Chapter 19

Watching them drive away and getting thoughts of the possibility that there could be something between them ticks my heart a little. The pang of seeing Fabio rush to Giana made my mind assume something else, but it could also be tricking me.

Auntie with her husband and Lorenzo left the mansion just a few minutes after Fabio left. They said I'll just give them an update about what happened. Lorenzo left a word with me that made my brow rose.

"Seems like someone took your husband away," he whispered with a chuckle.

Hindi na lamang ako nag-react sa sinabi niya. I smiled and patted his shoulder and walked them out of the mansion. I'm not sure when I will see them again, but I'll visit back home once I have extra time.

After their departure, Fabio's parents couldn't wait for him so they decided to leave the mansion as well. I thought they would be staying since this is Fabio's place, but they said they've got a hotel in the city.

I guess they don't really care about paying for costly hotel rooms. It's their money, so it's not a problem of mine.

And then, Alessandro was the only one who stayed with me.

"You should go home," I told him.

"I'm not leaving you alone," he said, shaking his head. May pagkamatigas din ang ulo nito kaya kailangang sapilitan ang pagsabi.

"I'm at home and Matteo's already asleep. You should go home."

"Can't I stay here?" he asked, giggling.

"Baliw," I muttered. "Fabio's will be back soon."

"And so?" he countered. "He left you to drive another girl away. If I were him, I wouldn't do that. I'll just call an ambulance and I'll let them take care of her. I might not be a good friend, but who would drive a girl away and leave his family?"

"Well, he did," I answered and let out a deep sigh. "If you want to say, you can stay, but don't come at me when Fabio gets mad."

"Why would he get mad?" he questioned.

I shook my head. "Nothing... I'll just... I'll just tuck Matteo in his bed and I'll get back to you."

I carried Matteo back to his nursery room. I left Ale in the living room and I guess it's best for him to stay since he's been drinking alcohol earlier. The only problem is Fabio, I know he'll think something of it and assume beyond that.

I quickly fixed Matteo in his bed. He's so tiny and fragile. I know this is the kind of life I want him to grow up in, but with these underlying situations I cannot fathom, it seems impossible to live like this every single day.

But for my baby, I'll take it. I'll risk it.

When I finally secured him, I tried calling Fabio, but it all went thru voicemail. I also left him some messages thinking he would eventually read them. Gano'n ba siya katuon kay Giana?

I feel like their closeness is much more than being friends—and exes. But I tried to eliminate those thoughts away. I might be assuming things that are too improbable to happen.

I went back to the living room. I had my phone screen open monitoring the nursery room. Matteo's quietly sleeping. It has been a tiring day for him so he deserves a good rest, but I know I'll be staying up late as well when Matteo decided to wake up at midnight.

As I arrived back at the living room, I saw Ale and he was just checking out some framed photos displayed on the walls. There were multiple family photos, but most are artistic painted ones.

"There's no picture of you," he mentioned when he looked through them.

"Might not be necessary, I guess..."

"Sure." He smirked. "He left his family for a girl so I guess that's not really necessary."

I didn't give a response. "If you really wanna stay, maybe we should watch some movies. What do you think?"

"That'll be the best," he said excitingly. "I know some movies we can watch. Do you want an Italian movie?"

I immediately shook my head. "I know I can speak Italian, but you know I'm barely fluent in it."

He laughed. "That's why I shouldn't be talking to you in English," he said shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"At Mabuti na lang din ay hindi ka nakakaintindi ng Tagalog."

His brows crossed once I said that. Tinawanan ko na lang siya saka ko kinuha sa kamay niya ang phone niya. I put it on the video streaming service application and picked the movies we wanna watch.

He even wondered why we were not going to open the huge flat-screen television here in the living room where it could be cinematic as hell. But I told him I don't know how to open it and I don't wanna bother the staff anymore so we'll do the efficient way for both of us.

In the end, Alessandro picked the movie he likes. It was a movie set in Italy.

"Letters to Juliet? I didn't have a clue you have romantic bones for these kinds of movies."

He scoffed. "What do you think of me, Jacinta? Heartless? Fuck no."

"You're getting defensive there, chill out," I told him, laughing it off. "Let's just watch the film. I haven't watched it, but I've seen snippets of this film before, but I already forget about it."

"You'll love it... I love it when the first time I saw it."

He looked at me like I was in the movie. I put my hand in his face so he could put his attention on what we are watching.

I wouldn't lie Ale's a pretty handsome Italian stallion, cannot ignore that out. Ale's just a good friend and if there's more than that, a problem might arise that I have to deal with which I don't want to be at.

Over time, my eyes get weaker and I've been yawning for the past few minutes. Ale said we've only been to the first twenty minutes of the film and I'm already targeted by my sleepiness. I lay my head on his shoulder. Hindi siya umangal at hinayaan lang ako until it became so comfortable for me, my eyes dropped.

The next thing I knew, he slowly moves my head out of his shoulder and get up to attend to someone else. My visions were kind of blurry when I'm guessing what was happening. The lights are off in some areas of the mansion. It might be past twelve midnight na. I'm not sure. I'm not aware of my surroundings at this moment.

"Hey, Jacinta," pagtawag sa akin ni Fabio.

I was a little surprised when he was the one he was talking to. Lumapit siya sa akin at sinabihan ako na matulog na sa kwarto. Hindi ko na masyadong naintindiha 'yong sinabi niya. Maybe the alcohol I have taken earlier really took its toll on me. Hindi pa iyon gaano karami. I was drinking moderately, still I am consumed by this alcohol.

"Nasa'n si Ale?"

"I don't understand you," he replied while carrying me upstairs.

"I mean, where's Ale? Did he leave?" I asked tiringly.

"No," he answered. "He'll stay overnight. I'll let him sleep on the couch. It's late and he drank some earlier."

"Oh... okay... what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you staying?"

He smirked. Something I could recognize while in this state. "Si. I'm staying."

"Oh... what about Giana?"

I heard him he grudges then fixed the way he carried me. "Let's talk it all tomorrow. You need rest, hon."

When we finally arrived at the bedroom, he tucked me in and I fell asleep so fast I didn't mind what he did after.

The next morning, it took me a moment when I realized I was woken up in Fabio's bed. Mabilis akong napabangon sa kama. I checked myself under the blanket and I was still dressed. That made a little relief in my chest.

After a while, someone from the bathroom came out only in his black boxer brief. It was Fabio.

"Good morning," nakangiting pagbati nito sa akin. He went closer to me, dipped himself, and plant a kiss on my hair. "How was your sleep?"

"Uh... good..." I tried avoiding his glorious body. "Oh! I need to see Matteo."

"Go on," he said. "I'll join you there."

Dali-dali akong tumayo at lumabas ng kwarto niya. I rushed towards the nursery room and found Matteo already awake. He was even startled when I turned on the light and his face lights up when he saw me.

"Come here, baby... let's get you out of there..."

I picked him up from the crib and follow my morning routine by checking everything about him. Matteo's nappy is full so I prepared him a new diaper. Just in time when Fabio came into the room and saw me changing Matteo's diaper. He came to us and watched how I do it.

"Next time, you'll do it," I told him. Tinawanan lang ako. "I am serious, Fabio."

He raised his hands, chuckling. "Sure, sure. No problem... This is just a very good morning for me."

That made my forehead crease. I looked at his get-up and his a little too formal.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I have an early business meeting," he answered. "I'll be back soon once it's done."

"No, it's okay... oh, wait! I forgot about Ale!"

"He left early," he said. "He only told my staff. I'm not sure what time he left."

"Oh, I see... I'll just text him," I said. "And Giana?"

"She's back at her hotel last night," he answered. "Nothing serious happened. She's alright, but she needed some rest so she'll be spending a few more days here in Sicily."

"I see... then maybe you should invite her again."

His eyes flustered when I told him that. That kind of reaction is something I don't wanna see.

"She can... but why? You know, she's my ex..."

"Yeah, I know," tipid kong sagot sa kanya. "Maybe I'll know more about you when we talked."

"Then I won't invite her," he quickly said it thinking he had done well at it.

Nanliit ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Are you hiding something from me, Fabrizio?'

He smirked, shaking his head. "Why would I? You're the one who keeps hiding from me before, right?"

Inirapan ko siya. "Umalis ka na nga." Sabay tulak ko sa dibdib niya. "Go wherever you are going."

"Jacinta, it was a joke..."

Hindi ko siya sinagot. Hindi ko na rin siya nilingon at itinuon ko ang atensyon sa anak ko.

He grunted. "I'll be back soon. If you need anything, tell the staff. If you need me, call me, is that clear?"

"Clear daw ba, baby?" tanong ko kay Matteo.

He scoffed. "Don't ruin my morning, Jacinta. I'll be seeing you later."

When he left the room, I followed him and watched him leave the mansion. I feel like I will not always get used to this kind of life. But there's something that my gut has been telling me...

Leave...

The Philippines...

Run.

These thoughts are very intrusive I kept my mind washed out by Matteo's routines and cuteness. Sa ngayon, kailangan ko munang isantabi ang sarili ko at unahin ko ang anak ko. I know doing this may come into good terms in the future, kaya ngayon kailangan ko munang gamayin ang bawat sitwasyon.

But for how long? Like I'm trying to get used to it. Mukhang may mga bagay lang siguro na hindi para sa akin.

I hate this morning's thoughts.

I brought Matteo to the yard and find a spot there. A few staff assisted us, giving us some food, drinks, and whatever we want until I found something folded paper trashed on the floor.

I picked it up and unfolded it seeing black and white images of a certain digital image. It was an ultrasound image. And it has something written on the back of it.

Per te.

And it's not mine, clearly, not for me.

#BirthOfLiesInSicily #BOLISChapter19 #WTS9