MEANWHILE, Giovanni was seated on a jet headed straight for his villa in Sicily, where he would oversee his mob in their native country. While he had been meeting with Genevieve, he had been completely tuned out, only rousing from his stupor by the obnoxious ringing of his phone. He vaguely remembered her telling him something, but he was too busy admiring her and worrying about work to really pay attention.
Once he saw it was his long time friend, Vladimir, calling, he knew it was serious. The two hardly ever interacted with one another, and when they did, it was only about important matters. This time, for instance, was one of those times.
An ally gang that resides in Italy had taken out one of Vlad's men and had declared themselves against both Vlad and Giovanni's crime syndicates. Giovanni was obviously enraged by the news, for he had just recently sent a shipment of drugs to the petty gang to deal and they still hadn't paid for it. Needless to say, Giovanni was heading to Sicily with a thirst for blood.
He sat in the jet, practically fuming on the inside but deadly calm on the outside. Antonio sat across from him with a blank face as he twiddled his thumbs and stared outside the window. They grew closer and closer to Sicily, and with that knowledge, Giovanni's body began tensing from the anger he felt towards the situation at hand.
"How's Genevieve?" Antonio stared at his boss, watching the man break from his thoughts momentarily for a flickering smile to light up his face, only to become shadowed by anger and turned stoic.
"I don't want to talk about her right now. We've got important matters to discuss." Giovanni ignored Antonio's probing stare and turned to look outside the window. This flight had taken too long, and he hoped that Vladimir wouldn't be too distraught by the time he arrived. Giovanni turned back towards the silent Antonio and sighed, feeling the burdens heave on his shoulders. "Why are you asking?"
He shrugged. "You always calm down at the thought of her, so I figured this time was better than any for you to get a grip of yourself before you went too far off the edge."
Giovanni rolled his eyes and checked his watch. "A hour or so more to go."
Antonio narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Why are you trying to avoid this conversation? I thought you loved that girl or something."
"Or something," Giovanni muttered under his breath before schooling his expression. "I don't love her, I feel deeply for her, but it's not love. Not yet, at least." He lifted his right leg and rested his ankle on his left knee. "None of this pertains to you anyways, and is consequently none of your business."
"I just thought—"
Giovanni shot up from his seat and lifted Antonio by the collar of his dress shirt. "You thought wrong! Do not bring her up when we are at work. She stays out of this life, and she stays out of our conversations. I can't keep her safe if you gab on about her with the chance of being overheard." He released the shocked man.
"Did something happen? Weren't you meeting with her when Vlad called you?"
Giovanni sent a sharp glare toward Antonio. "Inquisitive today, aren't you." He stopped for a moment, his mind flickering over their meeting, and he pondered for a moment. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to remember what she had said to him. "I'm not sure; one moment I was just staring at her, and the next I got the call and had to book it."
"Did she say anything." Antonio leaned closer, on the edge of his seat for this information.
Giovanni's eyebrows furrowed and his lips dipped down in a grimace. "I think so, but I didn't catch it; I was too busy staring at her and thinking about all the work waiting for me at home—work that was worth it to spend time with her."
Antonio's eyebrows lifted and he leaned back in the chair with a contemplative look on his face. "You know the guys you keep on her? The guards?" Giovanni nodded absentmindedly, swept up by the thoughts of his lovely Genevieve. "They said the minute you left, it's like she broke."
Giovanni perked up instantly, his body tensing with every single reason why his little Genevieve would react that way. "What? Why did you wait to tell me about this now?" Giovanni shot out of his seat, making his way towards the pilot's cabin to make a destination request. Antonio followed close behind him, and grabbed onto his shoulder to pull him back for a moment.
"If you don't love her, like you say you don't, then you shouldn't lead her on. The poor girl could barely stand at your rushed and untimely departure." Antonio guided the distraught man over to the chair he had once been sitting in. "If you don't love her, leave her be; let her find someone who will reciprocate her feelings."
Giovanni looked up warily, his heart pound so hard and fast he thought it was trying to break out of his chest. "What do you mean, 'reciprocate her feelings?' Do you think she loves me?"
Antonio showed a small, smile to comfort his close friend. "Your mother told me to tell you if you hadn't figured it out by now. Genevieve told your father that she was in love with you, and assuming she still is now, I'm guessing what she told you must have been along the lines of confessing her feelings to you."
Antonio paused and watched as emotions flickered through Giovanni's eyes. Ranging from guilt, to sadness, to hate. And love. The love softened his dark eyes; the eyes that only ever wanted to gaze at his amore, his passion. "Antonio, I...I love her."
A wide grin broke out onto Antonio's face and a laugh broke from his chest. "Then, you will get her back, make sure she knows how you feel."
Giovanni felt on top of the world as he shot to his feet, instantly signaling the steward standing at the entrance to the pilot's cabin. "Tell him to head back," he shouted, the joy oozing out of his body, and the large smile on his face showed it. He turned to Antonio and grasped his friend's shoulders. "I am in love. And she loves me." He shook his shoulders and then began to weep, his body crumbling at the highs and lows of such passion.
Antonio helped Giovanni to his seat, concerned for him. "What's wrong?"
Giovanni look up, heartbroken beyond belief as tears trickled down his cheeks in a steady flow. "W-What if she doesn't love me anymore? What if I blew my chance with her?"
Antonio frowned. "Only time will tell, friend. But I pray that she hasn't had a change of heart."
• • •
She hadn't. Genevieve was still heartbroken, tormented by the absence of her lover. But she felt better, lighter. Genevieve has opened her heart up to a man she believed to be a saint. He had been her one, her only. Now, she felt freer than she ever had. Genevieve has come to terms with the feelings she was trying to hide from fear of rejection—the rejection she faced every second she remembered that moment.
Deep down, Genevieve knew she wouldn't change. She would always be the same naive girl who had a heart too big for her tiny body. But she also knew that this would be a turning point in her life. Giovanni was, and still is, her first love and nothing could ever change that. She didn't think she could ever stop loving him, loving the man who took her scared and anxiety filled body and turned her into a better person. If this transforming, this turning point, came with the heartbreak that ensued, Genevieve decided she could take it head on.
She only hoped that if Giovanni came back that she wouldn't lose herself to the temptation of falling back into his arms if he didn't have the right reason. If he doesn't love her, and if he ran off just because he doesn't care about her, she wouldn't waste her time.
Genevieve has assured Megan and Clarissa she would be okay, and had the two drop her off at the cafe so she could spend time with Mary and Harvey. As much as she loved her best friends, they could never match up to the mother figure that is Mary. If Genevieve had never known Mary, she was sure that her life would be in shambles. Her grandfather was a successful lawyer that refused to retire because of his love of it. She would be awfully lonely and destitute without the love and kindness that Mary treated her with.
Genevieve's body was tense as she entered the cafe: the crime scene. Her mind flickered with visions of what had happened, and her eyes welled up with tears. She closed her eyes for a second, forgetting where she was as she controlled her emotions as best as she could. As her lungs began to beg for air, and her chest began to tighten with the growing panic attack, she heard Giovanni's soothing Italian sonorous whisper that eased her soul. It was in the back of her mind, taunting her, yet it saved her all the same. It reminded her of what she had had.
She slowly peeled open her eyes to see that no one had witnessed her short lived breakdown. A small body ran into her legs, causing a squeal to escape her lips. Looking down, she saw a grinning and cheeky Harvey staring up at her. "Evie! You's back!"
She giggled, her mood brightening a bit at her favorite little boy. Genevieve grabbed her by the armpits and lifted him up on her hip. She ruffled his gorgeous curls before walking towards their usual seat in the cafe. "Y-yes I am, d-darling boy."
He wiggled in her grasp, silently asking to be let down. "Mama made lemon squares wit me for you! She bringing them right now!" Genevieve looked over towards the counter to see Mary bustling over with a plate of lemon squares and a large smile on her face.
"Genevieve! I'm glad you came!" She put the plate down on the table before enveloping Genevieve in a warm, tight hug. She pulled away, resting her hands on her shoulders and brushed some loose hairs out of her face. "How're you feeling, sweetie?"
Genevieve took a deep breath, feeling her eyes well up with more tears. It was all coming back to her so strong, so intensely. It was hard for her not to breakdown as she quietly began to cry. She had been lying to herself when she said she was okay. She was only trying to convince her heart that everything would be alright, that she'd get over it soon. "It hurts."
Mary felt her heart go out to the young girl who began to weep silently, her small body hunching over as a method of hiding herself from the world. "I bet it does, but the pain will fade eventually, and you'll be glad you were able to experience this. This is a sign that you are living your life. You are changing and evolving into a beautiful young woman."
Genevieve nodded and wiped away her tears. "I don't think I'll ever get over him Mary. I love him so much it hurts to breathe without him."
Mary smiled, brushing her hand over Genevieve's hair. "I know, darling, I know." As Genevieve composed herself Mary situated herself in the chair on the other side of the table with Harvey resting in her lap. "Well," she clapped her hands together, "we can't let this lemon squares go to waste, can we?" She tickled Harvey's sides and he erupted into a fit of adorable giggles that did the trick for lightening the mood.
Genevieve grabbed one and took a large bite, her tastebuds watering at its amazing flavor and consistency. As they laughed away and joked about trivial things, Genevieve found her mind drifting off into a little reverie. All she could think about was reuniting with Giovanni, giving him another chance. Maybe he was just stunned and the phone call was bad timing and extremely important. She had to give him the benefit of the doubt, for her heart depended on it.
She glanced out the window, eyes widening at a familiar face. A familia face that seemed consumed with pure agony and despair that she couldn't look away. They were too far away to really distinguish who they were, but Genevieve know what sobbing looked like and how the body contorted to those cries. Her heart went out to the man in despair, before she turned back to Mary and Harvey and tried her best to compose herself.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Sorry for the long wait, I'm absolutely terrible at updating at a timely fashion. I wouldn't be surprised if most of you guys got sick of me taking forever to update, and then apologizing.
Anyways, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate) or had happy holidays! I'm so grateful for all of you, and I don't know where I'd be without Suo Angelo!
Thank you all so much for the unwavering support and 166k reads!
I love you all endlessly!
Feedback is always appreciated!
How do you feel about Giovanni now?
(Still hate him, or do you understand the situation better)