It's the next day.
Sleep was quite rough to find. I'd been tossing and turning all night, the second my eyes finally shut for good, Sy came running into my room screaming about a nightmare. If it were any other person, I would've been pissed. But for Seri and Ria? I'll always be there.
Seri's dream was also in a way, my fault.
She said she and Ria were back on the car ride on their way to school and guns were aimed at us. In the real events, the glass broke through Ria's window. But when the glass broke through the window in her nightmare, it was actually mine. And I died. She was so frightened she couldn't let go of me.
I've never seen mi Hija look so scared. I just wanted to comfort her.
She soon fell asleep attached to my waist but I couldn't even close my eyes after that. It made me realize those same people who were shooting at us could simply come here and kill us when we're least expecting it.
Now Lori has left for the company, she dropped off the girls at school on the way there. Matteo said he's coming later which gives me the whole day to think through how we should approach our current situation with him.
I think I'll invite Marianne because she's a lawyer and lawyers are pretty good at catching people in lies or just hearing things Lori and I wouldn't in his responses. In short, she's just really useful to have here today.
I don't know what's up with me but I've been in a pretty dry mood. Things just always go bad in this family. Alana's pregnant! Alana got kicked out. Alana meets amazing people! Amazing people happened to be liars.
Then it got really good for a while. Seriyah is born and Lori's pregnant! Maria is born! School is doing great! Lori's engaged! Alana's in a great place mentally! Dhal gets married! (Even though we weren't even there).
She was finding out about Nai and her abusive douchey father. Yeah, that one really sucked. But we helped her out and now she's striving, married, and has a daughter.
Okay, what else happened? Oh right! Things are quiet for a few years, Matteo has always been suspicious so I just got over it. The family is reunited! Matteo.
That's all I can really say.
Matteo. Matteo, Matteo, Matteo. The annoying dude who keeps fucking up this family with the past. He's a liar and he manipulates Lori to believe something that has never been true. I chose to tolerate him and I even started thinking about starting a friendship with him but you know what? That... will never happen.
There are so many words I could use to describe this asshole but I won't use them in front of the kids. I want them to have a good image of their dad/uncle.
It seems the only emotions I have these past two days have been anger or just... I don't even know how to describe it. I think I'm just tired. Yeah, I'm exhausted. I just want to be done with... Vince, Angelo, and that whole fucking family.
I wish I never associated myself with them, I should've just waited until marriage. Forgive me God for living in sin... and still living in sin. Also, for knowing damn well I'll still fuck a cute guy when I see one after apologizing for living in sin.
My phone beeps.
A text from Athena asking if the girls are still coming later. I reply and give her full details of the time and how long they'd be able to stay.
I think Athena has met someone, though she won't spill the very nasty beans. This family is full of sluts, me included. Let's not forget about basketball star Aiden Johnson.
Slut, slut slut.
I decide to call Marianne, see if she could come over. I don't know what I'd do if I spent any more time alone in this house. I'd probably burn it down. I've never been angry like this before, do I even have a reason? Do I even need one?
"Hola, Hermana!" Her bright, annoying, loud, obnoxious, cheery voice beams into my ear.
"Mm." I roll my eyes. "Hola, come over."
"What happened to, 'how are you doing?' What if I'm busy, hm?" She says. "We literally just saw each other yesterday, you know I have a case-"
"-Sole's here." I saw the way she looked at him yesterday, I'm just testing a small theory. "And he's kind of third wheeling."
Weren't you just going on about liar Teo?
Shush.
Marianne has been silent for the past thirty seconds.
"Just to make sure you don't jump to conclusions, I am only coming over for three reasons: I've been working all morning, my brain needs a break. I'd feel bad if it were me third wheeling and someone didn't come to save me. And I like spending time with you." She says and I start to grin. "Not. And I repeat. Not because Sole is there."
"Don't lie to yourself." I try to set her up. "The guy is attractive, nice smile..."
"Alana." Her annoyed tone almost makes me laugh. "I'm a successful lawyer, I basically invented that shit. You're trying to set me up so I start talking about him and his beautiful eyes, silky blonde hair, and perfectly straight white teeth that compliment his even more perfect smile. The way he looked at me yesterday was so- hey! Fuck I wasn't supposed to-"
She's cut off by my atrocious laugh. It's always entertaining talking to this dumbass. "How the hell are you so successful?" I stutter out through my loudening amusement. She was silent and I could tell she was getting fed up. "No, please continue with your description."
"Whatever, I'm coming over." She hung up.
And for some reason, that only made me laugh more.
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Marianne and I are now shopping for dinner. We need a whole bunch of groceries to surprise Matteo with and then we'll spring the juicy questions on him while he's deep in his chicken.
When Mari got to the house, she was pissed off that I lied to her and even more annoyed that I used Sole. When she got over it, we brainstormed questions to ask Matteo. Then, we drove over to the store after thinking of a dinner plan.
"Think we'd need gummy worms?" She annoyingly asks.
"No."
"Bears?"
I shake my head.
"Patches? Gum drops? Straps? If not we could venture off to chocolate."
"We're not here for sweets."
"Boring-" She pauses. "Oh, fuck cakes, Lana. You really have a way with humor."
I turn around to see what she's- Sole! "Sole, buddy this is getting weird."
"Why are you everywhere all of the sudden?" He furrows his brows then looks over at Mari and smirks. "Alana's sister! Good to see you. Don't you have a case to be working on?"
"Yeah."
"And you're here?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm here, yeah."
"If you have all this free time then I'm available if you want to spend it with someone." He winks.
I'm not sure if he was flirting with my sister, but whatever that was... I just ruined the mood. "We know you're available, with your stalker ass. I don't think she wants someone watching her every move. Now help me find the yogurt."
"For what?"
"My special recipe."
He sighs then glances at Marianne, his eyes sparkling. "Do I get to eat it after?"
I hope that wasn't a double meaning. I don't want to imagine Mari like that.
"I don't think Lana invites strangers into her house, weirdo."
"Marianne's just playing hard to get, of course, you get to eat it after."
Wait— damnit. Stupid double meanings and dirty minds.
He smirks amused by whatever I've said to make him amused. Love is starting to bore me, Cupid's making it too clear when he's trying to form a match. In another five years, these two will be married with a baby... girl. Married with a baby girl. If they aren't I'll pay them both $10,000, if they are, I'll bother about how I should be a fortune teller.
Why can't cupid focus on me for once, why does he give all the cute guys to my relatives? I should've fallen for Sole but he truly doesn't meet my standards. I might've fucked him but he's Marianne's now.
I think I'm the only single person I know. Athena has Cupid's attention every other month, that woman cannot keep a man. I wonder what she's doing to them. Marianne... well if we're speaking in present tense then she's also single, future tense? Taken. By Sole.
Maybe if I wish upon a shooting star... or that one star Tiana wished on in The Princess And The Frog. 'Cause Cupid doesn't know what he's doing. Focus on this Johnson for once for fuck's sake.
I snap back into the conversation Marianne and Sole were just having while I was zoned out. They seem to be flirting when I need them shopping so I walk between the two and put my hands up like a teacher does when two students are pouncing on each other. "Hey, I know your dick is hard for her and your puss wuss is wet for him but I need you guys to find my list of groceries." Then I add, "Big ass grocery store, damn."
They're shocked into silence and flinch when I yell, "Now!" Finally getting to work.
But they go together.
Leaving me to shop alone.
I sigh out loud and a teenager looks at me oddly.
I think I'm lonely.
Where's Seriyah when you need her?
Speaking of Seriyah, my baby has been getting more suspicious by the day. She's always talking about her dad like she knows him— oh my fuck sticks! What if Matteo is telling Seriyah things— Shit! What if Matteo is taking Seriyah to her dad?
Bit of a stretch, take it back a step Lana.
Matteo doesn't have time to take Seri to her dad's every day. He's always out doing something with both Seriyah and Maria. They're either at the movies, shopping, volunteering, or at school. I might have my thoughts about Matteo but I don't think he'd ever lie about his location... right?
I try not to think about it and grab the items I need. I hope whatever Matteo tells us today is enough for Lori. I know she still wants to go back to Matteo's office and I told her we will but for now, I think we should confront him first.
When we're done shopping, I give Sole my address and he follows Mari and me home. We arrive on the driveway at around seven and Lori's main car is here so I probably took a while.
She's never met Sole so I hope she likes my favorite stalker... well no. Zade is definitely my favorite stalker. Lucky Addie.
When I enter the house, I immediately get to work. Marianne calls Lori down to come to help us and that's when she sees Sole. "Alana, where on earth do people who look like this locate?"
"What do you mean."
"Well depends on how old he is."
Marianne furrows her brows and tilts her head. "Back off, he's eighteen."
"Twenty-eight." He corrects.
Mari slaps him with a wooden spoon. "You're eighteen."
"I'm eighteen." He grins.
Mari continues, "which is way too young for both of you so leave the poor child alone."
I'm silent for a second, heavily confused. Then I burst out laughing. "Okay." Is all I can say.
Lori follows after me. "Why would I want him—" She stutters through her laugh. "—I'm, I'm married, Mari."
She rolls her eyes and starts with unloading the groceries from our bags. When she's done, Lori and I finally stop laughing. Sole sits at the island claiming he doesn't know how to cook what we're making so I write down the recipe and show it to him so he could help.
It takes two hours of yelling at each other and fighting one another before we're finally done. Matteo said he'd be here at 9:30 so we set the table while we wait.
Matteo still isn't here ten minutes later so we sit down and talk. Marianne and Sole are next to each other, I'm at the head, and Lori sits next to an empty seat.
Suddenly, we hear the front door open, and Lori tenses. Matteo walks into the room dressed in an all-black suit with his hair slicked back. "Sorry, the meeting ran a little late. I had to speed here."
"Sit down," I say.
We all sit in awkward silence. Marianne and Sole share looks throughout the whole thing and Matteo keeps his eyes on Lori but she's too focused on her food.
I guess I'll start the interrogation then. "So, Matteo..." I take a bite and swallow it before continuing. "What was this meeting about?"
We start with his job and then ease into the bigger questions.
"It was just at a casino, some gambler with a lot of money." He shrugs.
"Okay." I smile. "Should I get into the casino work line? What kind of business even is that?"
"Just drugs—"
"Drugs?" Lori finally says something.
"Well—"
"Are you some drug dealer Matty?" Marianne joins in, realizing I've started after all her flirting with Sole.
"No, it's the people at the casino." He explains, but didn't he just say he did business with someone?
"So who were you doing business with?" I ask.
"We chose to meet at a casino, none of us are associated with that." He's growing annoyed, I can tell.
We got his first slip-up. He said it was a gambler but now he's saying they're not associated with it.
Lori texts us under the table, telling Marianne and me to drift from the topic for a little while. Just so he isn't suspicious when we hit him with the hard shit.
"Was the meeting successful?" Lori acts interested.
Shouldn't married couples be more open with each other? If this is marriage then I don't want it. But then again, Austin and Rita were a good married couple so maybe it's just these two.
Lori shouldn't be scheming, she should be communicating then throwing.
Throwing him out the door that is.
"It was great, went very well." He smiles forcefully. "No fingers lost... for me, can't say the same about the other guy."
Sole stiffens then bursts out laughing, understanding something we women clearly didn't. "I like your husband, funny guy."
Matteo stares at him for a moment, finally noticing there's another dude present and then his eyes widen in realization. Recognition, perhaps?
Then he lets out a grin. Maybe that smile of his is why Lori fell.
My phone beeped and I looked down to see Marianne texted our new group chat made today for this purpose saying, "Stay focused, Lori."
I glance at Lori and snort. She hasn't even noticed her phone light up with a message, too entranced by his smile. I throw a piece of bread at her. "Oh, my bad." I apologize dryly.
"How—" I cut Matteo's question off with a raised hand in dismissal.
"It fell," I add with a shrug.
"Tell me about your pregnancy experience, Lana, I don't believe I had the time to ask." Marianne directs the conversation back to the task.
"Well there were definitely bumps in the road— I told you about my fallout with Vince, Carlo, and Alessandro right?"
"No, you two only told me about them," Marianne says.
"Oh well, we fell out confusingly... Matteo?" He looks up from his food and raises a brow. "Could you tell her about it? I remember you saying something about how they lied to you but my memories are a little faint."
Please fall for it. Please. Please. Please.
"Uhm... Okay." Yes! He furrows his brows then goes into every detail and every event that lead up to the fallout. He said they lied to him and betrayed him the same as they'd done to me, but that can't be true.
He just gave us an opening to talk about it.
"Did they ever have a key to your house?" Lori asks subtly.
"No."
"I recall hearing voices one night, they sounded similar to... Carlo and Alessandro's? I'm not sure though." She takes a bite of her food, then another when she realizes how good that bite was flavored. I hear her mutter a "damn," take another bite, then get back on task. "Did you let them in?"
"It was probably a dream."
"I was wide awake."
"Your mind playing tricks on you then?" He tilts his head to the side, his eyes finally opening up to the idea of what's really going on. Why is he smarter than I hoped? "What do you really want to ask me, Lori?"
"Mm." She hums. "Nothing."
"Just conversation," I add. It was unneeded and dumb but I thought it would help the case.
"Yeah," Mari says for absolutely no reason.
Matteo looks at Sole and he only shrugs.
"Do you know him or something?" I ask.
"He's someone I've done business with before, didn't like his deal though so I didn't sign the contract," Matteo explains.
"I think it was the other way around." Sole raises a brow.
"Nah." Matteo shakes his head. "It was your deal that wasn't good, I was giving too much for a watered-down deal."
"Well—" Sole's about to argue but I cut him off.
"Okay! What are you always doing with the kids?" This one has no proof behind it but we wanted to see how he'd react to get an idea of how Sy might be getting info about her dad.
"Yeah, you're not slick Matteo," Lori says.
"Okay... I've been training them, that's all." He rolls his eyes. "I don't need them getting any more injured after Av— that gun shootout."
Sole slaps his forehead.
I hum and Mari stirs the conversation to our second last topic, we have one more to give him. "I've been wondering why Seri has been talking so much about her dad as of late, would you know anything about that? You did say you guys were friends before you found out who he was."
He stares at us for a long hard moment and then gets up. "Alright, I'm over this." He walks out the door and I hear him mumble in the hallway, "What the fuck is their problem?"
My eyebrows shoot up. "Woah, language Matteo!"
"Shut up, Lana!"
What the fuck did he just say— the door slams shut, cutting off my thoughts.
Wow.
We're stunned into silence, Lori hasn't even processed it yet.
"Well, time for me to go!" Marianne stands hastily and Sole does the same.
"Do I get a goodbye kiss?"
"Sure, come over here, Sole," I answer. I know it was meant for Mari but who cares.
Lori snorts as he actually comes over and kisses me on the cheek, I giggle. "Bye Sole."
Marianne comes to give us hugs and whispers to Lori, "Good luck."
"Adios, babe." Lori waves after a nod.
We're quiet for a moment and I try to think of something to say. Lori feels oceans away like she's trying to figure out how to tell me something.
I look at her and decide I should give her some hope. "I've been saying this Lori, you'll always have me so if you choose to end things with Matteo, I'll be right here. You can co-parent, Maria will grow into it, and Seriyah would probably be there for her as well. We raised the kids well so—"
"Alana... I'm pregnant." Lori interrupts. She looks like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders after saying that. "I'm not too scared like I was last time, my belly still doesn't grow like others for some reason. It's been four months so that's better than holding this secret for seven, right?"
"Lor... did you—"
"I told Matteo when we were on holiday break." She admits.
"Lori this is wonderful!" I grin.
"Not when the father is someone you might not stay with."
The grin falls from my face. The only thing I know how to do at this moment is get up and give Lori a hard long hug. Not only for her but for myself too. I haven't hugged Lori in ages, I needed it.
She breaks the silence with one sentence. "We leave tomorrow."
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Word count: 3422
Sooooo chapter twenty-five is complete
And it's my... *whispers* my birthday
I'm in a pretty good mood I can't lie
How are y'all?
Hope you're all well
Feedback/ideas?
10/28/22
(This was supposed to come out on Oct 28 but I fell asleep) 🙈 and I still have to edit 🤷♀️