Yours, Mine and Ours

Chapter Two: Grieving

Lionel took a deep breath as he pulled Sophie into his arms, he cuddled her close while he listened to the social-worker speak to him and Katania; he hated that there was so much that needed doing.

Katania peeked at Lionel as she crossed her arms, in a week they would bury Sergio and Martha and then they would have to face reality; this wasn’t something that they were prepared for.

“What will happen to Sophie?” Katania asked worried for her god-daughter, she didn’t know if Sergio had any plans for his daughter but she would happily take Sophie in if there wasn’t.

Lionel pressed a kiss to the top of Sophie’s head, he swallowed looking at the social worker; he dreaded to think what could lay in store for her.

“You’ll have to speak with her parents’ lawyer about that,” the social worker said with a sad smile, it wasn’t an easy situation and it would only get worse after the funeral when things needed to be sorted out.

Katania nodded her head, she shared a look with Lionel and they were both wanted the best for Sophie and they just hoped that things would work out well for her.

Lionel watched as Katania moved to show the social worker out, he closed his eyes cuddled Sophie close; he adored the little girl since he didn’t have any children of his own yet.

“It’ll be okay,” Lionel whispered wishing that there was something that he could do for her, she had lost her parents and there was nothing that could be done to bring them back.

Katania returned and watched Lionel with Sophie, she felt her stomach churn knowing that in a few weeks Lionel would return to his life in Barcelona and Sophie would be left without one more person in her life after losing her mother and father.

***

Katania watched as Lionel disconnected another call while she fed Sophie her dinner, she didn’t know who was calling him but they seemed determined to get a hold of him since they kept calling.

“Everything okay?” Katania asked turning her attention back to feeding Sophie, she was trying to keep things as normal as possible for the little girl even if things were far from normal right now.

Lionel looked at Katania, he wasn’t surprised that she had noticed that he kept messing with his phone; he didn’t want to deal with any drama right now.

“It’s just Antonella… she wants to know when I’ll be home,” Lionel murmured eyeing his phone, he didn’t want to head home to his apartment right now when he felt that he should be with Sophie; she needed him and he wanted time to process what had happened.

Antonella had never been fond of Sergio and hadn’t really known him, she didn’t understand what Lionel was going through right now; he needed to be there for Sophie since she was too young to understand what had happened.

Katania nodded her head, she swallowed knowing that Lionel couldn’t stay and that there was little chance that she would see him again; he was a big time footballer while she was a photographer that struggled to get any work.

“I have an appointment with the funeral directors this afternoon,” Katania said softly, she closed her eyes not prepared for what the day held; she had to finish details for the funeral and it made her nervous.

Lionel nodded his head, he didn’t mind watching Sophie while she was gone and he knew it was the least that he could do; he needed to do this not just for her god-daughter but for Sergio.

“I’ll look after Sophie while you’re out,” Lionel said quietly, he turned off his phone not wanting to deal with Antonella or anyone else right now; he would speak to them when he was ready to.

Katania nodded her head slowly, she moved to put Sophie’s bowl into the sink and took a deep breath; her mind was exhausted even if she had managed to so how sleep the night before.

“How are you?” Lionel asked softly, he might have lost his best friend but Katania had lost the only family that she had; he didn’t know what to say to her after that thought.

Katania rested her hands on the sink, she closed her brown eyes wishing that there was some way to explain how she felt right now; she hated that this wasn’t some sick twisted dream that she was having.

“I keep expecting them to walk through the door, joking about how Sergio wouldn’t ask for directions,” Katania whispered as she felt tears burn her eyes, she took a shaky breath trying to calm herself; she had to be strong for Sophie right now.

Lionel got up from his chair and walked over to Katania, he pulled her into a hug wishing that he could fix this; this shouldn’t have happened and he wished that they could just have Sergio and Martha back.

“It’ll be okay,” Lionel whispered as Katania cried into his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him as she wept; she had lost some much and the world kept taking more than she had to give.

Katania clung to Lionel, she had no idea if it would ever be okay but she had to trust him; he was the only person that she had right now that shared her grief about what they had lost.

***

Lionel pressed a kiss as he settled Sophie down for her nap, he took a deep breath as he covered her up; Katania wasn’t back from her appointment yet but he wasn’t worried.

It wouldn’t be easy for her to see Sergio and Martha like that and he was sure that she would come back to the house when she was ready.

Lionel shook his head softly as he walked out of Sophie’s nursery, she wouldn’t be staying in this house much longer and he wondered where she would grow up; he was sure that Sergio and Martha had thought about guardians before they had passed away.

Lionel stopped and looked at the master bedroom, no one had been inside yet and he knew that Katania hadn’t been able to bring herself to do so.

Taking a deep breath, Lionel walked over to the bedroom and slowly opened the door; he swallowed thickly seeing the room in the state that it had been left in when Sergio and Martha had left it in.

It looked like at any moment that would come back, nothing had been touched and it reminded him only that they wouldn’t be coming back.

Lionel walked further into the room, he smiled a little looking around imagining what Sergio and Martha had been doing as they got ready for their anniversary dinner.

Lionel swallowed thickly while tears formed in his eyes, he spotted the tie that he had sent Sergio for Christmas the year before; it was hanging off the back of the vanity chair.

Lionel sat down on the bed, he had no idea what he would do without Sergio in his life; he had always thought that his best friend would be there for him, now he was gone and nothing would bring him back.

Lionel clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the sob that fell from his lips, he didn’t wish to wake Sophie; his heart broke knowing that her parents would never get to see her grow up.

Lionel wept silently as he moved to take the wedding photograph that was on the bedside table, he stared at Sergio and Martha’s smiling faces; he would do anything for them and he would support Sophie in whatever way that he could.