A Sicilian Marriage [PUBLISHED]

Chapter 24: The Talk

When a woman is talking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.

-Victor Hugo

Rafe Moretti's POV

I smiled to myself as I stared at the small paper bag in my hand. I went out to the jewelry store. The custom-made bracelet I order was finally done. I glanced at my wristwatch and smile again almost one hour before the time my wife and I agree to have dinner here at the hotel.

This was not yet the special dinner date I planned for her. But for the past nights, I saw that she's somehow always deep in her thoughts. I kept on asking her what's wrong but she brushed off my questions like they were absurd.

I knew something was bothering her and she's refused to tell me what's bothering her lately. That's when I decided to leave my mountain of work in the office and spend some time with her now that everything runs smoothly according to plan in rebuilding the Moretti Industries.

I was about to go to the restaurant here in the lobby of the hotel when I bumped into a familiar face. "Leila?"

"Rafe!" The rebellious Sicilian princess smiled sardonically in my direction. "What are the odds to see you here in London?"

"What are you doing here? Where's your husband? I'm surprised that he let you out of his sight and let you wander alone in London." I glanced around to see any sign of her husband.

She waved her hand with a chortle. "No, he came with me but our little Anton was left in the care of Patri for a few hours. He's more than happy with the fact that he can spend the day with his grandson without her daughter and son-in-law."

"Where's your husband?" I asked again, I don't want him to misunderstand anything about me and Leila when he saw us talking.

Leila rolled her green eyes. "He agreed to help me find a nice gift for Laila when she gives birth to her daughter but that man couldn't resist some business meeting in our trips. We agree to meet here."

"Did you find anything for Laila?" I inquired seeing that her hands were empty of shopping bags.

She pouted like a child in my direction. "Honestly, no. I couldn't find a perfect gift for her. I want something unique that she will appreciate. But everything is just the same shops after shops. In these rare moments, I wish I am as creative as Laila when it comes to personalized gifts. Like the time when I gave birth to Anton she gave me these cute baby clothes with my son's name."

I smiled at her sympathetically. "What do you plan to do now?"

She shrugged casually. "I don't know. It seems that my initial thoughts were correct. I should have search first in Palermo before coming here. I think I can find something there that Laila might like but Leandro persuaded me to look here first." Leila looked at my eyes deeply. "You know what? While waiting for my husband why don't we hit the bar so that we can have privacy while talking?"

I glanced at my watch again. I still have time before Coco arrives. I fished out my mobile phone and send a quick text to my wife telling her that I would be in the bar with Leila.  Once I was done texting her I followed Leila in the bar. We sat at the secluded table. "How's Laila?" I asked offhandedly, once we're seated comfortably.

Leila smiled cheerfully. "She's now in the last trimester of her pregnancy three or two weeks from now the baby will be born. Poor Nikos he's worse than Laila each passing day with his worry for her safe delivery."

"Will she give birth in Sicily?" I queried. "I thought her husband will insist that she will give birth to a private hospital in New York."

"Laila wants to give birth in Sicily to be with Patri. Despite the fact that Cesare Fiorenza is such a cold man she loves him still. You know Nikos couldn't say no to his wife." Her twin sister answered with a mocking tone.  "What about you? How are you these days?"