Painting this canvas with the colors of our love

Surprise

—Fast forward: My birthday—
I had arrived from a few days now, since I had finished all my exams sooner than expected and Sarah was busy shooting, so we couldn't spend time together, I had come home to my parents and my brother along with my grandparents.
I could finally breathe that Christmas atmosphere now that we were all gathered together, even though I regret leaving Sarah and let her face a long plane trip alone because I knew how much she was scared of flying but anyway she was supposed to take off in a few hours now so i texted her just to know if everything was going according to our plans.
'Hey Sar, so excited I'll see you in a few hours! I miss you so fucking much, xx'
But then I completely forgot about checking my phone again having been absorbed by my family and especially by my brother and my cousin's children. When I checked again my phone after after spending time outside with them and our dog in the garden I found her reply 'Hey love, I'm sorry I cannot be there for your birthday, I was asked to stay a little more to finally end the filming. I'm SO sorry please forgive me, PLEASE. :('
I couldn't believe it... was she really doing this to me? She knew what it meant for me and now she was acting like she didn't care at all. I didn't mean to be an asshole because I knew her job was really challenging and that she was always filming no matter if it was night or day so I just quickly typed 'Okay, no problem' then ran in my "creative room", the room where me and my mother kept all of our canvas, paint and drawings and locked the door.
I sat on the window sill, I leaned my forehead against the window pane and started crying. There was a beautiful sunset outside colored in every shade of pink and orange while the sun was going to settle on the sea just behind some islands that with the clear air of that day stood out perfectly. I wanted her to see that, to understand why I loved it so much, why it was so precious for me. My mother had come a few times to say if I wanted to eat or ask what was going wrong but I just said to go away and oddly she did. While I had been sat there sketching me and Sarah in my bed in New York, or huddled on her couch kissing the time flew so fast that it was almost midnight almost the time Sarah should have been here if she hadn't had to work.
The house was now quiet, everyone had probably went to sleep so I unlocked the door, but before going to bed I looked at all the sketches of me and her on the floor and realized I could only watch them if I wanted to see her because it was almost my birthday and she wasn't there...
When I heard the door being opened without even turning around I said in Italian to my father to go away in case my mother sent him to talk to me but I heard someone giggle and it wasn't my father. I turned around with my heart beating so fast like it was going to escape from my chest and I saw her there leaning against the door, beautiful, very tired, wearing jeans and a white sweater.
"Hey hun... uhm, are you still mad at me?" She said displaying a big toothy smile spreading her arms and making me understand that I had to go and hug her. I ran to her and hugged her, lifting her up "how can you be here... how is this even possible?" I questioned her without breaking our hug with my head still buried in her shoulder.
"let's say your grandmother was precious"
"What?" I asked her even more confused.
"Come downstairs with me she's waiting for us" she said and held my hand down the stairs like she knew where to go better than I did and there I found them, ALL of them, my grandparents, my parents, my brother, some of my closest friends and my cousins and their babies.
As soon as they saw us coming down the stairs their voices all exploded together in a big "Surprise!" and I was absolutely shocked so much that I stood there with my mouth open without knowing what to say but sarah was still holding my hand and now she was holding it tightly to make me recover from the surprise and say something.
"Oh God  I just want to know how you managed to surprise me this time... How is this even possible? Thank you! That's all I ever wanted, all the people I love together!"
"Honey we love you too but just blow these candles out because they're melting on the cake!" My grandpa said, making everyone laugh. I made my wish and blew the candles out, everyone cheered me and my parents and my brother hugged me tightly.
"Before you all rush to the cake, I know you can't wait, there's still someone who has not turned her candles off" I said, looking at Sarah, who was visibly embarrassed shaking her head slowly without letting go of my hand "It's okay trust me" I whispered letting go of her hand heading to the kitchen and came back with a small cake all covered with lighted candles.
"Sarah's birthday was a few days ago but since I couldn't be with her because she was out filming we decided that we would have celebrated together on my birthday for dinner with my parents and grandparents but since there was this surprise of which I did not know anything here we are, I too have thought of you, happy late birthday,I love you" I said holding the cake in front of her so that she could blow on her candles too.
"I love you too" she said, focused on her wish and blew.
"Happy birthday Sarah!" Everyone shouted and after cheering us they all went to get a slice of cake where my grandma was cutting slices for everyone.
"You two are beautiful..." My mother said putting her arm around my waist.
"mum! there was no time to introduce you before all this surprise, so... mom, dad, she's Sarah Paulson, I know you know her name but..."
"It's great to finally meet you Sarah! I knew you as an actress, but I am happy to see you two are so happy together, I think I've never seen my daughter smile so much" my mother interrupted my anxious talk to make sarah more comfortable.
"It's great to meet you both too, and thank you for having me, really it means a lot!" Sarah said holding and softly shaking my mother's hand.
"We are happy to have anyone who makes our children happy so you are welcome here Sarah" my father said shaking Sarah's hand.
"Do it as if you were at home, Sarah, really" my mother added and took my father over to the kitchen so that me and Sarah were finally alone in the room. I was looking intensely into her eyes and there was that little spark i loved whenever light hit them.
"Are you going to stare at me like a creep all the time or..." Sarah laughed
I pulled her into a hug rubbing her back and she rested her head on my shoulder "I've missed you so much" I said holding her tightly but when we were just about to kiss a tribe of children rushed into the room "Auntie! Auntie! Happy birthday!!" while the two dangerously unstable smaller twins held two plates with slices of cake.
"Okay kiddos give me those, oh god" I said handing one to Sarah.
"Thank you girls" she said giving both a caress on the cheek.
"You're welcome Sarah!" They cheered simultaneously.
"You all speak English in this family huh?" Sarah said to me.
"We're half American" I laughed winking at her.
"Are you auntie's girlfriend?" Sofia asked Sarah and I saw her face burn red and her eyes were looking for my help and I just nodded.
"Yes, I'm your auntie's girlfriend" She said while kneeling to be at their height.
"So you're our auntie too now!! Do you speak Italian too?" Noah shouted happily making me and Sarah laugh out loud and making her face even more red.
"I guess so and no, unfortunately i don't even know a single word but I'm quick at learning" she said, little did she know they were going to prove it.
"We will teach you Italian auntie Sarah" they all yelled dragging her to the sofa for her lesson. She was awkwardly mouthing "Help me" but I just pretended I didn't understand and waved my hand smiling letting those kids torture her for a while and headed to the kitchen to join the others.
"Is my army of children bothering your girl?" My cousin asked me laughing and looking at Sarah trying to repeat what the children told her to say.
"This is fun! And she needed someone to teach her Italian" I joked looking at her being so cute with all those children around.
"Ok enough I'm going to get them, that's kinda hard as a first day in this family" she ate the last piece of cake and went over to the living room, I was about to follow her but I was stopped by my grandma and I realized she had helped Sarah to surprise me and I hadn't thanked her.
"Honey are you happy?" She asked smiling so sweetly my heart melted.
"Yes, I am so so happy this Christmas couldn't be more perfect" I told grabbing her shoulder "and also I'm sorry I lied to you about Sarah I didn't know how to explain it and also everything happened so fast I am realizing just now" I apologized.
"You don't have to apologize sweetheart we love you anyway and we will love the people you love and they can be men, women or whatever makes you happy" she said and I really didn't expect that, I knew I had the best family in the world but in that moment I felt blessed. "Thank you it means a lot to hear this" I said with teary eyes.
"Now go save your girl from those kids and show her your room, I'll send all these people home" she said laughing, when she was around she was in charge of everything, my mother was just another kid so I understand why she loved having my grandparents with us.
As the kids left Sarah alone to go home I sneaked behind her and encircled her waist with my arms kissing her behind her head
"So what did you learn today?" I giggled
"they advised me of sentences to conquer your heart" she giggled to her words looking at me.
"But you already own my heart sweetie"
"Yeah yeah but I thought this couldn't hurt. So are your ready?"
"All ready"
"So..." she bit her lip trying to concentrate " 'Sei bellissima' which means you're beautiful" she said in a weird pronouncing.
"Uhuh Thank you so much... ops, no wait, 'grazie mille'" I told her and she bit her lip.
"I love it when you speak Italian you're so sexy"  she confessed.
"I'll have to do it more often then" I said slowly leaning in to kiss her but then again we got interrupted by my brother Joey.
"Ugh, I'm sorry to interrupt but I just wanted to ask if you needed help carrying your things upstairs Sarah" he said unusually polite.
"Yes it would be great if you can!" Sarah twittered.
"Oh yeah profit of the moment he won't be so kind once you get to know each other, trust me" I joked.
"Aw my favorite sis, love youu" he said leaving the room.
"Also the only one you have!" I shouted to be sure he could hear me.
"KIDS PLEASE DON'T FIGHT" we heard my mother yell from upstairs.
I rolled my eyes "Kids... Yes now I can officially say I'm home" I told Sarah leaning in to kiss her and she giggled.
"Do you know what sounds very good in Italian?" I asked and she looked at me shaking her head "No, what is it?" She had half a smile on her face that opened widely as I said " 'Ti amo' which means..." I couldn't finish that she kissed me again "I know what it means, i love you too, now let's go to sleep I can barely keep my eyes open" She said holding my hand and following me to our room.

I'm not going to say much but just thank you for 1100+ reads to this is story, I didn't expect it and since it's my first story here it really is a lot for me. Thank you so so so so so so so so much 🤩🥰❤️
Oh I also hope this one was good too, feel free to let me know, it would be great. ☺️😘