Mafia

Vincente's

I was standing by the bar, smiling as I watched Marisol blow out the candles on her birthdaycake. The cake was no doubt made by her father, Vincent wasn't just an amazing chef, he was also quite the baker, although I suspected Lindsay was the one who'd done most of the decorating.

I clapped along with everybody else as Marisol blew out every single one of the candles, she clapped her hands together in childish excitement as Vincent carved out a large piece and placed on her plate, and of their own volition my eyes flickered to Luca. 

He was standing next to Vincent, a fond smile on his face as he gazed on his niece and once more my mind bombarded me with unbidden images of Luca as a father. I had no doubt he would be as great a father to his children as Vincent was to Mari, but that wasn't the part that bothered me. What still made my heart hurt, was how much a part of me still dreamed about a life where he was the father of my children. Turning away from the joyous scene, I asked the bartender for a glass of water, my chest feeling awfully constricted all of a sudden. 

"Snap out of it, Ana," Continuing to harbor those silly dreams wouldn't do anyone any good. It had become crystal clear that my feelings for him were still very much real, but I wasn't sure I was ready to risk my heart again. The last time we were together, he hadn't just broken my heart, he'd crushed it into a thousand tiny pieces and then he'd walked over the shards for good measure, turning them into millions of tiny shards that it had taken me years to put back together. 

"Ana, I'm so happy you came," turning at the sound of Lindsay's voice, I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and smiled at the always so stunning blonde. 

"I'm happy to be here, congratulations," Lindsay's smile was brilliant, only adding to her ethereal beauty. 

"Thank you, can you believe she's four? Only two more years and she's starting school, it's crazy how fast time flies by," I had to agree with her on that one. I still couldn't believe I'd made it through three months of working side by side with Luca, the old Ana would have given into him the first week, but I wasn't that same girl anymore. I had things I wanted out of my life now, not just concerning my career, but also in terms of settling down and having a family of my own. What scared me so much, was how I could see all that with Luca, but I wasn't sure he had the same thing in mind. 

"She's going to be a real heartbreaker when she grows up," Lindsay laughed and nodded her head in agreement. 

"Speaking of heartbreaker, what's going on between you and Luca? I noticed you came together," Followed by the statement, Lindsay gave me a plate with a large piece of cake, and it looked far to good to pass up.

"Thank you, and me and Luca... it's complicated." Lindsay arched a brow, not one to be deterred by pour attempts of changing the subject.

"We work together, we're friends now, I guess. I know he wants more, he hasn't exactly been subtle about it either, but..." Lindsay swallowed a piece of her cake, those blue eyes seeing too much as she leaned her hip against the bar, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"And you? How do you feel about him?" Placing my plate on the bartop, I turned around and braced my elbows on the bar, my eyes landing on Luca and Vincent where they stood talking next to Mari.

"I'm still in love with him, I don't think I'll ever stop being in love with him, but part of me wish I could. He broke me Linds, the last time," turning my head to look at her, I hated the sympathy in her eyes, but at the same time it felt nice to have someone to confide in, "he broke me into so many pieces I was the walking dead. I don't think I'm brave enough to risk that kind of hurt again."