Emilia: Finding My Forever

11|His Parents

"Purple and Arancini," he said and I turned to him.

"What?"

He looked at me for a second before returning his attention to the road. "You asked what my favorite colour and dish are, no?"

I tried not to smile. "What is Arancini?"

"You don't know what Arancini is?" he asked surprised and I shook my head.

"It is the best Italian dish ever created," he said. "It is fried rice balls. My mother always used to make it for me when I was younger."

"My mother grew up in America so she is clueless when it comes to Italian dishes," I laughed and he slightly smiled.

"I didn't know that," he said before looking at me again. "So what's your favorite dish, spoiled princess?"

I rolled my eyes at that stupid nickname he gave me.

"Risotto," I answered and he began to look confused. "Oh come on, don't tell me you don't know what that is!"

"Never heard of it," he said and I began look to at him distorted. He never got to taste such a masterpiece?

His lips slightly upturned and I realized he was trying to hold in his laugh.

"You were messing with me?" I asked and he smiled.

I folded my arms as he turned into an estate. "I can't believe I believed you."

He stopped in front of a mansion that was roughly the same size as ours. The only major difference between the two is that ours was more modern whereas this had an older look.

"We're here," he said and we both got out.

We walked up to the door and knocked until a woman opened the door.

She smiled at us before Santo walked past her without saying a word. She must have been the maid but she was still a person.

"Nice to meet you," I said to her before catching up to Santo.

He knocked on one of the doors before an older, bearded man appeared. I immediately knew that it was his father. The two looked identical.

"This is Emilia," he said and the man smiled.

"It is nice to meet you, father," I said as I stretched out my hand and his smile grew wider.

He shook my hand. "What a well-mannered daughter I have. You are way better than the trash my son keeps himself busy with."

I could see Santo's jaw tick as he stayed quiet.

His father started walking. "Let us eat," he said and we both followed him to the dining room.

The maid brought our food to us and we began to share our plates. She returned with the drinks before sitting down with us.

I smiled at her again. His father is so sweet to allow the maid to eat with us.

"Oh Emilia," his father said and I looked on him. "This is Santo's mother."

My eyes widened as I turned pale. "Oh my gosh, Mrs. Valentino. I am so sorry," I said as I felt terrible.

She smiled. "What for, dear? Call me mother."

The way how Santo walked past her I didn't know that she could be his mother. I turned to him and he took a sip of his drink.

"So Emilia," his father said and I returned my attention to him.

"Yes, father?"

"What were you doing before you married my son?"

I cleared my throat. "Well, I'm actually going to college."

Santo immediately snapped his neck at me. "You what?"

His father smiled. "You didn't know?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Santo asked with annoyance in his tone.

I stared at my food. "It's not something I tell people."

"So you didn't think your husband should know?" he asked and I angrily turned to him.

"It's not like you gave me the chance to," I spat and he glared at me.

"Enough!" his father shouted before throwing an envelope in front of us. "You two go and learn about each other. I do not want to hear people talk about your constant bickering."

Santo looked inside the envelope before throwing it back on the table. "No thanks."

I picked up the envelope to see two tickets to a honeymoon in Fiji.

"Why not? Don't be stubborn," his father said.

"You want me to leave for a week?"

"Don't worry," his father said. "Dante and I will handle things until you come back."

"No," he said and I could feel the tension between us.

"This honeymoon cost me a lot of money so you two will be going," his father insisted in a rather dismissive tone.

Santo pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes out of frustration.

He was always angry.

I smiled. "Dinner is lovely, Mrs. Valentino."

She smiled. "Thank you, dear. I'm glad my daughter enjoys it."

"Emilia," his father abruptly said which startled me.

"Yes, father?"

"Do you know that Santo has an older brother?" he asked and Santo opened his eyes. "He was supposed to take over the mafia but ran away and so the role was thrown on his baby brother that day."

I turned to Santo who was practically fuming next to me. He gripped the knife on the table tightly.

His father shook his head. "I don't know what I deserved to get such useless sons."

Santo stood up. "I'm going to stab you to death."

As he started to move forward I grabbed him.

His father started laughing hysterically.

"Let go of me before I kill you first," he said to me as he stared at his father.

"Can't you see he's teasing you?"I asked and he finally looked at me.

When he dropped the knife, I let go of him.

He smiled before picking up the envelope. "You know what? A honeymoon sounds great."