The Grave.

I was going to walk. It was a little far from where I was but I wanted to walk. I

started walking there and in like 20 minutes, I arrived. Now I needed to find my

family tomb. I remember my biological father and me coming here to visit my

grandparents. It took some time but I finally found it.

I stood outside the tomb just looking at it. I needed to do this but I was scared a

part of me wasn't ready. I took a deep breath and walked in, then I remembered that

I didn't get any flowers

Shit!

I looked around the tomb and found his name carved on the one on top next to his

dad's.

"This is how it is now papa. How are you? I hope you're happy and resting papa," I

touched his name letter-by-letter tears slipped out of eyes.

"I'm doing well for myself now papa. I run a multi billion company now. When

you ... left mama threw me out of the house and blamed me for your death. But

don't worry papa I got adopted by Mr. Moretti and his wife. They nurtured me and

raised me into the woman I am now. But he passed away three years ago." I needed

to breathe for a while. It is so hard coming here. Talking to him when he can't even

respond.

"Mama is dying and I am here to forgive her. She wanted to see me and now she

will and I want to forgive her so bad papa but I am scared she will just hurt me

again. I really want to forgive her but when I think of her I don't see a loving

mother I see the woman who left me for dead on the Italian streets when I was only

fifteen papa." I sobbed a lot just looking at his name on that stone made it even

more real. This is harder than I thought it would be.

"This is how it is now papa. I need you papa but you are not here. I'll talk and you

won't respond. I am sorry papa for not coming to say goodbye sooner. I wanted to,

but I was weak papa, forgive me please." I was there for a while more, I sat there

and told him about my life and all that has been going on. Then I decided to go

back to the hotel when I was done.

As I got out of the tomb, I realized it was raining. I wore my hood and started

walking. It rained for a while and stopped when I was like two minutes from the

hotel but it didn't matter because I was already soaking wet.

As I got into the hotel, the doorman handed me a blanket

"Here you go ma'am," he said and wrapped it around me.

"Thank you," I said in Italian.

"Per niente." Smiled and walked away. Could only imagine how swollen my eyes

were. I walked into the elevator up to my room.

I was right, my eyes were really swollen and red. I got changed into my pajamas

and took a Tylenol to prevent a fever. I had one problem. I was worked up and I

couldn't sleep so I went and changed my clothes again into my gym clothes. I think

best when I am doing something sporty. I went to the hotel gym. Thank God, it's

open 24/7. Something made me pause for a second. I saw a guy that looked a lot

like the nosy doctor but I wasn't sure because I couldn't get a clear view.

I shoved it off, went to the gym and worked out for what could be 2 hours. By the

time I got back to my room and showered, I was exhausted. I let myself drift away

in my sleep. I felt some bits of comfort coming to me knowing that I had said

goodbye to my father. I was at peace

The next couple of days were filled with work and I had to spare time to talk to my

lawyer about that Wyatt dude from the bar.

"If you need proof I have the cotton I used to clean the blood off my knuckles that

day and I took out some of his flesh from my nails the day after I saved the DNA

proof if you need any," I said to my lawyer over the phone.

"I'm afraid it will require more than his DNA Ms. Moretti. We need a witness or

someone who was remotely there or else it's your word against his."

"I am not worried if it comes to my word against his. I have a very huge reputation

build and I don't think a judge will believe a man with a drinking problem, 2DUI's

and child support which he is barely managing to pay." I chuckled because Jahid

was useful and I will need this information.

"I see you did your research on him," he said

"Yes, I never go into a battle prepared." We chatted and he ended up telling me I

had a solid case. Which I already knew about. This man was going to pay for

breaking my hand. Some time in jail could do him some good after all. I can only

imagine why his marriage failed. Cheating I bet. My most important reason why I

stay away from men.

I had just two days left here and I still haven't seen Alexa, my mother. I need to

man up and get this done once and for all. It has to happen. So I got out of bed,

showered, and got dressed. I wore a baby pink blazer, navy blue high waist pants

and a white top inside. A baby pink bag and shoes to match. I wore lipstick today

then I realized I was trying to impress this lady.

I can't believe I'm trying to impress her. I picked up my purse and let my hair fall. I

looked at myself in the mirror one last time and walked out. I went to the café next

to my hotel for breakfast.

I got into my car and drove to where I used to live. I hope she still lived there. If

she doesn't I'll just leave knowing I tried. I really hope she doesn't live there

anymore. What am I even going to say when I see her? Do I call her mom or

Alexa? Damn so many questions. I know I'll just let her talk. Maybe she will give

me an explanation. Any explanation will do just fine.

Soon enough I got to the house. Damn, it had changed a lot. All the flowers my dad

and I planted in the front were all gone. The fountain in the courtyard was broken.

Everything that daddy did in the yard was gone. I sat in my car for a while

gathering the strength to go in there.

She might be in hospital beds and machines around her. She might look pale or

good I dunno. She is a very unpredictable woman.

I got out of my car finally, rang the doorbell and waited. Soon enough some lady

opened the door.

"Hi can I help you?" she said looking at me as if I was not really there

"Oh yes, I am looking for Alexa. I need to see her," I said to her very anxious

"Is she expecting you?" she questioned

"I hope so."

"Stay here," she shut the door in my face.

Since when does that happen? I mean who am I to talk? I have not been here in

over a decade. Soon enough someone else opened the door and I recognized her.

She took care of me as a kid, Rosalinda.

"Dolcezza? Is that you Chloe?" she said with an inside voice almost as if she

couldn't believe it was me there.

"Yes, Rosalinda it's me in the flesh. How have you been?" she didn't even answer

me, she gave me a huge hug and I hugged her back. It's been too long. In the

household, that unfaithful night she was the only one who stood by me. She then

pulled away.

"How are you Darling girl?" before I could answer she started talking "oh silly me

come in child come in," she said and stepped aside for me to walk into the house.

It looked dull on the inside too. Everything in there was so plain and boring. Not

like a home but a house. It reminded me of my black gray and white mansion in

NYC but mine had a sense of warmth. This house was cold and dull. It had no life.

My house had life and no color but this has color but no life.

Memories started to form. All the terrible ones. The living room where father met

his doom I needed to be In and out of here.

"I'm good Rosalinda. Where is she?" her smile faded a little but she tried to put up

a good face.

"She is just down the hall. The guest room past the study." I nodded at her and

walked down the hall. I smiled as I saw my dad's study. I ran down this hall all the

time to see my dad in his study. I walked through the door of the study and looked

around and not a thing was out of place. Even the whiskey glass he was drinking

on that day was still on the table in his study.