Heat: A Mafia Doll Retelling

Chapter 22: Lisa

"Franco, Brooklynn has only been gone for a week," Rita reminded him from the door of his room.

For Rita it might have only been a regular week... but for Franco who had literally been with her every single day almost every hour of the day for more than two months... it almost felt like a year.

It felt like the two years he had spent away from her.

He hated it.

He wished he could fly back to Italy and join her but unfortunately, Damiano still needed him and he couldn't leave the Boss. They had just started expanding territories and they were having some issues with the gangs that had previously occupied the territories they were expanding into. Currently the entire Mob scene was getting shaken up and Damiano couldn't afford to lose one of his best.

"Cheer up. Who knows? Maybe when Querida gets back she'll be happy and healthy and even willing to finally be with you the way you want it," Rita said trying to cheer him up.

Rita was becoming friendlier and friendlier and frankly it was creeping out most people.

Franco shook his head, "She hasn't called me."

Rita sighed, and walked into his room. She took a seat next to him on his bed and patted his hand, "She's probably just getting settled in and she's probably sightseeing. You know she hasn't returned to Italy for a while. Damiano's friends have told him that she is doing quite fine and she's even out and about everyday. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Franco sat up and nodded, "Yeah. I guess... I just fucking assumed I would be at her side when she did all of those things."

"Well things don't always have to go your way. She's happy right now, and I bet it's a lot nicer for her than constantly feeling depressed in her room with you. Besides, I think she felt bad about making you worry about her."

"I stayed with her because-" Franco began.

"I know why you stayed with her. Everyone does... including her. But that doesn't mean that she should feel less guilty of taking up every moment of your time. You haven't even been back at your apartment," Rita said dramatically.

Franco's eyebrow lifted,"Do you want me to leave?"

Rita smacked the back of his head and rolled her eyes when Franco hissed and brought his hand up to soothe the throbbing her smack had left behind, "Franco Di Angelo, you are like my son. I helped raise you and you know damn well this is your house."

Her thick accent made her declaration sound a little funny.

Franco chuckled silently before nodding his head, "I know."

"Good. It's almost time for dinner, wash up," She ordered him before leaving the room. Franco sat still listening to to the fading clicking sound her heels left behind and she walked.

He fucking missed her.

The worst part of all of this was that he didn't know when she was going to return or in what state she would return in. He knew that she would be safe. The Family ruled the streets where she was. It wasn't uncommon to walk by a fellow Family member in every corner.

That wasn't what he was worried about.

He felt insecure.

She was able to live life without him for two years... what if she forgot about him?

What if everything they had gone through together the past few months didn't mean shit?

What if she returned, unwilling to even so much as look his way?