The Beginning

Chapter Twenty-two

ARIA

I didn't know what to do, Giovanni and I were doing okay. We weren't arguing and I wasn't being shut out by him for what felt like a split second. Everything changed so suddenly.

"Feeling any better?", Lorenzo asked handing me a cup of tea.

"I shouldn't be here, I just don't know what to do.", I sighed. Lorenzo shook his head and looked into my eyes.

"It's okay. I know how my brother can be sometimes.", he began. "Difficult", he rolled his eyes.

I looked down at the cup in my hand and sighed. I felt a hand on my shoulder and the couch weight down on my other side. I looked and saw Riviera. She gave me a soft smile.

"I know Giovanni for a long time. The way that his wife was killed...It would haunt everyone.", she said softly.

I looked at both Riviera and Lorenzo. I didn't know the full story of Greta's death. Giovanni didn't talk about it much. I took a sip of my Tea and sighed. Riviera pulled me to her and I rested my head on her shoulder.

"Things will be okay, bare with him.", Riviera said.

"My brother can be complex and stupid sometimes. He means well. He was with his wife since he was seventeen. They got married when he was nineteen and so they have been together for a long time.", Lorenzo explained.

"Yeah", was all I could say. "I should go, I should go talk to him.", I said getting up.

•••

I walked through the door and saw broken glass. I saw a few maids cleaning it up.

"Excuse me, what happened?", I asked.

"Just broke glass, it will be cleaned soon Mrs.", she said.

"No, no. It's okay. It's late, go and get some rest.", I told her. "I'll clean it up in a few.", I said.

She looked at me for a moment hesitantly. I nodded at her and she gave me a small nod before walking away. I walked up the stairs for Giovanni, I checked the bedroom but he wasn't there. Turning around a door from a room across the hall was cracked open slightly.

"Giovanni?", I asked pushing the door open to see Giovanni on the rocking hair with a half whiskey bottle in his hand and an empty one on the floor. He looked my way his eyes red and he looked so sad.

I looked around to see that it was a nursery and that's when it hit me. My eyes shot to Giovanni.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know.", I said walking over to him. I grabbed the bottle from his hand and set it down, he looked at me with tears in his eyes.

"I'm ready.", he whispered. He sat up and cupped my face. "I'm ready to talk about it.", his voice cracked.

"Okay. Okay", I whispered.

"Okay.", he said.

He was ready to talk about it.