In the movies when someone was tailing you, you had a hint. A strange man wearing a baseball cap standing in one place too long. A woman on a park bench reading a month old news paper. A creepy kid coming up to you and saying something equally creepy like "They are watching you," And then just walking away. Little things that were off, strange enough to garner a person's attention and let them know they needed to run.
In reality Gianna'd had none of that. She had gone grocery shopping. Dodging the locals left right and center while doing her best to satisfy her cravings without going overboard. That would have been a waste, especially since she was having trouble keeping anything down for too long. Then she had headed back to her little motel, unlocked the door, stepped inside, and very nearly had a heart attack.
Nico Bianchi sat on her bed, his back propped against the old head board, staring right at her like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to be there. Like she had waved him goodbye before going out, like the month and a half they had not seen each other in did not exist.
"Good morning, Gianna, have you been well," He asked, his voice deceptively polite.
She wanted to scream, wanted to run, option two seemed the most beneficial so she went with it. Gianna ran, but not in the direction that either of them were expecting. Instead of running outside, Gianna ran deeper into the room, a hand over her mouth. A sudden bout of nausea dictating that she run in the direction of the bathroom.
Bent over the toilet, what felt like everything she had ever eaten coming back up, Gianna trembled. Moaning miserably as yet another bout of nausea wrecked her. This time she did not throw up a single thing, just dry heaving into the bowl, the usual routine.
What was not part of the routine was the hand on her back. Rubbing soothing circles over and over until she relaxed.
She raised her head and there was a glass of water in her line of sight. Grabbing it she rinsed her mouth and spit. As soon as she was done, the glass was taken and he was helping her stand.
'I am fine, I can do it on my own' She wanted to say, but it felt so nice to be helped. Gianna had been so strong for so long, letting someone else take the reigns felt like lifting an entire boulder off her shoulders. He led her to the bed, propping her against the wooden headboard, a pillow between her and the hard surface.
How did you find me?
Get out!
I never want to see you again!
These were all things Gianna had been lying to herself about. Promising herself that if she ever saw Nico that would be what she would tell him. But now he was standing in beside her lumpy bed, a worried look, rather than the angry one she had always imagined adorning his face.
The lack of anger killed whatever sparks of rage Gianna had hoped to draw from. Her shoulders hunched, her hands settled protectively over her stomach. Gianna did something she rarely ever did…she begged.
"Please, do not take my baby. I am begging you. I will not try to run away again, just let me be there to watch them grow," Her voice broke at the final word, her eyes stinging, her breath rattling in her chest as she bit back a sob. The tears falling despite her best efforts to stop them.
Wiping them would have meant letting go of her tiny bump, so she let them fall, choosing instead to shield her baby. Whether it was from the man before her or from what was to come, she did not know. Nico reached out, his elbow bent, his palm coming for her face, intent on wiping her tears and Gianna flinched.
His hand hung between them, an awkwardness they had never had before, not even when he was giving her the silent treatment, pressing down on them. In the end he dropped his hand and sat at the foot of the bed. Looking as uncomfortable as Gianna felt, adjusting and readjusting the sleeves of his jacket, not looking her in the eye.
"The last few weeks that you have been gone have given me time to think, to reconsider," He began, this time picking imaginary lint off his trousers. Gianna registered the words, but she was too busy taking him in to pay close attention to what he was saying. He was paler than she was used to, his eyes a bit sunken, with dark bags beneath them. The kind that came from sleepless nights tossing and turning. She should know, she saw them in the mirror every morning.
Oh, the realization had her tuning in on something she had not considered. Nico had been worried, if not for her, then at least for the baby. Worried enough to lose sleep, and though it was not obvious at first glance, weight too. She had seen him in the suit he was wearing back then, and his biceps had filled it out nicely. Now it was a bit loose on his frame. A clear sign of weight loss. After reading the custody agreement she had been convinced that to him the baby was just another commodity. That he did not really care, that the loving looks she had caught him giving when he thought she was unaware were just a ploy. But it seemed she had been wrong on that front, his feelings, even though he had never voiced them, had been genuine while they had lasted. Gianna was pretty sure he had no good feelings towards her anymore, just for their baby.
"…I was acting on old hurts when I had that document drawn up. I should have never made you pay for the actions of another woman," Another woman who was she? Gianna wanted so badly to know, but Nico was staring intently at something next to her ear, still not looking her in the eye. If she spoke now he would clam up, so she kept quiet.
"I have thought long and hard about what I had planned to do. And I have come to the conclusion that it would have been cruel of me," He reached to take her hand, but again he stopped, the barrier of awkwardness between them still intact.
"Not only would you have suffered, but the baby would have as well. No child should be taken from a parent who loves them. You need not worry anymore Gianna Alonso, I will not take your baby from you," It was embarrassing how easy it was for her to believe him, even after everything. But still, she could not just easily give in because of his earnest green eyes and solemn words. She needed something a bit more meaningful from him.
"Swear it to me, swear that you will not take my child from me, or force me to give him or her up…ever," Her tears had long dried, but as she held out her hand, they came back again.
"On my honour as the don of the Bianchi family, I Nico Bianchi, swear to you Gianna Alonso, I will not take your child from you, nor will I ever pressure you into giving them up," He took the outstretched hand in his, and reached for the other, bringing them together.
His thumbs ran over the backs of her knuckles, slow and soothing and Gianna decided to extend her own olive branch.
"And I swear to never keep big secrets from you again. I should have never lied to you about something so big,"
"It gnawed at me every time I looked at you, but I still kept quiet and that was wrong of me," He looked shell-shocked, like he had not expected her to come with an apology of her own. The disbelieving look bolstered her confidence, his disbelief meant he would know that she was being honest.
"I am sorry I lied, I know I hurt you, I will not do it again," Her role in their fallout was not something she had liked to dwell on. But she had seen something in him dim when she had told him she had lied from the beginning. She could not let the opportunity to let him know she regretted deceiving pass without taking it. And seeing his reaction to her apology, Gianna was convinced she had done the right thing.
He looked like he was going to say something, but words failed him. In the end he pressed his lips to the backs of her hands. Kissing her knuckles over and over again.
When he stopped, the silence stretched between them, but it was no longer as cloying as it had been before. It was Nico who broke it, bringing them back to reality.
"Will you return with me? To tell you the truth, I came here to bring you back. But if you are uncomfortable, I will not force you. I just want the same thing you want, to be a part of my child's life," It was freeing, knowing that he was giving her a choice. That he had gone back on his intent to just grab her and drag her to where he wanted her to be. It was that, knowing she had a choice that made Gianna's decision for her.
"I will come with you," She told him, and then pretended like she did not hear the relieved sigh he let loose at her words. Gently pulling her hands from his hold, Gianna turned her attention to the little motel that had been her home since she had been on the run.
There was not much to pack, and all she really had in terms of food was a bottle of ginger ale, and a slice of ginger cake. Nico's mouth was set in an unhappy line as he watched her take the food and she cut in before he could speak up.
"It was not because I ran out of money. This is all I could keep down," She told him and rather than ease his frown, it deepened.
He packed up the few clothes she had acquired, checked her out of the motel, and then they were off. Lorenzo who had been waiting outside, driving them. Gianna'd heard a quiet conversation between them, something about having someone come to pick up the other car. But by then her energy was waning, and she was barely listening. Deciding it could not be important she got comfortable in the back seat, and decided to close her eyes for a bit.
Seconds later, Nico came in, but she did not open her eyes and he did not speak. His warm scent slowly reached her and Gianna took a deep breath, feeling herself relax.
Ha! There might have been some truth to the article about the effect of fathers on a pregnant woman. She did not hold on to the thought for long. All of her energy going to fighting the pull of sleep. In that moment, there was nothing she wanted more than to rest, but there were still things she wanted to talk through with him.