#fabulously sweet greeting includes a light pun with your name

[michyeosseo]

Happy Birthday, Choi Myung-gil~! ♡

[rauliskafan]

A Hard Lesson in Matters of the Heart: Chapter 3

Authors’ Note: Happy Friday, fabulous readers!!! Thank you all so much for your amazing comments!!! They mean the world to us!!! Poor Rafael is not having the best day back at work... might it get better??? Read on for more!!! @vintagemichelle91 and I hope that you enjoy!!!

           “What time is Papi getting here?”

           “He should be here soon, sweet pea.”

           “I so hungry!” the little girl groaned.

           “V, you should have finished all your oatmeal,” her sister replied.

           “But I was full then.”

           “Ash is right; you need to finish all your oatmeal next time.”

           “We see. But what about me being hungry now?”

           Natalia and Ashtonja shared a knowing smile as they waited for Rafael to join them. The little café near the DA’s office was buzzing with lawyers, interns, and secretaries trying to get lunch during the noon rush hour. Violetta slumped in her seat, always just as impatient as her Papi. Especially when it came to food.

           “Violetta, sit up please. A lady does not slouch,” Natalia corrected her daughter as the waitress came by with their drink order and set it down. With a tall glass of chocolate milk before her, Violetta instantly sat up, seemingly relieved that at least she had that much.

           “Okay, Mami,” Violetta sighed before sipping from her straw.

           “Cheer up, V. At least we’re not in school,” Ashtonja said, doing her best to make Violetta see the bright side of the day and distract her from the hunger.

           “I agree. Maybe after this we can go shopping?” Natalia asked her girls with a gleam in her eyes. Some fresh air and a nice day out and about in the city would do them all good.

           “Oh yes! That be so fun!” Violetta’s eyes lit up excitedly as she clapped her hands together. Before she knew it, the glass tumbled from the tabletop, spilling over a black leather briefcase. “Uh oh…” Violetta looked stunned as she saw the brown liquid splatter upon the leather case.

           Natalia immediately stood up from her seat with a napkin in hand. She desperately wiped some of the milk away as Violetta and Ashtonja looked on, a little anxious as to what would happen next. “I am so, so sorry,” Natalia reached for another napkin for the tall man that was glancing at them with an amused expression on his handsome face.

           He held up his hand and gently took the napkin from Natalia. “It’s fine. At least it wasn’t my pants.” The man with light brown hair chuckled as he also wiped down his briefcase.

           “I so sorry, too! I got a little excited.” Violetta hung her head in shame and shoved another napkin into the man’s hands. “Here. So it not sticky.”

           “Well, I hope the scent of chocolate doesn’t all get wiped away,” he replied as he patted Violetta’s curls.

           Natalia laughed lightly. “I guess worse things can spill on one’s briefcase.”

           “You’re quite right. And this spill was worth it. Especially since it lets me spend a few moments with such pretty ladies.” The handsome stranger in the red tie smiled once more, and the trio was slightly taken aback by his politeness.

           “You so nice! And handsome!” Violetta complimented as she glanced up into the stranger’s green eyes.

           “Well, thank you, Miss….”

           “My name is Violetta,” she extended her hand to the stranger with a beaming smile. 

           “Violetta, that is a very pretty name.” The stranger shook her little hand happily. “My name is Peter Stone.”

           “Thank you! It an opera name.” Violetta stayed smiling as she sat back down.

           “Really now? That is impressive.”

           “Well, we sure made a first impression,” Ashtonja murmured, suddenly unable to contain her laughter as Violetta joined in.

           “Pun intended, Ash?”

           “Sure, V,” Ashtonja said breathlessly. “Or maybe like I joke. I don’t...”

           The girl shuffled her feet until Stone placed one hand on her shoulder.

           “Very clever,” he said, joining in their laughter, and putting them all at ease.

           “Jokes aside, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stone” Natalia handed him another napkin, feeling her cheeks flushed as she had hurried to finish cleaning his briefcase. “I’m Natalia, and these are my daughters, Violetta and Ashtonja.”

           “The pleasure is all mine. Jokes included.”

           Peter Stone continued to share more jokes with the girls as he waited for his lunch order to be ready.

           “Natalia, sorry I’m late…” Rafael’s voice suddenly echoed within the buzz of the café. Natalia glanced up and smiled, glad to see that her husband had finally arrived. She waved him over, and he looked reluctant as he noticed the stranger that was engrossed in conversation with his girls.

           “Atticus, it’s okay. I ordered your food already,” Natalia stood and greeted him with a sweet kiss to his cheek.

           Rafael’s eyes narrowed, and his body tensed.

           “Papi, meet our new friend, Mr. Peter Stone!” Violetta happily gestured to the man sitting before her.

           “Wow! Um... small world, ladies I am already acquainted with your father. We work together in the DA’s office,” Peter replied with a reassuring smile that faded when he seemed to take note of Rafael’s icy demeanor.

           “Atticus, is everything---?”

           “And… look at the time I should be heading back,” Stone said, retrieving his briefcase and his food.

           “It was nice meeting you!” Violetta and Ashtonja said in unison as they waved good-bye to the man.

           “Atticus?”

           “It’s nothing; let’s eat.”

           Once everyone was settled for lunch, Violetta couldn’t stop talking about her new friend.

           “He was so nice, wasn’t he, Ash?”

           “Oh he really was,” Ash agreed whole-heartedly. “So funny.”

           “And his red tie was all pretty and shiny. It matched my bow!”

           Natalia laughed and nodded at Violetta. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Rafael had barely touched his food.

           “Both of you please sit still or you will spill something else,” Rafael said in a strict tone.

           The girls ceased their giggling and looked to their father, completely stunned. Rafael ran his hand through his hair and looked away from them.

           Clearly, he was not having the best of first day’s back.

           Natalia set her spoon down and glanced at Ashtonja. “Ash, keep an eye on Violetta for a few minutes.”

           Ashtonja simply nodded. “Sure thing.”

           Without even asking or allowing him to give the matter much thought, Natalia gently pulled Rafael away from the table to try to understand what was plaguing her husband’s mind.

           “What’s wrong, Atticus?” Natalia gently asked as she eased Rafael into their own little bubble.

           Rafael glanced out into the busy New York street then back at his wife with a heavy sigh. “Peter Stone sure knows how to charm my daughters and wife with jokes. But he makes terrible jokes with me.”

           “What are you talking about?”

           “Guy made a wise ass crack about Eve Selby. That is definitely not funny.” Rafael’s nostrils flared as he continued speaking. “How the hell did Jack McCoy expect me to get along with the likes of him? Maybe that’s Chicago style small talk, but here---”

           Natalia took his face into her hands and made sure his eyes focused only on her. “I understand. That caught you off guard. He was out of line. But… maybe he was just trying to break the ice.”

           “Hermosa, that is was the wrong way to go about it,” Rafael countered.

           “I know. But... I mean he seems nice enough.”

           “Nice?” Rafael scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

           “Yes, nice. He took Violetta’s spill lightly, and he was good with the girls.”

           Rafael furiously shook his head. “That man already took my job. and I’ll be damned if he takes my place in my girls’ heart. No way I’ll let him do that.”

           Natalia tenderly pulled Rafael into an embrace and rubbed small circles on his back. “That is impossible, Atticus!” Now, it was her turn to roll her eyes.

           Relenting, Rafael’s arms wrapped around Natalia, and he inhaled her sweet scent.

           “You swear?” he whispered.

           “On my life. And it does you no good to get so upset. Okay?”

“           "Alright. I’ll try and make nice. I promise.”

           “That’s what I like to hear!” Natalia lovingly kisses his lips and led him back to the table.

           “Who wants a slice of cake before I go back to the office?” Rafael’s smiled returned to charm his girls as only he could.

           Both Violetta and Ashtonja nodded excitedly. “Yes, please! Can it be chocolate?”

           “Claro que, mi muñequita,” Rafael kissed Violetta’s cheek and pulled her onto his lap.

           “Gracias, Papi,” Violetta hugged and kissed her father. Instantly, Rafael seemed more at ease.

            “Papi?”

           “Si, muñequita…”

           “Will your new friend from work come over to dinner with us?” Violetta curiously asked as she played with Rafael’s tie.

           “No, muñequita… he is very busy.” With that excuse Rafael shot down the idea before the girls could get hopeful or excited. Natalia’s eyes narrowed in disapproval. He had promised to try. But given his bad morning, she didn’t want to press the matter. Instead, she let it drop, for now, and focused on sending him back to work with a fresh smile on his face.

           “We should be sure to take a whole cake home for dessert tonight,” Natalia winked.

           “Sounds like a good idea,” Rafael happily agreed, laughing with his daughters. And Natalia sighed at her mission accomplished.

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