I feel like you all deserve another chapter as you are still here and reading. I'm extremely grateful for all those who continuously read up to this point, and vote and comment.

I really appreciate it and it means a lot to those who have still continuing reading to this point. Thank you so much!

I understand some people feel as though the story has been dragging on a little but I did explain in a few chapter back as to why that is and why it wasn't planned so please don't comment on it because I've explained why and it wasn't intentional. I do apologise for that.

Thank you to all those reading this and I really hope you enjoy and continue reading:

Cover by: CursedLove__

-Mia-

Months had passed by and before I knew it, Francisco was beginning to crawl.

"Francis, baby, come on! Come to mama!" I said with a wide smile on my face as he slowly crawled towards me, stopping at my ankles. I smiled, picking him up and kissing him, cuddling him. "Aww, baby, well done! Now you can play with Lyric on the floor!" I said, as he smiled happily in my arms and I kissed his cheek again.

Lyric looked up at me from the floor at the sound of her name. I smiled, placing Francisco back down and they continued to play with their soft baby toys. I smiled, rubbing Francisco's cheek gently before hearing the door slam.

I went into the corridor and saw Cat come in with Bambi and April. She placed Bambi on the floor and let her slowly walk to the living room, trying to balance herself on her two feet. I smiled at her as April came running to me, hugging me before running upstairs to her room, saying something about finishing her drawing.

I shook my head as Cat smiled, "hey, Mia, can I have your advice?" I nodded, going into the living room. We sat on the chair and Cat scooped up Lyric, cradling her as I took Francisco and placed him into his Moses basket. It was time for him to have some more sleep.

I kissed his forehead, covering him with blanket before sitting down beside Cat. She looked down, a few strands of hair falling from behind her ear and played with Lyric's small hands.

"I screwed up and I think River wants to have sex with me."

My eyes widened at her sudden outburst. "Wow. .um. .are you sure?" She nodded, licking her lips before finally looking at me. "Yeah, um. .you know how we moved in together?" I nodded, listening. "Well, last night we were getting ready for bed and we started kissing and one thing led to another and his hand went to my thigh. He squeezed it gently but I somehow thought of Roberto. I've having thoughts and nightmares about him for the last few weeks. That's why I was drinking so much on my birthday. I wasn't even thinking - I-I just slapped him like a cat, but I didn't mean to. ."

"Okay," I told her, swallowing. "What happened next?" She inhaled deeply, "he just touched his cheek and looked at me in surprise. I felt so guilty. I scratched his cheek a little and it was bleeding. I quickly said sorry and ran out the room and slept in the spare room. I'm sure he came to check on me but I pretend I was asleep. I haven't seen him this morning because he went to work but I'm scared. .what if he's mad at me?"

I shook my head, giving her a reassuring smile and Lyric gurgled, giggling at herself and I smiled while Cat kissed her cheek.

"He loves you and won't be mad. River's a good guy. Have you told him about . . about what happened?" She shook her head, tears coming into her eyes. She sniffed, blinking them away as I bit my lip. "I don't want him to resent me. I'm disgusting - I'm dirty-"

"Don't say that about yourself, Cat," I said as I looked at her sympathetically. She stood, placing Lyric in the other Moses basket and sat back down, wiping her eyes.

"You're beautiful and strong and loved by a wonderful man who won't resent you. Cat, have you seen him? The way he looks at you? He's head over heels for you and would never hate you."

"We've never talked about Lyric and Bambi's . . dad but I know that he wants to know, he's just not pushing it or asking about it. But I'm scared that if we do talk about it, more memories of what happened will come."

I shook my head, "you don't know unless you try. I'm not saying that you have to tell him but one day you will have to, and talking about it might make it easier to go through. River loves you and will never resent you. You have to believe that." Cat nodded, glancing at the clock on the wall. "He'll be home soon. . I love him, Mia. I feel like telling him today."

"Okay, Cat, but don't do it if you don't want to. Remember that he loves you." She nodded, standing and pulling me into a hug. "Thank you Mia. Could you watch the kids until I come back?"

I nodded, "yeah, don't worry." She smiled at me before leaving the room, preparing to see River.

I thought of my mother. Things had changed. A few months back, we called the police and it took a while but they managed to find the drug dealer that was after my mum, and a a whole gang of dealers so they gave my mother reward money as the gang was one they were looking for for years. She was safe and better and our relationship was starting to get back to how it used to be before she was on drugs.

I was glad she was better and clean. I could finally let her in my life and not have to worry about whether she's dead or alive.

I told her about meeting my father and she cried after I explained what happened. It was clear that she still loved him but didn't want to admit it. She had a right to know what happened though.

Francisco started crying in his basket. Sighing, I walked over and picked him up before kissing his cheek. "What's the matter, honey?"

He stopped crying and looked into my eyes curiously as I wiped his cheeks. "Ba ba ba," Francisco said, his hands playing with my necklace. I smiled. He was beginning to babble now and finally could recognise his name. "Baba?" I asked, with a smile as he looked at me, holding my necklace tightly in his small hands. "Ba," he quietly said before laying his head on my chest.

"Aww. ." I cooed, kissing his cheek before sitting down and cradling him so he would sleep.

Bambi hoisted herself up on the chair and sat down. She looked at the television. "Telly?" She asked me hopefully and I nodded, smiling at her and switched on the television, putting children's shows on. "Bambi, you hungry?" She nodded, leaning back on the chair.

Bambi has grown a lot. She was two years old, almost three and looked adorable. She was starting to look at lot like her mother luckily and was a little shy but was also very playful.

I stood, placing a sleeping Francisco in his Moses basket before going into the corridor and calling for April to come downstairs.

I went into the kitchen and began cooking spaghetti and April walked in, sighing. "Hey, honey, how was school?" I asked as she sat on the stool. "Good. .can I have ice cream?"

I turned to her and shook my head. "No ice cream. April, it's freezing outside and it's almost dinner time."

"But mammy!" She whined, a sulk on her face as I held back the urge to roll my eyes at her behaviour. "No."

She frowned before giving me an angry look, "I want papa."

I froze, swallowing before shaking my head. "He's not here. ." I quietly said, her father's face floating around in my mind. "Why?" April asked, tears coming into her eyes. "I want papa."

I bit my lip, reaching for her but she turned away, going off her chair. "I want papa!"

"April-"

She bursted out into tears and I frowned, going up to her and scooping her up and hugging her as she cried in my arms. "April, don't cry, baby. Daddy will come soon, please don't cry." She slowly stopped, her head in my neck as I cuddled her, stroking her hair. "Okay. ." She quietly said, sniffing as she moved her head out of my neck.

I looked at her sadly. All she wanted was to see her father.

"Are you okay now?" I asked and she nodded as I kissed her cheek. I wiped her cheeks, smiling at her softly. "He'll come, April. Don't you worry."

Later

"Bye bye, Bambi," I said, smiling as she waved at me whilst being held by River and Lyric was held by Cat.

"Bye, Mia, I'll see you tomorrow!" I smiled, saying bye back before I closed the door and went back inside.

Cat and River had sorted things out. River understood what happened and they seemed stronger than they were before. During dinner, they were all 'lovy dovy' with each other and it was adorable.

It was then when I saw a shiny ring on Cat's left finger. I screamed in surprise, immediately hugging her, only for Cat to fall down on the floor and me on top of her.

I was laughing and crying, hugging her and congratulating her happily. She was crying too and extremely happy.

I was so happy for her. After a year together, they were finally getting married and Cat was going to let River 'father' her children. It really showed that she were moving on from the past and letting herself be happy.

After they left, I was a little sad and I didn't understand why. I couldn't help but think of Vincenzo. We were supposed to be married, happy and together but he screwed up and still hadn't came back.

I felt a little bad for what happened at the club. Maybe I was too harsh on him. He could of been telling the truth.

I sighed, picking up Francisco and pulling my shirt up as I sat down, taking my breast out of my bra and putting it into his mouth.

He sucked, his eyes gazing into mine as he placed his hand on top of my breast, as I smiled at him lovingly and stroked his soft cheek.

After a while of bonding, he stopped sucking and I put my breast back and sat him up, burping him as his eyes slowly closed and opened. He was tired.

He finally let out a large burp and I cradled him, letting him sleep in my arms before I slowly went upstairs and placed him gently into his cot, covering him with his blanket and kissing his cheek. "Goodnight," I whispered, before going into April's room and checking her as she slept.

I had a shower, changing into my pjs before going to bed, exhausted.

I woke up the next morning, showered and got the kids ready before taking April to school with Francisco who had been quite fussy in the morning.

April frowned as we walked, "why baby crying?" I shook my head, wondering myself as to why Francisco was upset. He was fed, changed but didn't want to be cuddled. His temperature was fine and he was well. He was probably just in one of his moods.

He was crying in the pushchair and someone once told me that sometimes you have to let them cry but not all the time.

I sighed, "I think Francis is just tired. He's fine, don't worry." We got to the school and I hugged April, telling her to have a good day and kissed her cheek before she ran away to play with her many friends.

I turned to leave only to see someone I didn't expect to see. "Faith!" She turned and saw me, a wide smile on her face. She grinned, coming over to me and hugging me. "Aw, Mia!"

She pulled away and smiled widely, "what are you doing here and who's this crying baby?" She asked and I grinned at my friend. "I-I. .What are you doing here? I have a daughter now, who goes here - it's a long story. This is my new son, Francisco."

She stared at me wide eyed. "You have a family now? Oh my gosh! Who's the dad?"

". .the ex that I told you about."

She squealed a little, "you guys got back together. Aww. ."

"You could call it that," I said with a little chuckle. She ran her hand through her pastel hair. "I'm dropping off my niece today." I smiled, "great. How are you and Ty?"

"We're fine. Much better than we used to be. I'm glad you're okay with your ex." I smiled, trying not to think too much of Vincenzo. I noticed that Francisco had stopped crying and was now laying down with his eyes wide open.

"Thanks, Faith. I'm sorry I haven't been calling-"

"No, it's okay. We both have busy lives and I guess things have changed," she said with a sad smile as I did the same. I hugged her before pulling away, "I'm glad you're okay - and still sane."

She chuckled, flicking her hair over her shoulder, "he's adorable. You're man must be handsome."

I nodded a little, "yeah, he is. ."

"I've got to go, Mia, but I promise I will call or text at some point," I nodded, "I'll see you, Faith!"

She grinned at me as she left, going down the street.

I sighed, shaking my head. Our friendship had changed. We weren't as close as we used to be.

I started pushing the pushchair again and decided to go shopping.

I took the city train to the city centre, going to food shops and beginning to shop for the week. I didn't always take my car. I liked to walk and I didn't want the kids to get used to the idea of always driving. It was good and healthy to walk.

On my way back on the train, Francisco started crying loudly. I distinctively checked his nappy but it wasn't used yet. It wasn't time for his feed and he wasn't sick. Yet again, he just wanted to cry.

I sighed, picking him up from his pushchair and placing him in my arms. "What's wrong?" I quietly asked him as the train continued to moved.

He slowly stopped crying, looking into my eyes and gurgling. I wiped his cheeks, kissing them. "Ma ba ba. ." I cuddled him a little, and he seemed to calm down. As he started to fall asleep, I placed him back into his pram and let him sleep.

"Beautiful child you have there," a voice said to my right. I turned seeing a woman with ginger hair. I smiled, "thank you."

The train stopped and it was my stop. I smiled at her before leaving them train and going home.

It was cold and winter. The snow was crunching beneath my feet and small snowflakes were falling from the sky. It was beautiful and white outside.

It was almost Christmastime and everything and everyone around me seemed excited. We were going to get the Christmas tree up soon and I had already been looking around for everyone's presents. I was excited too. I loved Christmas.

I got home, twisting my key in the lock and going in, closing the door behind me before taking off my hat, gloves, scarf, coat and shoes.

I carefully took a sleepy Francisco out of his pram and took him upstairs, letting him sleep in his cot.

I cleaned the house, doing the laundry even though Cat told me she'd do it. I decided to let her off, she was getting married after all and I was happy for her. I sorted the shopping bags and food and kept checking on Francisco.

Once I was done, I sat in the living room with a blanket and a pillow. I placed the two baby monitors on the table, making sure the volume was on max and laid down, about to go to sleep when there was a knock on the door.

I groaned, desperately wanting to sleep. I folded the blanket and placed it on the side before walking to the door, running my hand through my long hair.

I unlocked it, opening the door before gasping in a little bit of surprise.

He bit his lip, a nervous look on his face as he looked at me through those lovely hazel eyes of his.

"Vincenzo. ."

"Mia."

____

It was about time! Jeez, what took you so long, Vincenzo???

So, I've started wondering if Vincenzo's Lover should have a sequel. I've always thought that it would be a stand alone book but the idea has came to me after a few comments.

I've started to consider giving Blaze (Maria and Leonardo's daughter), or one of the other kids a story but I need to think about the storyline but I'm still not too sure.

It's just a thought and might not be done because like I mentioned, I always thought Vincenzo's Lover would be a stand alone.

I'd love to continue a spin off, if that's what you guys would want. I've decided at the end of the book, I might add some chapters on previous parts of Mia and Vincenzo's life together that haven't been seen.

For example, I might write about the time they caught each other naked or the time that Vincenzo punched Mia's controlling boyfriend or the time when they first met. I'm still considering it though and it may not be definite.

I've also wondered about having a new name for the book but I'd love to have some ideas in the comments (credits will go to the one I choose). I'm still thinking about it though.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to Vote, Comment, Share and Follow!