The Maestri Amour (Wattys 2015) - ON HIATUS

TMA || 32

My birthday.

I was so worried about my wife that I forgot about my own birthday.

I scanned the room which was filled by our family and friends, until my eyes landed on her. I scanned her from head to toe and she looked perfectly fine, beautiful even, but when my eyes landed on hers, I spotted fear in them.

This whole thing had been planned, and she was afraid of how I would react.

I sent her a small smile and opened up my arms to her, which she gladly ran into. I realized then that I'd missed her even more than I'd been willing to admit. I laughed when the girls joined in our hug, and I couldn't have been happier to have my family back.

"Rafe," she whispered, looking up at me.

"I'm not mad," I told her.

"No, that's not it. I need to show you something," she said.

"What is it?" I scowled.

She didn't say anything, and instead, everyone moved apart until my eyes landed on the mirror image of myself. It's very rare that I get blindsided, and what was happening now completely threw me off, simply because I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Ralph?" I said incredulously.

"Hey bro," my brother smirked.

Still a twerp!

"How?" I asked.

"It's my birthday present to you. I'm quite touched since I know you didn't get me anything," he joked, making everyone but my wife and I laugh.

"Ralph," she said in warning.

"Alright fine! It's a really long story, so how about we let everyone else have a good time while the two of us go and talk?" he suggested.

"Three of us," I corrected.

I wasn't leaving my wife behind.

"Mi amore, you need to talk to your brother. I'll be here for you when you're done," she told me.

"Promise?" I asked. She leaned on her toes to kiss me.

"On our marriage," she smiled.

I stole one more kiss from her before following my brother. I was relieved to know that she was ok, but now I was facing a whole new whirlwind of emotions. Seeing my brother alive obviously meant that I had a million questions to ask, but Ralph knows me like no other, so I wont need to ask any questions.

"I'm proud of you Ambrosi," he said.

"What for?" I asked.

"I don't know how you made it to this point, but I'm proud of you for marrying a good woman. I am certain that you're in good hands because of her," he explained.

"I take it she's the person who you first went to?" I asked knowingly.

"How did you know?" he chuckled.

"It's the same reason why I married her. She just gives off this aura that you can trust her with absolutely everything," I smiled.

"I was initially going to her to find out if you were doing ok, but the woman is stubborn. She felt that everyone deserves to know that I'm alive, despite whatever consequences there may be," he shook his head.

"That's my wife for you. What consequences would there be though?" I asked.

"I work for the CIA now. That night when I supposedly died, I was taken by the Malone's because of your heist on them. Luckily for me, there was a CIA team that was dedicated to taking them down. They managed to do so a day after I was taken, and that's when I found out that I'd already been declared dead. You were so mad at me the last time we saw each other, I figured that you wouldn't miss me if I left, so I was recruited by them. I moved to the States for more training and I made agent a year later. A month ago, I was given a case relating to Jordan. He's apparently causing some trouble, and the CIA wants to take him down. I had to look at his activities in Italy, and that's when I landed on the TV special with you and Aretha's wedding. I'd made it my mission to not check up on you to avoid coming back, but when I saw how happy you were, I wanted to know how you truly were. I'd already been warned against contacting you again, especially because of your past connection to the cartel. However, your wife couldn't have cared less if there was a gun to my head. She refused to hide this from you. I have never met anyone who cares about you as much as I do, but she does. She told me that you have hated how our relationship ended, and that if my coming ended your pain, then that's exactly what would happen. If it weren't for her, I would've been back in the States," he replied.