Angelo's POV
From the top deck where Nick and i are currently seated, and having a private conversation, i can see Marianne, Andre and Aaron on the rare end of the yatch, jumping in and out of the water occasionally. Rita and Ally are relaxing and sunbathing on the large inflatable water float that is tied to the yatch, while Sienna and Marco are flyboarding.
We have a number of crew members working on the yatch too, so we are not really alone.
I don't think i will get used to seeing Marianne like this, she is just a ray of sunshine today, which is quite a drastic change from how she was yesterday. I don't know what happened overnight, but she looks genuinely happy despite what we discovered last night.
Remembering the conversation we had up here earlier today, it's starting to really really sink in with me too that things have really changed between us permanently. There is no going back now, we will forever be part of each other's lives, and the thought warms my heart very much.
Having kids has always been a dream of mine and i can't wait to break the news to my family, especially mom and Dad who have been waiting to see my kids for years now, but, it will have to wait a couple of weeks to happen though.
Having finished our conversation, Nick and i go down to the bottom deck, and i approach my woman.
*
"Finally, you can have your turn now" Andre utters to me and Aaron, when Marco and Sienna finally start making their way back on the yatch.
"Turn to do what?" Angelo asks, coming up behind me.
Great. Just great. What impeccable timing.
I wanted to take advantage of his absence to try fly boarding with Aaron, because i know he will have an issue with me doing literally anything remotely wearying.
"Flyboarding" Andre says nonchalantly.
Angelo laughs behind me.
"You are serious?" He asks when he notices Andre's serious look, who in turn looks at me questioningly.
"Is this going to be an issue too? Because i don't want any problems today?" He utters sharply, raising his hands up in the air.
I sigh and finally turn around to face him, but immediately get taken aback at just how close he is standing to me, so i take a step back.
When i left him earlier, he was wearing longer shorts and a light blue shirt, now his shirt is missing and he has exchanged his other shorts for shorter swimming shorts. I feel a slight blush on my face at seeing him like this in front of all these other people.
"Do i meet your approval" he asks, stepping forward and snapping me out of my thoughts, causing my blush to deepen.
"Shut up!" I mutter, stepping back again.
Aaron shakes his head at us and stands up.
"Let's go" he says, signaling for us to take our turn.
Angelo looks at him and then me.
"You can get on the jet ski with me, or paddle board or hang out on......" Angelo speaks over Aaron, but stops talking as the sound of someone screaming as they jump into the water fills the air, followed by a huge splash.
"........on the water float......does it really have to be flyboarding?" He asks iratably.
"Yes, i would like to try it" I say and step back again when he moves forward.
"Why are you making such a big deal about this?" Andre asks, watching our exchange.
"Don't you think you are being a tad bit too protective. What's the worst that could happen, really?" Aaron adds.
I don't know why i keep stepping back, but when i try to do it again, there is no more ground for me to step on and so i trip over the flat end.
"Mary!!!!" Angelo utters, as he quickly catches me in time before i completely fall backwards.
"This is why! You are clumsy and could get into some trouble" he huffs.
"We are surrounded by water Angelo, what's the worst that could happen to her if she falls, get wet??" Aaron Snickers.
"Ok, i got it from here guys, thank you" I say to Aaron and Andre and pull Angelo to the side.
"You need to relax, i want to have fun like everybody else. You are going to drive me crazy if you are going to act like this, i can't just sit around doing nothing" I mumble, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"I just gave you alot of other options" he responds.
"Yeah, but i want to try this too. I will be super careful" I utter.
"Like you were yesterday?" He deadpans.
That's a low blow, but he doesn't badge, even when i make a sad face.
I get it that i really scared him yesterday with the accident and it seems now i have to bear the consequences off this extra protectiveness.
"Babe, if i fall, it will be in the water, so i won't get hurt..." I murmur and this time, he wraps his arms around my waist.
"Mary, you can't be doing strenuous activities, besides, after last night......"
"..........I promised to be alot more careful from now on didn't i? If you are not going to believe me then what's the point of having trust and stuff?" I mutter.
I can see his resolve breaking as he eyes soften and his hands rub up and down my arms.
"You can do it with me, please?" I offer and pout.
He frowns, and i can see that i have won.
*
We spend the rest of the day by each other's side, and trying out other activities.
Later, we have dinner under a nicely decorated chalet, that offers the most beautiful view of our surroundings, and with a local band singing to us close by as we dine.
"Hey," I murmur, when i arrive at our table , surprised to find Angelo alone. He had left earlier before me, to allow me to get ready at my own pace.
"Hai" he smiles as i approach.
"Where is everyone?"
"You are breathtaking...you look..... amazing" he murmurs, taking my hand and helping me sit down.
"Thank you, you look great too" I respond, glad he likes my outfit consisting of a mostly white pin striped top and matching skirt. The skirt is flared and ankle length, with two thigh high slits on each leg that only stand out when i sit, or make an effort to expose my legs.
"I thought we could just be the two of us tonight" he says, answering my earlier question as he sits across from me.
"Ok, I like that"
*
"This is really nice" I say, as we walk hand in hand back to our room, taking a longer route.
"It is" Angelo agrees.
"Do you miss your work, being used to working all the time?" I ask.
He smiles thoughtfully.
"Yesterday, there were a couple of things i was thinking about. Some things that i know need my attention......but today, i realised that i haven't thought about it once and i am sort of just throwing it to the back of my mind unconsciously" he answers honestly and i nod.
"I feel relaxed and at home, it's like we have been here for a long time already" I chuckle.
Angelo, smiles and squeezes my hand and i can tell something else is on his mind.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Do you want to know something about what's going on back at home?" He asks.
I sigh.
"You mean the news about you and me, and the annulment"? I ask and he looks at me surprised.
"How did you know?" He asks
"The girls are nosey...and they can't keep a secret" I murmur.
"So.....how do you feel about it, knowing it's out there now?"
"Honestly, right now, i don't care....I don't want to allow any negative energy. I feel like we have other more important things to focus on and that's what i want to think about, especially now that we are here..." I say.
"Which means......" He asks.
"............ I think it's better that it's out there now anyway, so that we can finally focus on moving forward with our little family...no more secrets." I say.
"Angelo leans back and looks at me intently.
"Look at you!! Aren't you full of surprises today" he grins.
I laugh and walk ahead of him, only to realise after a few steps that he is not following behind me.
"What?" I laugh, turning to face him.
"Seriously, what's gotten into you today?" He asks, standing still, his hands in his pockets.
"You, this morning" I tease.
He laughs, throwing his head back.
"Come here...... best believe that's where I will be every morning" he murmurs, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"I love your outfit" I say, enjoying how good and chilled he looks in an all white short sleeved button up shirt and loose slacks.
"I really really love yours too" he murmurs, taking my hand and twirling me around before we start walking again.
"Do you want to go back to the room now?"he asks.
"No, i would like to walk around abit more" I reply.
"Ok"
"By the way, i am really glad that i am having this baby with you." I say, after we walk around abit further, meeting some people and other couples along the way.
I feel the need to tell him again today, because i have been all over the place going back and forth over this matter and i feel very sure about my feelings now.
"Ok, who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?" He stops walking and folds he hands over his chest.
"What? I thought you wanted me to feel this way" I chuckle, stopping too.
"I do.... it's just that, its a big change of heart to happen over night....am.... surprised and honestly abit sceptical" he says truthfully.
"I know...." I say, sitting down against a raised concrete flower bed.
"........and i am not saying that i am not abit scared of his new development all of a sudden, because i am....but i was thinking.....at some point last night that...... i can't control the world around me, the only thing i can control are my own thoughts and actions. So, i decided that from now on, i just need to focus on things that really make me happy....i realise i have alot of things in my life right now to be grateful for, and instead of being sour about the parts that hasn't worked out to my liking...I should enjoy the parts that are working out great, and they by far supercede the not to good parts.
With you, i know i will be ok...it will be ok "I answer sincerely.
"It will be.....I promise" he whispers, before coming towards me and kissing me.
"You know, before you arrived in my life, it took me along time to find myself, but after a long time, i finally got to a point where i felt so confident and so sure of myself and who i was and what i was doing with my life.
Then you came along and everything started to change, and it was all happening so fast, I just thought it was too good to be true and kept expecting everything to fall apart and so i kept my guard up all the time.
So when the first sign of trouble came, i just thought, 'this is it...I knew that it would fail...it's done'....but you surprised me and you stuck around and made me feel.....secure and cared for and....protected in a way i didn't expect and Angelo, i can't lie....it's really scary because i opened up my heart to you long before i even knew it, and i have given everything i am to you, there is no part of me left that your love doesn't already own........
......and the thought of losing you, losing your love and getting my heart broken....
"......You won't, baby..... you won't. I will never do that to you...." He whispers, interrupting me with light kisses.
"I just, i know i have probably said this to you before, and thought about it a million times before, but, i all in this....I love you Angelo, so so deeply, yet abit more everyday.......I am watching helplessly as you completely consume my heart...I love you." I murmur faintly, not sure where all these emotions have come from all of a sudden.
Angelo, who's eyes have not left mine, kisses my forehead before pulling me in for a hug.
"You are the one that has consumed my heart Marianne. You are my life now." He whispers against my ear, while we continue to hold each other.
"After a minute, we pull apart.
"More walking?"he asks.
"Yes please"
He smiles, kissing the back of my hand and my exposed shoulder.
"Ok"
We continue to walk, enjoying the scenery.
We find ourselves on higher ground, with a beautiful view of the buildings and water below us. The scenery looks especially good in the evening light.
"Don't move" Angelo utters, pulling out a camera to take a picture of me.
"No....c'mon...i am not good with pictures" I laugh, covering my face with my hands.
"You look beautiful baby, i want to remember this night" he murmurs, taking a couple of shots.
"C'mon, give me a smile" he encourages and i give in, posing for him.
"Ok, enough...your turn" I say, quickly moving towards him and taking the camera from him.
He eargerly posses for me, giving me lot of great shots and making me laugh in the process.
He is quite photogenic, I love it.
"I want one together" I murmur, feeling jealous that i got such great shots of him and feeling inspired to pose for more myself.
"Right" he says, looking around and realising we are the only ones here.
I look down, and into the distance i notice two resort stuff walking down a pathway..
"Hello, hey" I shout and wave in their direction.
"What are you doing?" Angelo asks, looking embarrassed.
"Hey!!!!!" I shout again and this time I get their attention.
"Can you take some pictures of us please" I ask when one of them reaches us.
Angelo looks surprised at my enthusiasm, but he quickly indulges me, playing along and allowing us to get some great pictures.
"One of these better end up hanging around the house some where" I say to him.
"Come, let's get back" Angelo, murmurs, pulling my index finger as he walks backwards in the direction of our chalet.
"Can we just........"
" No more walking baby, i want to get back" he murmurs, his eyes full of youthful playfulness and promise.
"Fine" i concede, getting the gist of what he wants to do now.
*
We stay two more days at the resort and spend our time sight seeing, swimming, zip lining, and shopping among other things, before relocating to a private estate belonging to a friend of mine.
It's a huge estate, that includes on it's premises a winery and stable.
Marianne immediately falls in love with the place, especially the stable, and today she spends almost all day at the stables, which makes the longest time that she and i have spend apart, during this vacation.
"Have i been so easily forgotten and replaced by a four legged beast with fur?" I mutter, walking into the yard where she is surrounded by horses and a couple of stablehands.
"I thought you were busy watching the football game with the guys. You weren't even listening when i was talking to you" she responds, not even turning away from what she is doing to look up at me.
"That was this morning, it's past 4 pm now." I complain.
"Is it?" she looks up.
"Have you even eaten?" I ask concerned.
"Yes i have, relax" she answers sharply, standing up.
"Woooooh, i am exhausted" she says, stretching her back and arms.
"I bet. Let's go" I say, tagging at her hand and pulling her away.
"But we are not done with ...." She whines.
"......We didn't come here for you to work and over exert yourself" I mutter.
"I was enjoying myself"
"I am sure you were, considering you have spent all day here....enough. Let's go" I mutter and she grunts, coming along with me.
*
Dinner is spent with the others, during which she looks visibly tired.
It could be the pregnancy but over the past four days since we arrived at this estate, i have noticed she tires easily over the simplest of things. And everytime i insist she takes it easy, she considers it as me being controlling and puts up a fight.
Tonight instead of hanging around everyone after dinner, i suggest an early night.
"You need to get some rest" I say, as we make our way to our room.
"Let me run you a hot bath, it will help you sleep better." I murmur once we get to our bedroom.
I fill up the tub with warm water and return to the bedroom, and find that she has dozed off. Clearly, a second bath won't happen, so i grab a t-shirt and try to wake her up to get changed.
"I am sorry, i feel really tired tonight. Can we not" she murmurs softly, as i help her take off her shirt and tight jeans.
I smile at her words.
I am am not trying to sleep with you baby.
"Ok. I just want to help you put on something comfortable, ok?" I reply.
She nods and lays back on the bed as i pull the jeans off her legs and feet and hand her the t-shirt to put on. Before she sits up straight to do it, i briefly glance at her belly that is still not showing any sign of pregnancy yet. It's almost like i imagined the whole thing.
Once changed, she shifts on the bed and gets comfortable under the covers. I walk to her side and kiss her forehead.
"I am sorry i couldn't........."
".......Shhhhhh. Get some sleep." I cut her off.
She nods and rests her head on the pillow, immediately closing her eyes.
She looks like a child that i am putting to sleep. Reminds me of Bella and Ivan during one of the times i have put them to bed.
I sigh and straighten up.
Today will be the first time since we came on vacation, that we haven't made love in one way or another, but despite that, i still feel our relationship strengthened just by looking at her now, peaceful and angelic.
I walk to the bathroom.and when i return a few minutes later, Marianne is already in a deep sleep, breathing evenly and deeply. This is not typical, because she is not one to fall asleep quickly. She must clearly be exhausted.
What did she really get up to in that stable today?.
I think about joining her, but considering the night is still young, i decide to spend some time with the others in instead.
*
Two days later, on the last night of the vacation, we spend our time away from everyone else again. We have dinner outside at a table set up just for the two of us, and take a walk after dark like we have done on most days since we have been on vacation.
Then later, we get back to our room where we spend some time soaking up in the tub.
"Are you ready to go home" I ask.
"Yes, i think so"she replies, her back against my chest, as most of our bodies is submerged in the warm, bubbly, and soapy water.
"I have two more weeks before schools open, so i am happy that i still have some more free time. I want to spend a couple of days with Mom and Jaden" she adds softly.
"Didn't you already visit them before we left" I ask.
"Angelo, we covered this"
"You insisted to go there and you did. Why do you have to go back so soon?"
"You see your family all the time, why can't i? Don't, forget, for many years we were estranged, so i want to spend as much time as i can with them now" she utters.
"Last time you went there, you came back sick. Why can't they visit you instead this time then?"
"Because...because...."
"....You don't want them at our apartment" I finish for her.
"No..You know mom won't stay there..."
"It's where you live Marianne. She can't continue to shun away from that, that's not going to change. She needs to get used to the fact that we are living together. Besides, we are moving into a different house soon anyway, will she never come there either?" I ask.
"What do you want me to do?" She whispers.
"Stand your ground. I am not saying you can't go there. But she is going to have to get used to meeting you half way and spend sometime at your place too at some point." I say.
She stays quiet and doesn't respond.
"I was thinking about going to tell her about the baby" She murmurs softly.
"We can do it together" I suggest.
"I don't know"
"I want to be there when you tell her...Please let me be" I ask, softening my voice to match hers.
She sighs audibly.
"Ok"
"Actually, i have been thinking about that to....how to tell our families ..and I thought that maybe we can do it at the same time." I say after some thought.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, our house will be ready in a couple of weeks, which is just the time that we agreed to keep this between us. So we can throw a house warming party when we move, invite them all and make a surprise announcement about the baby. That way, we can deal with it once and for all" I suggest.
"That sounds like a pretty good idea actually."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah...I like it" she chuckles, turning around to face me.
"Ok..then it's a plan" I say.
"Ok......but wait, don't you think they might feel ambushed though...what if someone reacts really badly to the news and then we have an audience to watch it all go down.....it could go terribly wrong." She says thoughtfully.
"Well, with this baby coming....everyone invited will be related, so what's a little drama amongst family members? We might as well get used to it, because we are family now and like you said before, we are going to be in each other's lives forever, whether we like it or not...so we might as well start somewhere." I say.
"Ok..let's do it like that then." She agrees.
"Great"
"Ok..enough with the talking. I would rather spend tonight doing other things" she murmurs and i pull her to my chest.
"Oh yeah, like what" I ask, when she straddles me."
"Like this" she whispers, her mouth coming to cover mine.
"I have something for you" I murmur, pulling back.
"What?"she smiles.
"Come" I say, helping her out of the tub and into a bathrobe after doing so myself.
"Close your eyes"
"What?" No! I hate surprises" she utters, already blushing.
"Just do it" I chuckle.
"Babe?"
"Do it!" I insist.
I noticed her using pet names more often now and i like it.
"Fine" she complies and i take her hand and lead her to the bedroom that has been set up to make our last night here more memorable.
"Ok...open" I murmur.
She blinks a few times before focusing her gaze around the room and then at what's on the bed.
She laughs loudly.
"Angelo....why do you do this to me?" She murmurs softly, her hands on her face.
"Because i can...and i love you...and so i will keep doing this and saying it until you no longer doubt it ..and even then, i will say it again." I whisper against her ear, as i stand behind her.
"Oh my gosh....no" she chuckles, looking around.
"Yes...c'mon...you wanted to do something....lets."
A/N. Hey guys...thanks for waiting....I know I took extra long to upload a chapter this time, but it's because i had a bereavement in the family last week and had to travel for that and i needed a minute after a got back to regroup........Anyway, enjoy and thanks for your support as always..Much love to you 💕😘