Ciao, Amore [Carlos Sainz]

EPILOGUE

Ciao, amore. Non piangere, ti mando un bacio. [Hello sweetheart. Do not cry, I send you a kiss.]

- Franco126, Gemitaiz, Venerus Senza di me

The coffee tasted differently here. It lacked the spirit of very much alive Mexican land. It was an early morning, the kitchen staff was barely awake to prepare breakfast for their new employer and houselord. Alessandra took her cup from the counter to not stand in their way and she walked outside through a large hall. The sky was a mixture of blueish and pinkish tones with fiery ball of light coming up any minute from behind the horizon. She breathed in deeply, but even the air felt odd here. Among all bad things that happened to her, the world remained unchanged, the air was the same in every part of it. She wasn't the same. Once the past was solved, Alessandra could finally heal. She was no longer a member of the East, but the daughter of the South. "What are you doing here so early?" Fernando looked over his shoulder, the white mug standing next to him. He propably had the same idea as she did. "I could've asked you the same thing," she smiled, lowering herself to sit with him on a marble step. Fernando observed her closely as his companion admired the space above them. He then bumped their shoulders together in teasingly way, grinning at her. Alessandra knew it was his way to encourage her to speak. As the former boss he might seem a bit harsh, nevertheless Alessandra risked assuming Fernando treated her differently from the very beginning. It could be because she was not an ordinary girl or through his special bond with Carlos. "I don't sleep quite the same without Carlos," she confessed, while looking at the dark liquid in her cup. It's been only a week since he left for Madrid, but it felt like a month. Alessandra sorting out family matters inspired Carlos to do the same. It was finally safe enough for him to do so without Pastor Maldonado trying to take over the crew and with countries of South America acknowledging their superiority.

"I miss him," she added. "Ah! To be young and in love," Fernando sighed. "I know how you feel. I've slept the same after Rosalia died" he said more seriously. There was nothing more to add. Alessandra had a feeling that saying anything more would be simply inappropriate. "How did you find this house? Or was it here all along?" Alessandra broke the silence, looking around spacious yard in front of them. "When I was the leader I was planning in secret to move the crew from Mexico City to Austin," he revealed. "I didn't want to do it rapidly, so first I bought this land and built the house. I thought the crew will be safer in United States. The enemies would be far away, in exchange other crews would be closer," he justified as if he was afraid of her judgement. "Once the house was finished, I wondered how to tell everybody. Suddenly, I didn't have that problem anymore and this place remained my secret," he concluded. "Daniel will be safe here," That was the most important part for Alessandra. As Carlos predicted, Fernando and Sergio were more than happy to help her brothers start over. Daniel who was always fond of Texas, cowboys and spicy ribs moved to Austin, becoming Fernando's partner in business. Nico on the other hand found his place in sunny California with Max Verstappen and the West. The residence in New Orleans was now abandonded with two handsome brothers becoming a memory for the locals. Will the brothers speak to each other ever again? Time will tell.

"I'm so jelaous," Alessandra shook her head. "How come my brother gets a house so big and five cars for free?" Fernando burst into laughter. "You haven't seen Sainz Senior's household yet. He even owns an island," her eyebrows rose in surprise, though she quickly humbled herself. "That's not why I'm with Carlos," she said. "I know, I'm grateful for that," Fernando admitted. "Don't worry. You'll see him soon," he rubbed her back comfortingly. When Carlos flew to Spain Alessandra returned to USA to help her brothers with transition. She spent three days in California, then travelled all the way to Austin to meet with Daniel. Today her flight to Madrid was scheduled which meant reuniting with Carlos in fourteen hours. "Let's fuck some shit up," Daniel's enthusiastic shout could be heard from inside the house. The stuff will have a hell of a ride with him. Both Alessandra and Fernando turned to the main entrance where Daniel now stood in his fancy silky robe. "Why are you sitting here like this?" he asked. "You look like two sad garden gnomes," he clearly woke up in a good mood today. "Thank you, you're so nice," Alessandra replied unbothered by his comment. After few years it's easy to get used to them. "What time do you have your flight?" Daniel sat next to his sister on the marble step. "In couple of hours," Daniel clasped his hands together. "So let's have a breakfast and I drive you to the airport later," he announced and it was a good sign. He finally felt like a host in his own house. He was healing. He was good.

Once he arrived at his father's house, Carlos would sit inside the rented car for almost an hour. Everything up to this point seemed easy. Pack the suitcase, buy a ticket, board the plane. He thought Madrid will somehow feel like home after all those years, nevertheless a part of him felt like a foreginer. The boy who lived here is never coming back, but he could introduce someone new and better to his family, especially to his parents only if he knew where to start. Surprisingly, all the right words came to his mind when he stood face to face with his dad. A guard who was watching the house on the day of Carlos' arrival has been working for Sainz Sr. for a decade. At first, the man approached him just to check for any threats, then he recognised in a young man the son of his boss and invited him inside. His father thrown a party on the second day, inviting the whole family and business partners to celebrate. Shouts of happiness and cheers weren't ending for a long time. Carlos had what he dreamed of. He was surrounded by people close to him, still he wasn't satisfied. He missed Alessandra. When everybody went home Carlos sat with his parents to tell them about her, about what she did throughout months spent in Mexico. He also told them how she safed his life, he didn't hide anything. Carlos made sure his parents realised how much Alessandra meant to him and that he wished to propose in short period of time. They were overjoyed, accepting Alessandra before they had a chance to meet her, so anticipation for her coming to Madrid was even bigger. Days passed quickly for Carlos and before he knew it, he was driving one of his dad's cars to the airport to pick her up. Her flight from Austin was a bit late, though the waiting was nothing compared to years they'll spend together after this day.

Alessandra got her luggage and followed people from her flight further into the airport. Families were together again, lovers able to embrace each other, friends thrilled for exciting time and then there was Carlos. She almost didn't recognise him in casual clothing with a little bit of tan and relaxed features. His dark hair were ruffled to complete the look of a man who for the first time in a while had nothing to worry about. Their eyes met within the crowd and they've met halfway. He embraced her tightly as they were reunited. Alessandra smiled, knowing this was forever, nothing in between. "Ciao, amore," he welcomed her, his lips brushing against her temple. Yes, this was forever.

It's hard to find words to say how much I loved to write about Carlos & Alessandra. They were a couple I didn't know I'll get so attached to. I feel this story helped a lot in developing my writing skills which makes it even harder to put an end to it. Ciao, amore is a great success to me personally. Thank you to all of you who read, voted and commented. Your support is appreciated as always! I presume it won't be my last story with Carlos, but I'll see what future holds :) See you in my other stories!