Smitten: A Mafia Romance — Chapter 37

"So glad to have you back bitch!" Mark said pulling Korina into a hug, tightening his arms around her.

"Can't breathe." She said fake gasping for air making Mark laugh as he released.

"I missed you Mark." Korina said, she reached out a hand and ruffled his hair.

"Hey." He slapped her hand away frowning at her, "I don't joke with my hair yunno, it get's me all the girls." He winked.

"Oh shut up." She scoffed.

Korina had decided to get her ass back to work before her boss finally reached the conclusion that she has had enough and was issued a sack letter.

Moreover, she needed to get out, to get out of her house, meet and interact with actual real life humans not watching tv or playing games.

She hated to admit it but getting out of the house was really necessary and she felt better already seeing other people apart from her cousin and breathing in the city air.

Ms Susan dropped the cup of Coffee then swirled in her chair before finally stopping and facing Korina.

Korina sighed, she had been doing that stupid act for minutes, an act that had begun to bore Korina out.

"Korina." She smiled, Korina had to pinch herself to make sure that she wasn't day dreaming, she smiled? She just smiled at me.

She actually went ahead to pinch herself lightly to ensure that it was a dream so she would wake up, it wasn't a dream, it was real.

"GET BACK TO WORK!" She screamed causing Korina to jerk, she was startled.

Oh, she's back to her abnormal crazy self.

"But ma'am, with all due respect ma'am." Korina said, "You called me here and you haven't even said anything."

"I said get out and get back to work!" The woman grabbed the mug cup and threw it at Korina, she dodged scrambling out of the office, the cup meeting the wall shattering into many pieces. The coffee in the cup left a splattered brown stain on the white wall.

"Why did she call you?" Mark asked as soon as Korina got back behind the counter, "What did she say?"

Korina let out a long hiss grabbing her apron, scowling as she tried to put it on.

"What's wrong?" He asked noticing her facial expression, "What did she do this time?"

"That woman is nuts!"

"Everyone knows that." Mark laughed.

"No like, she belongs in an asylum."

"Oh! Oh! She must have done something really worse this time."

"I went into the office." Korina began talking as she grabbed a mug cup and began making coffee for herself, "when I got in there, I greeted her, no reply, She just sipped her coffee, twirled round in her chair a couple of times, she repeated the same thing boring me out and she never said anything, then suddenly she called my name smiling and before you know it, she screamed that I should get out and hurled her mug cup at me."

"What in the world?!" Mark exclaimed wide eyed.

"Can you imagine?" She said putting cream in the cup and stirring it, "Like she's going coconuts and nut banana's this time."

Mark shook his head.

"She's a little old, middle age, I don't know where the hell she gets her strength from, she acts like a crazy old lady." Korina said.

"Speaking of old ladies, there is one headed our way right now." Cole said pointing at the door.

Korina looked up and spat out the contents in her mouth in shock.

Grace, Cole's aunt was headed her way.

"Hello dear." The woman said as she got to the counter, she leaned on it, arms folded, flashing Korina a wide smile.

"How may I help you ma'am...i mean Grace ma'am." Korina said, She looked to her left to get help from Mark only to find not even the scent of his colonge.

He had gone, wimp, he's so gonna get it when he gets back here.

"Coffee? Sandwich? Smoothie?" She asked.

"No dear." The woman said pulling her dark aviator glasses off, "I came your to talk with you and I could treat you to something if you wanted."

Why are you even here? Korina smiled at the woman, "No ma'am that wouldn't really be necessary."

"So are you up for a little chat then?"

Grace asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Uhhmm." Korina thought for a while before answering, there wasn't any harm in agreeing to the woman's demands and what could possibly go wrong? She looked at her and nodded, "I would hang out with you for a while, let me just clear things up here first."

"Okay dear." She straightened up, "Would be waiting at my usual table." Korina nodded as she watched the woman walk away, she knew the table she meant. Grace had frequented the restaurant after meeting Korina for the first time, the woman always came in pretence to get treats where as she was there to monitor Korina.

"So, how are you doing, ma'am Grace?" Korina drew out the chair taking a seat.

Grace looked up and smiled at her.

"I am great." She replied, "Could you please get some scones and orange juice, you should get some for yourself too, bills on me, I insist."

Korina returned later with a tray of scones, a glass of orange juice for grace and coke for herself.

"They smell wonderful." Grace rubbed her hands in delight as Korina set the tray down.

"I made these myself." She said, "I usually make them when I am chanced." Korina added, you mean when you aren't late, her mind pricked her.

"That's nice, you should come over and make some for me some day." Grace said popping one of the scones in her mouth.

What?! Korina's eyes widened, she's moving too fast.

"What?" The woman said, she saw the look on Korina's face, "Is there anything wrong with what I said dear?"

"No, Not at all." Korina shook her head.

"Okay, so how are things with you and cole?"

"What do you mean?" She scratched her shoulder.

"Has he popped the question yet?"

"What question?"

"The question that says 'Will you marry me?' "

Korina's face actually paled this time, Grace laughed at the horrified look on the young girl's face, "I was just kidding." She said between laughs.

"Pheww." She sighed.

"He told me about y'all's argument and what happened at the restaurant."

"He did?"

"Yes." She nodded, "He did."

"Oh."

"When he arrived home that night, I was at his place, he didn't want to talk and he looked drained. I had to force it out of him."

"Sorry about that." Korina apologised, she didn't know if she even had to apologise.

"It's no problem dear." She said.

Grace reached out and grabbed Korina's hands enclosing them in a motherly hold.

"I really truly understand how you feel, what you have been through and what you are going through even tho you are silent about it. Believe me, I can see through you, the pain in your eyes tell your story."

Korina had no words, she could only nod at the woman, a sign of admittance of the truth.

"Please." Grace pleaded, "please give him a chance when he asks for it, I am not forcing you or anything but the ball is in your court Korina. You can't let the mistakes or wrong happenings of the past affect your future or happiness, you have to let go and heal. I want to see you happy and I want to see him happy." She said, "Please." She whispered tightening her hold on Korina's hands.

"I will think about it." Korina said.

They finished up their food while talking about other things, time went by and Grace got ready to leave.

Korina bade her good bye.

Grace's words weighed on her as she worked the rest of her shift.

That night as she got home, she finally texted Cole back. She dropped the phone and walked to the window to stare out into the night.

Grace was right, she really had control of this, she couldn't keep letting the past weigh her down and she had to heal, as she took her decision standing there staring at the dark night watching how the city lights shone, a lone tear slid down her cheek.