We Need a New Room Mate (Danielle Savre and Stefania Spampinato)

Chapter Fifty Three

"What are you doing here?!"

Stefania almost dropped her wine glass when they were rudely interrupted but the shock of getting scared turned into fear when she realised whose voice that belonged to. Her father. Danielle's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. Clearly they knew each other but she had no idea who this man was. 

"Excuse me Sir, I-"

"Stefania. Answer me," Her Dad cut Danielle off, completely ignoring her existence. 

"Dad. Not here. Can we go downstairs?" Stefania felt defeated when she tried to look at him, thoughts crashing about in her mind. She wanted to speak to Gio, she needed her Dad to calm down, but more importantly, she had to make sure he didn't question or say anything about who she is with and if he did, what that would mean. Danielle was lost for words as she tried to figure out what to do or say. 

"Can we help you?" Danielle asked tentatively, sitting up a little straighter.

"I need to speak with my daughter. I don't know who you are,"

"You haven't needed to speak to me in almost two months," Stefania said, as calmly as she could manage. 

"Well... now you are here. You still did not answer why you are actually here," He crossed his arms over his chest impatiently, narrowing his eyes at Danielle when she stood up. 

"All due respect Sir, we're just trying to have a nice evening here," She said, feeling a little more in control of the situation as she stood. 

"Oh," He said after a moment of silence then completely turned his back to Danielle. "You are here together? Yes, the blonde hair," He answered his own question, nodding his head in thought as he remembered the picture his daughter had shown him.

"Papi, can you just-"

"So you bring shame to my family and now you are here flaunting it around while I am on vacation? Taking a break with your step mother who is also very disappointed should I add,"

"I had no idea you were going to be here," Danielle felt kind of bad as she sat back down, after all, she chose this resort. 

"Everything okay here?" The waiter came back over, clearly sensing some tension.

"Yes, thank you," Stefania's father quickly answered, waving his hand around to shoo him away. Danielle tapped Stefania's foot under the table to get her to look at her and tilted her head towards the stairs, inadvertently asking if she wanted to leave which she shook her head to. 

"Your mother would be so ashamed," 

Stefania felt something in her switch after that comment. She had never felt more loved when she was in the presence of her mother and she always told herself that if her mother was still alive, she would accept her and love her and tell her father to do one. 

"Do not speak about her like that to me," Stefania said, looking her father in the eyes. "She would love me no matter what and you know that. She would tell you to grow up and see that I am still  your daughter and just because I'm dating a woman, doesn't mean I'm any less deserving of anything,"

"You cannot speak to me like that," Stefania's father said, slightly taken aback that she had even found the courage to speak to him with that tone. He started to speak quickly in Italian, Danielle trying even harder to read her girlfriends facial expressions. Even if she was consistent with her Duolingo, he was speaking very fast.

"No, no!" Stefania pushed her chair back and stood up, taking a step closer to him. She reached a hand out for Danielle's who quickly took hold of it and stood next to her. "You don't get to stand there and talk like that about the woman that I love. If this is how you're going to treat me, then I don't want anything to do with you, end of," Danielle felt her heart skip a little beat. The woman she loves. Stefania didn't even realise that she had said it, the heat of the moment getting to the better of her, but it felt natural.

"I would tell you to say hi to your wife for me but I'm sure that wouldn't be taken very well. Have a nice evening, Dad," Stefania tightened her grip on Danielle's hand and pulled her down the stairs, her heart was pounding against her chest, eyebrows furrowed as she ignored the curious eyes of other diners.

"Stefania, slow down," Danielle said, as she struggled a little in her heels. The brunette slowed down a little then came to a stop. She looked at Danielle, eyes filled with tears then crouched down and started crying, her body shaking. She let go of her girlfriends hand and used it to steady herself on the floor. "Come on, let's go to our room," Danielle said as leant down a little. 

"No, I need... I just need to... breathe or something," Stefania choked out between sobs. 

"Okay, okay. Stand up, you're too curved over," Danielle said wrapping an arm around her. "You can cry all you need to," The blonde said as Stefania clung to her, crying into her shoulder. 

"I'm not even... crying because... I'm hurt. I'd already kind of accepted it I... I just- I've kept this in for so long," She pulled away and wiped at her eyes which wasn't really helping the case and looking into Danielle's eyes that were filled with so much care made her want to break down all over again. "Oh gosh, that must have been so awkward for you," Stefania realised as, making her laugh a little. "And we were speaking Italian a little, you were probably so lost," She laughed as she wiped at her eyes again. 

"Yeah, I couldn't pick out one word even if I tried," Danielle admitted, laughing softly as she reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her girlfriends ear.

"I feel like I'm going to keep crying tonight now," Stefania said as she let out a sigh. 

"That's okay. Cry all you need to. If I knew he was somehow going to be here..."

"How on earth were you to know that, Danielle? If anything, this was good. It's got it out and it's a stressor sort of gone and I can go and lay on our massive bed and look out the window and like I said, probably cry again," Stefania trailed off as she thought about her mother for a moment, tilting her head up at the sky. "Look at the stars," She whispered, reaching for Danielle's hand. She started to lead them back through pathways to their room, pausing every now and then because something look particularly pretty.

"You can see the moon from here," Danielle pointed out, tilting her head slightly. Stefania almost started crying again at how beautiful the moon looked. A crescent moon. "It's just so... beautiful," Danielle said, taking the words right from her mind. Stefania looked at her girlfriend and felt an overwhelming rush of emotions. "But you're beautifuller? More beautiful," Danielle laughed, though at this point she was speaking to herself. 

"Danielle?" The blonde stopped laughing and turned to her girlfriend whose tone was considerably lower. 

"Yes, my love?" 

"Come here," Stefania motioned with her hands to come closer and then placed both of her hands on her face, pulling her in. "Now, I need you to listen very closely right now, okay?"

"Okay?" Stefania smiled, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as her girlfriend looked at her expectantly, eyes sparkling like they always do. 

"I love you,"

A/N: If you're not already, follow my insta! savre.anatomy

I hope you're all safe and well :)