De Luca

𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

It was dinner time and everyone had come down for it, even Mateo.

All of us sat around the table awkwardly eating our beautiful food that Vanessa had made. I noticed how Elias ate his food just a little too roughly making me remember the yells from upstairs yesterday.

I bit my lip as I continued to stare at his tensed jaw, suddenly he looked up at me and looked me right in the eyes. I quickly looked away, feeling like I had been caught doing something wrong.

"So what did you do today Grace?" Elias's deep voice asked a few moments later.

I stared at my food as I spoke, "I was just roaming the garden."

He hummed.

"Did you find the old greenhouse?"

I nodded with my head still down, taking a bite of my food.

"What did you think of it?"

I swallowed before I spoke, "it was really cool, I loved it."

"Well what do you think about getting it back into use."

At this I looked up at him, eyes slightly widened.

"Do you mean me!?"

He nodded, "seeing you don't have much to do around here."

I smiled at him brightly, "I'd love to do that."

He gave me a single nod, "you and mama can talk together and decide about what plants you want, list them down and I'll get them for you."

If possible my smile brightened and I nodded.

"We'll help too," the kids piped in.

Mateo stood up abruptly, "Elias my office," he said in a low deep voice, he left right after. The rest of us had gone silent at his father's abrupt input.

Vanessa frowned at Mateo's back as he walked away then at Elias who sat still for a moment before he wiped his mouth with a linen napkin.

"Excuse me," he said as he pushed his seat back and stood, leaving the dining room.

Looking around at everyone on the table I noticed they all wore frowns before Vanessa put a forced smile on her face and stop.

"Who wants dessert?"

We all nodded, trying to lessen our worrying thoughts. It didn't take them long to start yelling in Italian.

That night I was sitting in bed when I heard stomps walk down the hall towards the end before there was a slam of a door. No doubt Elias coming back from his father's study.

***

I woke up to a beautiful golden glowing room, that was lit up from the sun. With a smile on my face, I stood and walked to the bathroom where I had my morning shower before getting dressed into ripped jeans, white spaghetti strap bodysuit, long brown knitted cardigan with two necklaces and hoop earrings, pulling my hair up in a messy bun.

I walked downstairs to the kitchen to find Vanessa and the kids already there eating breakfast.

"Buongiorno," Vanessa said with a smile.

"Uh..." I said with a blush rising from my cheeks.

"She said good morning," Elias deep voice answered my unsaid question as he walked into the kitchen from behind me.

"Oh," I said as the heat on my cheeks intensified, "good morning."

I sat down on a stool next to Elias, his unique scent of vanilla, pinewood and cigarette filling my nose.