Yours Sincerely

CHAPTER 24: KNOWING ANTONIO...

SAPPHIRE’S POV:

I wiped out my tears as I laughed. Turned out, Antonio is a fun guy actually, if you are in his good book that is. After breakfast, we sat for a movie marathon. After the third movie and eating fruits and popcorn-like, there is no tomorrow, Adam and Antonio fall asleep.

I took the last bite of the strawberry and stood up with the empty bowl. I cleaned the utensils and placed them back in there respective place. After drinking a glass of water I went out of the house to the patio with a bottle of 1969 Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand CruCote de Nuits, France from the bar.

Even though Adam is never going to take a sip of any of these drinks, he surely is very tasteful about the bar he has in his house and office. I sometimes doubt if he is allergic to Alcohol or it's just a facade. But there is no doubt he is allergic to alcohol cause when he drank a sip of it for the first time, he nearly died. First from the choking and then Uncle Ethan drove right into a truck due to stress.

It was a miracle that they survive the accident. Though Adam was in the ICU for a week and Uncle Ethan fractured his left hand and had a plaster for a month and a half. I shook my head and looked up at the sky, filled with stars.

I took the wooden pieces from the outhouse and Arranged them on the stone firepit. After lightening the flame, I sat on one of the stone chairs around the firepit. Finally taking the bottle of wine in my hands I opened it with the help of an opener.

After taking in the flavoured scent, I took a sip and closed my eyes. I savoured the fine drink and continued to think about all the possibilities of who wants to kill and save someone so desperately. It was already half-past nine and I don't have sleep in my eyes yet.

Even though I smile, every fibre of my body wants nothing but to find the person and stop this drama for once and for all. As strong as I'm, I'm still not strong enough to endure the pain of someone I love.

“It’s cold out here, love. You should probably go to bed.” I turned to my right to see Antonio looking at the flames as he sat on the chair next to mine.

“For a man looking as scary as you, you are a cheerful person, Tony.” I saw him raise a brow and looked at me like I've grown horns.

“First things first, I'm not scary and second, it's not Tony, it's not Anto, it's not Nio. It's Antonio, Just Antonio or Charles will do, thank you.” He pulled his t-shirt down and it was my turn to raise a brow with a smirk on my face.

“You said you loved me right, and I reciprocated the feeling, so I'm officially allowed to call you with any name I chose.” I folded my hand over my chest and smiled sweetly. 

“That doesn't mean that you can call me by any name you like.” He pointed his finger at me and I saw the slight smile that made its way through his eyes.

“Oh! Watch this! Tony, TONY, T-O-N-Y....” I trailed the last part and we both chuckled leaning back on our seats.

“You can't save everyone around you just by yourself, Sapphire. That's why we have family and friends in our lives.” I heard his calm voice after a few minutes of comfortable quiet.

“I’ve been this way since childhood, but I promise if it gets out of my hands, even the slightest bit, I'll ask for help without hesitation.” I refilled my glass and took another glass. I nodded my head at the bottle asking if he wants some.

“I thought you'd never ask!” I grinned and poured his glass. We talked about the lighter stuff. Slowly the second bottle of the wine was emptied. Right now, we were back on talking about the serious stuff and decided to have mercy on Adam’s wine collection.

The night went on as Adam slept peacefully on the couch and Tony and I talked till it was 2:00 a.m. And I could take no more coffee or noodles inside me.

“You know, My wife thinks I'm a goofball.” I looked at Tony with the last spoon of noodles in my hand.

“Well, you are in a way.” I shrugged and finished my bowl. Antonio who drank almost a whole bottle of whiskey and now was arranging the noodles to make flowers on the grass.

I took his bowl of noodles away and was about to move inside but Tony held my ankle and turned me around, making me almost lose my balance.

I gasped and looked at the goofball with a frown.

“Tony, leave my ankle. I'll fall if you continue to move your hand. You are completely drunk dude.” I tried to get my leg out of his hold. Well, just tried.

“Nope! I want to make flowers on the grass!” Tony practically screamed as he pulled my ankle making me fall.

“Tony!” I groaned as I felt my bottom hurt.

“This is important, love!” Now he whispers like a man on a mission as he joined me on the grass. Thanks to the warm clothes and fire, or else I would have turned into an ice cube by now. But right now, my eyes were tired and so was my brain. All I want to do is sleep in the soft bed with a warm blanket over me.

“How is this important?!” I whisper yelled. Going along with his mission.

“This is a gift for my sister.” I raised my brow at the ‘sister’.

“You mean your wife?” I slowly kept the noodles back into his hand.

“Nope! Nopsi-dopsi! If I give this to my wife. We are done for this life.” He chuckled and I nervously followed the pace.

“Then why you didn't tell anyone, you have a sister?” I sat Indian style looking at him with curiosity.

“I kinda don't remember much but where I was there was this little girl who always would come to me with half of her meal. You see, I wasn't much wanted at the place I was before.” He passionately took a long string of noodle and made another flower as he arranged it.

“So, you are still in touch with that little girl?” I slowly asked.

“No, I'm still looking for her. I promised to visit her when I left the place with my adoptive parents. But when I came back after a month, she was already gone. I never saw her. But now that I believe that we are going to meet shortly, I want to make a good impression as her older brother.”

I shook my head with all the thoughts and shook Tony's shoulder.

“Tony, don't you think she will be too old for a bouquet of noodles?” I nearly doubled with the latter as I saw the scary guy in from of me pouting. But he smiled the very next second. Now, Antonio can be very intimidating when he is serious but he is scary right now as he wore a 1000 watt smile. And if it wasn't for his strong muscles and jaw, I would have been scared that he will tear his cheeks by that smile 

“But she will still be my little sister.” He moved his eyebrows and got back to his masterpiece, making me look at him in wonder.

Is it just I or I've heard this sentence from a long away?...