Fireproof (Book 4 in the No Control Series)

When Liz contacted Mia yesterday, she said her mother would love for them to visit her at her house.
Liam, Liz and Rosa take a road trip to Lucia’s house, just outside Verona. Lucia greets them outside the moment they arrive. “Ciao.” Lucia says excitedly.
“Ciao, Lucia. You remember our friend Rosa?” Liz asks.
“Si. Benvenuto. Entrare prego.” Lucia welcomes them into her home.
Once inside, Mia, Lucia’s daughter, joins them to translate. They all enjoy a light lunch together before Lucia asks what they’d like to know. Liam sits quietly while Liz explains the situation with Harry. He can see that Lucia is watching him while Mia translates.
“What I’m hoping your mom can help me with is understanding what my connection to Harry is? Why-” Liz pauses to look at Liam. “Why we all had to go through this?”
Lucia places her hand on top of Liz’s, looking into her eyes. She then closes her own for a few moments before talking to Mia in Italian.
“My mother says that Harry did and does truly love you. There was nothing malicious about his feelings. However, you and he are not meant to be together as lovers; only friends.”
Everyone in the room can hear Liam’s sigh of relief. Liz squeezes his hand.
Mia continues, “She says that you were a lesson for Harry.” Mia pauses as she listens to Lucia, then translates. “My mother says that Harry loving you was meant to teach him that he deserves a better woman than what he has settled for in the past. She says he is a good man who deserves a good woman.”
Lucia pats Liz’s arm, managing in English, “Good woman.” She then continues in Italian. Mia translates, “Liz, although Harry genuinely loved you, he was only meant to learn from you, not be with you.”
Rosa speaks to Lucia in Italian, Lucia nods. “What she’s saying, Liz, is that because of you Harry now knows the kind of woman he should fall in love with. Loving you, although painful, has taught him not to settle; to find a woman worthy of his love.”
Liz feels her eyes filling with tears. “I did that for him?”
Rosa smiles as she translates to Lucia. They both smile and nod. “By being kind and respectful of his feelings, you helped him learn not to settle for anyone less than he deserves.” Rosa says.
Liz looks to Liam, her tears, happy tears spilling over.
Liam wipes them away before kissing her forehead. “I’m proud of you, Love. I’m sorry if I was ever a jealous idiot.”
“I love you, Liam.”
“I love you more, Liz.”
They both look at Lucia; she’s holding her hands over her heart, smiling.
Liz speaks up, “Lucia, do you know who Harry’s amore vero is?”
She doesn’t need that translated. “Si. Amica.”
“Friend?” Liz asks.
Mia elaborates. “She says that Harry’s true love is someone in his life now that he thinks of as a friend.”
Liz looks at Liam.
He shrugs. “He has a lot of female friends.”
Liz asks Lucia. “Not Sara?” She had filled Lucia in on everything that happened with Sara earlier.
Rosa translates this time. “She says no, Sara is not Harry’s true love. He is a lesson for her, much like you were for him.”
Liz feels a bit sad for Sara.
“My mother says that Harry was meant to teach Sara how to be a better person.” Mia adds.
Liz rises, giving Lucia a hug. “Grazie, Lucia.”
Lucia kisses her on the cheek.
Liz tells Mia, “Please make sure your mother understands how much this means to us.”
Mia smiles and conveys Liz’s message to her mother.
“She says she understands and that you are very welcome...but next time please bring the children.”
They all laugh. “You should both come to the villa, soon.”
Lucia nods, then whispers something to her daughter. “My mother asks if she can speak with Liam, alone.”
Liz and Liam both look surprised. “Sure, Rosa and I will take a walk.” Liz says before giving Liam a kiss.
Lucia moves to sit in the seat Liz vacated, next to Liam. Through Mia, she says, “You’ve been worried about Harry.”
He sighs. “A bit yes. I trust Liz, but I’m also scared to death of losing her.”
When Lucia receives the translation, she grins. She says something that causes Mia to laugh. “She says ‘silly men’.”
Liam grins.
“My mother says that you have no need to worry. Liz is yours forever. Life may get rough at times, but together you can get through anything.”
“Liz and our children mean everything to me.” Liam says.
Lucia appears to understand that as she nods and touches Liam’s arm. She then says something that Mia translates for Liam. “She says she believes you want to ask her a question.”
Liam looks at Lucia and smiles. “How do you know these things? It’s a bit freaky. Anyway, Liz and I need to make a decision...whether we want more children.”
Lucia nods and touches her belly, as though she already knows about the surgery.
“No bambino. Famiglia completare.” Lucia says.
“No more babies? Our family is complete?” Liam asks.
Mia answers. “Correct. She says Liz should not have the surgery. There is no need because your little family is complete and-”
“Perfetto.” Lucia finishes for her.
“Perfect.” Mia explains.
Liam gives Lucia a hug. “Grazie bella.”
Lucia blushes as he calls her beautiful.

Later that night, back at the villa, Liam tells Liz what Lucia said about their family.
“What do you think, Handsome? Is our famiglia perfect as it is?”
“Yes, it is, Beautiful. I’ll support whatever you want though.” Liam replies.
“I agree, our little family is perfect just as it is.” Liz says.
Liam smiles. “Are you feeling better about the whole Harry thing? Because I most definitely am.”
Liz laughs. “Yes. That’s what I needed; to understand. Knowing that now, it was all worth it, wasn’t it?”
Liam rolls his eyes. “Well…”
Liz tickles his waist.
He laughs. “I’m teasing. Yes it was.”
Liz wraps her arms around Liam’s neck. “Who do you think Harry’s true love is?”
“Honestly, Beautiful, all I can think about right now is taking my true love to bed.”

Notes