Sinners and Saints II

Chapter 13

Olivia stuck her head out of the bathroom door. She wrung her fingers around each other as she relaxed on the door, her eyes glued to Rafael whose eyes happened to be glued to his laptop just like he had been for over an hour since his mother payed them a visit.

She took a deep breath. Thinking about his mother made her exhausted and curious at the same time. Really curious. She wanted to talk about it but she didn't just know how to start. She rubbed her hands gently on her pajamas shorts and then walked slowly to the bed, swaying her hands slowly front and back.

"So," she started, her eyes glued to him while her legs took tiny steps towards his direction. "Mrs Sommadina Okonkwo,"

Rafael let out a deep sigh. Of course he saw that coming. He had been waiting patiently for her to say something about it since they had been alone all night but she was holding back. He on the other hand, wanted to talk about it. He slowly shut his laptop so he could give her his undivided attention.

Olivia made herself comfortable right beside him.
"She seems nice."

He scoffed out loud. He wasn't a stranger to Olivia's use of sarcasms. He slowly turned to her. He raised his hands to his left brows and then scratched it a little bit. He inhaled sharply.
"I'm sorry. That wasn't the way I wanted you both to meet."

"Neither did I." Olivia shook her head. Rafael looked at her for a second and then dropped his hands from his brows. He slowly reached for her hands and then pulled them to him.

"I'm sorry for the way she talked to you, the way she treated you. Mother just has a huge ego and a really weird way of associating with people."

"You mean people who don't dress in shiny designers." Olivia pouted her lips. Rafael let out a tiny chuckle.

"No, not that."

"She hates me Rafael, " Olivia chuckled faintly. "I have a huge feeling I didn't leave an impression she fell in love with."

"Of course not. " He cut her off and Olivia raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't hate you." He leaned closer to her. "She just doesn't know you yet." He looked into her eyes. "It's always like that with her but my mother is actually an amazing person. She has a big heart, a beautiful heart. She's just really hard to impress."

Olivia let out an exasperated sigh. She had had her own share in "too hard to impress" mother-in-laws.

"She is nothing like Victoria."
It was like Rafael was reading through her mind. How did he know exactly what she was thinking of? She slowly raised her eyes to meet his. She smiled a little bit.

"You have nothing to be scared of." He told her, letting out a tiny smile too. "When the time comes, she's going to know just how much of an important person you are to me and she's going to learn to love you just as I love you."

The smile on her face grew wider. That was all she needed to hear. That confirmation, over and over and over again.

"I uh, I want to show you something." Her eyes stared into his the moment, she saw how the smile on his face slowly faded. Rafael turned to the bedside table beside him. Olivia squinted her eyes as she watched him reach for a black box.

It looked so much like a jewelry box and had a tiny ribbon in front of it. She watched him carry it closer to her and then hand it to her.

"Happy eight month anniversary." He told her with a huge smile on his face. Olivia gasped in surprise. How could she have forgotten that was the same day eight months ago when she had agreed to start over with him? She slowly reached for the box.

"I totally forgot." She said almost in a whisper. She raised her eyes to his. "I should have bought you something too."

"You can always make up for it." He chuckled. Olivia slowly turned back to the box. She took off the ribbon and then opened it.

Olivia held her breath for a while as she felt tears linger in her eyes. It was the necklace.

The one she had seen at the jewelry store back in Italy, the one she couldn't stop thinking about. She gasped as the diamonds on it sparkled brightly. She slowly raised her head to meet Rafael's.

"Why did you-" she said almost in a whisper and then sniffed. "You bought it?"

"I thought it'd look better on you than in that show glass."

Olivia turned back to the necklace. She didn't know what to say.

"Look, I know you don't like it all the time when I spend so much on you but my family is having this event," She raised her head to him. "It's this party my mother throws each time she comes home from the mountain. Just a little get together for family and friends tomorrow and I was hoping you could be my plus one. I'd love you to meet them formally, my family, and I'd love it if you could wear that necklace too. Of course that's if you'd want to."
She looked into his eyes and all she could see was sincerity. He pursed his lips.

Olivia slowly reached for his hands. Of course she did. Of course she wanted to meet his family.

She slowly pushed herself up on the bed and then went into his embrace. That was her own way of saying yes. Rafael let out a soft exasperated sigh. Thank God it went well. He wasn't exactly sure she was ready to be introduced to his family or anyone's before then. He held on tight to her.

"There's something I want you to know." She said wrapping her hands into his. Rafael listened attentively to her while she rested her head on his chest slowly.

"Everyday news sent me a text this morning." She said playing with their joined hands. Rafael didn't make a move. He was dying to hear what she had to say. "And I think I would be getting a job there. They want me to stop by tomorrow for a break down."

Rafael slowly bent over to look at her.

"Really?" He asked with a surprised look on his face. Olivia nodded. She was extremely excited.

"You always wanted to work at Everyday news. That's really amazing."

"Yes it is." Olivia chuckled. She was really excited. "It took a lot of months. At a point I even thought they were never going to call back. I feel so excited right now that I might actually cry. It feels good to know that they actually read my piece and thought I was good enough for the job you know."

Rafael leaned towards her and then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"You, my love," He whispered to her. "You're good enough for any and everything."

Olivia scoffed. Now she knew he was just teasing her. She slowly raised her head from his shoulders. "Oya," she snapped her fingers with a huge smile on her face. "Come and be going to your room."

"Come on." Rafael grumbled.
Olivia knew it was getting late. She could see it from the wall clock that hung directly above her mirror. She slowly tried to get up from the bed when Rafael grabbed her and then pulled her back to his chest.

"Rafael,"

"Shh." He pinned her head gently so she didn't have to get up from the bed again. "You're ruining the moment." He closed his eyes so she didn't have to look into his eyes or convince him to leave anymore. She knew he was just stalling so he wouldn't leave. She didn't really want him to leave either. She didn't mind. She loved being there, right there with him.

She sneered.

Was he pretending to be asleep now? She thought.
He looked so peaceful, so handsome. She loved watching him sleep.

She scoffed out loud and then rubbed her head on his chest, making herself as comfortable as she could. She shut her eyes.

Rafael let out a smirk and shifted to make them both comfortable. It was going to be a glorious night.