Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 939 : A Warm Welcome Home

*Bianca*

The plane ride felt like a lifetime. If Taylor hadn’t been sitting right next to me, I would have sobbed the entire time. I was exhausted just from fighting back my sadness from seeping out.

Luckily, I had a window seat. I kept my eyes strictly on the window as I drifted in and out of sleep throughout the entire flight. The clouds had been my distraction as I imagined leaping from one cloud to another like those kids did in Peter Pan. What I wouldn’t give to have my only problem be a pirate with a hook for a hand.

I felt as though I had a thousand hooks pointed at me. Trapping me within myself.

The car ride to my house was a little better. It had begun to snow just as we were pulling up to my childhood home. It was average size with pale yellow paint chipping off, revealing the brownish stone underneath. My mother’s rose bushes had gone into hibernation for the winter season. I’d missed those big, beautiful roses.

Leo had begun to fade into the background of my mind as I stepped out of the small taxi. Taylor insisted on grabbing all of our bags as I knocked gently on the worn wooden door.

I wasn’t at all surprised when my entire family appeared behind the door. My mother, however, was the first one to scoop me up into her arms.

“Oh, my sweet, Bianca!” she sang, holding me tightly.

She kissed both of my cheeks and my forehead before pulling me inside the house. It was warm inside. Not only did the heat from the fireplace warm my skin, but the inside of the house itself warmed my heart.

It felt incredibly good to be home. It felt welcoming, safe, and calm.

Well, not entirely calm at the moment due to all my family members causing a ruckus over my arrival.

“Bianca!” my aunt Rose called out. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in centuries!”

Aunt Rosa pulled me into an even tighter hug than my mother had. Her rather large chest had started to suffocate me. I patted her on the back and gave her a wide smile.

“Aunt Rose, you’re doing it again,” I chuckled.

She immediately loosened her grip and laughed. “Oh, sweetie, what can ya do when God gifts ya with such a luscious bosom such as myself?”

I just laughed and shook my head as she proceeded to pinch my cheeks like I was still a little girl.

“You must be the boyfriend we’ve heard nothing about!” Aunt Rose said to Taylor as she crushes him into a hug.

“Rosa!” My mother called out, elbowing her in the arm. “I told you already, that’s not Leo. This is Taylor, an old schoolmate she reconnected with over in the states.”

“Oh, right, yeah, of course,” Aunt Rosa nodded her head, but winked at me all the same.

I could always rely on Aunt Rosa to cheer me up, that was for sure.

“Hey, kiddo, it’s good to see you,” my Uncle Cedro greeted me with a one armed hug. “Don’t mind your aunt, she’s already gotten into the spiced eggnog.”

Uncle Cedro and I laughed as Aunt Rosa playfully swatted him on the arm.

My mother swiftly swooped me away into the kitchen just as Aunt Rosa’s and Uncle Cedros’ three kids came running into the living room.

“Your Uncle Giotto and Aunt Silvia will be over later for dinner,” she told me as she sat me down on the stool that was housed beside the kitchen island.

“Alright,” I nodded, resting my elbows on the stone surface.

My mother sat a plate full of pasta down in front of me.

I tilted my head to the side. She always did that.

“Mom, I’m not hungry,” I tried to tell her.

“You have a growing baby in that belly of yours,” she whispered, leaning closely towards me. “You eat. You look thin.”

“Mom, I do not look thin,” I groaned as I took a bite of pasta to please her.

“Will Mia be stopping by at all today?” I asked, curious.

My mom nodded her head. “Of course, dear. Her and Alessandro said they’d be by at some point today. You know how they are. You never know when they are coming or going.”

I now understood why that was. Before I moved to the states and fell in love with a mafia leader, I never truly understood why Mia and Alessandro were always showing up at random times and leaving on short notice.

They had never been on time for a family event and they’d usually always end up leaving in the middle of it.

Now, however, I understood perfectly. Alessandro was a part of the mafia here, in Italy. Mia had married him and eventually became involved herself. She wasn’t just the wife of a mafia member, but she was actually a member herself.

One thing I was certain of, I never wanted that for myself. I could never become a member of Leo’s mafia family. Ever.

I sighed heavily as I stuffed another bite of the pasta into my mouth. I supposed it was a good thing that I came home. Just another thought that reassured me that I was doing the right thing by leaving Leo.

That thought alone, of leaving Leo, however, hurt deep inside my chest. I pictured him finding my letter and being crushed by my decision.

I quickly shook my head free of those thoughts and images as I fought back tears. The last thing I needed was my mom seeing me cry. Or any of my family to see me cry.

Taylor walked into the kitchen and sat down beside me. Of course, he hadn’t been sitting for more than three seconds before my mom shoved a plate of food in his face, as well. Taylor, on the other hand, beamed and thanked her before shoveling bite after bite into his mouth.

“See, Bianca, he knows how to accept a family gesture,” my mom teased.

Taylor smiled with his mouth full and wiggled his eyebrows. I chuckled and elbowed him in the side.

“Suck up,” I muttered.

We all stuffed ourselves into the living room as everyone caught me up with how their lives have been since I left. Everyone seemed to be doing great. I felt happy for them all.

Though, I had to admit, I had felt a little sad for myself. I wasn’t doing great. I was pregnant, I just broke up with my boyfriend who doesn’t even know we are having a baby, I’m probably not going to be able to finish school, and I’m back home feeling like I’ve completely messed my life up.

And the worst part? I couldn’t even admit any of this to my family. I had to paint on a smile and pretend like I, too, was doing great. I felt exhausted already from playing pretend when all I wanted to do was go in my room and cry.

Taylor must have noticed my energy draining as he placed his hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed. I looked up at him and gave him a small, “thank you,” smile. He nodded his head once and returned with a comforting smile.

A few moments later, my mother grabbed my hand and whispered. “Come with me for a moment, hm?”

I nodded wordlessly as I stood up from off the couch. My mom took me into my old room where my suitcase lay untouched on the bed. She sat me down next to it and gave me a knowing look.

“I can tell when somethings wrong, my sweet girl,” she said in a soothing tone.

I sighed, letting my shoulders droop. I couldn’t hide this from her any longer.

“I broke up with Leo,” I admitted, reluctantly. “But I still love him.”

“Does he love you?” she questioned, holding my hand in between hers.

Tears had begun to build barriers in my eyes. “He does.”

“Is this because of the baby?” my mom questioned.

“He doesn’t even know about the baby,” I confessed as a single tear escaped, making a run for it down my warm cheek.

“Oh, sweetheart. You haven’t told him, yet? Why not?”

I knew I couldn’t tell her the entire truth. There was no way I could confess to her that Leo was the Don in the mafia and there was a man on a path of revenge to get back at Leo for locking up his right-hand man. I had no idea what she would do if she knew I was this man’s target.

However, I also knew I had to tell her something. Sitting here with my mom had made me feel like I wanted to confess to her my every secret. My every wound. She was my mother, after all, she had always held the power to heal all of my wounds. Why not this one, too?

“Leo’s job is demanding and, I don’t know, mom, it was starting to feel like I wasn’t as important to him as I used to be,” I admitted. “I know he would think this baby would be a burden; therefore, he would find me as a burden.”

My mom sighed softly and sported a half smile on her face as she looked at me. She brought her hand up to my cheek and wiped away the fallen tear.

“Honey, sometimes things aren’t always what they seem. You love him, Bianca. How can you know what he will think if you haven’t yet given him the opportunity to prove your worried mind wrong?” she said softly.

“Now, I haven’t met Leo yet, but from what you’ve told me about his love for you already, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he showed up on our doorstep to get you back,” she smiled, caressing my cheek.

I wished I thought that too.

“I doubt it, Mom,” I sighed.

“Don’t you cast him off just yet,” she told me, as we both stood up. “If Leo loves you as deeply as you’ve portrayed him to, I have faith your love story is far from over, my sweet girl.”

I gave her a soft smile as she brought me into a hug. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Always, dear.”

We walked back out to the room full of family.

“Why don’t you and Taylor go into town for some Christmas shopping while we get ready for dinner,” my mom suggested, grabbing my coat and already putting it on me.

“Are you sure?” I asked, quickly. “I can stay and help.”

She shook her head as she shooed us both towards the door. “You two go and have fun.”

“Alright,” I managed to get out before she nudged us out the door.

The snow had continued to fall while we were inside. The tops of the houses, cars, trees, and streets were now covered in a light layer of snow. Just the sight of the snow alone had perked me up a bit.

Taylor and I chatted as we walked around my small snow-covered town. We went into a bunch of shops and even stopped to get hot cocoa at a small café.

The ground was getting a little slippery and without thinking I linked my arm around Taylor’s to help me keep steady as we walked back to the house. My stomach had begun to growl unpleasantly, and I was looking forward to seeing Mia. I had hoped she would be there by the time Taylor and I got back.

Though, with the thought of Mia, came all of the thoughts of Leo, as well. I wondered what he was doing in that very moment. I wondered what I would do if he actually did show up on my mom’s doorstep wanting to win me back.

Would I finally tell him I was pregnant? Or would I harden my heart and tell him to go back to LA? I supposed only time would tell.