Finding the right person

***

Love Others as God Loves

Heavenly Father, I am so blessed to be Your child, and that I can call You “Abba,” for You are my loving Daddy! My heart overflows with gratitude. You have made me a partaker of Your divine nature, and Your love for me is so wide, so deep – it is beyond my comprehension. May the truth of my identity in You sink deep into my psyche, and impact my relationship with others. Dear Loving Father, may I love others as You have loved me, with compassion and care. Amen.

-         Author Unknown

***

To Ave’s surprise they headed straight home. So they were so trustworthy that he would let them in?

It feels strange to be … home again. She stopped the engine. None of them moved. Leo was gazing out of the window; however, he seemed to be deep in thought.

-Aren’t we going? – She asked in a whisper, loud enough to bring him back to reality.

-Ah, yes, of course. – Despite his words he did not get out. – Wanna go lay under the big oak in the garden? – He asked softly, a little absently.  So it did affect him after all. They have not done that since they were in their teenage years… It had really been 7 years since then, huh.

-Yeah, sure. – She agreed.

Leo finally left the car and she, once again, followed. He led the way. They passed the massive gates of the mansion and the great hall. It was so empty, so nostalgic. After the back entrance stood a little door which did not have a function. It led to the garden, so if one wanted, they could go round it. However, Leo never did. He always opened and closed the door behind him. He loved the garden. By irony he did not know how to take care of it no matter how many times Ave had tried to show him. He let other people take care of it, even if it was his.

He walked towards the oak, looked up at it and then sat down, his back pressed against its stem. Ave did not get closer; she crouched a little further away, the shade still reaching her. Well, wasn’t it silent? It had always been Leo that made it noisy. It was so unnatural to have him lying silently like this. It was only usual when he was fast asleep. In spite of this, it really compliments his features – gentle and handsome. He was quite tall, broad shoulders, dark brown hair and a trimmed beard. However trivial his features were, he was quite the handsome guy.

-You did it again… - he said looking at the hydrangeas to his left. Ave looked up from the grass. – You always do it. - He was lightly smirking to himself. Ave listened patiently, even though, she knew what he was about to nag her about. –Casual clothing on an event with a dress code, no corset, no makeup  to compliment your features, no cosmetics, no hairstyle … just per usual. – He looked at her. Ave was already looking at him and she was expecting to get scolded. It did not happen though. Leo was looking at her softly, smiling warmly.

-Aren’t you mad or have you gone mad? –she asked playfully, her eyes closed facing the grass once again. Leo laughed - such a soft sound. – What so? – She went on. – For someone like me, the more masculine, the better. – She started picking on the grass. He chuckled with his sad eyes guiltily.

-A beautiful woman is beautiful either way, huh… - he said, allowing the silence to take over again. However, the silence never came. Someone behind them clapped. Ave did not look behind and Leo just smirked.

-Sir, shall I take notes? Who would have known that a man like you was such a gentleman after all? – A male voice chased away the silence. Ave had to look behind her. A slender, tall man was looking down at her. He was smiling. He was handsome. He walked past her towards Leo and stopped right before him. –C’mon rich boy. There is no time to dwell on the past. – He spoke playfully, lightly kicking Leo’s leg. Leo sighed.

-Well, I did bring you here with purpose, didn’t I? - Leo scratched his head. Both Ave and the other man stared at him. – Let’s start with introductions. Ave, this is Georgio – the person I told you about. Georgio, this is Ave. – Ave stood up and Georgio walked towards her and extended his hand. She looked at him and hesitantly extended hers back for a handshake.

-It is nice meeting you, Ave. – He said smiling. He did look like Leo, though. The gentle features, the dark blond hair… They did look alike.

-The pleasure’s mine. – She said back indifferently.

-Now that this is done… - Leo said slowly, proceeding to get up. – Do you want to make money?

Ave looked at him confused. What was he bragging about? Leo reached for the inner pocket of his suit and took out a hip flask.

-So this is what you were talking about? – Georgio kind of questioned, reaching for the flask. Leo pulled it away, making him raise an eyebrow.

-Ladies first… -he objected, walking towards Ave. She took the flask and hesitantly looked at Leo. He gave her a smile. Then, shall she? She took a small sip and immediately spit it, coughing. Her tongue burning, she wiped her lips with the back of her palm. They were pulsating with pain.

- Are you crazy? What the fuck is this? It is hella strong. – Ave gritted through her teeth. Leo smirked and looked at Georgio.

- If madam says so, I take it as a trustworthy judgement. – Georgio took the flask from her and sipped from it. It was truly burning his insides. – It really is good.

- I said I wanted to make money, didn’t I? – Leo said matter-of-factly.

-Well, aren’t you greedy? –Ave opposed. – Your dad won’t take long before he retires and goes back deep into the province, why start your own business? – She really couldn’t understand.

-I cannot wait until my old man – the Don, has retired. – He sipped a little from the flask. And for her it clicked.

-That’s not it… - Ave mumbled. – You want to… have fun. – She looked at him disapprovingly. Leo smirked widely at her.

-Well, maybe you have guessed? – He said mockingly. She glared at him and he went serious. – Dad also wants you back home. It is not safe to live on your own. - He said his eyes filled with worry. She sighed, lowering her head. She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

-It is just for a while, I intend on coming back home … - she looked away. - Where do you make that poison? - Leo stared at her, eyes wide and then just laughed.

- There is a factory near the woods, let’s say I bought it. – He said smiling brightly.

-Yeah, to be precise you forced your way to buying it. – She still disapproved of it and it showed with every inch of her face.

-Maybe, who knows? – He grinned at her glaring face.

-Have you talked with the Don? – Georgio interrupted their gaze contest.

-Do not encourage him… - Ave sighed, massaging her temple.

-Oh, come o-o-o-o-o-o-on! I know you like exciting stuff. –Leo whined. She was already giving in.

-Okay, even if you produce it, whom do you plan on selling it to? Your dad? The Caravella family?  She tried, maybe for the last time. She knew that he had already planned everything through. He knew for sure that she would agree.

-No, we’ll sell it through all Italy, maybe abroad if we’d like. – He said as if it were nothing. When she said he could have gone mad… maybe he had.

-Okay, good. Go ask your father before going for mass production at least. I won’t cooperate if you don’t. – Leo smiled widely.

-About that… you will have to come as well…- Leo whispered, making Ave grumble. She waved her palm up and down, a sign of annoyance.

Also, it was a sign of agreement.

***

-Are you sure it is okay? – Ave asked walking beside Leo. If he wanted to he could get what he wanted. His greediness knew no limits.

-Of course. Father trusts you and respects your judgement. You are there to support me. - He told her confidently as if the matter had already been resolved. He did not look at her, his eyes were glued ahead. Ave said nothing. As if she could protest now, she owned him and him only a debt. She would do anything to pay back.

They arrived at the office’s door. Leo finally looked at her to make sure she was okay with it. She nodded lightly and he opened the door. What an idiot, why didn’t he knock? But the Don was not startled at all. No, he was waiting for them or so it looked with his right hand on his right side and the accountant on the sofa. Leo and Ave bowed slightly and sat on the other sofa after the Don had given them a sign to. He smiled at Ave and she tried to smile back. She was…ashamed?

The room’s lightning was poor; the air was filled with the aroma of cigars. It did not suit the fancy furniture and décor of the room - the upholstered walls, leather sofas and armchairs, the ebony table, the library neatly arranged with documents, the large window behind the Don's desk, which, despite its size, did not let much light in.

-Leo. – The Don asked, lighting up a cigar.

-I and Ave have decided to start a business – alcohol sell. For a matter of fact, we have already started producing it. – He stopped. He was so serious with his father. How do thing change... – Why I wanted to talk with you is to help us with avoiding the police and penalties. From there on we will take care of it. – Here it was, that cold stare. He was determined to have it. The Don blew a cloud of smoke and looked at Ave as if she were the one talking up till now. And Leo knew and it frustrated him. He was so used to it; he used it to his advantage.

- We will be working with someone else so there is no need to worry. We have already acquired staff as well. We are ready to start business the moment you allow us. – She spoke up. She was confident only because Leo was. Everything being said, his answer was all that mattered; Saying yes was all they wanted to hear. However, before the Don had the chance to speak his mind, his right hand took the chance.

-Impossible! We cannot take such risks just because you, spoiled rotten children, want to play adults. – He yelled, obviously furious. Leo was getting angry as well, Ave knew. He hated that man, so did she.

-Leo will be taking after the throne in short, a few months actually. If he was this childish, he would not have been entrusted with it from now, would he? Unless, you try to imply that the Don is making a foolish mistake out of misjudgment? – Ave warbled with an innocent look which still looked as cold as ever. 

-Do as you please. – The Don chuckled. – If it is you asking for it, I cannot refuse. I will take care of it. – Ave could finally breath normally, Leo almost sighed out loud.

-Well, Ave, lucky you. – Everyone looked at the accountant. –Working with everyone’s beloved Mr. Leo on your side… - Leo was now boiling with frustration for sure. Ave put her hand on his lap desperately trying to stop him without anyone else noticing.

-I don’t know what you are talking about. Papa Alesi is the most handsome man of all. – She simpered. The Don laughed.

-That’s a woman, crawling under your skin. – No one said anything, no one objected. She got a hateful glare from the accountant who received a glare filled with hatred from Leo. She and Leo stood up, bowed once again and exited the room.

Leo closed the door behind him and both of them pressed their backs on the walls of each side of it, sighing loudly, slowly sliding down until they were both sitting on the floor. They looked like children who had just asked their parents whether they could have sweets for dinner.

***

-Don, I insist, they can’t. – The discussion went on inside the office with half the attendance. - This is too reckless. Smuggling alcohol from city to city, not to mention from one prefecture to another - it could be dangerous!  Leo is a man, he must have planned it, but he better let us do it. They also included someone else. We know nothing about that man! What if he is a Caravella one? Ave isn’t any more trustwo- The Don hit his fist against the table making his right hand man shut up. He had had enough and it showed.

-I have told you numerous times and you never seem to learn. Ave is no different from Leo; they are children of the Alesi family. If they say they have found an ally, they have found an ally. No more objections. – A short heavy pause followed. -  Ave is right. I am retiring soon, Leo will be taking my place… He needs to know how to take responsibility.  – He put out his cigar and stood before the window of his office. Now that he had raised his voice, it was it. No one would dare question the choice that had been made even if it led to a mistake.