9

Rosalinda walked into the all too familiar white walls of the hospital her mother was staying in. Greeting the doctors and other medical professionals, she head up to the front desk, signing herself in, then made a b-line to her mother's room with a bright smile. She skipped lightly down the hall and into the elevator, greeting more people as she boarded and hit the fourth floor button, taking her up, until the door signaled she arrived and opened.

Rushing out of the elevator, carefully, she quickly made her way to her mother's room, as she watched two nurses help her get out of her bed and into a wheelchair. Her mother, Luċija (Lu-see-uh>), glanced up, as her hazel eyes brightened along with her smile.

"It-tifla sabiħa tiegħi! Finalment! Ejja nġibu l-infern minn hawn! (My beautiful daughter! Finally! Lets get the hell out of here!)" She yelled from her seat, causing Rosalinda to laugh loudly and thank the nurses with a huge grin. She walked behind her mother, kissing her head, as she began to quickly push her out of her room.

"Let's hurry before they change their minds and try to keep you trapped again." She continued to joke, her mother laughed and turned, hitting her hand.

***

Once Rosalinda and her mother got into the girl's shabby apartment, her mother began to 'tsk' at the little messes around the living room/dining room, looking up at her daughter.

"Sweetheart ... Dan il-post jeħtieġ xi rinnovazzjoni u dehra ġdida (Sweetheart...This place needs some renovation and a new look)." Her mother grimmest at her daughter's living space. Rosalinda scoffed at her mother and pushed her wheelchair over to the couch, as her mother was capable to get up and move herself to the couch. Luċija sighed and sunk deeper into the couch, looking at Rosalinda and smiled.

"At least the couch is comfy..." She jokes, as the girl laughed at the Malta native.

"I'm gonna start dinner, make yourself-" A knock came from her door while she was telling her mom to stay comfy. Both women raised a brow, as Rosalinda head over to the door. She opened it up, but quickly brought it to a crack with wide eyes.

"Go home!" She harshly whispered at the taller business man looking down at her with a raised brow.

"I was coming by to tell you about-"

"Yeah! Yeah! Sure! You have my approval, now go!" She harshly said, cutting him off,  as she began to close the door. Alistair quickly wedged his foot into the door and began to push through it a little.

"Why are you acting..." Alistair trailed off when his eyes landed on Luċija's hazel ones. The older woman's brow raised, but a smirk began to spread on her lips.

"Rosalinda! Ħalli l-bniedem fqir! Jidher tajjeb u gustuż ħafna (Rosalinda! Let the poor man in! He seems kind and handsome)!" Her mother inquired, wiggling her brows, as Rosalinda's eyes grew wide and cheeks red.

"Mama!" The girl yelled, as Alistair let himself in, as he noticed Rosalinda's grip on the door loosen.

"I'm sorry, am I interrup-"

"No! No! Please have a seat! Rosalinda here was about to cook! You should join!" Luċija inquired, Rosalina opening her mouth to protest, but a sharp look from her mother caused the girl to quickly shut her mouth and head into the kitchen with her head down. Alistair raised a brow, watching the younger Malta woman disappear into the kitchen.

"Come! Sit!" Luċija patted the couch, as the man took a seat beside her, but not to close, as the older woman turned her body to face him, as her face became serious.

"What are intentions-"

"Mama!" Rosalinda stomped into the room when she began to hear the words leave her mother's mouth, as Luċija held her hands up defensively.

"I was-"

"No! We are business associates! Nothing more!" The girl told, as her mother's eyes widened, then she scrunched her brows together.

"Business associates? X'ġara mar-ristorant? Int qed titlef il-flus ?! Għaliex ma tgħidli- (What happened to the restaurant? Are you losing money?! Why wouldn't you tell me-)" Luċija stopped talking when her daughter held her hands up and shook her head.

"Aktar tard (Later)." She told her, as her mother nodded, glancing over at the boy. A smirk began to form on her face, as it crinkled her face in a lovely, but scary, manner. Rosalinda was about to tell her mother to stop, but Luċija leaned close to Alistair. She whispered in his ear about how he had her "approval" and a few other things that wouldn't be mentioned. Rosalinda quickly rushed back into the kitchen to check on the chicken she was cooking, as she also got away from Alistair, as his face reddened.

"O-oh no! Ma'am-"

"Call me Luċija!" The older woman said, patting his shoulder with a bright smile, as Alistair quickly stood up and nodded.

"W-well it was a pleasure to meet you! Hopefully we can talk again soon! But I must be going!" He quickly said, taking the woman's hand and kissing the back of it.

He head into the kitchen to say goodbye to Rosalinda, but stopped after a moment, as the kitchen smelled wonderful. He watched Rosalinda walk around the kitchen with swift movements, grabbing exactly what she needed, as her hips swayed to the unfamiliar song she was humming.

He could feel his face heating up more when Rosalinda turned, and raised a brow. Placing her hands on her wide hips, Alistair couldn't help but look at her hand and lick his lips slightly, as thought about gripping her hips-

"Can I help you Mr. Hamelton?" She questioned with a raised brow, as the man snapped him his daze, cleared his throat, and fixed his collar.

"Um, I was hoping you'd come to my house tomorrow to discuss what day we can open the diner back up and talk about the decor a little more." He gulped, as Rosalinda sighed and nodded her head.

"Yeah, sure. How about 10 A.M. tomorrow? Since I won't be working, gives me time to sleep in." She told him, as Alistair mumbled under his breath about 'if she did sleep', as Rosalinda slapped his shoulder with the wooden spatula she held.

"Hush your face! I don't want my mother to hear that. Now, please go. I have no interest with my diner or anything else in this world besides the woman who brought me into it." She waved the wooden object in the air, as Alistair smirked and put his hands up.

"Alright, alright! I'm going!" He chuckled, as Rosalinda led him to the door. She opened it up for him and stepped out with him, sighing.

"10 tomorrow at your house?" She asked, as the man's smirk was still plastered to his face as he nodded.

"I'll see you then Ms. Scott, have a good evening." He took her hand and kissed the back of it, as Rosalinda's eyes widened. She pulled her hand out of his quickly, smacked his hand away that held her's, and pushed him away with a dark blush.

"Get out of here, you pervert!" She yelled, the man letting out a deep and throaty laugh, as it caused the woman to blush more at the nice sound coming from his mouth.

"Alright! Alright! I'm off! But I'll see you soon! Have a good night!" He said, heading down the staircase of her apartment, as the woman huffed and watched him leave.

She sighed and walked back into her house and into the kitchen, seeing her mother keeping an eye on the food.

"Well, you two seem extra close..." Her mother smirked, as her daughter told her to stop and shut up, covering her ears, as her mother laughed.

"Such a silly girl..." Her mother chuckled and shook her head, as Rosalinda and her began to cook the chicken together, as the night went on without the topic of her 'love life' and 'Alistair' popping back up.

Such a calm before the storm...

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Sorry about the shorter chapter! Vote and comment what you think may happen the next chapter and what you think about Rosalinda's mom!