My Affair

Bonus Chapter One

3 Years Later...

Alessandro

We've been married three years now with our beautiful baby girls Amara and Wren. Everything in my life was going great. I was complete, happy even. I'd marry the love of my life, adopted Wren, and had a child of our own.

But, of course, nothing ever stays good in my life.

Mom has cancer. Two years after we got married she was diagnosed. She's been fighting for over a year and Dad, Rosa, Kano, and I have been throwing money in every possible direction in order to get her the best care. I'm at the hospital every single day I can be there and I bring the girls and Athena as much as possible.

I want her to see us together before... before the inevitable happens. We all know. Her doctor, Dr. Jennova, showed us the X-ray scans yesterday and the cancer is spreading to fast for the treatment to keep up. There are three more tumors than there were yesterday and though no one wants to accept, at the very least say it, we know her time is coming.

I walk in the house, smelling of Death and the hospital. But any dreadful feeling is lifted at the sound of my little girl. "Daddy!" She calls out, running up to me with open arms and her mothers smile.

"My Princess." I say, scooping her up into my arms and placing a big kiss on her cheek. It's eleven so I have no clue why she's up right now but I know Athena must be somewhere around here.

I sit on one of the stools, holding Amara in my lap while I roll up my sleeves. "Daddy, guess what?"

"Yes, Princess?"

She smiles, "Mommy said we can go see Grandma after we get out of school tomorrow."

"That's great. She'd love to see you and Wren. She missed you guys today."

I let her take my hand and play with my rings, mainly the one on my ring finger. "She did?"

I hum, "She always does, Princess."

Athena turned around to finally look at me and I can see the anger in her eyes being outweighed by the worry. I can also see how tired she is. "Alessandro. Your late."

"I know, Butterfly. I'm sorry."

She sighed, "You said that last night." And she turns back around to pour herself a glass of wine. Amaras asleep in my lap and I kiss her forehead as I pick her up and walk over to Athena. I'm not mad at her for being upset. We had an argument about this a while ago, about me overworking myself. She made me promise her that I'd be home every night before 10:30 and I did just as she asked but lately I've been coming home past the agreed time.

"Can I lay Amara down first?" She looks over at her, smiles and reaches up to kiss her forehead. I feel so guilty as I walk up the stairs because I can see her tiredness. I can see how worn out she looks from taking care of everyone, including myself. I know she wants to do it, loves us and would do anything for us, but I also know she's human. She's tired. And it makes me hurt for her.

Athena is facing away from me when I walk back downstairs. I walk over to her wrapping my arms around her body and feeling more at home. More relaxed. "We talked about this. I asked you to call me if you weren't going to be home by 10:30. You don't. I can't have you stressing over work when we are just fine." I tightened my arms around her, setting my chin down on her shoulder.