59

"You are lucky to have me."

We got to a open food restaurant not long after. I was in a booth with Vincenzo who for some reason kept glancing at his phone. I was talking about something I had realised the other day until I noticed that he wasn't really paying attention.

"Vincenzo, what's going on?" I asked in a fed up tone causing him to snap out of his trance. "You seem distant, is everything alright?"

He shook his head, taking my hand and squeezing it gently. "Everything's okay, don't worry. I'm just expecting a phone call."

"From who?" I asked, curiously. I was being nosey but did it matter? We were back into a relationship and honesty was needed.

"No one you would know. Don't worry about it," Vincenzo told me, "it's no one important." I nodded, sighing as he excused himself to go to the bathroom, kissing my cheek before he left.

My eyes were scanning the room and I noticed a particular young blonde haired woman with her eyes following Vincenzo as he went into the bathroom.

My face creased a little as she watched him go in, her body seeming to tense up a little as he passed, oblivious to who was watching him. She was short and had her hair on her shoulders. Her eyes were bright hazel - blue and she had small pink lips. The woman looked tired and quite young. She was thin and wearing some washed out blue jeans and a plain grey shirt with some trainers.

Why did she look so familiar? I couldn't help but stare at her longer as she pulled a strand of hair away from her face, sighing as she watched the men's door.

I sipped some of my tea and not long after, Vincenzo came out the bathroom, rubbing his hands together and the woman tensed up, keeping her head down as he passed her, coming to me.

"God, some men piss like crazy!" Vincenzo bursted out as soon as he sat, causing me to snap my head to him as I chuckled. "One man fućking got his dick and started spraying it around like a hose," Vincenzo told me, shuddering a little before sipping his coffee as I shook my head. "Should you even be watching?"

"Hard not to."

From the corner of my eye, I could see the woman watching us curiously, her face creased slightly as she licked her lips.

"Seems you've got a secret admirer," I told Vincenzo, causing him to give me a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"That woman, three o'clock to your right, hasn't stopped eying you since you came in." He didn't even bother looking over but fixed his eyes on me. "Well," Vincenzo said, leaning over the table and kissing me. "I've only got eyes for you."

I sipped my tea as he winked at me playfully causing me to smile. "You done?" Vincenzo asked, standing up without me even saying I was done. I nodded, taking his hand and standing, about to move to go when Vincenzo suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, his face dropped.

"Vince?" I asked him, concerned, "what's. ." My eyes drifted to the woman who was standing also, looking nervous as her eyes locked with Vincenzo's. Tears sprang into her eyes before she ran out the restaurant.

Vincenzo let go of my hand, running after her causing me to run after him. "Vince, where are you going?" I called after him as we ran though the shopping mall and out, into the car park.

He grabbed the woman by her arm, pulling her back before letting go of her, breathing heavily and gazing at her. I managed to catch up with him, panting and standing beside him as I watched him shake his head while tears spilled out of the woman's eyes.

"I'm sorry!" She bursted out, her voice angelic.

I was confused. Who was this woman? I didn't want to interfere as I didn't know what was going on.

Vincenzo shook his head again, tears in his eyes which made me even more curious. He unexpectedly choked on a sob as tears ran down his cheeks. He grabbed her, pulling the unknown blonde woman into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry!" Her voice was muffled by Vincenzo's shirt. He held onto her tighter, "no, I'm sorry." Vincenzo's voice was so sad and tearful, I had never seen him look so upset ever.

"God, Lil, where have you been?" Vincenzo asked, pulling away from her as my eyes widened.

Lil - Liliana, Vincenzo's sister.

His sister. His runaway sister.

It all made sense in that moment and I felt ridiculous for mistaking her. Her eyes were so similar to Vincenzo's. She was blonde whereas Vincenzo wasn't but she had similar facial parts to him. I could see Dante in her.

I kept quiet as she replied by shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "Its a long story, Vincenzo," she sighed, smiling softly at her older brother. "I've missed you so much." Vincenzo wiped his eyes, standing upright. "I've missed you too, sis. .so, so much."

"I'll explain everything to you," Liliana told him, sniffing a little. "I know this is out of the blue and everything-"

"I'm just glad - no grateful that you're alive," Vincenzo told her, hugging her again as she started crying once more. Her eyes opened and she noticed me, her eyes widening. She pulled away, wiping her eyes again.

"I'm so sorry," she told me but I shook my head, smiling. "It's okay. You've done nothing wrong." I glanced at Vincenzo and he took my hand, squeezing it before looking at his sister. "This is Mia, my girl," I blushed as she smiled at me, shaking my hand. "Mia, this is Liliana, my long lost sister,"

"It's nice to meet you," I kindly told her, ignoring her hand and pulling her into a warm hug. "You too," Liliana said, smiling, "I'm glad my brother's dating such a beautiful woman." I smiled, thanking her and telling her, "I've heard great things about you."