Chapter 89
The two lovers spent the entire dinner facing each other like two fools. They managed to eat with only one hand, because they could not uncouple the other.
As they leave the restaurant, Alec decides to stop by an ice cream shop and take Allegra’s favorite candy. Halfway there, he receives a message from Howard, informing him that he needs to talk to him urgently.
"Does it bother you if we see each other tomorrow?" Alec asks, dropping his cell phone. “I think he has some business problem. Many missed calls from Howard and a message wanting to talk urgently.”
"All right. I think telling Allegra the news alone will be better for her head. Especially with chocolate ice cream.”
Alec stops by Evangeline’s condo and they say goodbye there. After a kiss full of vows of love, Evie abandons the car and walks towards her best friend’s house.
"Hi, Felps." she greets the woman, who was sitting on her balcony. When looking at her house, she is strange because everything is off. "Is Allegra asleep? At this hour?”
"She went out with her father.”
"Left with who?”
"Ah..." Felippa abandons her phone and looks at her friend. "your ex... Allegra was very happy when she saw him and still called him father. Then he told me that he would take her for a walk and that he would soon return.”
"My God!" Evangeline fetches the cell phone in his bag, calling Jonah at the same time. The call goes straight to voice mail. "Shit. Off.”
"Couldn’t he go out with her? Was I wrong?”
"That’s not it... is that..." Evangeline puts the cell phone back in the bag and faces the velvet box that kept her ring. "We ended badly and I wanted to keep him away.”
"Look... that’s the car he came in.”
Evangeline turns her neck sharply, staring at the black car that had stopped parking in front of her house. Seeing her daughter get off the bench, the redhead gets up quickly and goes to her.
"Allegra!" she hugs her daughter, who does not understand why her mother is nervous. "I did not tell you to stay home with Aunt Felippa?”
"Yes, but Dad...”
"What are you doing here, Jonah?" Evangeline interrupts her daughter, watching Jonah approach them. "I don’t remember giving you my address.”
"I know, I know, but I needed to see you and Allegra.”
"Why did you need to see Allegra? You have no right to take her without my permission.”
"I just wanted to take her out for a few hours, Evangeline." he rolls his eyes and leans against the car. "We always go out on Fridays. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
"There’s everything wrong with that. You don’t have the right to decide what’s best for Allegra without consulting me. You know that.”
"I know, but I thought it would be fun for her." Jonah looks at Allegra, who was still hugging her mother. "Wasn’t it, dear?”
"No matter what your intention, Jonah." Evie replies, ignoring her daughter’s statement. "You have no right to act that way. I don’t trust you to be alone with Allegra, and you know it.”
"I understand how you feel, Evangeline, but I just wanted to spend time with my daughter. I miss her.”
"I understand that you miss her, but that doesn’t justify your being here without permission. You must respect my limits and my decisions as a mother!”
"I just wanted to make up and try to be a better father to Allegra.”
Evangeline wanted to send Jonah to hell with him, but she didn’t want to be rude in front of Allegra. The girl was still quite passionate in the man who raised her.
"I appreciate your intention, Jonah, but you need to understand that your behavior is not acceptable. Now, please, go away and leave us alone.”
Before she can get her daughter inside, the girl gets rid of her mother and hugs Jonah.
"I loved seeing you, Dad. Thank you.”
"No need to thank, my princess." his voice is soft. "Although me and your mother are no longer together, I will always be here for you. Everything all right?”
"Yeah, but, Dad, I wanted to tell you something.”
"What is it, dear?”
"I love you, but I don’t like it when you do something wrong. Mom gets very upset.”
"I understand, Allegra." he looks quickly in the direction of Evangeline, who looks away. "I should not have done that. I promise I’ll talk to your mother and ask permission before I see you again.”
"Okay, Dad. I know you try to do what’s best, but sometimes you need to think about other people too.”
"You’re right, daughter. I’ll try to be more careful in the future.”
"Bye, dad." Allegra hugs him again and kisses him on the cheek. "Until next time.”
"Bye, daughter. I love you.”
Allegra waves at Jonah and runs into the house, being followed by Evangeline, who miserably mutters a goodbye to Jonah.
Evie goes directly to the kitchen, where she keeps the ice cream almost melted in the freezer. She sits in a chair and removes the velvet box from her purse, staring at her and thinking about what Jonah had just done.
"Mom?" Allegra calls, sneaking through the walls. "Are you mad at me?”
"No, daughter. I just got worried. I don’t like not knowing where you are.”
"Sorry." She occupies a chair next to her mother. "You were taking time and when Dad came calling me to have an ice cream, I wanted to go. I haven’t seen him in the last month... missed him.”
"Look, let me tell you something." Evangeline opens the box and turns to Allegra. "Alec proposed and I accepted. In the future we’ll get married and change. You won’t be able to see Jonah. You know your father is Alec. You went after him yourself.”
The girl is a few seconds looking at the box and then takes the ring.
"Why aren’t you using it?”
"I wanted to tell you first.”
"Ah..." Allegra takes her mother’s hand and puts the ring where it has been before. "So beautiful... I know Alec is my father, but I will never stop loving Daddy Jonah.”
"I know, love... anyway... let it go. Tomorrow is Saturday and we are in a new city. How about spending the whole day together?”
"Where?”
"You decide! Okay?”
Little Castello’s blue eyes shone and she smiled.
"Yes!”