Carlo : Ti salveró amore mio

Chapter 25

CARLO'S POV:

A ticklish feeling on my neck causes me to start to wake up, my hands feel as if they are holding something and a small weight lays across my shoulder and neck.

Opening my eyes slowly I can see that half of the bed is empty. I move my head back a little and see Adelaide sleeping, as I look at her for a second she starts to slowly move her head back to my neck and place her lips against it.

She moves her lips a little, sending shivers throughout my body and goosebumps running along my arms. She stops when she gets to my pulse and pulls me closer so it's pressed against her more thoroughly.

The sun shines through the small gap in the curtains and I squint a little as it falls in line with my eyes. My eyes adjust and I rub my thumbs against her waist, relishing the touch of her.

Adelaide starts to move back and her arms go from cradling my head to out straight. A strange sound comes out of her throat and her legs go straight, the same as her arms, she stretches and ends with a long sigh.

Her body relaxes and her arms settle back behind me, her eyes slowly open and she takes a minute to adjust. She moves her head back for a second and notices me, finally. She just stares at me and I notice her breathing getting faster.

"Sh." I shush her calmly. "It's okay, you're safe." I bring my hand to cup her face and she tries to move away from it. "Adelaide, come on. Please." I beg not liking how she won't let me touch her without having a panic attack.

She shakes her head and tries to twist out of my grip, I hold her closer and she pushes off of my chest not allowing it. "Carlo. Please get off." She whispers with tears in her eyes.

I let go feeling myself tear up as well, as soon as I let go she rolls out of bed and stands up tiredly not looking at me. I sit up and look towards her.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I try to reason. "You know that right?"

She doesn't say anything.

"Adelaide." She looks at me. "Somethings changed in you...." I go to continue but she interrupts me.

"What did you expect? That I'd be the same... after getting kidnapped. You don't know what happened whilst I was gone." She lets a tear fall from her eye only to be wiped away furiously.

"You're right. I don't know. You won't fucking tell me. Or anyone." I shout, standing up.

She places her head in her hands. "I've only been back. What? Two days? Of course I haven't told anyone."

"Just tell us." I plead. "We were all in that room waiting for you to speak-"

"Us?" She breathes out a humourless laugh. "I'm not doing that again. I lost a kid, Carlo. I'm not going to automatically pick up someone else's child and not feel anything."

There's a long silence. It's true. I made sure Ricardo was in the room to see what she would do. I know it was wrong... but I just had to see.

A sob erupts out of Adelaide making me look at her "Why didn't you get me?"

"We tried. I swear, we tried so hard." I walk up to her and she covers her face with her hands.

"Please let me hold you Adelaide." I plead quietly. "I can't just stand here watching you like this."

"Not yet." She whispers.

I roll my eyes frustrated. "Adelaide, please, please, please." I take a step forward. But she finally looks at me and steps back.

Another silence.

"I can't do this." I mumble and look away from her. "When you're ready come to my office and we'll talk."

I turn around and walk out of the room slamming the door behind me.

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ADELAIDE'S POV:

Carlo slams the door shut behind him and I fall onto the bed backwards staring up at the ceiling. The sun peeks through the curtains more and a sun line falls onto my body and a little bit of my face.

I hold my hand up and watch as the sun shines on my hand and the small particles floating around in certain places.

"Je te laisserai des mots
En-dessous de ta porte
En-dessous des murs qui chantent
Tout près de la place où tes pieds passent
Cachés dans les trous de ton divan
Et quand tu es seule pendant un instant"

I sing quietly and move my hand in a flowing movement enjoying the quiet and making sure I don't think about Carlo.

"Ramasse-moi
Quand tu voudras"

It's too early for this.

"Embrasse-moi
Quand tu voudras

Ramasse-moi
Quand tu voudras."

"You don't look to well." A small hoarse laugh follows after.

I look to my side and see my beautiful mother in all her glory. "Hi." I whisper as she walks closer to me to touch my hair.

"Hi. My sweet baby girl-"

"Adelaide, can I come in?" Someone shouts from the other side of the door.

"I'm getting dressed!" I shout back so they can hear me and won't walk in.

"Let me know when you're finished so I can come in!"

"I'm going to be a while. Trying to find a new style?" My words come out more of a question.

The door slowly opens and Isabella walks in, she has something big and fluffy in one arm and then a stack of movies balancing in the other. Her chin settles on top of the movies so they don't fall.

"Change into this." She drops everything on the bed and holds out the fluffy thing to me. "Please." She looks at me as she says please.

"Why?" I ask and sit up.

"We're watching movies. I don't know if you remember, cause you didn't remember your room so you might not know this. But when we watched movies we'd wear these. So chop chop." She rambled and claps her hands at the end.

I take the fluffy thing and walk into the bathroom.