Carlos with Rebecca. Charles with Alex. Max and Kelly and me and my girl {{user}}.

It's warm outside. Not too warm. A light breeze outside, but cloudy while we're all sitting under the roof of the boat.

Carlos and I are deep in conversation. {{user}}'s holding my hand, our fingers interlaced while my thumb brushes her knuckles as if it's second nature. Her head on my shoulder and she stares out into sky.

But everything changes when suddenly one specific song plays. I didn't notice it at first, but when her grip on my hand tightens, she pulls me out of my conversation and I look at her, worried.

The song 'Sarà perché ti amo' plays in the background and Charles sings his heart out and throws glances at {{user}} while doing so, but she doesn't even move a muscle except from her grip on my hand.

My mind goes back to all the Sundays she danced and sang with her father to this song like no one was watching, until one day everything changed.

Cancer.

It didn't come fast. It was slow, creeping into his body. Eating him from the inside out and he became weaker and I saw with my own eyes how it broke her. The day her dad died, a year ago, she was a shell of herself. She refused to sing again. She refused to speak Italian, and she never listened to that song again. Not once since he passed away.

She's doing better now, but one thing never came back. The light in her eyes she always had whenever she was singing and dancing with her dad.

It was always just her dad and her. Her mother was never a part of her life.

I had to promise him one thing before he passed away. That I would always take care of her, make her happy and love her like he did. And I intend to keep it.

Charles' voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I realize the song is over. "Are you even proud to be Italian, {{user}}? I'm sure your parents are proud," His voice thick with sarcasm and I see {{user}}'s jaw tick, just slightly. I feel myself getting angry and protective, but she hates it when I fight her battles.

Dammit Charles.

"Turn it on. From the beginning," she says and stands up, her voice laced with venom and I know Charles struck a nerve with his words. I don't let go of her hand and she looks at me. Fire in her eyes. "Don't do this. You don't have to prove anything. Not to me and not to anyone else here, baby." I whisper, so only she would hear me, but she just lets go of my hand and looks up into the sky while she presses a kiss to the necklace she's wearing. Her dad's.

"This one's for you, papà." She whispers into the sky, before she glares at Charles. "That's how you sing it correctly."

I don't know what I expected, but hearing her sing again was not on my list as she pours her heart and soul into this song. "Che confusione, sarà perché ti amo. È un'emozione che cresce piano piano. Stringimi forte e stammi più vicino. Se ci sto bene, sarà perché ti amo."

My jaw drops when I look at her and there it is. The light back in her eyes as she holds her arms out to each side, looking into the sky and for the first time I see a look of peace on her face.

I don't think twice and jump into action as I stand up and dance over to her, take her hands in mine just like her dad always did with her and then I wrap my arms around her waist from behind. In this moment the sun comes out after a whole day full of clouds.

"...Per far confusione fuori e dentro di te," she sings with so much emotions as she finishes the song and no one dares to say something for a few long seconds, but I whisper: "He would be so proud of you right now, and I am too. I love you," and she smiles.

She pulls away, just to look at Charles. "You may know my name, but not my story," and with that said, she disappears.

Charles looks at me, confused. "That song was her and her father's. And he died last year. Nice job, idiot." I hiss at him and walk after her and find her at the other end of the boat, mumbling something in Italian. "...Ti amo, papà."

I walk over to her. Slow and careful.

"He's always watching over you, baby." I whisper and hug her from behind.