Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 48585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“Yes,” she says sympathetically. “I can understand that. My family and I are very close, and I would do all that I can for them if they needed my help. They are back in Italy. I moved here to Vegas to make money to help support them. Sometimes I feel like I’m alone here too, even though I am constantly surrounded by people.”
“Then we have that in common,” I say with a relieved smile as I get ready to ask her for what I need. “Maria, I need you to get me a pregnancy test from the pharmacy. Can you do that for me, please?”
Her eyes widen and dart down to glance at the front of my stomach. “Are you pregnant? Is it Mr. Luciano Moretti’s baby?” As soon as she blurts out the question, she looks horrified at having asked it. “I’m sorry! Forgive me for asking. It is none of my business at all.”
Maria’s eyes drop to her feet. She’s so clearly in a position of vulnerability, working a job in such a wealthy environment that makes her feel in over her head. I wonder if she even knows that the family she serves is a notorious mafia-aligned one.
“It’s alright,” I say, reaching out to take her hand in an attempt at beginning a new friendship between us. “I know what it feels like to be unsure of where your place is and who to trust. I promise you can trust me, okay?”
“Okay,” she nods with a relieved smile. “I can get you the test. I can bring it to you after my shift this afternoon if you would like.”
“That would be great. Thank you, Maria, and please remember to keep this just between us girls. Can I trust you to do that?”
“Yes. You can trust me.”
After that, I let her go about her duties in the suite, cleaning and putting everything back into perfect order. When she leaves, I try not to let my mind slip down the rabbit hole of potential consequences until she returns. Thankfully, Maria keeps her word regarding being discreet.
She’s dressed differently now, in modest, casual clothing, which must mean that she’s off duty now. Her jeans and practical shoes look humble and reflect limited means. She must work really hard in order to send money back home to her family in Italy while financially struggling herself. I give her a lot of credit for being a young woman clawing her way toward the life that she wants. It’s difficult being alone in a big city like Vegas, especially when you’re surrounded by powerful men and dangerous dynamics, whether she realizes it.
“The man at the door asked me why I was back after I had already cleaned this suite,” she says as she reaches into her apron pocket and pulls out the pregnancy test to hand to me. “I told him I had accidentally left my bottle of cleaning solution here and needed to come back to get it.”
“Great excuse,” I say as I take the test.
“But I left nothing here, so I need to bring something back down with me. Otherwise, he will know that I’m lying.”
“That’s not a problem,” I say as I walk toward the kitchen to see what we can find. I pull out a bottle of counter cleaner and hand it to her. “Will this work?”
Maria nods and hesitates before leaving again. “Miss—”
“Valentina,” I correct her. “I’m not your boss; I’m your friend now.”
“Valentina,” she says with a nervous smile. “Are you going to be happy if you are pregnant? Is it something that you have been wanting, or is it unexpected? I know it’s not my place to ask. I am just curious.”
“It’s alright. I’m not upset about the question. Honestly, I’m not sure how I will feel if the test is positive,” I answer truthfully. “It definitely isn’t something that I planned on happening. But there is love involved, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“That is good then,” she nods. “Babies born out of love are the lucky ones.”
She’s not wrong. I can’t even imagine if I had become pregnant with Leonardo. It would feel like a life sentence, tethered to a man I don’t even want to be around. She reaches out her hand and touches my flat stomach, catching me by surprise.
“Se nasce un bambino, ti auguro una buona vita,” she says before removing her hand.
“What does that mean?” I ask her.
“It means good blessings if there is a baby. Italian is my native language. I find it more beautiful when the words slip off my tongue, especially when offering a blessing of protection,” she says.
“Thank you. That’s really very kind of you.”
Maria nods. “We do not know each other well yet, but I see something similar of myself in you. You live comfortably, supported by money and a man, yet your secret leaves you vulnerable when you’re alone. I understand how that feels. I hope that when you take your test, you get the answer that you want.”