A Stranger's Touch

The Mission

"You think I did it?" my father asked but it didn't seem like a question.

His familiar pair of grey eyes bore into mine. I saw disappointment, pain, guilt and a lot of emotions flash in his eyes before he looked away.

"Are you accusing me mio figlo?"

When our eyes met again, the emotions I saw were no longer present in his eyes.

"Will I be here seeking your help if I thought you did?" I groaned in frustration.

The whole coming to my father thing wasn't going as planned.

I should have stayed home.

"So what exactly do you want?"

"I want you to help me find her." I sounded desperate even to my own ears.

"You have the resources father. I know you can help me find her."

My father laughed before walking to where I was. He put a hand on my shoulder and my eyes followed the movement.

Maybe he's going to help after all.

"No."

I knew I should have stayed at home.

"But why?" I asked angrily.

"I don't want that woman for you. I never did. It's a good thing she's out of the picture."

I felt my blood begin to boil. How could he say that to me?

To his own son.

"Ceilia is good for you. Marry her son."

I shrugged off his hold on my shoulder and looked straight in his eyes.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you father but I will never marry her. Ria is the one I truly love and I'll find her and bring her home." I paused before speaking again.

"with or without you."

I turned around to leave but my steps faltered immediately my eyes landed on my mother.

"Mum?"

Her eyes were fixed solely on my father, her husband.

She walked past me, completely ignoring me and my eyes followed her movements. 

She stopped right in front of my father and I had a feeling shits were about to blow up.

"Valentina, my darling." my father said.

He was obviously just as taken aback as I was at my mother's sudden appearance.

My Mother didn't speak. Her usual lively eyes were now as cold as ice.

"By chance did you-"

"Yes Antonio." my mother spat.

"I heard everything."

My father took a deep breath before speaking.

"Calm down cara mia (my beloved)."

"Calm down?"

By now my mother's anger was radiating all over the place.

" Sono stato tranquillo per anni (I've been quiet for years)."

"Antonio I was a virgin when you married me and you know it. So you can't look me in the eye and tell me I brought a bastard to your home."

"Valentina."

"No let me speak my mind."

"I didn't bring you another man's son Antonio. Dante is your son."