ALANA

76

ALANA

"I have work to do Ares, go home." I say, walking away to the counter.

"Alana. You are my home." he says. My heart lurches as I spin around to look at him.

"Please don't." I whisper. I don't want him to say stuff I can't handle.

"But its the truth gattina. And I am not leaving without you." He says.

"Ehi, posso avere un caffè o no?" A guy calls from the counter.
(Hey, can I get some coffee or no?)

"Uh sí." I say quickly walking over to the counter and taking his order.

"You don't fucking need to make anyone coffee. You are the fucking Donna for Christs sake Alana! Stop this nonsense." He growls.

"Don Moretti!" The guy exclaims with a loud gasp.

"Tieni la bocca chiusa su questa cosa." Ares growls at him. He nods, scared and scurries away with his coffee.
(keep your mouth shut about this)

"Stop scaring my customers." I say to him.

"Listen to me." He says. "I am not going to leave here without you. You are coming home with me." He seethes.

"No, you listen to me." I say. "I am not going anywhere. This is my home and I am never going to live somewhere I am not wanted." My voice breaks and tears spring to my eyes.

"Baby please don't cry." He frowns, coming closer.

"Then don't come to my place of work and effect it. Please Ares I am begging you, please leave for now." I ask, sniffling.

He looks pained as he nods, leaning over the counter and pressing a kiss to my temple.

"I'm sorry gattina." he says, walking out right after.

I let out a small sob, but then compose myself.

It seems too easy that he would just leave like that but I'll just take what I can get right now.

~

"Are you sure?" I ask Seb and Naomi as I get ready to leave.

"Yess, you've had a hard enough day and business is so slow at this time. We'll close up. Leave early. Some alone time is always nice to have." Naomi winks.

I thank them and get my things, heading up to the house.

I open the door with my keys and walk in. The living room is dark so I turn on the lights, an immediate screech leaving me when I see the man sitting on the couch.

"Oh my god!" I scream.

"Shh, baby it's me." Ares shushes walking closer. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Then don't break in!" I shout. "What if one of my roommates came before me? You know that there is something called the police?" I ask him.

"I do, and I also know that I sign they're bosses paycheck." he gloats. I roll my eyes.

"So arrogant." I say.

"You've become feisty baby." he smirks, walking closer to me. "I like it." he husks, caressing my cheek. I almost lean into the comforting touch, as he leans in for a kiss but then I back away.

"No." I shake my head. "I told you, we are not in any relation anymore." I say to him.

"You are my wife my love, I don't know what other relation we need for me to be able to kiss you." he says.

"Please don't do this Ares, we didn't work. Nothing about our marriage was healthy. We were forced into something neither of us were ready for." I say. "This is for the best. Please stop trying to make me do something you don't actually want." I say.

"But this is all I want. It's all I have ever wanted and it's all that I will ever want. Please baby, come back home." he says.

"You don't want to be with me! You don't know what you're asking!" I say.

You don't know I am pregnant.

"Yes I do! Alana you are all I am asking for."

"If you are ready for a commitment then there are plenty of other women that can make you happy Ares." I tell him.

"What? No! Why would you say that?" he asks, as if repulsed by the thought.

"Because, we have both tried and we couldn't make it work, so I am saying there are other women-"

"You are the only one I want." he says. My heart flutters. No! No stop!

I will never want this marriage! I will never love anyone.

"No, you said the complete opposite just a month ago, I don't believe that you have had a change of heart so quickly." I shake my head.

"Youre right. I haven't. Because my heart was set on you the moment I saw you. I did everything I did in failed attempts to keep myself from falling for you. And I am so sorry baby." He says. He looks so vulnerable in this moment. It makes me ache.

"Ares.." I sigh. My eyes again, filling with tears. "You can't say these things, we-" I pause. "Married people aren't like this, they love each other, they know the little things about each other, like what the other person likes, the color of your partners eyes-"

"Your eyes are brown at first glance, but when the light hits them, they look amber. And if im really close, when im kissing your lips, they look like pure honey." he says, drawing in a breath, walking closer. "But then in the sunlight, when you admire the sky and with a beautiful smile, they can look green. Like mine, thats my favorite I think." he says. My heart feels like its going to burst out of my chest.

"You asked me once if I had ever been in love. Ask me again." he says. I gulp, looking into his eyes.

"Have you ever been in love?" I ask him, my voice breaking.

"I have." He says. My heart starts beating rapidly. "With this beautiful girl. She's perfect. She has my whole soul captured in the palm of her little hand." he says. "My life has felt like an empty tape for the past month without her." he tells me.

"No." I shake my head, sobbing at the pain in my heart. "Please Ares, you can't." I shake my head.

"Alana don't cry baby, please. I don't want to hurt you. But there is no way I am letting you go. You are the only woman I have ever loved." He says. "Did you hear me? I love you. None of the shit I have said before today is true. This is. I. love. you." he says.

"No. No. No no no." I whisper, panic setting in. "You can't." I sob. "You cant love me, you cant. You don't know." I shake my head.

"Know what?" he asks. "Nothing on this planet will change the way I feel about you. Staying away from you has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do, please forgive me and let's go home." He almost sounds desperate. "I am not going to loose the only woman I have ever fallen for Alana. I refuse." he says.

My hand instinctively goes to my belly, resting my hand on the bump. I can't. For this baby, I have to be strong.

"No." I whisper, shaking my head. "I can't do this, I'm sorry we can't."

"Why not?! Alana I told you, there is nothing that can stop me from loving you, wanting you." he says. "Don't you love me back?" he asks.

"I am pregnant." I say finally, closing my eyes, not wanting to see the look of unwant replace the look of love.

This is so heartbreaking.