Alejandro

Nonna's leaving today. After the huge fight we had yesterday, she came into my office and told me she was thinking of taking an earlier flight to Mykonos. I didn't want her to leave, mainly because that would mean more Diana, and I couldn't face her after yesterday. We were all currently in the foyer while waiting for Nonna to come down and bid her farewells. The wait wasn't long as she gingerly came down the stairs in a blue halter neck dress with white go-go boots. Leave it to Marelena Delmanti to bring back the 50's.

"Really Nonna?", I questioned

"You either go big or go home Alejandro", she retorted, "Well it's time for me to go"

"Do you really have to leave Nonna?", Benjy asked with teary eyes.

"Si, tesoro", Her answer seemed to bring forth the tears as theyr ran down his rosy cheeks, "But tesoro, why the tears?",she asked

"I don't want you to leave", he cried harder and hugged her legs

"Oh Benjamin dear, I will be back"

"Really Nonna?", he looked up at her

"Si"

"You promise?"

She laughed at his pensive expression, "Si cara, I promise"

"Okay", she then turned to Diana, leaned in and whispered something into her ear. I wondered what could be so private, it couldn't be mentioned in front of me.

Diana smiled at her then gave me a fleeting glance. It was so quick you would've missed it if not paying close attention. Nonna then came up to me and motioned that I walk with her. We started walking outside towards the car. I didn't want to be nosy, didn't want to pry but we all know curiosity killed the cat.

"So um...what did you tell her back there?", I asked

She laughed. A full blown belly rumbling laugh which made the crows feet at her eyes more pronounced, "You never could let things go nipote"

"So are you gonna tell me?"

"No"

I scoffed, "Figured", we stopped by the car and I opened her door, ready to help her in, "Are you sure you have everything?,you don't need anything else"

"There is something I want you to do for me", I waited, "Apologise to her"

"You've got to be kidding me"

"Please Nipote"

"No, Nonna, anything but that"

"Alejandro, don't you want to make your Nonna happy?"

"Nonna, I do but-"

"Please Ale", she looked at me with those eyes. I just had to give in.

"Fine", I conceded

"Oh thank you tesoro, thank you so much", she got in the car and closed the door. Then the car sped down the driveway and through the gates.

Shit!. I never was good at apologising, ever. Now I had to do just that, and to the last person I ever wanted to. I walked back in as slowly as I could, trying to prolong the exchange. I walked into the kitchen to find her feeding Benjy. I thought of just blurting it out but I realized it would probably leave the little guy in a very confused state of mind. I cleared my throat and braced myself.

"Diana", she dropped the spoon and looked at me, "Can we talk?"

"Um...yeah, sure",she muttered while looking at me inquisitively, "Gertie, can you please continue?"

"Of course ma'am", Gertie replied

I led the way to my office, all the while feeling her eyes on me. We stopped in front of the double doors. I opened them and ushered her in. I closed the door behind me. We both sat down and stared at each other.

"You wanted to talk?", she asked

"Yes", and then I stared at her some more, "I'm sorry"

"What?", she asked with a bewildered look

"I said-"

"Oh no, I heard you. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't hallucinating"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?", I asked, quite annoyed if I might add.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean anyth-"

"You know what?,just forget it. I wanted to apologise for what I did yesterday. It was uncalled-for and highly insensitive and I apologise"

"Um, it's um...it's okay"

She still had that bewildered look in her eyes like she couldn't believe I had actually apologized and honestly...neither could I.

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Diana

He apologized. He fucking apologized. It was official. The world was ending. I needed to check the weather forecast to look for any signs of weird storms. I know, it was that unbelievable. Alejandro just didn't say sorry. Even back in high school, when we would fight, he would buy me the prettiest roses and gift me the sweetest chocolates but never and I mean never, had the words "I'm sorry" left his mouth. Talk about a miracle.

I quickly forgot about it and tried finding something to do. I wandered into the library to look for a good book to sit down with but all I could find were books like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and the works.

Gosh Alejandro, when did you become so boring and old?(no offense).

God, I was sooo bored. There was nothing to do around here. I was busy lamenting over my more than uneventful life when all of a sudden...

Ping. Lightbulb!

I rushed out of the more than grand library and hurried to Alejandro's office. As I was about to burst in I stopped.

Calm the f-down D!

I smoothed my spaghetti strap top over to try and sort out the creases and then I knocked.

A muffled "Come in" could be heard through the thick polished mahogany doors. I took a deep breath and turned the knob. I locked the door behind me and then turned around to find him completely engrossed in a bunch of papers in front of him. He probably didn't even realize there was someone there. I patiently waited for him to address me, after what seemed like an hour but was merely five minutes I cleared my throat. He looked up at me, then went back to his papers.

"Are you going to speak or just stand there and stare at me all day?"

Why the nerve of the asshole. He had been deliberately ignoring me all that time?,what a dickwad. I wasn't going to let him get to me though. I squared my shoulders and stated my reason for the unwanted midday meeting. "I want to get a job"

He dropped his pen and looked at me. "No", he answered

I started blabbing, "Thank you. I was thinking of applying in-", and then what he said really registered in my head, "I'm sorry...what?!"

"No"

"Why?"

"Because I said so"

"I don't know even why I'm asking your permission. You don't own me", I muttered angrily

He laughed. A sinister laugh. "Oh sweetheart, the 19 karat ring on your finger is more than enough proof that I do"

I gingerly slid my left hand behind my back. "Look Alejandro let's talk about this", I was trying so hard to reason with him

"No means no Diana. Now if you don't mind I have some very important work to do and you're a very unwelcome disturbance"

Well that stung, but I wasn't going to give up. So I resorted to the only choice I had left, begging. "Please Alejandro, c'mon"

"The answer's still no",he replied

"Please Alejandro just let me get a job"

"Why do you want it so bad?"

I couldn't tell him. He was probably going to think I was the biggest idiot there was on the surface of the earth. He looked at me still waiting for my answer and so I blurted it out, "Because I'm bored". He gave me an 'are you kidding me' look. "Before you find a classy way to subtly insult me...I appreciate your more than ample distractions but I have most definitely wore them out. I just need something to do or my brain's going to crawl out of my body".

"No", he replied

"Oh come on"

"You didn't let me finish. I won't let you get a job, but I may have another way to help you out of your... dilemma"

"Oh, thank you and forgive me for being a more unwelcome disturbance, but why won't you let me work?", I asked

He seemed to be at a genuine loss for words but he recovered quickly, "Several reasons. None of which concern you"

"Okay then", I responded and then there was silence. I couldn't stand it and so I broke it, "So um, this other way to help me...what is it?"

He leaned back into the prime leather chair and me an Oscar-winning smirk, "You're coming with me to the office tomorrow"

Well shit

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