"You're not serious!" I looked down at them.
"Oh but we are," they smirked.
"I can't allow you to do this!" I shook my head at them.
"But we want to," they whined.
"They've never done this for any of their nannies," the guy, whose name I found out is Luigi, told me.
"She's not our nanny," Camilla scowled at him.
"Who is she then?" Luigi asked in confusion.
"She's Rita," the four girls replied.
"I already know that smarty's! I want to know why you're tagging along with her. Does your dad even know about this?" Luigi narrowed his eyes at them.
"She's standing right here," I mumbled, only to be ignored.
"It doesn't matter why we're with her. We like her and she's better than any nanny we've ever had. Daddy doesn't care, as long as we're taken care of," Caprice replied.
"And you're just in on this?" Luigi turned to me.
"Hey, I'm not the bad guy here," I defended.
"No, you just kidnap little girls from hotels," he challenged.
"You're here aren't you? Would I really have kidnapped them and still stayed in your presence? Please don't insult my intelligence," I scoffed. He looked surprised.
"Ok, point taken, but I still don't know about this," he said unsurely.
"Look Luigi, I myself don't know what this is, but I do know for a fact that the four of them are safer with me than at the hotel. You are aware that Ivanka left?" I asked him.
"She left? When was this? She was just hired like three days ago!" he said incredulously. When the girls giggled, he very quickly caught on.
"Come on guys! She's like what? Nanny number forty?" he asked.
"Forty three!" the five of us corrected.
"You're aware of this?" he asked me amusedly.
"I was there when she quit," I laughed.
"And then you took it upon yourself to be their guardian?" he chuckled.
"I guess so," I nodded.
"And you are aware of their schemes and evil little hearts?" he raised an eyebrow. The girls mock gasped.
"Oh please!" he rolled his eyes at them.
"We're not evil Lui!" Calinda pouted.
"I'm going to have to agree. They may be mischievous, but I don't think evil is the word to use when it comes to them. They just need some TLC to set them straight," I smiled.
"You are officially the first woman to not see them as the spawns of the devil!" Luigi said in amazement. Even the girls looked shocked by my statement.
"It's true though," I shrugged.
"We definitely like you! Now go and try on the clothes!" Caterina said before I was pushed towards the changing rooms.
I'd learnt that Luigi was twenty seven and had been their driver since Harry left, and that he's one of the few people the girls actually don't hassle and enjoy the company of. Apparently he's the cool older brother they never had.
I also learnt that he carries one of Mr Maestri's black cards, which belongs to the girls' bank account. I choked on my own spit when he told me how much goes into the account every week, and that the girls basically have leeway to buy whatever they want and their father doesn't even question it.
I stood in the dressing room, trying on the white Dolce and Gabbana dress that they'd given me. I had already shown them what the other outfits looked like and they loved them. This dress was my favourite though. It was white with multicoloured flowers. It fit me like a second skin and I'll admit that I looked gorgeous. It's the kind of dress I'd dreamt of buying when I was a little girl, but would never afford it.
I stepped out of the dressing room and the ten eyes that snapped up to look at me, all widened. I was beginning to feel a little self conscious when no-one was saying anything, until I recognized a common emotion in the girls' eyes. They looked at me with admiration and something else.
Something that made my heart skip a beat as their golden orbs began to shimmer with tears.
"That dress was made for you Rita. You look gorgeous in it," Luigi was the first to speak.
"Really?" I asked unsurely.
"Yes, really," the girls responded.
"Try it with the nude heels," Luigi suggested. The girls and I raised our eyebrows at him.
"What?" he asked confusedly.
"Nude?" Camilla giggled.
"Isn't that what they're called?" he scowled.
"We're wondering why you know that Lui," Calinda informed him as we laughed. He blushed crimson.
"My sister's a designer," he mumbled.
"Well, you pay excellent attention," I praised him as I put on the shoes.
"You look really beautiful!" Calinda smiled at me.
"Thank you my angel," I blushed.
"You're not allowed to change!" Caprice and Caterina suddenly said.
"What? No! I can't walk out of the store like this," I shook my head.
"Why not? We'll pay for the dress, the shoes and these other clothes. We love you like this!" Camilla argued.
"I can't let you spend your father's money on me like this!" I admonished.
"You're really not going to win," Luigi chuckled before Caprice, Camilla and Caterina ran off to the cashier with the other clothes that I'd tried on.
"Stop them!" I turned to Luigi.
"I quite like their idea. I don't know your story Rita, but I know that you're pretty special. You're the first ever woman that the girls haven't tried to ruin. They actually like you," Luigi smiled.
"We do," Calinda added with a nod.
"But buying me expensive clothes is a bit overboard don't you think? You guys don't even know me," I pointed out.
"True! We'll get to know you AFTER we pay for your clothes," Luigi winked before going to pay when the three girls called him over.
"We really do like you Rita. You remind us of the mummy we never had," Calinda said softly before joining her sisters and Luigi.
I stood there dumbfounded. Calinda had said the one thing that was itching at the back of my head. I had an inkling that the girls had perhaps attached themselves to me on a maternal level than a nanny level, and the thought honestly freaked me out.
I couldn't be their mother.
Despite the fact that I had already attached myself to them, there were just too many factors that prevented this 'dream' from coming true. Firstly, I don't know their father, neither do I see a future relationship with him. Secondly, I would be looked down upon. I'm only twenty three, and of course there are people out there who would be disgusted that I would've had to have been pregnant with the girls at age fifteen, without knowing the true identity of their mother. Thirdly, the whole idea was just too farfetched for me to even consider.
"You look funny when you're lost in thought," Luigi interrupted me.
"Huh?" was my clever response, making him laugh.
"The girls have paid for your stuff, so you can just take that tag off and we can move on," he smiled.
"I can't believe how this day is turning out," I mumbled as I pulled the price tag off.
"You're a strange woman Rita. Most women in your shoes would die to spend someone else's money on clothes and shoes," he cocked his head to the side.
"I'm not most women, not that I don't actually enjoy such things. I just don't think I should get those things if I didn't even work for them," I argued.
"Technically, you are working for them right now," he pointed out.
"What do you mean?" I furrowed my brows.
"I mean that you're taking care of the girls right now. If Mr Maestri found out, he'd pay you a shitload of money anyway," he shrugged.
"Language!" I scolded.
"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly before the girls bounced our way with the bags in their hands.
"We can go put these in the car and then go out for lunch," Caprice said excitedly.
I looked down at them since they had changed as well. We'd gone into a Gucci store and the four of them had fallen in love with this one pink jacket, so they got it and asked me to style the rest of their outfit, and so I did. I was actually shocked to find out that walking out of the store in the clothes they liked was a normal occurrence for them.
I paired the jacket up with black stockings and ankle boots. They looked too adorable for words. The lady at the Gucci store gave me a funny look and told me I'm doing a great job at being their nanny and that it must suck for me to wear cheap clothes while they wear designer clothes. I was actually offended, but I guess today in just my day to get offended.
"We have to pass by that Gucci store first!" Calinda smirked.
"Why?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"We didn't miss that lady's comment. She was mean to you and you're too much of a nice person," Caprice smiled.
Are these kids really seven years old?
"So we're just going to randomly pass by the store?" I asked in disbelief.
"No, we're going to get you that red handbag that will match your outfit," Caterina smirked.
"Luigi, please tell me that I'm hallucinating and that I don't have unbelievably intelligent seven year olds telling me what to do," I turned to him.
"I know their intelligence is a bit overwhelming, but they do have the best tutors in the business. They've been learning since they were two so they're pretty advanced. You get used to it after a while," Luigi smiled comfortingly.
"So? Are you in?" Camilla asked eagerly.
"You're not doing this out of spite, are you?" I asked them.
"Maybe, but you deserve to feel good. You let too many people bring you down Rita, and we don't like it. We want you to feel like the good looking woman that you are for once," Caprice explained.
"How do you know I've never felt good looking?" I asked lowly, my insecurities catching up to me.
"It's clear in the way you carry yourself. You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever come across, but you're very reserved. Let the girls show you how good you're meant to look," Luigi encouraged.
I bit my lip as I looked at them warily. There was so much wrong with this situation, but I couldn't help but actually be tempted to give in. The idea of shoving that woman's words down her throat seemed appealing, but it's also not who I am. I was torn, but apparently the decision was made for me while I was lost in thought.
"Put me down!" I told Luigi when he'd hoisted me up bridal style.
"No can do! You take too long to decide," he chuckled as we walked out of the store with the girls following us. He put me down outside the store and I was dragged along to the Gucci store.
We must've been quite the sight honestly. The girls were looking up to me as though I was their mum, while Luigi looked like the bodyguard that he is. For the first time in my life, people around me actually looked at me with newfound interest and actual curiosity.
We made it to the Gucci store and the lady who made the comment wasn't there, but the other ladies who were around looked at me in awe and shock. Luigi had already handed me the card and I'd been instructed to be the one to pay. The lady came out from the back of the store and she passed right by me. I couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Here it is! It matches!" Caterina smiled as she handed me the bag.
"So I just go and pay for it?" I asked.
"Yep!" the girls nodded.
"Watch how nice she's suddenly going to be," Luigi chuckled. I was actually excited about this now that it was happening.
"Wait! Put this on!" Caprice said before handing me a black velvet box. Inside, there was a big diamond ring.
Ok, these girls are officially not kids!
"Where did you get this?" I asked wide-eyed.
"Don't worry! That actually belongs to my mother. We picked it up from the jewellery store and I asked Caprice to hold onto it for me. I think she's onto something," Luigi smirked. I was a little relieved that the ring belonged to his mother, but I was unnerved about having to wear it.
"I don't know guys," I bit my lip.
"Come on Rita. When she swipes the card, it's going to show daddy's name. You get to play Mrs Maestri for a few minutes!" Camilla argued.
I realized the most ridiculous and random thing at that moment- these kids have perfect teeth for their age.
"Alright fine!" I sighed before putting the ring on. It was a surprising perfect fit.
"Now we know what to use when daddy needs a measurement of your finger," Caterina smirked. My eyes widened once more from her innuendo while they laughed at the look on my face.
"You guys are mean!" I mumbled.
"You're too adorable," Calinda giggled. I just shook my head with a smile.
"Ok, go on Mrs Maestri," Luigi nudged me.
I turned and took a deep breath. The handbag was in my clutches and yet, inside, I felt as confident as ever. It was a new feeling; a feeling that a certain very powerful 'last name' was giving me. I approached the till and the woman looked up. She was smiling, before she did a double take and realized who I was. She paled instantly.
"Hi, my name is Melanie," she said nervously.
"Hello Melanie," I smiled sweetly, handing over the handbag and the card. She scanned the bag before swiping the card. Her eyes zoned in on my finger and I watched her gulp.
"Will that be all Mrs Maestri?" she asked.
"Yes, that will be it! Thank you," I smiled once more, taking everything from her. I turned to leave when she stopped me.
"I'm sorry about my comment earlier. I was out of line," she murmured. I was actually shocked and impressed because I could only imagine that it must've taken her some guts to do that.
"You're forgiven Melanie. Don't judge a book by its cover," I told her sincerely, even though my current image was a facade. That didn't mean that she couldn't take away something from this experience.
"I wont," she smiled.
"May I carry that for you Mrs Maestri?" Luigi came with his baritone voice. I almost rolled my eyes at how stoic he sounded.
"Yes, you may," I giggled. He took the bag from me and held it, making the girls and I giggle from how ridiculous he looked in his suit with a shopping bag from Gucci.
"Where to next mummy?" Calinda looked up at me. Her sisters looked up at me as well.
I swear I've got a weakness for their eyes.
"Didn't we say lunch?" I asked them.
"Oh yeah," they chorused.
"Your daughters are absolutely gorgeous," one of the ladies in the store walked up to me and said. I looked down at them and my heart did that weird flip at the look they were giving me right now.
They definitely want me as a mother and not a nanny.
"Thank you. They're my pride and joy," I beamed. The lady must've seen the genuineness in my statement, because she returned a knowing smile.
"To the car we go!" Camilla suddenly shouted. We all laughed but headed out anyway.
As we walked out of the mall, I realized that more and more people were looking at us. I don't think they recognized the girls as being Raphael Maestri's daughters, since as I stated, not much is known on the man, but there was an exclusivity about the looks we were getting.
If that even remotely makes sense.
We made it back to the car and Luigi strapped the girls in before opening the passenger door and letting me in. For a moment, I let myself wonder what it would be like to actually be the girl's mother. Would Raphael even accept it? If so, would I have my own driver? Would I be tied to them in any official way?
I really need to meet this man.
"So ladies, where to?" Luigi asked as he fired up the engine.
"Can we please not go to a fancy restaurant or eat healthy food?" Camilla whined.
"What do you mean?" I laughed.
"Daddy always makes the nannies take us to fancy restaurants and we're only ever allowed to eat healthy food," Caterina explained.
"And my little rebels actually followed the rules regarding that?" I feigned shock.
"Daddy's scary when it comes to healthy eating," Calinda said lowly. That didn't sit well with me.
"Well, how often do you have treats or unhealthy food?" I asked.
"Whenever we visit great grandmother, which is like twice a year!" Caprice complained.
"Let's visit her now!" Camilla jumped at the mention of their great grandmother.
"I don't know about that," I said warily.
"She lives here in Washington, so we don't get to see her much. If we don't visit her today, we wont see her until Christmas!" Calinda argued.
"We can't just rock up to your great grandmother's house girls," I sighed.
"But she said we're always welcome and she complains that daddy doesn't let us see her much," Caterina added.
"It's true. Mrs Maestri adores them," Luigi smiled.
"And how far does she live from here?" I asked. The car still hadn't moved.
"About forty five minutes from here," Luigi replied. The five of them then shot me puppy dog eyes and I couldn't resist.
"If she doesn't like me, I'm going to skin you all alive!" I glared at them.
"You're very likeable Rita. That should be the least of your worries," Luigi chuckled as the car finally moved.
"Where do you guys live actually?" I turned to the girls.
"Daddy has houses around the world, but our home is in Florence," they replied.
"Florence? As in Italy Florence?" I asked in awe.
"Yep!" they nodded. It should've hit me that they're part Italian. Their father is after all Italian. I don't know what their mum was.
"That is so cool!" I smiled. The five of them laughed at me, until the girls' moods dropped drastically.
"What's wrong?" I panicked. They are so strangely linked, it's almost scary.
Almost...
"We're going to miss you when we go back home," Camilla said, her bottom lip quivering as tears rushed to her eyes. I almost broke down when her sisters followed.
"Hey, don't think about that. Let's enjoy the time we have together now," I said sadly. I didn't want them to cry.
"I'm going to miss you too," Luigi pouted. He's like the second chance older brother I didn't ask for.
"You're a dork," I scowled at him.
"No really, I am. You're the first person I've bonded with in a very long time," he smiled.
"Aaaaw you guys! You're going to make me cry," I whined as I felt the tears stinging behind my eyes.
"Come back with us?" Calinda pleaded.
"I can't just do that hun. I need to take care of my grandmother," I told her sadly.
"Can't you bring her with?" Caterina asked.
"I don't think she can travel. Besides, I haven't even met your dad and for all we know, he might not want me anywhere near you," I told them.
"We'll disown him!" Caprice said so seriously that a laugh was inevitable from me.
"You'll disown him? And then what?" I giggled.
"And then we stay with you," Camilla smiled.
"Guys, I don't have money, and my grandmother's house is falling apart as is. She's sick and I don't even know how I'm going to pay for her medical bills. I can't take you guys on too," I told them regretfully.
I was shocked when they clearly decided to ignore me for the rest of the trip to their great grandmother's house. Even Luigi wasn't saying anything to me. After an agonizing thirty minutes of silence, we pulled up to a massive gate. Luigi buzzed and we were immediately let in. I wondered if there were security cameras that had seen who it was.
We drove up the driveway before a beautiful Victorian styled mansion was revealed to us. It was cream in colour and there was a huge water feature at the entrance of the house. The garden around us was perfectly tended to, and it looked like the kind that stayed evergreen all year long.
The girls unbuckled themselves and excitedly got out of the car. They ran up to the door and knocked on it at the same time. After a few seconds, a beautiful woman stepped out, joy plastered on her face as she embraced them. It wasn't hard to tell that she's their great grandmother. I stepped out and followed them awkwardly while Luigi walked beside me.
"Oh my! Who's this beautiful woman?" she turned to me. I couldn't help but blush.
"She's our new mummy," the girls replied confidently. I must've paled on the spot.
"Is that right? And does your father know of this?" she looked to them in amusement.
"Nope!" they shrugged before running into the house.
"Florencia Maestri," she introduced with a warm smile.
"Aretha Washington," I smiled back.
"Luigi," she narrowed her eyes in his direction.
"Hey grandma," he chuckled before hugging her.
"Grandma?" I frowned.
"Yep! Grandma Florencia is my mother's mother, which means Raphael is my cousin and the girls are my cousins," he chuckled before going inside, leaving me with Florencia.
"You must be something truly special Aretha. Please, come in," she invited. I stepped in and gasped at the beauty I was faced with.
"I'm barely anything special," I remembered to say in my daze.
"Oh, but you are. The girls have never been welcoming of females, and neither have I seen Luigi smile like that before. It's been a while since he did," she informed me.
"Really? Why?" I frowned.
"I take it the five of them just kidnapped you and haven't told you anything about themselves?" she asked, seemingly knowingly.
"Pretty much," I laughed.
"Well, they've probably gone to the games room, so I guess the two of us can have some tea and talk," she offered.
"I'd love that," I nodded.
I followed her to the kitchen, which looked like it had come straight out of a magazine. I was honestly amazed by everything as I sat and looked around while she got around to making us that tea. My attention was grabbed by the lemon slices she popped into the tea, and I smiled.
It was just like my mother used to make it.
"You love to cook and bake," she commented.
"How did you know?" I smiled.
"I know the look of love and passion of a true cook when she steps into her dream kitchen. Luckily for you, Raphael's kitchen is even more amazing than this," she smirked.
"Raphael's kitchen?" I frowned.
"You do know that you'll be in Florence by next week if the girls have any say on it," she laughed.
"I can't just up and leave my life," I shook my head.
"Tell me about yourself Aretha," she waved her hand dismissively.
Well then...
"I'm twenty three years old, I live with my cancer diagnosed grandmother, I got fired today, my family was killed in a car accident when I was younger, I've only been in one relationship and it was abusive, I don't have a lot of friends and I'm Catholic," I told her. Something about her aura made me want to tell her everything about me.
"Well, you certainly know yourself. I'm sorry about your family, your grandmother, your job and the excuse of a man who abused you. Where were you working?" she asked.
"The Maestri Hotel," I replied.
"You worked for my grandson?" she asked in surprise.
"Yep! It's where I met the girls," I told her.
"You met them today and they've already attached themselves to you so greatly? You may not want to believe me dear, but you really do have something special if you tamed those devils," she laughed. I was stunned.
"Devils? Why does everyone see them as devils?" I scowled.
"Because it's exactly what they are! They got their father's and grandfather's smarts, but their mother's conniving ways. You are truly the first person to get through to them if they're already thinking of you as their mother. I can only hope that my grandson realizes that," she said the last part to herself.
"I haven't even met your grandson," I admitted.
"That's beside the point. Those girls know which buttons to push when it comes to him, so I can guarantee you that you'll be in Florence soon enough," she smiled.
"How come you're so accepting of this? I could be a con artist for all you know," I asked curiously.
"You don't have it in you to be a con artist Aretha. You exude pure innocence from everything that you say and do," she smiled.
"I don't know whether to be flattered or offended," I smiled.
"Be flattered child. I do not wish to insult you," she laughed. Her laugh is so melodious.
"So what's the story with the girls and Luigi?" I asked.
"Well, the girls lost their mother when she gave birth to them. They've been Raphael's responsibility since. He looks after their needs, but he isn't a father to them. They call him daddy just to keep that small connection with him. He doesn't acknowledge them all that much, but he doesn't go anywhere without them either. As for Luigi, that boy is a lazy arse! He's got an Architectural Degree and just got an Information Technology Degree, but he'd rather drive his nieces around. The reason for that is something you should ask him about, and then maybe you can convince him to make something of his life," she sighed.
"Stop plotting her against me grandma," Luigi's voice wafted into the kitchen.
"I did no such thing!" she feigned innocence.
"Uh huh," he said disbelievingly as he got water out of the fridge.
"What about you?" I asked her.
"Me? Oh, I'm nothing special either. I married into the Maestri family. My husband is buried in Florence while I live here. I moved here because I needed the new start you know? Raphael and Luigi are my favourite grandsons, while those devils are my favourite great grandchildren. My other family members barely check up on me. I'm turning eighty six this year and I'm still kicking!" she beamed.
She was right!
For a woman her age, she was in incredible shape. I mean sure she looked old, but she was beautiful. She'd aged in a way most women wish to age. She'd aged in a way that she looked at least twenty years younger than she really is, which was saying a lot.
"What's your secret?" I asked curiously.
"Honestly, I don't have one. I've always eaten whatever I wanted to, I've exercised every day for the past sixty years and I've laughed as much as I could," she smiled.
"So what they say about laughter is true then?" I giggled.
"It very much is!" she nodded with a smile.
"GREAT GRANDMA! CAN WE PLEASE HAVE SOME GREASY LUNCH?" the girls shouted as they came flying down the stairs.
"Girls! Do not run in the house! You could get hurt!" I scolded them.
"Sorry," they said sheepishly.
"Amazing!" Luigi and Florencia laughed.
"Can we great grandma?" they asked her.
"If your mummy says it's ok," Florencia turned to me.
"Are there any rolls and patties?" I asked her.
"Beef and chicken," she nodded. I turned my attention back to the girls.
"How do burgers sound? But only if you promise to behave yourselves while we're making them," I warned.
"We promise!" they said, showing me their scout's honour.
"Alright! Beef or chicken?" I asked.
"Chicken," they beamed.
"Alright! Uncle Luigi will look after you guys while great grandma and I make them ok?" I smiled. I didn't expect my legs to be ambushed as they hugged me.
"Thank you mummy!" they said happily before running off. Luigi was right on their tails.
"Do you plan on having your own children one day? You're a natural," Florencia smiled as she headed to the fridge.
"I've never really thought about it before," I admitted.
"Well, you'd definitely make an excellent mother. Hopefully you'll give me another Maestri bambino," she winked.
This lady is just full of surprises! We ended up making a great lunch which we all thoroughly enjoyed. The girls weren't kidding when they said that Florencia had treats. She fed us dessert and sweets until our stomachs felt like they would burst at any moment.
When it was late, we bid her farewell and promised to visit more. She told me she has a feeling that I would be a great change in the family, but a big part of me didn't want to get my hopes up about being a part of this family to begin with.
We made it to my grandmother's house and the girls announced that they were staying over for the weekend. Luigi didn't mind at all, and I was once again astonished to know that Raphael really wouldn't know of the girl's absence. Luigi said he had it covered in any case.
The weekend was honestly one of the best weekends I've ever had. We spent Saturday indoors, baking, having makeovers and playing dress up. The girls met my grandmother and it had been a long time since I'd seen her smile and laugh as much as she did when they were around.
I realized that my grandmother and I weren't the only ones affected by their stay. The girls looked like for the first time in their lives, they were truly at peace. Spending time with them made me realize that Raphael Maestri was truly an idiot if he thought that what his little girls wanted from him was his money, and that his money would keep them entertained.
These girls wanted his attention.
They wanted his acceptance.
They craved his love.
By Saturday night, they were tired, so I made them sleep early because we needed to be up early for church. Luigi had already gone back to the hotel to get their bags. From the clothes that they had brought and bought, we were able to put together their outfit for the next day, while they chose my outfit as well. I'd asked Luigi if he was coming along, and he'd said he couldn't come but he said he would drop us off.
In the morning, we got ready in record time. My grandmother was too weak, so she was staying behind. The girls looked adorable in their pink, black and white stripped dresses with light pink stockings, black flats and their new favourite pink coats. They dressed me in a white dress that they bought for me with a black and pink trench coat and black heels so that we were matching.
I undid all the plaits I'd done on them the night before, so their hair was really curly. I put white and pink ribbons in their hair. I made sure they looked exactly identical, which wasn't very hard when it came to them. I left my hair curly and they pouted when I told them that I was a grown woman and that I would not be putting ribbons in my hair.
Luigi dropped us off at church before driving off. We were a whole hour early and the church members were mingling outside. They looked surprised to see me not only leaving such a lavish vehicle, but to see me with the girls; especially with how afraid the girls were. I squatted down to their level, despite my heels.
"Why do you guys look so afraid? Where are my fearless little girls?" I asked them.
"This is a church mummy," Calinda said with wide eyes.
"So?" I frowned.
"We've never been to a church before," Caterina stressed.
"I still don't understand why you're so afraid," I admitted.
"God knows we've been bad children. He's going to smite us," Camilla whispered in fear.
I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled in my throat, even if I wanted to. When they shot me horrified looks for even daring to laugh at them, the laugh escaped my mouth. These troublesome angels actually feared God. I was so proud of them despite their fear.
"Oh my babies. God loves you, despite everything. Do you girls want to change and be good?" I asked them. They nodded eagerly.
"Then all you have to do is pray and ask him to forgive you and he will ok?" I told them.
"Will you teach us how to pray?" Caprice whispered.
"I promise," I said before kissing their foreheads.
"Aretha?" Mrs Clarkson approached me. She's honestly one of the women who despises my mere existence. She's one of those people who believe that they're better than anyone and that God is going to let them into heaven first.
"Mrs Clarkson!" I plastered a fake smile as I stood up to face her.
"What's going on here?" she asked, looking over at the girls.
"What do you mean?" I feigned confusion.
"Who are these children, and why are they with you?" she asked bluntly as Mr and Mrs Johnson, Mrs Brown and Mrs Everson approached. The other church members were trying to be inconspicuous about their eavesdropping, but they were failing badly.
"They're my daughters and they are at church because we've come for mass," I replied with as little sarcasm as I could.
"Your daughters? What does someone like you know about raising children, let alone four growing girls? You're a little girl yourself!" Mrs Brown, who is Mrs Clarkson's best friend by the way, scoffed at me.
"Forget being a little girl herself. I wonder what poor man would even think to leave his children in her care!" Mrs Clarkson mock gasped. I was getting angry, but I remained calm.
"I know that I love them, I feed them, I clothe them, I comfort them, I teach them and I protect them!" I defended. Mrs Clarkson looked the girls up and down.
"As if your tiny self could protect them. Don't get me started on you teaching them anything. You barely have any morals yourself," Mrs Brown rolled her eyes.
The nerve!
"Clothe them huh? Child, what decency you have to come to the house of the Lord and tell lies like this!" Mrs Clarkson shook her head in disapproval.
"I am not lying!" I frowned.
"You work at a hotel, correct? You pay for your grandmother's medication and her house is already falling apart. You want to stand here and tell us that you clothed these children in Gucci clothing?" she challenged.
This lady must truly be dense!
"Hello little ones. Don't be afraid to tell us the truth ok? You need to understand that when people are in need of money, they'll go to desperate lengths. Did this woman take you against your will?" Mrs Brown asked the girls softly.
I SAW RED!!!
I was having very vivid thoughts of the different ways I could harm Mrs Brown and Mrs Clarkson at that moment. They just think they're so much better than anyone else. It frustrates me to no end, and I had to really struggle to stay calm. Luckily for me, I'd forgotten just who they were talking to.
"You know, our mummy has taught us a lot of things that will ensure that we grow up as good children. Our biological mum passed away giving birth to us, and for seven years we have lived without a mother and a very sad father. Our father has a lot of money, which is why we're wearing such expensive clothes," Caterina started off. I could already see the fire in Caprice's eyes, and I knew she was heading in for the big finale.
"It's none of your business why we've adopted Rita as our mummy, but she's a good woman. One of the things she has taught us is that no-one has the right to judge anyone else except God. From the moment you stepped up to us, you have done nothing but judge and insult her. YOU have the decency to accuse her of lying while she's being honest. Grandma Yvette taught us that you should never concern yourself with other people's lives unless if it's to help them. You are both as petty as everyone who's eavesdropping on this conversation and failing to hide that fact by the way. You see, I'm sure you thought we were some helpless children who were being kept hostage, which is stupid really. With the kind of man our father is, he would've found us in minutes of our kidnapping. We're not stupid, clueless little girls. We chose Rita as our new mother because despite what you think about her and her age, she's been the best mother to us this weekend alone, than all our forty three nannies combined. I don't know why you don't like her, and I'm not bothered enough to care in any case. Church is a sacred place, and we've come here to pray and be one with God. You should really look into why you've come here," Caprice told the two women seriously.
Shock and pure disbelief reigned in the air, making it quite obvious that everyone had heard what the two little girls have to say. Even I was speechless. Caterina and Caprice are my spitfires, while Camilla and Calinda are the ones who are always laughing and spreading sunshine and rainbows as they put it.
As more people started arriving, they were curious about why everyone was staring our way in shock. One of the people to arrive was Rhonda. She beamed when she saw us, and she came over excitedly.
"Hey girly! Hello angels," she greeted.
"Hi Rhonda," the five of us smiled at her.
"Rhonda, you associate with these girls?" Mrs Brown asked her in shock.
"Associate? They're only seven," Rhonda frowned.
"They may be seven, but they have the minds of mature adults," Mr Everson spoke up, sounding very impressed by the girls. I hadn't even seen him arrive.
"Aretha child, you're doing a great job with them, despite what anyone thinks," Mrs Everson gave me a kind smile.
"Thank you Mrs Everson," I returned the smile. Mrs Brown and Mrs Clarkson scoffed.
"These children aren't impressive one bit! In fact, they are the rudest things under the sun!" Mrs Clarkson commented.
"Why? Because they told you what most of the adults in this church will not tell you? You have ugly hearts and the fact that two seven year olds could pick up on that clearly, should really make you feel ashamed of yourselves!" Mrs Johnson icily told the two women.
The first bell went, which notifies people that it's time to head into the church. All conversations ceased as we headed in. The girls, Rhonda and I, chose to sit somewhere in the middle. The service was beautiful as always and the girls really looked like they enjoyed themselves. They especially loved the singing, and they made a hefty donation to the church during collection.
"Mummy, is it possible for us to see the priest?" Calinda asked me when mass was out.
"Yes it is. Do you want to?" I asked them. They nodded. I looked around for Father Jones, and I found him standing at the church door. He smiled when he watched us approach.
"Aretha dear, I was wondering when I'd see you. I heard you were a victim of an ambush this morning," he sighed.
"I was, but you know me Father, I don't react. However, Mrs Brown and Mrs Clarkson got a surprising lesson from my daughters," I said proudly.
"Ah, I heard about that too. Who are these precious little angels?" he smiled down at them.
"That's Caprice, that's Calinda, that's Caterina and that's Camilla. They actually wanted to have a few words with you," I informed him.
"It is lovely to meet you all. Well, let's sit on the pews then," he suggested. We headed into the church and did so.
"What would you like to know?" He asked them.
"This was our first time in a church. Our daddy is a very busy man so we never go to church when we're with him. We've adopted Rita as our new mum, and she already told us that she's Catholic. We want to know if we can also be Catholics," Calinda explained.
I was surprised to say the least. I knew that I'd had some impact on the girls, but I would've never imagined it to be this great. I would've never imagined that they would want to actually join the church in that way. I wonder if their father would approve.
"Well girls, anyone can be a Catholic if they wish to be. In the Catholic Church, we have what we call the Seven Sacraments of the Eucharist. You could say that they are our guide as Catholics for how to live our lives. Most people only receive about five of those Sacraments in their entire lives, but it's ok. The first Sacrament is Baptism. It is through Baptism that you are welcomed into the Catholic Church. From then on, you receive the other Sacraments at different stages of your lives. Where do you little ones live?" he asked them.
"Florence Italy," they replied.
"Ah, that's a beautiful place. I believe Florence has some of the most beautiful Catholic Churches. What you can do is speak to a priest at your chosen parish in Florence, and I'm sure they will guide you. Aretha, will you be with them?" he turned to me. The girls also turned to me expectantly.
"Uh, I can't really say," I replied nervously.
"Very well, remember what I said girls. I am very proud of you for taking an interest in the church. It's a very wonderful thing to see from children your age," he smiled at them.
"We have our mummy to thank for that," Camilla beamed at me. I could only blush.
"Thank you Father Jones!" they hugged him.
"You're most welcome," he chuckled, hugging them back.
We left the church and there were still some church members milling around. Luigi hadn't arrived yet, so we waited patiently while the girls asked me questions. I watched as one of my guy friends, Toby, approached. He looked very happy for some reason.
"Rita! You sexy mama!" he winked. I laughed at his antics.
"Hi Tobias," I teased. He mock glared at me before turning to the girls.
"Who are these beautiful looking angels?" he asked. The girls giggled.
"They're my little girls," I smiled proudly.
"Trust you to look so fine and then have fine kids as well. You got all these women outchea jelly over you," he smirked.
"Shut up," I blushed.
"I got the showdown on video if you want it," he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Someone took a video?" Calinda, Caterina and I asked.
"Yep! When you have Mrs Clarkson and Mrs Brown attacking little girls, you best bet there'll be a video. No-one expected you guys to actually burn them though," he chuckled.
"We didn't mean to. We were just stating the truth," Caprice pointed.
"It's ayt little girl. You guys have all our respect, just like your mummy over here," Toby winked.
"Girly, I have to go now ok? I will see you later tonight or tomorrow night," Rhonda came to hug me.
"Ok! Just call me when you leave the hotel," I told her.
"Will do! Bye girls," she smiled at them.
"Bye Rhonda," they waved at her.
"How do you tell them apart?" Toby chuckled.
"That's my little secret," I smirked.
"Well, I'll email you that video. I have to go to choir practice now. Bye beautiful mama and her beautiful angels," he smiled, hugging us.
"Bye Toby!" we giggled.
"So, are you guys ready to go?" Luigi's voice reached us. We turned around to find him there, still suited up.
"Uncle Lui!" the girls hugged him.
"Hey girls! How was church?" he asked them.
"It was wonderful!" they replied as we walked to the car.
"You'll tell me all about it in the car," he chuckled.
And they did! They gave him an earful about all that they experienced at church and how they want to become Catholics now. He was beyond shocked and impressed with everything. We made it to the house and decided that everyone would be helping with Sunday lunch.
We ended up making a simple meal with rice, grilled fish, carrots, broccoli, beetroot salad, tomato gravy and mash potatoes. We still had one of the cakes we'd baked, so we had that for dessert. My grandmother was even strong enough to have lunch with us. We enjoyed the rest of our Sunday watching movies.
"We don't want to go," they whined on Monday in the afternoon. Their flight was apparently that night, so they needed to get back to the hotel.
"I don't want you to leave either," I confessed, my eyes tearing up.
"Then come with us!" they pleaded.
"You guys know that I can't do that," I said as a tear escaped my eye. Calinda reached out to wipe it away.
"It's breaking your heart letting go of us," Camilla whispered.
"It is, but there's just too much that wouldn't work about this," I said, hoping they would understand.
"Is it our dad? I was serious about disowning him!" Caprice said strongly.
"Honey, you can't do that," I laughed a little despite the ball in my throat.
"But we want you to come with! Maybe if we ask him really nicely?" Caterina thought out loud.
"Please don't bother him with someone like me," I begged.
"What's wrong with you?" they frowned. Even Luigi raised an eyebrow at me.
"I'm one hundred percent sure that your dad has bigger things to worry about than me. Please don't cause any problems for him in my name," I sighed.
"But you're our mummy!" Calinda finally cracked as she sniffed. That set off a chain reaction with her sisters.
"Oh come on guys! You can't do this to me," Luigi groaned. I couldn't blame him since the five of us were crying rivers.
"I really wish I could come with you guys. You guys have my contact details so you can call me anytime that you want," I reminded once I'd gathered my wits.
"And you promise you'll answer your ancient device?" Caterina teased with a small smile.
"I promise I'll answer my ancient device," I laughed lightly.
"Guys, we really need to leave now," Luigi said regretfully.
"We love you," the girls hugged me.
"I love you guys too, so much," I said, the tears pricking my eyes once more.
We didn't prolong our parting after that and they left. I stood at the door for a long while before actually going back into the house. It all felt so surreal. It felt like they were never here to begin with, but the ache in my heart proved otherwise.
"You can't let them go Aretha," my grandmother's voice reached my ears. She was standing at the doorway of the kitchen as I washed the dishes, willing my tears to stop.
"I have to grandmamma. They're not my daughters. I have no right to them," I wiped away a tear with my elbow.
"Oh honey, not even a clueless person would believe you. You love those little girls as though you birthed them yourself and you know it," she sighed before coming over to hug me. I couldn't help but breakdown onto her shoulder then.
"It will all come right sweetheart. You just have to put your faith in God and pray," she soothed.
She was tired soon after, so I helped her back to bed before getting back to cleaning the house. I was trying to keep my mind off of the girls, but that plan failed as soon as the house was spotless. I opted for a hot shower before changing into short shorts and a skimpy tank top. I tied up my hair in a messy ponytail before heading back downstairs.
To drown my sorrows, I settled for a movie night in by myself. It was raining outside, but since I had the heater on, the whole living room was warm. I settled myself on the couch with a blanket, popcorn, hot chocolate and ice-cream. It was a strange combination, but I just couldn't be bothered then.
I was wallowing in my tears as I watched the movie P.S I Love You. Why on earth I would decide to torture myself like that was beyond me, but I found some comfort in finding a new thing to cry about. It was just such an emotional movie. When I heard a knock at the door, I went up to answer it, thinking it was Rhonda since she had yet to swing by.
Who I found behind the door, was not at all who I expected!
Golden eyes stared down at me with a fierce intensity that had my stomach clenching both in fear and something else. Broad shoulders blocked the light from outside, making this seem like a horror film since the tall brooding man before me exuded power that had me shaking in my boots and shivering with something akin to desire.
I couldn't understand what was going on with me, and he didn't give me the time to analyze either as he pulled me in by my waist, flush into his rock hard body. I held back a moan at how right it felt for me to be there like that. I didn't even mind that he was wet. The alarm bells in my head were muted by the spicy cologne that wrapped itself around me, making me dizzy with lust.
Where the heavens were these carnal desires coming from?
"Marry me," a voice so velvety, it caressed me like silk on my skin said.
Wait, what?