A/N: There's a pile of work in my desk... having a bit of writer's block too. Maybe give me a bit of ideas? hehehe I mean... what do you wanna see? message me in the comments or directly. I'd love to hear from you!
I forgot to mention earlier, a part of the female lead's character has based on 'Fleabag' (the dry-wit part only...)
This story is the continuation of
Genre: Action/ Drama / Comedy
Sandro Balestreri - Michele Morrone
Tilly McLeod - is an original female character
Will McLeod - Liam Neeson
Henry McLeod - Henry Cavill
Marriage
After what seemed to be an eternity, to Sandro's relief, the interview was finally over. He watched as Tilly and the journalist, Lauren converse. The latter was giving the former a peek on the article that will be published.
"Sandro? do you wanna see?" Tilly called, holding the draft article.
"What for?" Sandro asked. Every time he was interviewed, never did have a look at drafts articles like Tilly does. It appears that she did have some sort of power for her to have such privilege
"It's alright... I am sure whatever is written will be good," was his quick reply. He was not interested in whatever was written in it. He was sure Tilly would have already asked the publication to modify anything that doesn't sound right.
**********
"It is my great honour and happy privilege to introduce to you, Mr and Mrs Alessandro and Mathilda Balestreri! Let us raise our glasses and offer them the warmest welcome!" TIlly's brother, Henry announced from outside the courtyard of the villa where the reception is ongoing.
Much to Tilly's surprise, Sandro's arm snaked around her waist, and pulled her closer to him, as they got out of the double doors. The guests cheered loudly and raised the glasses as they entered the opulent courtyard.
When they reached their table, Sandro, trying to be a gentleman, pulls the chair for Tilly to sit on.
"Thank you, Sandro" was her quick response, before she sits down in relief. It had been a long day, and she was hungry. She stifled a yawn and stopped herself from gobbling all of the food that was slowly placed in front of her by the servers. She knew the food will be good because she was the one who tasted them and chose it all by herself.
"Buon Appetito, Everyone!" Henry announces, before going back to his respective table.
Tilly secretly thank the gods, as she picked up the aperitif and drank it. It's the sweet taste, turning acidic as it went down her throat, an obvious indication of hunger. When she finished the aperitif, she tried to reach the antipasto at the centre of the table but stopped when Sandro placed a few finger foods on her plate.
"You must be really hungry to drink your apertivo at one go... eat... you've worked hard..." he said, referring to her organizing the engagement and wedding almost single-handedly. Besides, his brother-in-law had warned him earlier never to let Tilly go hungry. Henry claimed that 'A hungry Tilly is not a nice Tilly'.
She smiled at him and uttered a word of thank you, before munching the food her husband placed on her plate.
When the main course came, much to Sandro's surprise, it was a familiar dish from childhood that his Nonna cooked for him. He looked at his wife and wondered how did she ever get hold of a recipe that only belonged to the family.
"Is there a problem?" She asked, stopping half-way her meal, upon seeing her husband look at her.
"How did you–" before he can finish, she quickly interjected.
"Oh, I asked your Nonna about this," she said, pertaining to his grandmother who sat with his Tio and Tia, enjoying her meal.
"But why?" he asked, still confused.
"Why what?" was her reply.
"Why would you do that?"
"Oh... well, I was hoping that you'll have something to be happy about at the end of the day..."
" But I am happy..." he said, it felt weird that despite this being an arranged marriage, he felt happy.
"Oh, then good!" Tilly smiled, before slicing her fish.
" Tilda? why are you doing this?" he asked once more, using a name that her parents call her when they have something serious to tell her. But to her surprise, it sounded different when Sandro calls her 'Tilda'. It had some sort of affection there that she couldn't point out.
" Do what? you mean eat? because I'm hungry, Sandro!" was her quick reply, before putting a piece of the fish in her mouth.
Sandro chuckled but didn't let dry-wit of hers distract him. "I mean why would you do this?" he said, pointing at every detail, and the fish dish he loved so much as a child.
"Oh, that's because I am your wife... you may not love me, but we are a family now, and It may be an arranged union but it never meant that we shouldn't be considerate or be hostile or that we couldn't be nice to each other, or have harmony, Am I right?" was her answer. "Besides, it's a small thing". she added.
Sandro smiled and nodded. Satisfied with his wife's answer. Though she wasn't 'tempting' enough for him, nor could he really imagine himself in bed with her and get physically intimate, it never meant that they couldn't be civil and cordial towards each other. After all, marriage is not purely based on lust or physical attraction for it to work.
The time came for their first dance, Tilly looked at him "You know, you don't have to do this?" she mentions, as she held up her hand, signalling her brother Henry from afar to hold the announcement of the bride and groom's first dance.
"Tilda, it's not a problem, come..." he says, holding his hand out for her to take.
She looks at him and tried to peruse the expression on his face. He seemed sincere and not wanting to embarrass him, she finally takes his hand and allows him to lead her to the dance floor.
The piano began playing the introduction of the song sweetly with light notes, and then the orchestra followed after, with cellos giving depth to the melody.
'We've only just begun....'
Sandro arched a brow, hearing the familiar tune. "This is an old song?!" he states, as he took Tilly into his arms and swayed her into a waltz.
"Yes it is..." was her simple answer.
"Why did you choose this?" he was curious. After all, he knew the meaning of the song.
"Well... I thought it was appropriate..." was her quick reply. She knew he'd be asking him that.
"Why so?"
"Well, I don't think I or you can imagine dancing to a cheesy love song, or just a simple love song. So I picked something neutral and classy?" it was a reasonable response that he actually smiled in agreement. After all, they literally 'just begun'.
Feeling a little bit mischievous, without telling Tilly, Sandro suddenly pulled her a little bit closer and without warning lifts, her a few inches off the ground and, spun her around the dancefloor. Her eyes narrowed at him, and he even caught her rolling her eyes. Afterwards, he abruptly puts her down, expecting her to lose her balance, and that he would have to catch her. However, much to his surprise, Tilly gracefully lands and spins, the long hem of her trumpet dress swirled elegantly with her. She looked elegant and lovely, and Sandro was fascinated, not only that, but it also caught the attention of the guest, which made them cheer and applause.
Sandro smiles and gently pulls her back into his arms, the rest of the guest, finally joining the open dance floor and crowding it.
"I didn't know that you were such a great dancer?!" he comments.
" No, I don't know how to really dance... I don't dance much..." she said honestly. In fact, she only recently learned how to waltz and its proper footwork.
"Really now... then what was that just now?"
"That's called 'self-preservation'..." she said dryly, and he laughed. She did her best to save herself from hitting her husband's face with her forehead or falling down flat on her face on the dance floor, embarrassing herself. And she did it quite well.
" I'm sure you had a bit of practice!" he teased.
"Right... three times a day before the wedding, with my imaginary partner..." was her dry response, but this made his throw his head back laughing, making other at the dancefloor stare at him, wondering what made him laugh so loud. He can't believe that he's actually enjoying his wife's deadpan humour.
**********
Sandro sighed in relief, as they bid their goodbyes to their guest. When all had left, he and his wife walked back to their ancestral home. They were to remain there for a day and return back to his home the next. In fact, his villa wasn't far from the ancestral house. But he was just too tired to pack-up and drive back with his wife, and he was sure it was the same with her.
Because Tilly had gone up to her room first, the hallways were quiet and empty. The servants were still busy packing up the reception area. So he decided to get himself a little snack in the kitchen. Much to his surprise, he found Tilly there, already dressed in her dark blue chinoiserie pyjamas. She looked and smelled fresh like citrus, an obvious indication that she had just showered. Her face was bare and had no makeup on, despite that, she didn't look ghastly at all.
Sandro smiles as he approached and sat at the adjacent chair. He looked at what she was munching on and pulled his bow tie in one go.
He looked at one corner to find hot milk with vanilla and cinnamon, and a few slices of toasted bread with jam and peanut butter. She had been considerate enough without telling him and he was grateful.
"Thank you, Tilda!" he says, as he unbuttons two buttons of his crisp white shirt. Tilly looked at him and nodded, and went back to eating afterwards.
"We're going back at 11 tomorrow, so if your not yet done packing, tell me, so we can delay it..." he says as he takes the remaining bread and milk.
"That's fine... but I was hoping I can have my breakfast first, would that be alright?" she requested. She was not a jovial person in the morning without her breakfast.
"Yes, of course!" he says, finding his wife's request reasonable. "What time do you usually wake up? and what do you want for breakfast?" he asked, suddenly his brother-in-law's advice crossing his mind. 'A hungry Tilly is not a nice Tilly...'
"I'm fine with anything, as long as I get my cup of tea... preferably lapsang suchong" she mentions.
"Not earl grey?" he said, a little surprised. It was not a typical British choice.
"No, I need the kick in the morning... I brought some tea bags if you don't have them..." she says, as she eats her last piece of bread.
"You came prepared..." Sandro chuckled.
" Of course, If I won't get my kick, I'll kick you in the morning instead..." she said jokingly and Sandro laughed. "Well, it's past my bedtime, I'll see you tomorrow morning at 9:30..." she adds and stands up from her seat.
"Good night, my lady..." he says with a fake English accent, mimicking Tilly's.
Tilly replied with a grunt and brushed it off as she left the kitchen. He watched his wife as she headed back upstairs to her room. Though this marriage is not what he expected, he was very sure that it would not be so boring and that Tilly will be a good wife.
By the way, if you want to read the previous story, here it is,
A/N: I will be editing this because I probably have made a number of grammatical errors. I hope you enjoyed the story. FYI. It will be a series of one-shots. Guys, if you have ideas, I'd love to hear them... currently, I'm having writer's block (TT____TT)