This Isn't My Idea of Love

Chapter One: The Arrangement

Staring up at her mother, a five year old little girl wondered why she seemed happy as she finished doing her hair; the little girl was wearing ivory seed bead dress paired with white flats.

"Mama, why am I dressed like this?" the little girl asked; her big brown eyes staring up confused at her mother's, as she ran a hand through her daughter's brown hair.

Annabelle Grayson smiled down at her daughter, she knew that the little girl didn't understand how important today was and she hoped that one day she would understand, why her parents had chosen this for her.

"It's a very important day for you... you are meeting someone special," Annabelle said with a small as her husband walked into the room, he smiled as he listened to his wife talk to their eldest daughter while he held their youngest daughter who was two years old.

"But why is it important?" the little girl asked as she tilted her head, her parents smiled at her curiosity; they knew that she wouldn't understand it now but they hoped one day that she would.

"One day you will understand Viola," her father said as his wife stood and smiled at him; she remembered when she had gone through the same thing with Leonardo.

She had only been a couple of years older than Viola was now and she had to admit that it had taken a while for her to warm to him.

"Honey... the Messi's are ready for us," Leonardo said making Annabelle smile at him as looked over Viola one last time; she couldn't believe that her daughter had grown up so quickly.

The little girl tilted her head confused as her mother took her hand and moved towards Leonardo and their younger daughter Emilia, the couple left the room with their two children and headed downstairs to where the Messi's where waiting for them.

Annabelle smiled as she spotted her old friend as they reached the bottom of the stairs, making Viola look at her mother confused as she moved to greet the other woman with a hug.

Leonardo nodded at the other man in the room who smiled at him before turning his attention to a little boy, who looked around Viola's age.

"Celia it's lovely to see you again, it's been so long," Annabelle gushed as she pulled back from her friend, since moving to New York, she hadn't seen much of her friend who still lived in Argentina.

"It is nice to see you again too... and this must be Viola, I can't believe she has gotten so big," Celia Messi Cuccittini said as she turned his attention to Viola; the little girl looked at her confused before Annabelle led her family to sit down across from the Messi's.

Viola looked at the little boy across from her, it was clear that he didn't want to be here but his father was keeping hold of his hand so he couldn't escape.

"So we have an agreement... our youngest son will marry your eldest daughter," Jorge Messi said making his wife roll his eyes at his bluntness.

***

Viola sat bored as her parents talked with the Messi's, she wasn't listening to what they were saying but she knew that the talk was important; the brunette watched as two lotus flower plants were set upon the table.

"I think that's everything," Leonardo said making Annabelle nod as she looked at Viola, she really did hope that her daughter understood what they had done and why when the time came for it.

Celia smiled down at her son, she also hoped that he would understand when the time came; he was only five years old and she had a feeling that he was destined for something great; he would need someone like Viola in his life when the time came.

"Mama, may I go play football now?" the little boy asked making his father roll his eyes as he released his grip on his son, he knew better than to come between the boy and football.

Annabelle and Leonardo chuckled as Celia agreed as she moved to look at her son; the little boy grinned at the thought before he clambered to his feet and hurried outside leaving everyone else behind.

"So Viola, what is it you want to do when you grow up?" Celia asked politely, she hadn't really paid much attention to the little girl that was sat beside her best friend; they had been too busy discussing their arrangement.

Annabelle smiled as she watched Viola smile brightly as she told Celia and Jorge that she wanted to be a singer or a dancer when she grew up.

The little girl had said the same thing since she had first started singing, something that made Annabelle remember when she had been had the same dreams when she had been a child.

Leonardo however hoped that his daughter would one day grow out of it; he wanted her to have a practical job when she grew up and the chances that she would be a singer or a dancer when she grew up where very slim.

"I think the next time we are all together is when we put the arrangement into action," Jorge mused making Annabelle nod sadly as she looked at Celia.

She missed not having her best friend around all the time; however with the Grayson's living in New York it was difficult to see Celia all the time.

***

Annabelle sighed as she finished reading her daughters their bedtime story, she smiled gently at Emilia who was fast asleep; she knew that she would be doing the same thing to her when she was old enough like Viola was.

"Mama, why was today important?" Viola asked curiously making Annabelle look at her eldest daughter, who was still awake; she smiled softly as she set the book down on the shelf where it belonged before she moved to sit on Viola's bed.

The little girl stared at her mother as she waited to hear what her mother had to say; Annabelle ran a hand gently through her daughter's hair and sighed.

"It was important because it was about your future," Annabelle broke to her daughter gently; she would explain properly when Viola was older and could understand what her parents had done today.

The little girl tilted her head wondering what about her future had been decided today, Annabelle pressed a kiss to her eldest daughter's head and smiled down at her.

"You'll understand when you are older," the brunette woman said as she stood from the bed and tucked her daughter in, she watched as Viola yawned before she moved from the room and turned the light off.

However before she could step out of the room, Viola spoke up making the woman stop and turn to face her.

"Goodnight Mama," the little girl said as she closed her eyes making Annabelle smile to herself as she watched her daughter fall sleep.

"Goodnight Lala," she said fondly to her daughter as Leonardo wrapped his arms around her waist, the couple watched the two little girls sleep for a moment before Annabelle turned to face her husband.

"I think they'll be the perfect match," the brunette said making her husband chuckle as he kissed in gently in agreement.