40 Cahpters yall!!

 We are getting there! There is much I want and need to happen, maybe I'll make a sequal to prevent from ruining this story. Anyway enjoy number 40 and let me know what you think.

- Gabs

"Mama, why are we rearranging the store? It's Friday, I wanna go home!" Like a six year old I whine.

"Hush and keep folding those blouses."

Mama has been very anxious lately, she has heard about the news, Papa was coming to Etienne's second race on his birthday tomorrow. To my surprise she took it very well, no yelling, no commotion; "I guess Etienne would like that" Is all she said to Whitey who broke the news over the phone the other day. However, the way she has been acting as the days closed in on us, makes me believe that she is not so cool about it after all.

"I'm pretty sure Papa won't be coming by the store tomorrow, I mean why would he do that for, he is here for the race."

Mama's eyes narrow. "Who said anything about your father, I'm just rearranging for the customers, that's all."

"Mhm..."

There is commotion at the house that Friday night, Etienne is sure Mama has forgotten to pack some of his race gear, forcing me to go through everything over and over again.

"What about my gloves?"

"They're in the bag." I sigh. We're in the living room where the floor is scattered with all the necessities for tomorrow.

"Double check."

"You just saw me put them in there." I say impatient.

"No, now check again."

My blood is boiling. Grabbing the backpack I turn it around and start shaking, emptying all its content including the gloves, on the floor. The expression on Etienne's face was priceless.

"Mama!" He shouts at the top of his lungs.

"What? I did what you asked me to." I am amused by his sudden distress.

A fatigue Mama emerges from her office.

"Alessia isn't helping me." He cries.

"Alessia, your brother has an important day tomorrow, please." I can tell that she just wants us to go to bed.

"I just did what he asked." I pick up the leather gloves. "Think fast!" One of them hits Etienne right in the face, he was basically in tears.

"Alessia, how childish." Mama sighs.

It took us another hour to pack everything down again. Finally I'm in my bed, lights out and tucked underneath the covers. I'm gonna see Papa tomorrow, I've secretly been longing for this day and tomorrow it's finally happening. A silly fantasy I know, but as a divorcey kid, deep down inside it is exactly what I want, the family back together.

"How about Lupo?"

"Lol, Thought we agreed on Taco?"

I should be sleeping, but Valentino's late night texting is keeping me up.

"Why all these boy names, what if it's a girl?"

"Then it's Valentina..."

"No way, what's her middle name gonna be, forty-six?"

"Ha ha, funny"

There was a light knock on my door, I almost didn't catch it.

"Come in."

Entering was Etienne, bearing a pillow and a blanket.

"You can't..." Etienne makes himself comfortable beside me. "....sleep here." I sigh

"Please?" He plead.

"Do your friends know you're eleven and still scared of the dark?"

"I'm not eleven yet." Etienne helps himself to some of my covers, "And I'm not scared." He pouts.

We lay listening to the quiet.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"No, If I just nail the start I'll do better than last time."

"You'll nail it, don't worry."

"Do you think Papa will..."

Light from the hallway clears the dark room as my mother pokes her head in. "Is he in here?" She sighs.

"Yes!" Etienne and I groan simultaneously.

Mama steps aside and holds the door open, "come on, you're too big sweetie, sleeping in your sisters room, how many times do I have to tell you...."

"Mama I don't mind." I say, feeling bad for Etienne.

She shakes her head, "He'll never learn If you keep letting him in."

Protesting noises, when Etienne grabs his pillow and crawls out of bed, "Night Lessy."

"Good night." I sigh.

The door shuts, I quickly roll over and look to my phone again, notifications from Valentino;

"Can I call?"

"Hello?"

"Lessy U up?"

"Shit!" I curse, I'm quick to fiddle with the phone and soon Valentino's number pops up on the display, it's calling

Peep...peep..."Hello Lessy?"

I clear my throat, "Hey, sorry my brother came into my room, I think he's worried about the race, I didn't see your texts until now."

"Oh okay," Valentino mumbles, I hear wind blowing in the background. 

"Is he in there with you now?"

"No. My mother came in and got him. Vale where are you?" I frown, he better not be headed to Hilda Maria's house with Angelo, I think to myself.

"Where is your mother now..."

"I dunno, in Etienne's room I guess, why are you asking?" I chuckle unsure, The line falls quiet, all I hear is movement like the phone is inside a pocket.

"Vale, hello...?"

The phone sparkles and Valentino returns, "good, let me in."

"Whaaat?" I sit up straight, the phone to my ear.

"I'm right outside, let me in."

I'm quickly out of the bed, making my way over to the window. Cold air swoopes by me as I open the window. Below me Valentino is pondering on the lawn.

"Whatta hell are you doing here." I whisper, phone to my ear.

Valentino's smile shines brighter than the moon, "You weren't answering my text so...."

Slight panic strikes me, "Valentino my mother is literally on the other side of these walls, she is going to kill me if I let you in at this hour."

Barking noises down the street makes me even more anxious.

"Fine, just throw down a key or something, I'll let myself in."

"Vale go home!" I whisper as loud as I can.

His sigh rings in my ear, "Alessia you're no fun."

"And you're too crazy for me." I chuckle.

We hang up and I watch Valentino disappear behind some bushes, making his way down the street.

My heart is still raising by the time I fall back onto the bed. Slight excitement overflows me, fantasizing about what could have been. I hear Mama enter the bathroom and later her room, after that the house falls quiet once again.

My heart rate has gone down by the time I retrieve my phone, the light from the display makes me squint my eyes.

"I will not forgive you for freaking me out like this, lol. What were you thinking?"

I fall asleep smirking from ear to ear.

After what seems like a minute my eyes flung open again. I'm facing the other way but the sound of my creaking door makes me turn around. My voice is drowsy, "Etienne Mama told you not to..." I let out a frightened gasp as a tall shadow emerges between the door as it slowly opens.

"Don't scream, don't scream, it's me!"

"Valentino?" I exhale.

It's about eleven forty-five and this boy has snuck into my house through the backdoor.

"You should really lock it at night you know, someone could get in." Valentino chuckles.

"Ha ha very funny."

The lights in my bedroom are still off, I'm afraid that someone down the street might be out on a late night walk and accidentally notice us, eventually telling my mother. (What was that? Paranoid? Me? Never).

"You are crazy." I say, Valentino climbs into bed with me.

"Crazy about you." He smirks.

"You couldn't have waited until tomorrow to see me?"

He shakes his head, "nope."

I couldn't help but to smile. "Well if you're hoping to get lucky tonight I'm afraid I have bad news for you..." I tuck myself underneath the covers. "....It's late and I have to get up early to prepare for a big day."

Valentino throws up his hands in defence, " I just came here to watch you sleep, that's all."

I frown, "Watch me sleep?"

He nods, "Mhm, it's romantic."

I chuckle, "No it is not, it's creepy."

"Whatever." he mumbles.

We lay in a spoon, Valentino the big spoon of course.

"So are you nervous about tomorrow?" His lips tickle my neck when he speaks.

"Nah, Etienne will do fine, I know it."

"I meant about seeing your dad."

"Oh." I say. "A little."

"I guess it will be cool to see him again, it's been like forever. You think he'll even remember me."

"Of course he will Vale, he's not cenile." I giggle. "Besides you were like a son to him too."

"A son who got his daughter pregnant." He mumbles.

"Eww don't say that."

"How do you think he'll take it?"

My thoughts wanders, I shrug my shoulders, "I dunno Vale and I'm not ready to tell anyone just yet, since we haven't decided what to do."

"What do you mean haven't decided." I feel Valentino's muscles go stiff behind me.

I roll over to meet his cripled gaze. His eyes are hung low and he is looking at me with confusion. "You know what I meant, we still have options. (Gosh I'm starting to sound just like Alicia.)

His lips are trembling. "I thought...I thought we...you...wanted to keep it?"

I sigh removing a curl irritating his eyes. "Vale it's all fun and games now, but let's face it none of us are fit to be parents."

There is smothering silence between us. Valentino has got his arms around my waist but they have gone limb.

"Is it because of Alicia?" He eventually says, which seems completely out of context.

"What about her?"

"You guys want to go to that school don't you."

"Vale...." I sigh. It hurts me that he truly believes that I would make such a big decision based on the fact that I want to run off to Paris and live life with my bestie. Thought he knew me better than that.

"....I couldn't care less about that school."

"Great! Then why are you saying we aren't fit to be good parents?"

"Vale, don't you wanna travel the world, go racing or whatever, before you settle down and become a father."

"No." He quickly answers. I sigh knowing he's speaking out of his current state of emotion. A part of me wishes that he would have run off when I first told him that I was pregnant, would have made things a whole lot easier to decide.

"Yes you do, it has always been your dream."

An army of goosebumps appear as Valentino's hands go under my shirt and rests on my stomach. "You are my dream." He whispers.

I don't know how he does it, I genuinely don't know how he does it? Valentino is always so sure of himself, what he wants and what he cares about, and here I am stirring up the soup as usual.

There is a moment where I got lost in his gaze, even the darkest of nights can't hide the shimmer in his eyes that makes one almost get a glimpse of the burning desires of his soul.

"If you're worried about your mother, we'll tell her together, don't worry." He says.

"I love you." I whisper.

"Love you too."

There are fireworks, when our lips come together. I'm not wearing a bra underneath my shirt, Valentino's hands are quick to squeeze my naked torso. I moan into the night.

"I love you." I repeat, with ecstasy this time, as he leaves my lips and starts making his way down my body.

"I know." He groans.