For The Famiglia: Arranged Devotion (Complete)

Happy Birthday

Time passed rather quickly, I had graduated high school my family had all watched as I walked across the stage in pride. I had been the first to graduate in our family in quite some time and I took it with pride especially when I saw the look on my fathers face a smile I hadn't seen in so long which made my heart swell so much more. My college courses wouldn't start for another few months where I would study business and finance along with a few elective courses. The smile that had been on my fathers face however was gone once my birthday came around a few weeks after I graduated and my birthday came around we celebrated quietly, had my favourite dinner my aunts roast and then red velvet cake I was playing with my nieces when presents arrived from the Damiani family and from Santos we had lived in some obvious solitude for a while until reality reared its ugly head. “Well, what did they send?” Bel encouraged her smile was forced but out of all my family, she had tried to be the most positive. I glanced around my family opening from the Damiani’s it was frankly what I had expected a gold bracelet with diamonds throughout it was so common. Frankly, an eye-rolling thing amongst us buys a woman a pretty sparkling piece of jewellery they would fawn all over the place what a nauseating thought. “Oh my, that would have cost a pretty penny” Bel commented. My father's lips tightened at the sight of it, my aunt held a similar expression.

“Bel” Torre scolded her.

“It is quite beautiful” Patrizia commented it was a forced compliment. We would be family with them in a week so adjusting to the idea was inevitable.

“Let me help put it on” Don suddenly spoke over the awkward silence and helped clamp the thing around my wrist but struggling with the clip giving a sympathetic smile. While my father watched sadly.

“I’ve never been much for jewellery anyway” pulling my wrist back from my brother I took the dainty bracelet from his clutch and placed it back in the box it came in.

“Bambina..” my father began “this is how it is.”

“I’ve accepted it, papa doesn’t mean I have to like all the aspects” I shrugged.

“What did... Santos send you?” aunt Patrizia interrupted as she inquired the sound of his actual name sounded so foreign on her tongue. She always referred to him in some uncomplimentary manner.

I assumed it was something similar. A fancy piece of jewellery or something like that but when I opened it I was certainly surprised “It a... Book” Bel seemingly uncertain of the package I wanted to roll my eyes at the bastards teasing manner. In the box lay a copy of a book reading the best sites and places to visit in New York a note lay atop the book which read ‘consider this the welcome wagon’ my family looked at me confused. We weren't even married yet we had inside things with one another.

“Maybe he didn't know what to get” my aunt commented but I knew that wasn't it. He got it on purpose it was a pointed remark before I could reply though my phone began to ring glancing at the screen I couldn't help but mutter “speak of the devil” glancing to my family before quickly leaving the room to take the call.

“Enjoying your birthday?” he asked clearly already amused.

“Your not funny Santos. It’s my birthday and you have to rub it in my face” I scolded however I could hear him laughing at the other end of the call.

“You didn't like the book I gather?” the teasing in his tone made me roll my eyes in annoyance.

“Yes, thank you for the reminder I will be uprooted from my family and home in a week to a foreign city l” my voice was laced with sarcasm.

“It was partly a joke but also an observation. You don't like all the main attractions and stuffy places I did actually think you would like a guide for more down on the ground places” he was sincere which just made me more annoyed.

“How do you know I don’t like all those fancy places” I knew I was being childish but I couldn’t help it.

“It has been pretty obvious, Catarina” he wasn’t wrong I didn’t hide my indifference well “I did think you would like the other gift though” I was caught off guard.

“What other gift?”

“It's quite a large box, Catarina. Did you think there was only a book in there” teasing once again my curiosity got the best of me though heading back into the dining room my family was still in there and they were watching I didn't know what to say to Santos while amongst other people even my family Santos seemed to enjoy keeping his reputation in place when others were around that was very common though reputation was everything in our world. I hadn't even really noticed the size of the box however I lifted the book out then the paper that was lining underneath it a small gasp left my lips it was a bag. Similar to the one I had when I met him for lunch this one was brown leather with beautiful neat lines how I didn’t notice the new leather smell when I opened the box in the first place “I guess you found it” Santos commented “I noticed your bag was a little warn plus you would need a new one for school anyway” he explained.

“Thank you, Santos” was all I could say. The thoughtfulness was hard to accept when it came from him.

“Happy Birthday, Catarina,” he said before hanging up leaving me once again in utter surprise. Santos was certainly an enigma sometimes.