Chapter 6: TMA || 6

“IT’S A HORSE!!!” Caterina and Calinda squealed, making Aretha jump up and down in agreement.

“You guys have to be cheating somehow,” I mumbled.

“Daddy, it’s not their fault you’re terrible at drawing,” Caprice glared at me. She wasn’t wrong either. Painting I could do, but just don’t ask me to draw anything and we’ll be fine.

We were having a game night on top of the movie night we usually have. The idea had been Aretha’s, and we all went with it. We were divided into two teams with Aretha being teamed up with Caterina and Calinda, while I was teamed up with Caprice and Camilla. Our team was losing.

Badly.

I wasn’t bothered much by that though. I leaned back on the couch and watched my girls. I never in a million years, thought I would ever get here. It was surreal if I was putting it honestly. Aretha’s arrival into our lives has made the biggest difference.

It’s only been two days since we’ve arrived in Florence, and it’s been probably the best two days of my life after the day the girls were born, and the day my company listed on the stocks. In this past week, I’ve become such a different person, I almost didn’t recognize myself at some point.

I am happy.

I came to the realization that very morning when I woke up and Aretha was sound asleep in my arms. She looked so at peace, and it made me smile when I realized that for the first time since I was sixteen, I was at peace as well, and it was all because of this heaven sent angel.

Aretha Washington is everything I could want in life. In the space of a week and two days, she’s become my best friend without even knowing it. I’ve told her some things that not even Bianca or Lui know about me. I haven’t told her my darkest secrets yet, but I’ve come damn near close.

I can’t even begin to describe the amount of happiness that surges through me whenever I see her with the girls. It’s like the five of them have known each other since the girls were born- hell, it’s like the girls are her own flesh and blood.

I remember the first time I realized that the girls were truly happy. They came up to me and hugged me tightly, before telling me that they love me. It wasn’t so much the gesture, but the randomness of it. They laugh and smile more than I’ve ever thought possible of them.

And they are not the only ones.

I caught myself laughing loudly because of Aretha just the night before, and she was so captivated. When I caught her staring and asked her what she was staring at, she smiled and kissed me, before telling me that she was making it her life’s mission to make me laugh and smile more. I thought it was an ambitious mission, until I realized that in the past two days alone, I’ve smiled and laughed more than I have in the average year.

She was succeeding.

Anita couldn’t have been happier when we brought Aretha and Yvette back with us. When I called her to tell her about them, she was overjoyed, and I thought she would pass out from happiness when we finally arrived at the house.

She and Yvette have developed a comfortable friendship. I thought that Yvette was quite young to be Aretha’s grandmother, but I soon learnt that it was because she’d had Aretha’s father when she was fifteen, while Aretha’s parents had her when her mother was sixteen, and her father was seventeen.

“Hey,” I was nudged lightly. I smiled when my eyes met the gray-brown eyes I was falling in love with.

“Hey right back at you,” I winked.

“You were out of it. Are you ok?” she asked worriedly.

This is the one thing about Aretha that knocks me for six. I barged into her life and took her away from her home, and yet she’s always concerned about me and the girls. She always makes sure that we’re ok, and she’ll have a mini panic attack if we’re not. It’s the cutest thing.

“I was just thinking about how happy you make all of us,” I smiled, pulling her into my arms.

“All of you?” she smirked. I leaned down to kiss her lips deeply.

“All of us,” I confirmed. She was flustered from the kiss, making me chuckle.

“Where are the girls?” I asked.

“Well, since you were out of it, they decided that game night is over. I told them to go clean their floor while I go make pizza for tonight. Wanna help?” she smiled.

“I’d love to,” I returned the smile.

As I was saying; Aretha is everything the girls and I could want and need in our lives. She’s an excellent cook, baker, seamstress, mother and companion. Her work experience at the hotel and the restaurants that she worked for have made her obsessed about keeping order in the house, and we don’t mind it one bit. It makes her happy, which means we’re happy too.

And not forgetting the fact that she can make almost any kind of coffee that I could possibly want.

Aretha’s coffee is what I’m sure heaven would taste like if it were edible. She couldn’t believe how obsessed I am with it, until Bianca made her a cup of coffee. After that, she understood why her coffee was my salvation after so many years of drinking Bianca’s supposed coffee.

We got to the kitchen and it was spotless. One would never say that there was a flour fight earlier on during the day. We were all making cupcakes, and well, one thing led to another. Yvette and Anita walked in and walked right back out after telling us to get rid of the mess. The result of the afternoon though are the two hundred and fifty cupcakes we ended up baking.

Why so many, you ask?

Because we felt like it!

It didn’t take us long to start eating them, and by the time we’d had enough, we’d managed to eat thirty two between the six of us. We had to even take a nap from how full we were. We took the nap on my bed, which surprisingly fit all six of us.

“What kind of pizza are we making?” she asked as she took out the ingredients.

“You’re the chef. I’m just here to assist,” I smiled.

“Is there anything the girls are allergic to? I know they don’t like garlic,” she asked.

“Not that I know of, but you’re right about the garlic,” I nodded.

“Ok! Maybe a salami and cheese, a vegetarian and a chicken and mushroom,” she said thoughtfully.

“You can make all those?” I asked. It surprised me that she could still manage to surprise me.

“Yep! I took some cooking lessons with a world-renowned chef who had come to stay at the hotel,” she smiled as she put the chicken on the stove.

“You were just everyone’s favourite person, weren’t you?” I teased as I grabbed a knife to start cutting.

“Well, I have more contacts of very important people than the average person, and the very billionaire I worked for, decided that I’m such a fantastic person that he scooped me right off the market, straight in the direction of the altar,” she giggled.

“Are you suggesting that you’re agreeing to marrying me Miss Washington?” I smirked.

“You have no proof of me admitting to such a foul thing!” she mock gasped.

“Foul?” my eyebrows shot to my hairline, which caused an eruption of giggles from her. She looked so enchanting with the way her eyes lit up.

“You are so adorable Rafe,” she sighed with a smile once she’d calmed down.

“Adorable? A man like me doesn’t hear that often,” I frowned.

“That’s because no-one knows the man before me at this very moment,” she smiled.

Only she would know to say something like that.

“Except you,” I pointed out.

“I feel so special,” she mock sniffed. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that this woman has her goofy moments, like now.

“That pizza isn’t going to make itself woman, I chuckled.

“Well slave, if you weren’t standing so far away, then we might get somewhere,” she smirked.

“Slave? I’m beginning to think that you’re taking up a rather uncanny habit of insulting me,” I challenged.

“Someone like you needs to be challenged every now and then,” she shrugged. I walked over to her side.

“What do you mean?”  I asked curiously.

“With your reputation, I’m pretty sure that you get everything that you want, when you want it, without anyone daring to protest or challenge you,” she explained as she mixed the ingredients for the dough.

“Except you,” I pointed out again.

To be honest, it was frustrating me to no end knowing that this woman isn’t bowing down to me, but at the same time, I like that about her. Hell, I know that she isn’t with me for all the wrong reasons right now. She couldn’t be bothered by my money and possessions, and she told me that while I’m a handsome man, she cares more for the man within.

“True! I don’t want to seem like a challenge to you though. I’m not delaying giving you an answer for the fun of it, but more because I want to see how we work. We need to have a stable relationship first. Everything was very rushed with us, and now that we’re in Florence, we can slow things down. We can get to know each other well before settling down. I already see that we clearly work as a family, so our relationship is the one to focus on right now,” she said as she stopped to look at me.

How could I fault the woman? She wasn’t refusing my proposal, my poor proposal at that. She’d already up and moved her life to be with me and the girls. In return, she just wanted to get into a marriage that she knew would work.

I wont lie and say that I wasn’t scared by her words though. I knew that wouldn’t agree to marry me until she knew my darkest secrets, and yet I fear that it is those very secrets that will drive her away from me. At this point in time, I can’t lose her.

I can’t afford to.

“I got a call from Gerard,” she informed me when I wasn’t saying anything.

“What did he say?” I scowled. I hadn’t actually spoken to the man since I last saw him.

“Well, I asked him about the deal that he made you, but he wouldn’t tell me why he made it in the first place. So anyway, I told him what I just told you, and all he said to me was that he’s going to change the terms of the contract. Do you know what he meant by that?” she asked.

“I have an idea. The deal states that everything kicks into gear the moment you and I say ‘I do’. He may be changing that condition altogether,” I explained.

“What exactly is this deal you’re making?” she narrowed her eyes.

“Well, it seems he wants to retire, but he needs someone to take over his businesses. Since we have the same business ethics and goals, he chose me for that position,” I replied.

“Wait! So from our relationship, you stand to gain Hartley Inc and all its businesses?” she asked wide eyed, to which I nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want me here just for those deals?” she narrowed her eyes, but I could see the teasing glint in them. I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“I’d drop the deals in a heartbeat just to keep you here,” I told her seriously.

“I know,” she smiled, caressing my cheek before she kissed me softly.

We made the pizza in a comfortable silence. Once we were done, the girls still hadn’t come down, so we used the time to just sit together and enjoy each other’s company. She was cuddled into my side with her head resting on my chest, while my arm rested around her.

“Is this what it will always be like?” she suddenly asked. I took a while before answering.

“No,” I told her honestly. I was also met by silence then.

“Are we at least going to try to keep it like this?” she finally looked up at me.

“Well, I can’t say I’m sure. I’ve spent so much time alienating myself that I’ve gotten used to it and the system I have. It’s always been about work since the girls were born, so I’m rarely home,” I replied.

“But now you have a reason to come home,” she pouted. It brought me a sense of fulfilment when she referred to my house as our home.

“That I do, but I’m still a very busy man Ari. It’s going to take a while to adjust,” I admitted.

“I wont be rushing you if that’s what you’re worried about. I just don’t want to not see you for long periods of time,” she argued.

“Like you said, I have a reason to come home now. My little girls are happy and I get to be with you. I’ll definitely be making the effort to be home as much as I can,” I smiled. She pecked my lips.

“Good!” she smiled, clearly satisfied with my answer.

“MUMMY! DADDY! IS THE PIZZA READY?” the girls came running in.

“No it isn’t! Is your floor clean?” Aretha narrowed her eyes at them.

“Spotless!” they nodded.

“Alright then! What movies are we watching today?” I asked them.

“Despicable Me 2 and The Smurfs!” they replied.

Clearly they’d discussed this.

There was some commotion as I set up the movies. Aretha checked on the pizzas and prepared the snacks. The girls fetched blankets and all, and changed into their pyjamas under Aretha’s instruction. For the first time since I moved into this house, we were watching movies in the cinema room.

We moved into this house three years ago before my grandmother left for Washington. While we had a movie night, we didn’t watch the movies in the cinema room. To me, it just felt like a family room- something we hadn’t been, save for the last week.

Aretha brought the snacks to the room, and I helped her grab the pizzas while she grabbed the drinks. She’d already put everyone’s preferences on their plate, so we were all set. The girls took the front row of seats with their drinks in their compartments.

When they were settled, we handed them their plates of pizza. Aretha, being the awesome person she is, created a snack package for them, just like they would get it at cinemas. She made them each their own packet of popcorn, and she added a packet of sweets. With the pizza and their drinks, they were guaranteed to be full by the time the movies ended.

For us, she just prepared a big bowl of popcorn and grabbed two packets of sweets. When we were all settled, I started the movie from the control panel on my phone. The lights in the room dimmed as the girls started shaking in excitement. Aretha just smiled at their behaviour as we sat in the row behind them.

Apparently we were watching Despicable Me 2 first. I know for a fact that my daughters are obsessed with Minions and Smurfs, if things like their stationery aren’t enough proof of this. I always thought that they’d like things like dolls, but they told me that dolls were childish and stupid.

Sometimes words fail me.

There was laughter the whole way through as I watched my girls enjoy themselves. They really liked the movie- Aretha included. There were times when she’d laughed so much, her eyes got teary. It was the most wonderful scene I’d ever been, and the kind I would never trade for anything.

When the first movie ended, I went to put in the second movie. At this point in time, we were all finished with our pizza and had started on the popcorn. I was surprised that the girls were still awake and eager for a second movie, but I didn’t mind if it meant I would be keeping them happy.

The second movie also flew by, but by the time its credits rolled onto the screen, snores filled the room. You can imagine my surprise when I found that I was the only one who was still awake. I laughed to myself when I saw that Aretha had fallen asleep before she had chewed a piece of popcorn that she’d already placed in her mouth.

I quietly turned everything off before picking up Calinda and Caprice. I headed to their floor and put them to bed, before returning for their sisters. By the time I was done with the girls, Aretha was still asleep, but the piece of popcorn was no longer in her mouth.

I picked her up bridal style before carrying her to our room. She was snuggled into my chest and sighed contently. I got to the room and lay her on the bed, before tucking her in. Luckily she’d also changed into her pyjamas- we all had.

I went back to the cinema room and collected all the dirty dishes. I wasn’t going to clean the entire room, but I also didn’t want to leave it in an unnecessary mess. I took the dishes to the laundry room before loading them into the dish washing machine. I checked if all doors were locked before switching off all the lights.

When I got into the bed, Aretha almost immediately rolled onto me. I couldn’t fight the smile on my face, even if I wanted to.

“Where’d you go?” she mumbled.

“I was locking up,” I replied.

“Ok,” she sighed before lightly purring away.

This is one of the things I appreciate about the woman- she doesn’t snore. Having her by my side helps me to sleep better than I’ve ever slept in my life. The only other time that I’ve felt so peaceful in my sleep was when the girls had come to sleep with me this one night.

When I woke up, Aretha was still asleep beside me, which surprised me. I had no idea that she was so tired. She was normally up before me. I was even more stunned because it was eight o’clock and she wasn’t up yet.

She’d already told me all about how it had been for her, having to wake up early so that she would catch the bus and make it to work on time. When I asked her why she was still waking up early, she told me it was habit.

We’d spoken about what she wanted to do now that she’s in Florence. She isn’t quite sure yet, and I’m more than willing to wait for her to decide. I’m in no rush whatsoever. Even if she wanted to just be a housewife, I wouldn’t mind, but she already said that that wasn’t on the table. She wanted to do something with her time.

I knew that she wanted to go to school, and again, I’m ok with that, but she doesn’t know what she wants to study. She also doesn’t know whether or not she wants to study at an institution or online. She’s confused, and she’s too adorable in my eyes.

“What are you thinking about so early in the morning?” she brought my out of thoughts. I looked down to find her perched on my chest as those gray-brown orbs stared at me.

“You,” I smiled.

“That’s so cheesy,” she blushed.

“It’s also true! I am thinking about you,” I chuckled.

“What about me?” she raised an eyebrow.

“How undecided you are about the way forward,” I replied honestly.

“You can’t blame me ok?” she huffed.

“On the contrary love! I find it adorable,” I smiled.

“Adorable?” she scrunched up her nose.

“Yep!” I nodded before kissing her forehead.

“You’re a weird man Raphael. Have you decided what you’re going to do about the magazine interviews?” she asked.

I had given it some thought, and I was still not sure about it. There were pros and cons to coming out in the media, and I wasn’t yet sure which side outweighed which. This was a decision that required absolute and thorough evaluation and analysis.

“I have! I still don’t have an answer,” I sighed.

“Have you listed the pros and cons as I suggested?” she asked.

“I did,” I nodded.

“And?” she prompted.

“I still don’t know Ari,” I groaned, hiding in her hair.

“Ok then! Let’s go through them together,” she giggled.

“Ok! What are we tackling first?” I asked.

“Let’s start with the cons,” she suggested.

“Alright! Firstly, the publicity may be too much for the girls, secondly, I don’t know what exactly I’d be revealing to the press to begin with, thirdly I think I’m nervous about it, fourthly, wont coming out to the world ruin the image I already have, and lastly, where do you fit in into everything?” I told her. She looked surprised by my list.

“You’ve really thought about this huh?” she scowled.

“I have,” I huffed.

“Ok! Let’s break it down. I totally understand what you’re saying about the girls being affected. I was worrying about that too since everyone is going to want to know everything about them, and in turn that leads them to your past; something I know you’d much rather avoid. Secondly, you can reveal to the press what you wish to reveal. You can agree on a strictly professional interview and the likes. Thirdly, you have nothing to be nervous about. You’re Raphael Maestri. Fourthly, coming out to the world will have different reactions, and it will be only when you’ve actually come out that you will truly know the impact of doing so. Lastly, I fit in wherever and however you want me to,” she smiled. I love the confidence she has in me.

“So, if I were to, I could introduce you as my fiancée and the mother of my angels?” I smirked.

“Well, I’m still waiting for your oh so extravagant proposal, but I don’t mind the second title,” she blushed.

“I don’t want to introduce you as my fiancée though. I want to introduce you as my wife,” I sighed.

“But we’re not married,” she scowled.

“Then let’s get married!” I shrugged.

“Rafe!” she smacked my arm.

“What Ari? I’m dead serious about this. I want you to be my wife. You and the girls are my only weakness, and if you leave me, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve already made up my mind about you. I may not be completely in love with you yet, but I know that I’m headed there. I’m definitely not changing my mind about you, and the girls are just as crazy about you as I am. I don’t think they’d let you leave anyway. You’ve even gotten Lui to like you, and you’ve met the other three important women to me and they approve. Hell, even your own grandmother approves. It’s all up to you to decide whether or not you want to be Mrs Raphael Maestri,” I told her honestly.

I was worried when she was quiet, but I also didn’t want to interrupt her thought process. She looked to be deep in thought, and I was worried that she would think I was pushing her too far, when I was just really telling her how I really feel. She’s it for me and my family.

“You know, I said extravagant proposal,” she mumbled, making me chuckle.

“Well, it’s a good thing that ring looks stunning on your finger,” I smirked.

She looked at me in confusion, until she looked down at the ring on her finger. She was so focused on me speaking that she didn’t even realize that I’d slipped it onto her finger. Funny enough, I got her measurements from Luigi and the girls- something about her and my aunt wearing the same ring size. They’d helped to choose the ring too.

“What the...” she trailed off, before looking up at me with tears shining in her eyes.

“Plan the wedding of the century if you want to, or you can keep it small. Whatever you want is ok with me,” I smiled. She looked shocked for a brief few seconds before she beamed.

“You’re a crazy man Raphael,” she giggled.

“I know! Legend has it that the cure is a good wife,” I winked.

“Oh sure, because that totally exists,” she rolled her eyes.

“What? The legend or the concept of a good wife?” I teased, which earned me a glare.

“You said I met the three important women to you. I take it that’s Bianca, Anita and your grandmother?” she asked, to which I nodded.

“What about your mum? Your dad? Your siblings? How many siblings do you even have?” she asked.

“I have two sisters and a brother. I’m not exactly close to any of my immediate family members,” I sighed.

“A dark secret?” she asked knowingly. One of the things I admire about her is how quickly she picks up on these things.

“Yeah!” I replied.

“Do you think we can do it?” she bit her lip. I was temporarily distracted by the action as my eyes lingered on her lips.

“RAFE!” she smacked my chest.

“What?” I scowled.

“I asked you a question!” she giggled.

“Oh, what was it?” I chuckled.

“I asked if you think we can do it,” she repeated.

“Do what exactly? Before my mind heads in its own direction,” I wiggled my eyebrows, earning myself another smack.

“I mean get married now, before I know all your demons,” she said warily.

“I honestly don’t know Ari, and I’d be lying if I said I knew. You promised you wouldn’t leave once you knew the truth, and I guess that’s all we can hang onto when the time comes. I wont force you to stay though, and I’ll make the girls underst-” I said before she cut me off with a sweet kiss.

“I’m going nowhere Raphael Maestri! Get that through your thick skull already!” she admonished.

“Yes Mam,” I mock saluted, making her laugh.

“Shouldn’t I meet your parents first though?” she asked.

I already knew all about her family and how they died in an accident. Yvette was the only family she had left, aside from distant family members that she wasn’t really in touch with. She’d formed family bonds with her closest friends though, and she was happy with them, which is all I can ask for.

“Well, I already know that my mum is going to hate you, and my dad wont even pay attention to you, unless if you meet them AFTER we get married,” I admitted.

“What? Why?” she pouted.

“Because my mum is racist, and if you meet my dad before the wedding, he will do everything in his power to keep us from getting married. He wants me to die a bachelor,” I sighed. There’s a lot of twisted things about the people I call family.

“That’s, strange! What about your siblings?” she asked.

“Fabius will probably try to flirt with you, but he might be the only one to accept you. He’s the only one I have any kind of relationship with. Marcia wont give you the time of day because she despises me. Salina will try and chase you away,” I explained.

“Why is it that way?” she asked, the sadness and pity clear in her voice.

“My past wasn’t a great one, and it changed my family for the worst,” I replied.

“Didn’t you mention that you have two brothers though?” she frowned.

I stilled.

I didn’t think I’d let that slip. That was the one thing I wasn’t meant to mention. I can’t believe I was so careless. I didn’t even know what to say now that she was looking at me so expectantly. I was actually panicking.

“Hey, you don’t need to tell me,” she smiled.

She can’t be real.

“I did have two brothers. Ralph died when we were eighteen,” I strained.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“It wasn’t your fault and you deserved to know. You should also probably know that he was my twin brother,” I added, staring up at the ceiling. I didn’t realize I was crying until she wiped away my tears.

“What happened?” she asked.

“He was murdered!” I said, the anger slipping past my lips at its own accord.

“It’s ok Rafe! You don’t have to tell me any more than you already have. I’m proud of you though,” she said before kissing my chest.

How can this woman be real?

I couldn’t help but just stare at her. She really has another thing coming if she thinks I’m ever letting her go. I have never met anyone like her. Hell, she’s the exact opposite of Gabi, and she’s exactly what I need at this point of my life.

“Ralph’s death is what drove my family apart, and the biggest blame is on me,” I sighed.

“I would argue that that’s not true, but I can’t say that until I know the full story,” she admitted. I didn’t fault her for that. She’s a fair person and I respect that.

“Which you will find out another day! The girls should be up by now. I’m surprised they haven’t headed this way yet,” I chuckled. Just then, we heard the elevator ding before the familiar patter of feet followed.

“Way to call them,” she giggled. I quickly kissed her before the door swung open.

“MUMMY! WE WANT PANCAKES!” the girls squealed.

“Oh? No good morning?” Aretha raised her eyebrow at them as they jumped onto the bed. We sat up to face them.

“Sorry! Morning mummy! Morning daddy!” they said as they kissed our cheeks, making us laugh.

“Morning angels,” we replied.

“Mummy can we pretty please have pancakes? We asked Anita not to make breakfast,” Calinda pouted.

“Are these different pancakes that I’m making?” Aretha asked amusedly.

She had a reason to ask. The girls and I had fallen in love with her chocolate chip pancakes, but we preferred different toppings and food with them. Caprice likes them with blueberries and blueberry sauce, Calinda likes them with strawberries and strawberry sauce, Camilla likes them with pineapples and caramel sauce, Caterina loves them with peaches and maple syrup and I love them with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Aretha was more than amused the first time we went wild.

“Yep!” the girls and I agreed.

“Well alright then! Head back down and get the ingredients ready, but don’t mess up my kitchen!” she warned.

My heart swelled at the words ‘my kitchen’.

“Ok!” the girls said before excitedly leaving the room.

“I feel like bacon,” I randomly commented.

“When do you never feel like bacon?” she scoffed.

“True!” I chuckled.

“Do you want a full breakfast?” she smiled.

“Pretty please,” I pouted.

“You’re lucky I’m in such a giving mood,” she giggled. I surprised her by tickling her.

“Rafe!” she squealed as she laughed. She looked so gorgeous.

“You are too beautiful Miss Washington, soon to be Mrs Maestri,” I smirked before kissing her.

“When do you want to get married?” she smiled, the blush evident on her cheeks.

“Any time is fine with me,” I shrugged.

“You’re every bride’s dream groom. You just pay and don’t interfere,” she giggled.

“Well, I want my bride to be happy no matter the cost. It’s your day Ari, and I know you value marriage, as quickly as ours is going to take place,” I sighed.

“No divorce, whatsoever,” she smiled.

“Whatsoever,” I agreed before kissing her.

We got out of bed and headed downstairs to find Luigi, Anita, Yvette, Sven, Bianca and Giovanni there too. The girls were happy to have little Gio over. Everyone placed their orders with Aretha, Sven included. She’d gotten the big man to actually talk to her, which stunned us all since he’s not a chatty man.

“Look at us being a big happy family!” Luigi chuckled.

“And how dare you not invite me!” a new voice joined us. I was more than stunned to see my grandmother there.

“GREAT GRANDMA!” the girls squealed before running up to her. Aretha caught my eyes and she sent me an encouraging smile. I slowly walked up to my grandmother.

“Gran...” I trailed off. I didn’t know where to start off apologizing.

“I know son! I forgive you,” she smiled before hugging me. I was relieved that we were at peace at now.

“How did you get here?” Luigi asked her.

“I do have money. You know this right?” she raised an amused eyebrow at him.

“You could’ve called!” Bianca scolded her. They were surprisingly close.

“I wasn’t exactly on speaking terms with this one here. I flew here as soon as I found out that that angel decided to listen to me,” my grandmother replied, looking towards Aretha. She blushed.

“Well at least you made it safely,” I pointed out.

“How dare none of you tell me about how happy everyone suddenly is?” she glared at us.

“Florencia, I’d like you to meet my grandmother Yvette Washington. Grandmamma, this is Raphael’s grandmother Florencia Maestri,” Aretha introduced, diverting my grandmother’s attention.

“Aren’t you just a precious little thing!” my grandmother cooed, before hugging Yvette. The two of them got lost in conversation with Anita.

“So, have you made up your mind about the interviews?” Bianca asked me.

“At this point, the future Mrs Maestri has a say on those,” I smirked.

They all froze, save for Aretha, who seemed to be lost in her own world. She was brought back by the squeals from the girls and Bianca when they noticed the sparkling diamond ring on her wedding ring finger.

“You said yes?” Yvette smiled, tears in her eyes.

“Nothing was stopping me,” Aretha blushed.

“I take it your family wont be in attendance?” my grandmother turned to me.

“Nope! We’ll see them AFTER we get married. You and I both know what will happen if we visit them BEFORE,” I replied.

“I’m well aware son!” my grandmother smiled.

“Oh man! Aunt Val is going to lose her mind!” Luigi chuckled.

“Serves her right for being racist!” Anita scoffed. It felt good to know that she loves Aretha.

“I just got it!” Aretha suddenly beamed.

“What?” we asked.

“A wedding slash family slash business spread!” she replied.

“Come again?” Luigi and I asked.

“Think about the possibilities! Instead of doing a million interviews, we should just do one with the willing magazine of our choice. Our offer to them is an eight to ten page spread about the Maestri’s. They get to interview you about your business side, about the girls and I, and they get to cover our wedding. It’s the greatest package ever! It works in our advantage, and the press get the major scoop that they want,” she explained.

Silence washed over the kitchen as we all watched her. The ingenuity behind that plan was beyond anything I would’ve ever come up with. We kill all birds with one stone, and it saves me from having to bare anything I don’t want to.

“That has to be the smartest thing I’ve heard in a while!” Anita was the first to break the silence.

“You should become your fiancé’s image handler,” Bianca smirked.

“He’s got PR people for that,” Aretha shook her head.

“No! He’s got PR people for the Maestri Empire’s image, not his own. You could be his personal image handler!” Bianca explained. It wasn’t actually a bad idea, and it would give her something to do.

“I know nothing about image,” Aretha frowned.

“If it wasn’t for your image, the Maestri Hotel in DC wouldn’t be what it is last I checked,” I pointed out.

“That was different,” she argued.

“True, but also not so much! You just have to make sure he looks good and you okay all his interviews and photo shoots and what not!” Bianca said, the plea in her voice clear as day.

“And I take it I’ll work for free?” Aretha giggled as she served the food.

“Well, it would be futile to get paid by your husband,” Luigi chuckled.

“I guess! Let’s start with the spread first, and then we’ll take it from there,” Aretha suggested.

“That’s fine!” Bianca smiled.

“So this means the wedding will be sooner rather than later huh?” Luigi smirked.

“Exactly a month’s time from today,” Aretha confirmed, shocking all of us.

Very well then!

I’ll be a married man in a month’s time!

***

ELO SMURFLETTES!!!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS STORY!

AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU GUYS!

It’s ranked in both General Fiction and ChickLit. OMG!!!

So, what are we feeling so far? I like where it’s going, despite how rushed it seems. Again, it WILL slow down! It just needs to kick off now first.

Thank you so much for the support on this book. Please continue to vote, comment (which hasn’t really been done), add the book to your libraries, share it and fan me! I really appreciate it!

I love you guys!

Katee (^^,)