On the journey to Gio's parents' house, I remained quiet, trying to avoid looking in Gio's direction because I wasn't ready to face him just yet. The recent events had left me in shock, and I didn't know how to confront my husband.
Though my hands were still cold, I felt calmer now, knowing that Gio wouldn't involve Mariana with the men he'd taken down earlier.
I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering the blood that had been splattered from the men Gio had shot. It struck me that I had considered that blood to be mine. I had no idea where that thought had come from.
We arrived at Gio's parents' imposing house. Someone opened the door, so I stepped out. I couldn't meet the eyes of Gio's staff. I had a sinking feeling that they knew what had happened earlier, and I felt embarrassed because I knew it was my fault. With my careless actions, innocent people could have been harmed.
As Gio always did, he waited for me to join him, and together we walked into the house. We were warmly greeted at the entrance. I immediately saw Gio's mother. Her beauty was unrivaled. Despite her age and having two children, you wouldn't think she was aging. Her skin was radiant and smooth, and there were no wrinkles or signs of aging on her face. Mrs. Cosima Locatelli had long, wavy hair that followed her every movement. Like me, she had pouty lips. However, there were times when she seemed to struggle with her balance, and that immediately caught my attention.
Our alarm grew as she nearly lost her balance. Gio rushed to her side to support her, and his father, Mr. Agatone Locatelli, furrowed his brow slightly. I shivered as I saw Gio in action.
"I'm fine. I just can't wait to see my son with his wife," Mrs. Cosima Locatelli said, hugging Gio while I watched them. She noticed my gaze and separated from Gio, coming over to me, with Gio's assistance.
"Are you okay?" She asked, approaching me.
I tried to smile, despite my nervousness at seeing them again. We had rarely interacted, and I had always been quiet in their presence. Now, I wasn't sure how to act.
"Hi, Millie," Mrs. Cosima Locatelli embraced me. "How are you, dear?"
"I-I'm fine, Aunty," I stuttered.
She stepped back, her eyes widening. "Aunty? Call me mommy or mama! Whatever suits you."
I nodded, and she hugged me once more. My heart warmed with this unexpected embrace, so I returned it. It was a hug from a mother.
I can't remember how a mother's embrace feels anymore. My mother was taken from me at a young age, and I have very few memories of her. All I know is that my father said it was an illness that took her life.
Aun-Mommy released me from her hug. I smiled at her, feeling relieved by her gesture.
We faced two men who were observing us with emotionless expressions. Like father, like son.
"Dad," I greeted Unc-Daddy. I needed to get used to this.
"Millie," he greeted me in return. He was extremely reserved, and my knees trembled.
"Let's eat! We prepared a lot of food; I hope you'll like it, Millie," Mom invited me to the dining hall. My eyes couldn't help but notice the opulent furniture around me. Their house was beyond exquisite, and there was nothing to criticize here.
"Gianna?"
If I'm not mistaken, Gianna is Gio's twin sister. She didn't make it to our wedding, so I haven't met her yet. I wondered what kind of person Gianna was. Was she similar to her brother and father, or more like her mother?
"She's out of the country. Didn't she say goodbye to you?" Mom asked, glancing at her child.
Dad sat at the head of the table, while Gio sat opposite his mother. I took a seat next to Gio.
"She never mentioned leaving the country." Gio mumbled.
They discussed Gio's sister for a while before shifting the conversation to our married life.
"How's your marriage life? Is your relationship going well, Millie?"
I raised an eyebrow at Mommy's question. I felt like avoiding answering it.
"It's going okay, Mom," I replied, except for when Gio let me into the meeting room, which led to an unfortunate incident.
"That's good. It's great that you two get along well."
I wasn't so sure about that. Right now, I'm still trying to figure out Gio's character, and he's incredibly difficult to read. I don't know if he's pleased with what I'm doing or not. He has never shown any signs of being happy. Normally, you'd think he's annoyed by his expression.
He's terrifying. I'm even more frightened of him after what happened earlier.
I don't want to revisit the events of earlier. It just adds to my list of fears. I hate the sight of blood. I only remember it when I see my own blood.
Mom often engages in conversation with me. Dad, on the other hand, mostly listens and silently observes us. If Gio's father does speak, he directs his words to Gio, usually about their work or organization.
As the meal came to an end, I decided to wander around the house. Gio and his dad were still engrossed in conversation.
I noticed a picture frame with a younger Gio in it. Somehow, he was smiling in that photo. His smile, though reserved, was evident. Meanwhile, his sister displayed no emotion, as I had observed earlier. This answered the question I had in my mind a while ago.
Apart from Mom and Dad, there were two other people here whom I didn't know.
"Those were his grandparents," Mom said, catching my attention when she spoke. She smiled warmly at me. "This is my mother, and this is Aga's dad. Gio is very close to them, and he loves his grandparents dearly."
I smiled back at Mom's words. It was quite evident because someone like Gio would smile in a picture with his grandparents.
I wanted to ask where they were during our wedding since they didn't attend. However, something caught my attention in what Mom had said earlier.
"Would you believe me if I told you they used to be a couple?"
My eyes widened in surprise at Mom's revelation.
"It's true. They were a couple in their youth. The problem was, they didn't end up together. Aga and I ended up together. Small world, right?"
I was captivated by the story as I stared at the photo once more.
"Sometimes, things don't work out the way we want them to. Often, we get upset when things don't go as planned in our lives. What we don't realize is that it's for the best. It didn't happen for us because it was meant for someone else, and sometimes, even better things await us."