Page 102 of In Ruins
“Shoo,” Dorothy tells her. “I’ve got it from here.”
“Are you sure? We can help,” I tell her. I already love her because she’s been so kind to me since I’ve been here, and she’s also on the ‘get me to eat all the time’ train.
“Yes. Go,” she tells me with a smile on her face.
“Thank you,” I tell her as Giana, and I make our way to the living room.
“You take a seat. I have something to show you,” Giana says, before dashing back down the hall and past the kitchen to her room. When she comes back, there are a few bags in her hand.
“What do you have there?” I ask.
“Baby clothes,” she says excitedly.. “I saw these on Saturday when I went out, and I just couldn’t resist getting them.”
“What the hell, G?! You didn’t have to get her anything,” I say to her.
“Oh hush, you! I’m going to spoil her so much!” she squeals, excitedly.
“Of course you will,” I laugh. “These are super cute though,” I say, excitedly, when she throws everything out onto the couch and starts showing me what she bought.
We’re in the middle of oohing and aahing over the clothes she got when I hear the front door open and then the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood floor.
Bruno is on high alert, but when he’s standing in the hallway, looking to see who is coming in, I see him relax his battle-ready stance.
“Enzo?” I hear the words coming out like a question as a beautiful middle-aged woman step into the living room. Her eyes widen when she sees me as she yells for someone. “Leonardo! Get in here!” she squeals. Well, it definitely sounded like a squeal.
From where she’s standing and the chair I’m currently sitting on, she has a full, unobstructed view of me, belly and all.
“Oh my God! Hi!” she exclaims, as excitement fills her voice and face.
“What is with all the racket, woman?” an older man asks, as he finally steps into the living room. He sees me sitting here and exclaims, “Oh my.”
I instantly recognize the man. Oh God! Leonardo Andretti. I’m pretty sure the woman is Lucia Andretti. Enzo’s parents! I’m going to fucking kill him! He did not mention that his parents would be stopping by. His mother rushes over to where I’m sitting and plops herself down next to me.
Giana gets up and quickly rushes away so fast I don’t even get to whisper what the hell. I’m so nervous sitting here with his parents in the room.
My anxiety calms a bit when she comes back a few minutes later, bringing refreshments for everyone with her and placing them on the small coffee table in front of us. I give her a grateful smile because I wasn’t even thinking about offering them something to eat or drink, and that makes her grin at me.
I’m meeting my in-laws for the first time, and I’m already a terrible host.
“Now, what do we have here?” Leonardo questions no one in particular as he takes a seat on the couch across from us before turning to his wife. “Looks like our son has been holding out on us, dear.”
“That damn rascal! I’m going to have words with him later!” She huffs before turning to me and peppering me with questions. “Hi, dear. Who are you? What’s your name? If you’re here, then I can confidently say that you’re carrying our grandchild, am I right?”
“Um… Hi,” I say, shyly. I am so far out of my element right now. “My name is Aria… and yes, I am pregnant with Enzo’s baby.”
“Aria Bellucci?” his father asks.
“Yes,” I answer, and he lets out an unexpected laugh.
“That little shit! I’m guessing he thought he was being so sneaky when he was questioning me about your wedding to Salvatore. Guess that’s no longer happening,” he says, chuckling.
“How far along are you? Tell me everything and—” she goes to continue, but then stops on a gasp, pulling my left hand up to her face to look at the giant rock that’s on my finger. “Oh my God! Did you two get married?!”
“I’ll be seven months next week. And um… Yes. We got married last week,” I tell her, uncertainty filling my voice.
“That little shit got married without us! And he didn’t even mention it either. I’ll be having words with him later,” she grumbles to her husband.
“I’m so sorry. Um, it was unexpected and a long story,” I murmur apologetically.
