talia laughed and leaned back onto the bed. Marcia looked at her like she had just grown another eye. "Honey, I know when a woman is pregnant. You are guarding your stomach like it's the most treasured thing in the entire world. Have you told your husband?"

Marcia shook her head. "It's not the right time. When we find Sebby I'll tell him. I don't want him to get more worked up."

Talia said, "Your husband loves you very much."

Marcia snorted. "A little too much, if you know what I mean."

Talia laughed again. She placed a soft hand on Marcia's forearm when she finally recovered from her fit. "Honey," she giggled, "it's a good thing. It means that he will take care of you? Do you doubt he will?"

Marcia's eyes went wide. "Oh no! I know how capable he is."

"Then why not tell him?"

Marcia sighed. "Like I said before: it's not the right time." A tear escaped her eye and wondered down her cheek. She wiped it away and laughed. "I'm supposed to be strong, aren't I?" She slapped her hands down on her thighs. "I'm not this world, I'm now supposed to be standing up for what I believe in. Women's rights, right?"

Talia wrapped an arm around her shoulder and allowed her head to lean down on her own shoulder. With the other hand, she held onto Marcia's in a comforting manera. "I'm not think... I think you don't have to be pressured by what society says."

"You make it sound so easy," Marcia sniffled.

"Marcia, nothing in this life is easy. That's how we become stronger: by persevering and growing." She let go of Marcia's hand and fingered her cross. "You believe in God, yes?"

Marcia nodded her head and wiped away her tears from her eyes. She hated how weak she was feeling at the moment. Moments like these, she wondered how Oliver could have chosen her to settle down with and marry and love. After eight years of being together, she still had doubts.

She knew that she shouldn't, but Oliver was a beautiful man with a beautiful personality. She, on the other hand, was nothing of the sort, or so she thought. Sure, she knew that she beautiful, but she felt as if she always lacked in her personality. Maybe he was only with her for a lay after he got home from work.

"I do, Talia, but these days I feel like He has left me and has called my unworthy," Marcia explained. "I'm the wife of a Mafia leader! Why would God put any favor in me?"

Talia thought before she spoke. "Who do you see yourself as?"

Marcia felt defeated. She knew how she felt about herself. A big breasted woman with a body she didn't feel comfortable in. A woman who couldn't even take care of her six month old child. A woman who couldn't help her husband. A woman who was a failure in all aspects of life. She told Talia as such.

"He sees you so much more than that. He sees you as His beautiful masterpiece. A beautiful woman who He loves very much." Talia held Marcia tighter. She didn't know what she was exactly saying, but it sounded right. It felt right. "Come here." She got up from where she was sitting and she held out her hand for Marcia to take.

Reluctantly, she took Talia's hand. Talia led her over to a mirror and had her stand in front of it. "Now, tell me what you see." Marcia began listing off all of the negatives she believed were there. She picked apart every single part of her skin and body, disgusted by what she saw.

When she was done dissecting herself, Talia asked, "Do you know what I see?" Marcia shook her head. "I see the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon." She gathered Marcia's hair and pulled it back behind her back. "You're eyes are the most beautiful blue, your hair is silky and wavy, and your body is perfect - it was made just for you."

Marcia started to see herself in Talia's perspective. Yet, she still felt like something was holding her back from appreciating what she saw. Something was anchoring to the ground and not allowing her to come up and break the chains. She spun around and hugged Talia. "Thank you," she said.

Talia patted her back and held her tight. She couldn't understand how a beautiful woman like Marcia Ricci could ever have confidence issues. She couldn't understand how a woman like her could think of herself as if she were nothing. I suppose it doesn't matter who you are, Talia thought, you can still have confidence issues whoever you are. "Whenever you look into the mirror, don't pick out all of the negatives you think you might have. Instead, look at all of your beautiful qualities and admire them, but don't get corky."

Marcia laughed and hugged her tighter. "Thank you so much, Talia."

Talia held Marcia out at arms length and ran her eyes down Marcia's body. She whistled a cat call. "No wonder why Mr. Ricci can't keep his hands off of you!" Marcia blushed. "If I were a guy, which I'm not, I would be all over you too!" Marcia laughed and blushed more.

After that, Talia and Marcia talked a bit until Oliver came back with new clothing for Talia. He noticed how his wife's eyes were red and puffy, but he decided he'd ask her later about it.

Talia hugged Oliver and kissed his cheek - which elicted a blush - and went to put her clothing away. It wasn't much; nontheless, she was still grateful for them.

"Hey, baby," Oliver said.

"Hey."

He sat next to her on the bed and asked her why her eyes were red and puffy. She told him why. She couldn't hold a secret back from him. She definitely couldn't do it when his green eyes were staring straight at her. He listened intently and held her in his embrace. He wouldn't let her go.

"Baby, you're absolutely beautiful. I love you more than anything in this entire world."

She raised an eyebrow. "Even Sebby?"

He laid her down on the bed and kissed her nose. "I love Seb just as much, possibly even more."

She leaned up on her elbows and kissed his nose. "You better. He's your child."

He smirked. "Baby, I'm a sure thing for you and Seb. I won't ever stop loving either one of you." He kissed her lips. She brought her arms up and crossed them over each other around his neck. He nibbled her lip and trailed kisses down her jaw and neck and found her sweet spot. She let out a moan.

"If you guys wanted a room, you could've just said so," Talia said.

Marcia tried to push him off of her, but he held her closer and kissed her lips. "She's mine. But, I'll get another room so we can have our 'special time'." Marcia slapped his shoulder. He winced.

Talia couldn't help but chuckle at the two of them. They were perfect. A match made in heaven. True, they were oppossiyes, but they attracted each other and mixed together perfectly.