Page 79 of Down the Aisle
Nudging my father's hand, I nodded at my nervous rose. "My little rose, Eliza." My voice swelled with pride as I smiled at her lovingly.
Then, I flickered my gaze from her to my father. "Darling, this is my father, Antonio."
Lightly tapping my mother out of the way, my father stepped up to Eliza, hugging her comfortingly. "Welcome to the family, Eliza," he greeted her warmly, releasing and stepping back. "Sorry for my wife's eagerness. She gets excited very easily, especially when it comes to our kids' love lives."
My father remained quiet for a moment, studying Eliza carefully while maintaining a friendly smile. "Are you sure you can put up with my son? He's got a hard head that one, and I would know because he got it from me," my father asked with a diffusing chuckle. Then, his expression turned serious. "Is he treating you right? If he's not, then I want you to tell me so I can set him straight," he told Eliza sternly, throwing a glare my way, the one that meant I better be the proper person he raised me up to be.
Turning her loving eyes to me, I watched as Eliza's nervous face lit up with a tender smile. "Adam is perfect, and I mean it. He's done nothing but treat me so right and proper." Tearing her eyes away from me, she looked at both my parents with eyes full of utmost gratitude. "I hope I can raise Asher up as well as you two raised Adam."
Letting out a happy sob, my mother set the kids down to attack Eliza with a tight hug. "Oh, you are too kind. You and Adam will raise your little boy just perfect, don't you worry."
Now, I did feel a little bad for Eliza when my mother pulled her off to the living area, asking my poor darling every question possible on God's green earth. A part of me wanted to help Eliza out, especially when she threw me those panicked eyes like some deer being caught in the headlights, but my father dragged me off to the patio before I could step in. So, all I could do was hope that Hailee would save Eliza if things got a little too deep and far.
Even as my father dragged me away for some privacy between us, I couldn't help but keep my gaze trained on Eliza until a firm slap to my back forced my attention elsewhere. "How are you, son?" my father asked in a tired voice, with an equally tired smile.
Sucking in a deep breath, I rolled my head back to look at the clear skies for a moment. I knew what he was asking. It wasn't a simple question to see how I was doing overall. "Perfect, honestly," I answered truthfully with a big smile. "Business is going smooth as usual, and I'm just basically doing light admin work. I've got so much time to myself and Asher, and honestly, my life couldn't be more perfect right now."
"Then why do you look like your face just ate shit?" My father deadpanned.
Opening my mouth, I quickly shut it because correcting my father was pointless. "It's just a little hiccup, that's all, but it should be handled pretty soon." Hopefully.
"Adam, what did you do?" he pressed me with a heavy sigh. "It's never a little hiccup with you."
Grumbling internally, I rolled my eyes a little before deflating with a huff. "Eliza's ex got away from me earlier, and that was kind of not the plan…" Trying to hide things from my father was pointless because he'd either pry it out of me with his own hands or find out some other way. "And Eliza has no idea about any of that… Or my plans."
Sighing heavily, my father gave me a grave look. "Does she know about…thatside of you?"
The air around us instantly mugged up with a heavy tension. My father didn't need me to verbally answer him, my grim silence being enough of one. "Adam," he sighed heavily with a disappointed groan and shake of his head. "You cannot keep things that huge from her. I know it's not easy, but it's better for you to tell her sooner rather than later." Crossing his arms, he looked at me pointedly. "You need to tell her before she finds out by other means, and that's when things will really get messy."
Running a flustered hand through my tousled hair, I huff out an exasperated scoff. "I know, but… I don't know how to tell her or even start letting her in, and what if that pushes over the line? I mean, Eliza is just… Perfect. An angel. If I told her that the man she is with is a mafia boss, she's going to run for the hills." Sighing in defeat, I hung my head in my hands and shook it.
"I wish I could tell you the right thing to say, but I'm at a loss myself for that situation." My father flashed me an apologetic smile, patting my shoulder. "Just tell her the truth, and if she really is the one for you, then she will stay. I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but that's the most basic foundation. If a person really loves you, then they will learn to work with all your bad as well as your good."
My father's head turned to look at my mother through the patio door, a nostalgic smile gracing his face. "No one is perfect,even your mother and I, but a huge part of making a relationship work is communication and compromise." Looking back at me with a warm smile, he squeezed my shoulder. "You cannot build a relationship on lies, nor can one survive on an untruthful one. No matter what, she deserves to knoweverythingabout you."
Unfortunately, I had no response because my father was right. I mean, the only thing I could do was agree with him, but I couldn't tell him that I'd tell Eliza right away or something. Yes, I knew I needed to tell her, but I was still iffy about it. Call me a bad, horrible person, but I seriously debated keeping my mafia life a secret from her even after my elderly father advised me otherwise.
Things probably would blow up in my face like a shit bomb when she finds out, and I should try to mitigate all of that by being upfront with her now rather than later. But I couldn't do it. I felt like a complete prick, but I wanted to keep her in the dark forever.
"Adam." My father's stern voice pulled me from my thoughts. "I know what you're thinking. You have that stupid face on you right now, and whatever you're thinking, don't."
Sighing heavily, I dropped my hands to my sides, shoving them into my pockets. "But what if—"
"No!" My body shook a little from my father's firm shove. "Lies never belong in a relationship, and omissions count as lies, too. Nothing good ever comes from that toxic sin."
Hanging my head, I peered up a little at my father with a pathetic look, watching as his tense shoulders relaxed with a deep breath. "It is going to hurt, but how much it does, and the damage can be controlled by you."
Yet, I swore to never hurt my darling Eliza.
Chapter 29
Eliza
"Mrs. San—"
"Eliza!" Maria cut me off, snapping at me lightheartedly. "How many times do I have to tell you? It's Maria or Mamma. You are family," she reminded me with a stern smile.
Chuckling nervously, I rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry, it just feels weird for me to address someone by their name like that." And it certainly felt weird to address her as my mother when Adam and I weren't married yet or anything—not to mention it's only been a few days since I've met his family.
