My Boss

[25]

[marco]

  I don't know how long we stood staring at one another, but I didn't care. She was here, in my presence, and she didn't seem angry at me. Instead, she looked as if she actually wanted to be here with me.

"Ayanna?"

I spoke breaking the silence as I took a step towards her. She broke from her daze and started to shake her head.

"I-I-I should've-"

"Sh. Please don't."

I begged as I continued to close the gap between us. I knew what she was going to say and I didn't want for her to snap from the state she was in at the moment. It felt as if we were back in Florence, locked away from the world, as just the two of us. Once I had come close enough to touch her, I couldn't help but engulf her into my arms. Surprisingly she accepted and didn't push away. It was I had her in my life again and I just couldn't let go, I didn't know I missed her this much.

"I've missed you."

I whispered as I brought her closer. I was afraid that if I would let go, she'd slip away. I was okay if we stood here till morning, as long as she was in my arms, this was all I needed. She still and forever had my heart, she truly was my everything.

—

I didn't sleep. I just watched as she slept. When she had finally allowed for sleep to overtake her I brought to my room and laid her down beside me. For the first time in a long time I prayed. I prayed that God would restore my family, bring them home to me, and never take them away. I knew it was a large request, but it was my only one. Sooner or later I knew this moment I had been enjoying would come to an end and it did when she began to wake. She looked beautiful as she rose, but the sadness came when she fully awoke and was staring at me with hard eyes.

"We didn't do anything."

I quickly reassured her to prevent her from thinking I had done anything without her knowing. Or possibly slapping or hitting me with anything. 

"Then what do we do?"

"Nothing."

I said. She looked at me for a second but focused more on her surroundings and her appearance. Once she had noticed she was in yesterday's clothes I heard a sigh leave her lips.

"I don't know why I came here."

She finally spoke after a few minutes so silence. I was going to reply, but she continued.

"Maybe I came here so I could prove my reality wrong and that the past few days were just one big nightmare, but it's true. You are really alive and I'm the stupid idiot who fell in love with you back in Florence. I'm actually still that stupid idiot because I still love you."

To hear her say that she was still in love with me both broke and warmed my heart. It was hard to sit here and watch her fall apart. I completely take full blame, but if someone were to ask if I would make the same choice as I did in the past I would tell them I would because no one in my world knew about the two of them and my son was able to grow up in a healthy environment. Yes, he is my heir, but in the end, I want my son to have a choice and write his own story. 

"I know you don't want to hear any of my excuses, but you have to understand that I did what I had to. It's not because I didn't trust or love you, I couldn't allow for anything to happen to you or Noah. In my world love like ours doesn't exist or it doesn't last. I just thought if I ended it that it would be less painful."

"Marco, did you ever think to reach out or help out? I know I can't understand this mafia stuff, but we lived through it for months in Florence!"

"Amor things aren't the same anymore, they're actually worse and now, as I feared, there is a target on your back."

I could see the fear flash across her face and the distress begin to build up, but she needed to know that nothing would happen to her especially now that I was here.

"Does that mean you have to disappear again?"

It shocked me, her question, because I didn't really think she cared too much for me after all I've done to her. She really was still in love with me.

"Not if you want me to."

"Well, I don't want you to. Your son needs you."

It was silent for a while and I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find the words to say anything. She was right I couldn't disappear again, my son was here now and I needed to be here for him. 

"And I need you too."

I thought I was dreaming of hearing her say that. I was going to start preparing myself with living the rest of my life without her as mine for her sake. After all I have put her through I couldn't understand how she could still see past all of it and continue to love me. I don't even think I could do that for anyone. 

"So do you think we could make it work?"

I asked. Hopeful of the best and silently praying for the best. 

"For now the focus stays on Noah, we can work us out later."

I nodded agreeing to her terms. It was reasonable and made sense. I just got them back and just like anything else I was going to work hard to get my family all together. No one could stop me now and as for my mother, she better start praying to Lord for mercy because when I find her there won't be any at all.