Her Family

Chapter - 29

The next morning, the boys were surprisingly all up bright and early. Isabella saw her brothers in black tuxes sitting down in the living room. She spotted the elaborate flower bouquets on the coffee table. Her Zii and Mamma were nowhere to be found. She was wearing a black dress with a white pearl necklace. Her hair was left down in its natural curls and adorned a black hairband. Her brothers looked mournful. The sun had not risen yet and the gloomy darkness seemed to match their mood. 

She didn't really know what was happening. Her Mamma asked her to come down wearing black at 6 in the morning the previous night when she came to say her good night and she did what she was told. She pretty much knew nothing else. She quickly slipped down the stairs and sat next to her brother.

"Where are we going ?" she asked no one in particular.

"Adrienna will tell you," Enrico responded. His face was wretched with sorrow. She'd never even seen Enrico moody before, he was always cheerful. She felt terrible seeing her brother like that.

Leonardo entered the living room. He too rocked a crisp black tux. His eyes were glassy. "You're here too," he said glancing at Isabella, and continued," Let's get going, the others are waiting by the car." He took Isabella's hand and led her out. The boys wearily got up, took the bouquets, and followed their big brother out.

There was the light rustling of leaves as the chill Autumn air brushed over them. Outside waiting by the black Ferrari was Adrienna. She was wearing a boat-necked, black dress that came just below her knees. The silver locket she always wore shone over the black dress. Her blue eyes were icy cold and emotionless as ever. They looked almost....dead. She guarded her emotion so well that no one could tell she was mourning. She was so unpredictable that it made her terrifying, but what no one could notice was that behind her cold, rough exterior, lay an inscrutable amount of pain and misery.

The entire family looked except Isabella looked scary as hell. They looked intimidating and powerful. If someone even accidentally stumbled upon them they would immediately turn around and go the other way with sparring a glance.

Isabella was too fixated on observing her family. She wasn't really scared but rather weirded out. Before she even knew she was in the car with her mother and Zio Marco and Leonardo and they had driven away. The others were in another car.

No one uttered a word. Isabella still didn't know where they were going. They did look like they were going to a funeral but whose?

"Isabella," Adrienna called her daughter. Her voice held so much authority that it sent shivers down Isabella's spine. She knew her mother wouldn't hurt her but she couldn't help the feeling of terror that washed over her.

Adrienna's expression softened when she saw her frightened daughter causing Isabella to calm down. Her breathing calmed down and she looked at her mother with unwavering attention.

"We are going to visit the grave of the most noble man I've ever known. 8 years ago on this day he died. We're going to pay him our respects."

"Did I know him ?"

"You did. He loved you a lot. He'd always play with you and ride you on his shoulders. You loved to be with him too," Adrienna said. Memories flashed before her eyes as she remembered him.

"Who is he ? I mean how do you know him ?" Isabella asked.

"He is like a Zio to me," Adrienna replied.

"So in a way he is like a grandpa to me ?"

A faint smile crept onto Adrienna's lips. "Yeah, he is your Grandpa."