DREAMS, II ✦ MARCO ASENSIO

DOS

NOVEMBER 26th, 2018.

Mattia was in her high seat watching Marco cook dinner. The little girl was silent since she's arrived in Madrid with her aunt, mostly letting Marco speak and she just listened. Marco hadn't noticed it yet, she was too lost in her thoughts to pay attention to what he was saying.

"Mattia, are you listening?" He asked, putting the knife down on the cutting board. She looked up at him and pouted, furrowing her eyebrows. Mattia slowly nodded and huffed. Marco raised his eyebrows at her. "What's wrong, amor?"

"I don't want to live with mommy." Mattia shook her head and sighed. "Her boyfriend is mean, he doesn't speak Italian or Spanish and I can't talk to him. Why can't I live with you, daddy?"

"Oh, baby, I wish you could, but you can't leave your mother." Marco took her in his arms and rubbed her back. "I'd love nothing more than for you to live with me, but I... I can't take you away from your mom. Why don't you like him?"

"Because mommy has a lot of work, he stays with me and he is always talking in French and I don't understand what he says. He is mean to me, too." Mattia looked up at Marco with her big, brown eyes. "Also, he said that when we live with him, I won't see you as much as I do anymore. I don't like him, daddy."

"Hey!" Claudia chirped and entered the kitchen. She placed the few shopping bags in her hands on the counter and turned to face Marco and Mattia. "So, what were you two talking about?"

"Go play with Rome, okay? I'll call you for dinner." Marco told Mattia. She nodded and strolled out of the kitchen in search for the dog. Marco sighed and looked up at Claudia. He put his hand on his hip and asked her to take a seat. She frowned in confusion, but did what he asked. "What's up?"

"You see, my daughter was just telling me how she hates the guy. She's afraid to tell her mother! Adelina is going blind because of him!" Marco snapped angrily, shocking Claudia.

The Italian sighed and shook her head. "Oh, Marco. You have no idea why Adelina sent Mattia and I here, do you? She's moving, to London. Well, she moved already, actually. She just didn't want Mattia to go through the moving process, but, yeah... I'm sorry, Marco."

Marco opened his mouth in disbelief, but he couldn't find anything to say. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, hoping that this is all a dream, but he returned to reality when he heard Mattia's giggles and Rome's barks. He looked down sadly, not knowing what to tell Claudia.

"You okay?" Claudia asked him sympathetically. Marco shook his head and sighed. He dropped his apron to the ground and pushed his hands in his pockets. Claudia rubbed his arm and moved to the stove to turn it off before their food is burned.

"I don't get it. I asked if she could give me a chance, she said she would. Why is she suddenly dropping everything behind her and moving to another country just for an asshole she just met? What about your parents, what do they think of this? How could they agree?" Marco asked Claudia angry.

"They didn't exactly agree." Claudia paused to clear her throat. "You see, he just convinced her to move to London, they didn't really talk to mom and dad. I mean, dad is really angry, and mom is disappointed that you two didn't work it out. Mom just wants you two to get back together for Mattia, you know? She's young... doesn't really understand what's going on, I don't think this is a healthy environment for an almost-four-year-old."