I come back to find Giovanni with the baby fast asleep in his arms. He is gently stroking her cheek softly singing an Italian lullaby. I quietly pull out my phone and snap a picture at the touching sight.
"You better delete that".
I slip my phone to my back pocket, "Oh come on Gio, I wont even post it".
He gives me a look, "Sophia delete it".
"Why? Are you scared of the way you look holding a baby? Scared of looking like a sweet guy?"
He tries to slip his finger out her mouth but she starts to sqwarm.
I chuckle, "I'm surprised you know how to even hold a baby".
"I watched my Mother with my little sister".
"You didn't like holding her?"
He looks up at me, "I wanted to but she was so tiny and innocent it scared me".
I sit next to him and kiss the baby's cheek, "Their mother is about to leave".
He raises a brow, "They're twins?"
I nod, "Yep, Liam and Lisa,".
He chuckles, "Basic Americans"
I laugh as well, "Keep me out of that equation, My children's names will be far from basic".
We get up as the Mother comes and takes her daughter, "Oh, You got her to sleep".
I nod, "He's a baby expert, If you need him to babysit he's available Monday thru Friday from 7am to 8pm".
Gio is quick to shake his head and the women and I laugh.
***
After the party Gio drives me home but I didn't feel like ending the night so soon so we sat inside and he rolls down the Sunroof so we can look up at the stars.
"Have you ever thought of marraige Sophia?" I turn to him surprised at his question.
"Why? you trying to propose?"
He looks back up at the stars in the sky, "Yeah and I just wished on a shooting star that you would say yes so you better".
My head shoots back up, "What! A shooting star? And you didn't tell me!".
He chuckles, "I'm kidding, but seriously what do you think about marraige?"
I turn back to those stormy grey eyes, "I'm going to get married, that I decided when I was little. Then I'll have kids and then grand kids and then we'll die old together".
"So your all for 'for better or for worse'?"
"Who isn't? I mean no one wants to get married more then once. I want to get married to the love of my life, have kids with him, raise them with him and get old with him. Every girl wants real love that makes them feel more alive then alive can be. I wont get married unless I know it's him."
"How will you know it's him?"
I lay my head back down, "Iv'e been praying for him since I was a little girl so he'll be sent from God. And that means he'll be signed sealed and delivered".
"So he'll come in the mail?"
I smile at his cheekiness, "He'll be everything I've been praying for. That's how I'll know."
He takes my hand kissing my finger tips, "And this God, Will he listen if I start to pray for my wife as well?"
I cup his cheek, "He would love to hear your voice. That I know for a fact Giovanni".
He nods, "I want to get married too I've been with far too many women to know that sexual attractions don't fill you up. I wan't a wife who is Kind, smart, down to Earth, Charismatic, has a beautiful heart and soul."
I chuckle, "Are you quoting Jesse McCartney?"
"Oh baby, I might just be".
***
The next few days made me feel as if I were floating on clouds. Gio would stop in at my job and bring me sweet little things like, chocolate, books, food, and company.
He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend yet but I could feel it coming soon. Today-Sunday we went to Church together for the third time then afterwards he took me to an Italian restaurant where we got stuffed with pasta and garlic bread by his mother's close friend.
There is where he opens up to me a bit about his family which he hasn't talked about since we met. He tells me how his father passed away, how he hasn't gone home to see his mother and sister for a year now.
I can tell by the storm in his eyes that his father wasn't his favorite person, and I can tell by the ghost of a smile on his lips he loves his mother and sister.
I tell him about my deadbeat father, my mother who put men before her daughter, my grandmother who I cherished with my everything, and my best friend who has been there through it all.
I tell him how I would live in constant fear that my mother would get killed by her multiple abusive boyfriends. I showed him and taught him how my mother and I would say goodbye.
We would kiss our palms, make a fist put the fist to each other's heart then uncurl it. Then we would tell each other, "Hold my love safe in your heart till I come back to you".
I told him how it made me feel a little reassured that even if something happened to her and she didn't come home, she still loved me because she trusted me to hold her love safe in my heart.
From then on every time Giovanni and I depart from each other we would do the movements as our form of goodbye.
It's cheesy I know, but it became our thing.
***
Back at home I ring up Lace to fill her in about Gio and I.
"Wait so are you two official?"
"No not yet but I can feel it coming".
"AAHHH, I am soo happy for you Soph! like I seriously thought you were going to die a virgin!"
"We'll nothing about that will change. I'm still going to wait till marriage".
"Does he know? I think you should at least tell him so he knows your boundaries".
I bite my lip, "Your right, I don't want him to think I was leading him on and just playing with him...I'll tell him tomorrow".
"You guys are seeing each other AGAIN, boy this must be SERIOUS serious".
I laugh, "I hope so and I was also thinking if it's alright by you-and don't feel pressured to say yes but can I invite him to your birthday dinner?"
"Ugh! I was hoping you'd ask, that way Amir wont be lonely and so I can meet him for approval".
I smile, "Thanks Lace, I'll see you Friday".
***
Giovanni and I see each other on multiple times before Friday which gave me a chance to ask him about Lace's party and He say's yes.
Every time I get to telling him about how I want to wait till marriage I freeze up and the words don't leave my mouth. The truth is I'm scared he wont want me or he'll see me differently. It's a known fact that the majority of guys want a girl who is experienced not a prude who doesn't even know the basic's.
I look at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a dress Lace designed, It was red, tight, fell to the floor and had a thin strap neckline. I looked good, maybe even better then good.
I had straightened my hair earlier so I was practically ready. I don't own nor wear face make up so I just did my eyebrows and put some some clear lip gloss on because I left the red one in Giovanni's car.
Speaking of him.
"I'm at your door"
"I left it unlocked just come in".
I grab my black heels and sit on the bed as I try to strap them on but my dress was too tight and I couldn't bend over as much.
"Sophia?"
"I'm in my bedroom, can you come help me put my shoes on? I can't bend over".
He appears at the door soon looking dashing as usual but a tad bit more then usual, "You look Beautiful Sophia".
I blush and he bends over and straps one heel on, "It's your fault my dress is too tight, You keep feeding me Italian food".
He chuckles and kisses my ankle, "My mother would say you are too skinny if she saw you right now".
He helps me stand, "And what do you think of me".
His eyes grey over, "I think I don't deserve you".
I shake my head, "Gio-".
"But I'm a jealous man Sophia, I can't bear the thought of you with another man".
I take his hand, "Then make me yours?"
He holds my face with his hand, "Your so angelic it breaks me. My world is dangerous Sophia and I don't want you hurt. You make me want to change. And what if I change and I'm still not good enough for you".
"But You are Gio, your good enough for me now".
He chuckles,"Only my mother and Sister are allowed to call me Gio. But I cant help but love it when it comes from these plump lips of yours Sophia. It does something to me".
I need to tell him now, "Gio I need to-"
My phone starts to ring, he picks it up from the night stand and hands it to me.
"Sophia where are you?"
"Oh crap! Sorry, I'm on my way Lace".
She ends the call and I gab my clutch, keys and Giovanni's hand.
***
The house is filled with Lace's parent's friends and some of her friends from the modeling industry as well as family members. I introduce Giovanni to a group of lace's cousin's and excuse myself so I can go find her.
She is inside her room, laying in bed wearing only a white rob but her make up was done.
"Amir is almost here and of course I'm having a break down at this time".
I shake my head, "No, we don't have time for that. You'll ruin your make up and people are already here. Get up so you can put this beautiful dress on."
She reluctantly stands and I slip her emerald green strapless princess dress on.
I narrow my eyes at her jokingly, "Wait a minute! Is this supposed to match Amir's eyes?Cause then you should have made me a grey one".
She falls on the bed in a fit of laughter and join her.
"Lace?"
We sit up.
"Come in".
"Are you sure? I can wait out here or downstairs".
"I promise I wont seduce you Amir. Seriously, Soph is here she'll watch out for you".
I have a chuckle at that and seconds later Amir comes in.
He gives me a quick hug then turns to Lace. They stare at each other for a minute then he pulls her into his arms.
"You look gorgeous and don't be scared, I've got you".
***
Lace's parents are understandably shook when she introduces them to Amir. Even now that the guest are gone her mother is still in a state of shock, she hasn't eaten, drank or talked since.
"So Amir, Are you a student or do you work?"
"I'm graduating from Law school next month actually, and right after graduation I have been offered a job from Johnson's Law firm".
Mr. Santayana nods, "So did you two meet from school?"
Silence fills the air.
"Daddy I have to tell you something. I have to tell you the truth".
"Is everything fine Lace?"
"We'll...I never went to law school. I had applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology. I got in and I went. I used money that I have been saving up all my life and some from Gramps who knew. I met Amir at a coffee shop three years ago actually and-"
"And your pregnant?"
We all turn to her mother who surprisingly finally spoke .
"No and Of course you would think I'm pregnant".
"He is a Jew and we are Christians", her mother shoots back.
"So what? I love him", she turns to her father, "Daddy I love him".
Mr. Santayana studies the couple for a minute, "What are your intentions with my daughter Amir?"
"David you can't be seriously entertaining this foolishness!"
Mr. Santayana holds up a hand to silence her, "Let the boy speak Hannah".
"I love her sir and one day-with your blessings of course-I would be honored to make her my wife".
"You will NEVER have my blessings to marry my daughter! A JEW of all people Lace!! A JEW"
"Hannah!"
"No Daddy it's fine. I'm going to spend the night at Amir's".
He narrows his eyes, "Only if his mother will be there".
"She will, I promise. I love you Daddy".
"WHAT! DAVID HAVE YOU GONE MAD!!"
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