Being Mrs Scuderi

chapter twenty six

Amelia's Pov
"Thanks again for taking care of him,"she says letting him go inside. "You wanna come in?" She asks with her American accent even more evident. "Ari and Jodie are in the car, but maybe some other time?"I ask and she nods in understanding. She was already at the door when I got back from the study after cleaning my face from the tears.

"And hey, Fabi is a really nice person once you get to know her,she's just going through something,"

"For what it's worth, she's the one that's lucky to have you,"she says before shutting the door. Maybe she read it all wrong. I saw the look on her face when she saw me. A look of pity that made me feel even more guilty. I'm the one that hurt Fabi. I walk back to the car, getting in the driver's seat. "Her house is really beautiful,"she comments. "You should see the interior,"I say feeling her eyes on me. "Mommy can we get ice cream for mama and uncle?"she asks making me chuckle. "Sure pumpkin," I say turning on the radio but eventually turn it down just enough for Jodie to direct me to her favourite shop.

Mike and three other men are already on their feet checking the street with Mike coming out of the shop. I'm so used to this now I just go with it. "It's safe to come out ma'am,"he says opening my door and I'm already on my feet to get Ari but Joe's already unbuckling her from her car seat. We walk into the shop with the two so excited I feel like I'm not matching their energy. "Hey Jodie!" A girl in a pink shirt uniform says approaching her with open arms and she hugs her back with the same excitement. They look alike but maybe it's because they have the same haircut.

"This is my boyfriend's sister in law, Amelia and this right here is her daughter, Ariella,"

"I know who she is, everyone does. I loved your speech in Spain , I wish you could come to our university,"she says reminding me that my work is still influencial to people.

"You're a law student?"

"I am and you've inspired me by far. I've watched all your interviews and speeches,"she says before her name is called in the back by either a coworker or the manager, either way she rushes back. "I've known her since I found this place,"she says making me chuckle. I pick out my flavour and Ariella's before we find a seat.

"Where's Mama's ice cream?"

"Well get it on our way out baby. So it doesn't melt,"I say waiting for her to be comfortable before placing the ice cream infront of her. "Is everything okay with Fabiana and you?" She asks getting me off guard. Ariella is right here.

"Yes why wouldn't it be?"

"Because she really was going off on Noah yesterday,"she says making me look over to Ari who's so lost in the ice cream sweetness it's like we're not even here. "We're fine,"I say hinting at how less I want to talk about it. If anything I should be talking about this with Fabi and no one else. I finish my ice cream and grab a few napkins to wipe Ari's face before the stains stick making a mental note to use wipes when we get back to the car. "Don't tell Mino I told you this but he really looks up to you as a sister in law. He talks about you more than he does his own sister. Honestly I'm jealous,"she says making us both chuckle.

"He once said both him and Fabiana are lucky you're in their lives because both Haviana and their dad really approved of you,"she says reminding me once again that Haviana was the closest thing to a best friend that Fabiana had. She knew more than Camino when it came to Fabi. When she died, I took up that role, I had to. We finish our ice cream in silence with Ari asking to go to the washroom with Joe already on her fit stretching out her hand. I take that as my queue to get the ice creams to go.

"I'll get the tiramisu flavour and the mango one,"

"should I mix them?"

"No, separately please, and make it two scoops of each,"I say. I wait for them outside because I can feel my breathing slowly becoming unsteady. I'm not ready to face her yet. I take my deep breaths in and out and they help. "Mommy! Did you get ice cream for mama?"she asks tugging on her dress. "Yes I did sweet pea,"I say ruffling her hair Abit and she's already fixing it. Mike gets her in the car seat and Jodie is already on her feet to get in the seat next to her. I find them in the kitchen  quietly putting together what's supposed to be a double layered cake.

"Baby you guys could have asked for my help. You know I bake,"she says walking towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck planting a kiss on his already puckered up lips and she just focuses on the cake not once looking over to me. "we got you guys ice cream courtesy of Ariella,"I say and they both look over to me then Fabi who's still working on the cake. "it better be mango flavour Melia,"he says making me chuckle. "Like Jodie would let me pick anything else,"I say and see her face fall abit. "I thought you said your favourite was banana," she says reminding me that she said that earlier but I thought she'd just forgotten because Camino has always been a mango person.

"I do, I just...you said you couldn't stand mangoes so I opted for banana flavour,"he says but even I can understand why her reaction is like this. She walks out and he follows her to probably explain himself and it's just her and me now. "what's the cake for,"I ask placing her ice cream infront of her and watch her face brighten up and it's the first time she's looked at me.

"They make tiramisu ice cream here?"

"Yes, and you're going to love it,"I say getting her a spoon. There's a lot we need to say to each other but right now I just want her to taste the ice cream. She complies taking the spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. I watch her face make different reaction before there's a constant one. "It's not bad, but I prefer my tiramisu gelato,"she says and I don't argue with her on it. Italy has everything good when it comes to food and desserts.

"Diana used to help me bake cakes for Haviana and Haviana,Camino and I would bake her hers on the eve night of her birthdays,"she says and I just wrap my arms around her knowing she just needs me, not my words or anything else, just me and my ears. We stay like that for a while before she wriggles out of my arms gently. Taking my hand and leading me away to the garden. "Amelia I know I'm different from everyone else, and maybe I take a little bit more time to process things or come around-"

"I know and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm soo sorry I've been so self centered in all this,"

"I think we need some time. You have all of me,but I'm not s-"

"you do have all of me, baby,"

"this might sound a little selfish but I want you to fight for me. Everytime you leave it's because you know I'll still be here when you come back. But the truth is I've also thought about leaving but I care so much about you I would never hurt you like that. I would never want you to feel the way I feel when someone leaves,"

"But I always came back,"

"I always brought you back,"she says and even I can't argue with her on that.

"So you're leaving me?"

"No never, I'll just move into the downstairs guestroom for a while,"she says planting a soft kiss on my forehead before tilting my head up to look at her. She runs her thumb over my lips before leaning in closing the small gap between us, making me close my eyes. I place my hands on her sides for support because I'm on my tippy toes. The kiss is slow, sensual, needy yet full. It reminds me of every kiss we've had that has led to this one. I've never been kissed like this before, by anyone, not even her. "I've got work to do,"she says says walking away but not before giving me one last look. Like she's hoping I don't screw this up. That I choose her in the end. That this won't be permanent.

In that moment I realize what I've been doing wrong. She doesn't need to be fixed, I need to see her the way she is and accept her like she has. Only then will I understand her. She's not like everyone else and that's how I subconsciously wanted her to be. What she likes, what she doesn't like, why purple as her color or why she laughs at people who do morning runs. I do know her, but how well do I know her? I go back inside to find Ari dragging her small suitcase to her study.

"Ari baby. Where are you going with that?"

"To work with mama. She said I could bring my things,"she says adorably making me smile contently. She loves us both and that's all I need to win her back. She's made me the happiest woman despite the hiccups and she's always prioritized us, but can I say the same? My phone vibrates and I fish it out to a display of a text that makes my stomach tingle. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.