Easing in.

Taking the steps to her bungalow's painted-brown door slowly, Sophia picked up the stack of mails from the mail box. Her place wasn't big, two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, living room amd a small back porch to sit on during hot summer days. It wasn't much to look at compared to some places but it was hers and she shared it with Adriana, her roommate.

Unlocking the front door, she opened it and stepped into the house to find Adriana sitted on the couch, hearing her muffled sound of crying.

"Oh dear," Sophia said as she walked towards Adriana sighing, "What did he do this time?"

Leaving the mails on the counter, she padded barefoot across the living room.

"Hey Addy, do you need anything?" Sophia asked.

Adriana finally looking up to Sophia from the couch with her black hair sticking crazily all over the place. "I'm f-f-fine" She says hicupping.

"I was just watching titanic" Adriana still sniffling.

"You know how sad movies makes me cry a lot"

Sophia gave Adriana a look that said she doesn't believe her but decided to let it go.

Adriana was so much like Sophia in terms of her past. Adriana recently went through a bad break up with her ex. It was their fourth or tenth, she couldn't keep track. Everytime they break up, Adriana swears she's done with him but within weeks they're back together and she's conveniently forgotten all that he did to her. Yeah, Sophia thought that rang a bell, as she cringed at the thought of her past. She had tried her best not to think too much about Raphael or Hugh or Sarah and Bella. In a way she understood Adriana, it was what one would do when you're in love. You'll be so blinded to the shitty ways your other half is doing to you.

She still resented Raphael a lot. For the way he kicked her out and the way he removed Sophia out of his children's life but she never stopped loving him. She was angry, yes but she didn't stop loving.

She didn't know if she could love another like that, her mind flashed back to the handsome stranger she met on the beach. Dante.

Yeah, she didn't mind him at all plus, she wasn't sure how that was supposed to work out when she didn't know anything about him except for his name and the fact that he has a dog.

"Sophia..." Adriana called.

Sophia snapped out of her thoughts and gave Adriana her attention. "Yeah? sorry about that Addy"

"Would you like to devour a bowl of ice cream while you cry over titanic?" Sophia asked with a smile.

"What flavour?" Adriana asked sheepishly, looking at Sophia through her eyelashes. She looked like a cute child like that.

Sophia smirked "Cookie dough silly, what other flavour is acceptable?"

Adriana laughed out loud, "Yes that sounds about right."

***********

"Stand up and keep your eyes on the screen" Dante shouted loud enough for everyone that was in the room. Made them all stiffen and put all their attention to the screen just like their boss had said.

"Idiots, you ruined my perfectly good evening just because you can't seem to handle a simple gun run" Dante said scowling.

"Must i be here to handle your shit everytime huh?"

"Let this be the last time, you call be for something like this. Understood?"

"Yes boss!" Everyone answered loudly which echoed through the room.

A map came up on the screen showcasing the borders of United states and Mexico. Dante clicked the button on the remote in his hands, making the map move closer and the roads to show up.

"From Chicago to close the border, it is basic highway, but you're just going to hit one check point which might be a problem." He clicked another button.

"Make sure you hit it between seven and eight at night, that's when they're going to be changing shifts. They're less likely to notice four black sedans moving at the same time around then. And, if they do and stop you I don't know your name and you don't know mine. It's that simple"

Dante continued, clicking another button. "With the up in the security level, we can't take our usual route and so we have to take back towns and shitty roads and also pay off a few patrols across the borders."

"And the guns boss?" Another man asked.

"The guns would be arriving sometime next week, which gives you cafones enough time to plan exactly how you want to run this." Dante answered.

"Any other question?" Dante asked.

"How many guns?" Gabriel his right-hand man asked.

"A total of one-fifty"

"Alright if that's all I'd like for all of you to get out of my face, I have better things to do."

"Yes boss" Echoed through the room.

The men all filed out like cockroaches running from insecticide except for Gabriel who stayed behind.

Gabriel laughed loudly and turned to face his friend.

"You put the fear of God in those men Dante, you need to tone it down a bit."

Dante sat back in his seat, nursing down a glass of whiskey. "Well someone as to, if they're going to get any job done."

"What has you in such a pissy mood today? You're like extra moody" Gabriel inquired.

"Yeah for sure I would be, especially after I had to drag my ass here from the beach."

Gabriel cocked a brow, "The beach?"

"I had to take Gio for a walk and he seemed to wander off, I met someone Interesting though" Dante smirked.

"She was a pretty little thing, definitely got a bit of spunk too. That certainly took me off-guard" Dante said shaking his head.

Just as Gabriel was about to reply, Dante's phone was buzzing. He was about to complain about who that was before he looked at the Caller ID and saw that it was his mother calling.

Dante always had time for his mother, there was no other person he simply loved the most in the world.

"Evening ma," he answered the call with a smile

"Mio figlio, how are you?" He could practically see the warm smile that his mum always gave.

"I'm good ma, I've missed you" he said realizing that he meant that truthfully. It's been long since he made time to visit his mother. Work had been taking up all his time.

"I've missed you too my boy. I hardly see you these days," Khloe, his mother said with a hint of sadness.

Dante could understand, considering that he was the only child of his parents.

"I'm sorry ma, I promise to come have breakfast with you and dad tomorrow"

That made Khloe happy, for sure.

"So...what's going on with you Dante? Any girl you're seeing? Khloe asked slyly.

Christ! His mother did not hold out on the big guns, she went straight for the kill.

"A girl?"

"Find one, marry her and then all the money you've been racking up somewhere, you would be able to spend it on her"

"Ma-"

He could hear his mother clicking her tongue, stopping Dante from rebutting her.

"I want grandbabies someday Dante, I'm not getting any younger and plus, you're thirty years you should find someone and settle down. Same goes for Gabriel"

Gabriel overhearing the conversation and made a face that basically said 'how the hell did he get mixed up in that?'

"I don't think you get it 'Ma," Dante said quietly.

"Oh?"

"No I haven't found someone who makes me want to settle down and I won't force it simply because you want grandbabies to spoil rotten"

He could hear the defeat in his mother's voice in her next words

"I know" Khloe sighed

"You don't have to worry about that though, you know duty will call soon enough and I'd have to answer "

"I'll see you tomorrow Ma, I love you and have a great evening" Dante said before he hung up.

Gabriel passed him a look and sighed

"Italian mothers....they never relent do they" Gabriel said.

Dante laughed and said "No, they don't"

Although his mind darted back to the beautiful Sophia he met earlier at the beach.

He knew he would be seeing her soon. He just knew.