CH 13 ( Present )

Chrysanthemums bloomed over the mountains,

The mountain air is filled with freshness,

A friend gone is air cut short,

It leaves you gasping.

My soul feels like,

It's been ripped from my source. 

( Excerpt from ODE To PAIN BY RUTH ROBERT)

Adriana's POV

" We pray for Antonio De'Luca who has died, may God now welcome him into his heavenly home of eternal happiness and peace." the priest said in a soothing voice that made me think back,

My dad also spoke calmly like this, when he gets serious he calls my name 'Adriana' and I know he is damn serious, a smile graces my face as I think about that.

Attending your dad's burial ceremony twice is nerve-wracking, it's like failing an exam twice or like losing your loved ones in one day, the pain you feel, I think I'm feeling more but this ceremony feels more like family sending you home, and I know my dad will be happy.

Looking around I see uncle Matteo, he has been there, Marcello who looked hard was crying and I don't think I'd blame him, cause I've heard he was close with my dad.

Aria was here too, looking all badass with a guy who looked like her, I guess he is her brother.

I walked to the coffin and place chrysanthemums on it, it was my mom's favorite and it became my dad too,

"Farewell papa, sleep now.....say hello to Mama for me" I muttered and I felt my eyes water,

I stood up and watched as sand was been poured into the grave, I felt palms holding both my hands and I looked at who it was, Uncle Matteo held my right hand and Marcello held my left, without them I wouldn't have known I was locked in my thoughts.

"It's going to be okay Adriana after today put today behind you," Marcello said and patted my shoulder, waving at Aria and the guy with her, they walked to the car

Everywhere was silent after they left and I was glad.

"Are you sure Marcello won't mind?" I asked uncle Matteo after a moment of silence

"He won't, your dad wanted to be buried in the Cardonara family burial site" Uncle Matteo replied

"But why?" I asked him

"I don't know, I don't know" he replied

"Hmmmn, I hate these secrets" I muttered

"I do too but all I know is that the autopsy results are out, want to check them?" He told me

"Tomorrow, today I want to mourn and wake up tomorrow ready for revenge," I said him

"Great Idea, let's mourn together" he replied

"Hahahahaha, this is one of the reasons why I love you," I told him whilst laughing

"I love you too, come on," he said dragging me away to where Marcello had two maceratis parked.

The windows were rolled down and I could see Marcello and the guy I saw with Aria in the first car and Aria in the second,

"We'd like to go somewhere else Marcello" uncle Matteo told him

"Okay, Adriana this is my son Andy you've not met him before," Marcello said to me

"Hello," I said with a wave and the guy called Andy only nodded, "proud much" I muttered

"I'll see you guys back at the house then," Marcello said and with that, the car sped off

"Let's go," Uncle Matteo said and we walked past the second car but Aria opened it and walked out,

"Matteo I want to go with you guys...." She said looking at us expectantly

Uncle Matteo looked at me and I shrugged, mourning is also good in groups,

".....and we can also use the car" she added

"Okay.....but we are mourning today," I told her

"Sounds okay with me" she replied

And with that we got in the car, uncle Matteo was driving, Aria sat in the passenger seat and I sat at the back, I guess I'm already used to seating at the back seat, whenever I went out with dad or alone he drove or the driver drove me.

"Where are we going to....you know.... mourn," Aria asked

"Where do you want to go Addy," Uncle Matteo asked me, looking me at from the mirror,

"Anywhere with good bourbon" I replied

"Okay let's go to Rosso, you will love it there," Aria said with a smirk, I looked outside the window and watched as trees turned into buildings and after about 30 minutes drive filled with Aria's chattering and Uncle Matteo trying to ignore her and me ignoring her we arrived at Rosso.

"ahh I can smell the liberating scent of good alcohol here," Aria said as she breathed in, myself and Uncle Matteo gave her a very weird look that said "you are a crazy girl" we got inside and it looked different from the outside, the brown chairs and tables, in a nutshell, it looked ancient and beautiful.

We sat down at a table facing the window, and a waiter with brown hair walked to our table, "welcome to Rosso, will you like to place your orders now, or should I come back later" the waiter asked with a smile.

"We'll order now... I'd like a Maker's Mark bourbon" I said with a smile

Uncle Matteo got the same thing as I, "I'd like a Bernheim original" Aria said whilst drumming the table "okay" the waiter said as he scribbled on his notepad and walked away.

"Do you remember when we were kids and we snuck to the bar at the Cardonara mansion, and we wanted to have a taste of bourbon but your dad caught us?" Aria said with a smile

Surprise filled me, I turned to uncle Matteo "this is not my first time in Aventino?" I asked and Uncle Matteo shook his head

"You really can't remember can you," Aria said staring into my eyes, "you know I got angry when you went to the US, you stopped calling and I hated you," she told me

"I'm sorry but I can't remember, the only memory I have from my childhood is after my mom died...the rest.....I... can't remember," I told and bowed my head, there was an annoying silence on the table,

"Aria it isn't Addy's fault.....heck the first time I saw Addy after she moved, she didn't recognize me" I heard uncle Matteo say

"Here you go" the waiter came and placed our drinks on the table

"Thank you" I muttered and took a sip of my drink, feeling the alcohol running through me, I looked at Aria

"I'm sorry for not calling....but I'd like to hear stories of our childhood and I'd also like us to be friends again," I said with a smile

She looked at me sternly and sighed,

"Well...."