Chapter 107
A R I A N A
I stood outside the big mansion that I considered home a day ago with my heart pounding as though it was popping out of it’s ribcage. I knew Dante would be at work and the kids would be at school, so at least I had the house to myself for the mean time.
I walked inside, the silence was heavy, heading straight upstairs to my bedroom.
I started pulling some of my clothes from the closet. I was just going to take a few things and go back to Angelo’s guest house and figure things out from there. I didn’t know how to do any of this.
Tears started falling again. I was so tired of crying. I sank down onto the floor, my back against the bed, and sobbed into my hands.
God!
I’ve never been so confused in my life.
“Ariana p>
I jumped hearing Claire. She stood by the doorway with her face full of concern.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
I quickly wiped my tears, trying to pull myself together. “Yes claire I’m fine. Thank you. You can… you can excuse me p>
She nodded and turned to leave.
“Claire wait,” I said suddenly the words came out before I could stop them.
She turned back. “Yes ma’am p>
I took a shaky breath. “Can I… can I ask you a question p>
“Of course p>
I looked down at my hands. “Have you ever been in love p>
Claire was quiet for a moment before she came and sat on the floor next to me.
“Yes,” she said. “I have p>
“Did it… did it work out? Do happy endings actually exist? Or is it all just a lie p>
Claire sighed. “Love is… complicated. It’s not a fairy tale. It’s messy and people make mistakes… They hurt each other. My husband before he passed… we had many hard times, we said terrible things to each other sometimes p>
“But you stayed?” I asked.
“We stayed,” she said. “Because the love was bigger than the mistakes we chose to forgive and work on it. A happy ending isn’t something that just happens Ariana. You have to fight for it every single day p>
I thought about that, fighting for it… Was there anything left to fight for?
“Did you ever… doubt him?” I whispered. “Think he might have… been with someone else p>
Claire looked at me with kind, knowing eyes. “I think,” she said gently, “that when trust is broken it is the hardest thing to rebuild but if the love is real and the person is truly sorry… sometimes it is worth the fight p>
I was about to ask her another question when a deep tired voice came from the doorway.
“Ariana p>
My head snapped up. Dante stood there looking terrible with his clothes wrinkled like he slept in them… His eyes were red as though he hadn’t slept at all.
Claire quickly stood up. “I’ll excuse you sir.” She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and left, closing the door behind her.
I stood up too, turning away from him. “I don’t want to see you right now Dante, please, I just came to get my things p>
“Please,” he said.his voice rough and desperate. “Please just look at me just for one minute baby… Please p>
I didn’t turn around.
“I love you,” he said the words bursting out of him. “I love you too much to ever cheat on you… And the woman you saw… her name is Melissa. She is just a college friend p>
I didn’t say anything. I continued doing what I was doing.
” it is not what you think!” he continued quickly. “I swear to you on our children’s lives it is not.” She came to my office yesterday because she is going through a very rough time with her divorce… She needed help and she came to me… The hug, It was a hug of comfort Ariana. Nothing more. I have not touched her or any other woman since the moment you walked back into my life. You are the only woman I see and the only woman I want p>
He came closer. I could feel him behind me.
“My heart my soul everything I am… it belongs to you,” he said his voice low and desperate. “The thought of you thinking I could betray you… it is killing me. I’m sorry you found us in that position. I have hurt you and the last person in the world I ever want to hurt is you. I love you way too much p>
His words washed over me sounding so sincere, a hard knot in my chest.
But I also felt… doubt. What if I was wrong? What if I had let my past with Angelo poison my mind?
I slowly turned around to face him. His dark eyes were full of pain and love.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, fresh tears in my eyes. “I… I saw you holding her and I just… I lost it all. I could see was Angelo and I thought… I thought it was happening all over again p>
He reached out and gently wiped a tear from my cheek. “It is not happening again. I am not him, I could never be him. You are my life, Ariana. There is no me without you p>
I looked into his eyes and I saw nothing but the truth. I felt the knot in my chest begin to loosen just a little.
I can’t believe i ever doubted Dante. I felt so guilty, Dante was different her could never be Angelo.
“I’m sorry” I broke into sobs, falling into his warmth… “I’m sorry for not trusting you” I cried.
He ran his hands behind my back, “It’s okay princess… I forgive you”