I remain silent, what is there to say?
“All this time, she knew….”
“In Bianca’s defense, it wouldn’t have been an easy thing to own up to.” I shrug. “I can see why she wouldn’t want it out there.”
“How can you defend her?” She frowns.
“You know….” I roll my lips as I try to articulate my thoughts properly. “I’ve thought about this and how things were run back then. It would have been scandalous for one of our father’s—”
“Your father.” She cuts me off.
My heart sinks, and so it begins. “It would be scandalous for one of his men to even date his wife, let alone get her pregnant. Can you imagine the drama it would have caused within the ranks of Ferrara? There would have been an uprising.”
Her eyes hold mine as she listens.
“Having a mistress back then was normal…hell, it still is in some parts. But your wife, is your wife. She is off limits to any other man, regardless of who you are fucking on the side. My father was protecting not only Bianca, but Lorenzo too. He wanted your mother happy and looked after, he cared for them both and I have no doubt that he knew that one day the truth would come out, but at the time, the three of them did the best that they could. You can’t begrudge them for that.”
Francesca’s eyes well with tears.
“Hey.” I pull her in close and hug her. “He loved you, you are always going to be his daughter,” I whisper into her hair.
“But what does this mean?” she murmurs sadly. “How do we…even?”
“Just don’t worry about it for the time being. We know, that’s all that matters at this point.” I kiss her softly. “We can be together and that’s all that fucking matters. Take your time to get your head around this, there’s no rush to make any huge announcement or anything.” I put my finger under her chin and bring her face up to mine. “When you feel ready, talk to your mother.” I wipe her tears with my thumbs.
“I love you,” she whispers.
I smile against her. “And I love you.”
“You’re too thoughtful to be a bad guy.”
I chuckle as I hold her. “I’m a prick.”
“When?” She smiles up at me.
“In a minute when I drag you to bed and make up for ten years of missed sex.”
She smirks and pushes the hair back from my forehead. “Jules…it’s not a good time of the month for me.”
What?
My face falls. “Don’t even….”
She smirks up at me. “Uh-huh.”
“Seriously?” My shoulders slump in defeat.
“Yep.”
“Well…how long does that take?”
“A week.”
My eyes widen in horror. “A week?” I gasp.
“Uh-huh.” She walks into the kitchen.
This is uncharted territory, everything between the two of us has always been so sexual. We’ve never just hung out. Like ever.
And on a night like tonight…fuck’s sake.
“Well, what are we going to do all night?” I gasp.
“You’re going to lie on my couch and google how to be a normal boyfriend and I’m going to cook us dinner.”
I stare at her, horrified.
“And then, if you’re a good boy, you can rub my feet.”
“Or you could rub my dick?” I offer.
“No,” she replies sharply, “That’s not happening, you’re waiting for me.”
“Seven days?”
“Uh-huh.”
I flop into the couch in disgust and she begins to fuss around in the kitchen.
I don’t know what I was expecting but it sure wasn’t this. Not the hot and heavy makeup sex I was hoping for, that’s for sure. I watch her as she fusses around in the kitchen for a long time and after a while, I smile to myself.
Maybe this is even better than hot and heavy.
The truth is, this is what I always craved with her. Normalcy, an ordinary life with the girl of my dreams.
I know it will take me a while to get used to, but I’m up to the challenge.
Maybe I will google how to be a normal boyfriend.
Domestic bliss.
An hour later we are just finishing our dinner, Francesca has been quiet and there’s one more issue I have to bring up. I know she’s got a lot going through her head but there’s no way around it.
“Babe,” I say softly as I take her hand over the table. “I need you to move back to Milan and in with me.”
She frowns.
“I can’t…I can’t do this long-distance thing. I’ve been loving you from a distance for ten years and it’s been like living in fucking hell. I know that means leaving a job that you love and I know that’s a big ask. But I can’t….” I hesitate. “I can’t move, it’s not even an option. If I could I would.”
She stares at me for a moment. “Okay.”
I frown, surely it isn’t going to be that easy.
“When do we leave?”
I smile over at my beautiful girl. “I have to be back tomorrow. We can come back in a week or two and pack up your things, but right now I have things going on that I have to get back for and I can’t…I can’t leave you here again. Don’t ask me to.”