The Godfather's New Wife

Father ot Two

Ariel POV:

Days ran into weeks and weeks turn into months, the fear was finally behind me. I only remember I owe a certain devil a favor in few occasions.

I was writing on the board when I heard the murmur among my pupils and it could only be one thing, one of them has done something thing wrong, again! I knew and could bet my left eye it was either Abriana or Aurora, it was just a question of what did they do this time.

I turned around to see the cause of the ruckus and they all seem to be staring at pat, the class goldfish. I couldn't see what they saw at first, but on a second look I realized the fish tank has turned purple.

□●■♤○♤♤♤

Are we talking about the same kids?” Leonardo Giovanni shifted on the pint-size chair in the kindergarten classroom. Across a sea of tiny tables, his daughters made dinner in a play kitchen.

"Because my daughters wouldn’t pull a stunt like that.” he added

I folded my hands atop my desk, full lips pressed into a frown. “While your daughters are lucky to have such wonderful support in their corner, the fact remains that our classroom fish tank had an entire package of Kool-Aid spilled in.” I said

"you should know that at the time of the incident, your girls were the only only one near the tank.”

"Yeah, but did you see either of them do it?”

After a moment’s hesitation, I replied, “No, but—”

He rolled his eyes, “Ever heard the phrase ‘innocent until proven guilty’?”

"Sir, with all due respect, this isn’t the first time I’ve had trouble with your daughters. They has been on a rampage recently, they put popcorn in the plants to see if it would grow. Sneaked cafeteria food into our play kitchen and served it to other students. The last time it rained, they—”

"I don't know what you are trying to prove but if Aurora and Abriana did all that, maybe they aren't getting adequate supervision. Maybe you’re the one who needs looking after?” He said coldly

I was exasperated, but trying hard to keep calm, I can't be arguing with a pupil's father. "“I’ve been teaching for six years, and trust me, I understand it must be hard hearing your daughters are, well…out of control, but—”

He whistled for his girls and they came running. “Did you do that to the fish tank?” He pointed at the purple mess."

“No, Daddy,” they replied in unison, their big blue eyes wholly innocent.

“There you have it.” Hands on their back, he ushered them back to where they were playing.

The smell of crayons and paste was bringing on a headache.

" Clearly, you must’ve been sniffing too much of that white school glue."

"Excuse me" I wheezed

“My girls said they are not guilty. End of story. Excuse me, I have somewhere important to be" He said and stood up. "I will send someone to clean the fish tank"

I was too shocked to speak and could only watch him walk away.

●●■□●●□■♧

HE DIDN’T?”

“Oh, he did.” I replied

I put a carrot stick to my mouth and chomped at it. The teachers’ lounge was blessedly quiet. I had a free period while my kiddos were in music class, and I was enjoying every minute with my best friend, Amy Stump. “Then he had someone come over cleaned out the tank. Does that sound like something the father of an innocent child would do?”

“No…" Amy struggled opening a chocolate milk carton. “But it was decent of him. Maybe he has issues with admitting his daughters are anything less than perfect.” As Weed Gulch Elementary School’s counselor, Amy was always on the hunt for the best in people. Usually it was a trait I found endearing, but in this case, already dreading her next stunt, I wished Leonardo Giovanni would wake up and see the delinquents he was raising.

"Aurora and Abriana are adorable and funny and smart, but they have an ornery streak I can’t control.”

Without thinking, I took Amy's milk carton and had it open in a flash.

“You’re good at that.”

“I’m pretty sure I had a college course on stubborn milk.”

“Nothing on tough-to-handle kids though, huh?”

“More than I can count, but this one beat anything I’ve ever seen. If they continue this trend, by third grade they’ll be robbing ice cream trucks.”

Amy chuckled. “They’re not that bad.”

"Mark my words. This isn’t the last time I’ll have to confront their father.”

“At least he’s hot.” Amy said whilst poking my ribs with an elbow. “Makes for interesting parent/teacher conferences.”

Heat crept up my neck. Hot was hardly the word. The man was more in the realm of drop-dead gorgeous, but that was beside the point. “He’s all right. If you go for that sort.” Tall, spiky dirty-blond hair, blue eyes-

“Don’t even try lying to me. That porcelain skin of yours gives everything away. You’re blushing.”

“Am not.” I have always hated my pale complexion, and this was just one more reason why.

“Let’s hope,” Amy said, thankfully off the subject of the all-too-handsome cowboy, “this conference will serve as a wake-up call for the girls. I bet you don’t have a lick of trouble from now to the end of the year.”