La Rosa Gialla

Chapter 43

August 2024

I got back into the car, still pretending to be angry. I crossed my arms over my chest and stubbornly stared out the window at the surrounding landscape. "Come on, Adri," Charles grunted and started the engine. "You did pretty well. You had the fastest lap in under a minute. That's a decent time," he continued and put his palm on my thigh again. I felt a pleasant warmth on my skin, and that was enough for me to turn to him and smile brightly at him. "You aren't angry?" he asked and I shook my head with a smile. I took his face in my hands and passionately kissed him on the lips for long seconds. I didn't even realize what I was doing and slid my hand into his lap, where I felt his semi-hard penis. Charles flinched and quickly pulled away from me. "I guess we should stop it," he declared, his voice cracking. "This car doesn't have tinted windows," he added quickly and I laughed. "That's the motivation for you to finally step on the gas and get us to Maranello faster," I smirked and he did too.

"Dad?" I yelled in the garage, expecting to hear sounds from somewhere that might reveal my dad's presence. When I didn't find him there either, I went back to the living room where I met Charles. His task was to go around the upper floor and look for my father there. Instead, he was sitting on the couch with a mouth full of cookies that had been sitting on the table for who knows how long. "Charlie? Did you find him?" I asked, putting a cookie in my mouth as well. I chewed a few times, looked disgusted and spat the substance into a tissue. "These have gone bad at least 2 months ago. How can you eat that?" I wondered, but Charlie just shrugged. "Long journey. I'm starving and my sugar level is low." I shook my head and sank into the seat with a sigh. "Where can he be? After all, I texted to him that we are close," I speculated. I was just about to dial his number when a knock sounded from upstairs. I looked at Charles, who froze for a moment and turned a little pale. "Did you even look upstairs?" I asked him again and he nodded vigorously. "One thousand percent no one is there."

"Charlie?! Did you look upstairs?"

"I did, Adri. I didn't really find anyone there. Maybe dad just got a cat or something."

"Cat? What are you talking about?" I shook my head and jumped to my feet. Charles imitated me and grabbed my wrist. "I don't think you should go there," he whispered.

"Why not?"

"Believe me. I can imagine how you will react and I would like to spare you that."

Confused, I glared at him, broke away from him and headed up the stairs to my dad's bedroom. "Adri!" Charles yelled, running after me. The thrashing in the bedroom stopped as if on command. "Daddy?" I called out calmly and knocked on the door before determinedly taking the handle and opening the door.

I caught sight of my father trying to make up both sides of the double bed. His shirt and trouser belt were undone, and his otherwise perfectly combed hair was disheveled as if he had just gotten up. "Hello?" I drew attention to myself. Dad turned to me with a mixture of excited and scared expressions and walked over to give me a hug. "Ciao, cara. How was your trip? You're here early," he said, turning to Charles, who appeared next to me, with a strange look. "Charles was driving," I said, because that alone was enough to explain our early arrival. I looked between Charlie and my dad until I finally couldn't take it anymore and asked, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Sorry, I was trying to hold her back," Charles spat resignedly.

"Dad?" I looked directly at him.

"Cara, please wait for me downstairs," Dad said, pushing us both out the door and slamming it behind us.

Charles and I were sitting on the couch, and I didn't know if I was more mad at him for conspiring with my own father against me or at my dad for keeping something from me. A few minutes later I heard footsteps on the stairs, and I immediately turned my head to look at my dad. He was finally groomed and decently dressed, but it wasn't the state of his appearance that struck me the most. Another figure appeared a few steps behind him. It was a woman. More specifically, an elegant lady in her fifties with auburn hair, happy brown eyes, and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. "P, this is Adri, my daughter. Adri, this is Paola, my...girlfriend," I heard the worry in his voice. I knew he was afraid of how I would react. And honestly, a part of me wanted to fight it and tell him that he couldn't replace mom. But the more rational part of me immediately felt joy and peace. "It's lovely to meet you, Paola," I smiled at her and hugged her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Charles and dad exchange confused looks. They underestimated me and my self-control, and I will remember that.

"We've known each other for a few years, but neither of us was ready for more than a conversation over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine," Dad explained later that evening when Paola went home after dinner. "But something changed a few months ago, and since then we've been seeing each other more often, and for things other than talking," "Dad!" I moaned, but my mouth spread into a wide smile. "Do you like her, dad?" I asked.

"I do, cara," he smiled cautiously. I leaned toward him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I am happy for you. You deserve to be happy again."