Chapter 4: I.4 Family
Taking a deep breath, Hannes followed Maria out of the bedroom and towards the main room of the Tosi house.
The smell of freshly baked bread, garlic and herbs wafted through the air as they made their way down the small wooden staircase. The Tosi house was alive with the sounds of laughter and conversation, the walls echoing with the sounds of a family coming together to eat after a long day of labour.
As they entered the dining room, every eye turned to them. Giovanni, Isabella and Maria's siblings (three brothers and two sisters) all stopped talking and stared. But it wasn't a stare of judgment or disapproval. It was a stare of curiosity.
Hannes felt his nerves dissipate as he looked around the table. This was a family that loved and supported each other, a family that welcomed newcomers with open arms.
But there was one member who seemed less than enthusiastic about Hannes' presence. As Hannes looked around the table, he couldn't help but notice Giovanni's skeptical expression.
Giovanni, the father, was a rugged, strong-built man with a long brown beard. He looked fierce and intimidating, but Hannes knew better. He felt that beneath that rough exterior was a man who loved and cherished his family.
Nervously Hannes sat down at the dinner table in the midst of the whole family next to Maria. Under the table Maria squeezed his hand to reassure him.
Hannes took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as Maria began to introduce him to each family member.
"Hannes, this is my father, Giovanni," Maria said, gesturing to the head of the table. Giovanni nodded curtly in his direction but didn't say anything. His eyes locked onto Hannes'.
Hannes put on a smile and collected the few Italian words he remembered. "Mi chiamo Hannes. Piacere, Giovanni.." Giovanni's gaze lingered on Hannes for a moment, his face unreadable. But then he nodded again, grunting a greeting. With a questioning look he turned to his wife Isabella, who was sitting at the head of the table, her eyes fixed on you with a knowing glint in her eye.
Giovanni's stern gaze, however, did not falter and after exchanging a quick glance with Isabella, Maria gently squeezed Hannes' hand under the table, giving him a small reassuring smile.
The silence at the table could have been cut with a knife, the tension in the air heavy and palpable. It was evident that Giovanni did not approve of Maria's new friend and it showed in his stiff posture and unwavering gaze.
He studied Hannes closely, evaluating him as if measuring him for a job he was unfit to do.
Maria noticed her father's disapproval too, as he gave Hannes a gruff nod before turning back to his plate. Her heart sank a little as she saw the disappointment in his eyes, but she kept a cheerful smile on her face as she moved on to introduce Hannes to her younger brother Luca.
"And this is Luca, my youngest brother," Maria said, gesturing to a rambunctious young boy with curly brown hair and a mischievous grin.
Luca's face lit up as he looked at Hannes, his eyes shining with curiosity, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Ciao, ciao! Sono Luca!" he exclaimed, his voice high-pitched and energetic. Hannes recognized the boy as the presumably 6-year-old that Isabella had breastfed earlier when they arrived in the village.
Luca looked down at Hannes' hand, which was still holding Maria's. He looked up at her with a question in his eyes. Maria however did not react and instead introduced Hannes to her second and oldest brother, Alessandro.
"Hannes, this is my oldest brother, Alessandro," Maria said, gesturing to a young man in his early twenties with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes. Alessandro was sitting at the far end of the table, next to his wife Clara. He was dressed casually, but it was clear that he was a man who took pride in his appearance.
Alessandro's gaze was intense and curious as he looked Hannes up and down, sizing him up in a similar way his father had just done.
Hannes tried to not be intimidated and greeted Alessandro with a smiling nod and a friendly "piacere".
Alessandro nodded back at him, his expression softening slightly. He looked at Maria, who gave him a reassuring smile, and then turned back to the newcomer, his voice formal but friendly. "Piacere, Hannes. Benvenuto nella nostra famiglia."
Hannes understood. "Grazie mille, Alessandro." He replied with a grateful smile on his face. Alessandro returned the smile, his eyes warming up slightly, and looked at Maria again, who was watching the exchange between the two with a soft smile playing on her lips.
Her brother then turned back to Hannes, his voice still polite but with a hint of warmth. "Grazie, Hannes. Spero ci divertiremo insieme." He said, his words sincere and welcoming.
'I hope we will have a good time together'." Maria translated, giving Hannes a reassuring smile.
Hannes nodded, relieved that he had not missed something important. "Grazie, Maria," he whispered, squeezing her hand under the table.
Maria paused, her gaze meeting Alessandro's briefly before returning to her lover. "Alessandro is a bit shy, but he's a good guy. Don't worry, he'll warm up to you soon enough."
"Please tell him, that I am sure we will and I am looking forward to it." Hannes replied, a smile on his face. Maria translated his words to Alessandro, who nodded slowly, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked at Hannes with a newfound interest, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Maria, with a warm smile, continued introducing Hannes to her family. "This is my third and last brother, Leonardo," she said, gesturing to a lanky young boy with a mop of curly brown hair and a mischievous grin. Leonardo looked like he was about 10 years old and was sitting next to Maria, his eyes never leaving Hannes as Maria spoke.
Hannes couldn't help but chuckle at Leonardo's intensity as he greeted the young boy. "Ciao, Leonardo, come te va?"
Leonardo' s eyes lit up at Hannes' friendly greeting, and he grinned back at him. The boy looked over at Maria, who was watching the exchange between the two with a soft smile, before he turned back to Hannes, his voice high-pitched and excited. "Ciao, Hannes! Sto bene, grazie. Ti piace giocare a calcio?". Maria translated to Hannes in a low voice.
"Please tell him that I like playing soccer, despite me being the worst soccer player on earth." Hannes joked, chuckling and looking at Maria as she translated his words to Leonardo. The young boy's eyes widened and he responded with a hearty laugh at Hannes' joking words. "Ah, okay! Io sono un bravo giocatore di calcio! Potremmo giocare insieme un giorno!"
Despite not understanding everything the by said, Hannes responded with an enthusiastic "Yay, bravo!" and a thumbs up. The ice was broken, and the atmosphere at the table immediately became warmer and more engaging.
Hannes exchanged greetings and humor with Leonardo, before Maria moved on to introduce the younger sisters.
"This is Gabriella, she is a few years older than me but like all of us she still lives here with my parents." Maria said, pointing to a beautiful girl with straight black long hair and a shy smile. By normal standards her breasts would be considered very big, yet because of the age gap - Maria had told him before that she is 16 years of age - they were smaller than Maria's. Hannes' heartbeat picked up the moment he saw her, but he quickly regained his composure and greeted her warmly.
Sofia's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Hannes, her gaze assessing. She was a sweet-looking, beautiful girl, with long brown curly hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. Hannes knew from Maria that Sofia was 12 years of age and her breast growth had set in less than a year ago, and yet she had the chest of an adult lowlander woman. If Montagnari women had worn industrial bras, Sofia would have something like an F-cup, Hannes estimated.
"Sofia, Hannes," Maria said, gesturing between them. "Hannes, my younger sister, Sofia."
Sofia smiled at Hannes, her full lips curving into a warm, welcoming smile, her eyes scanning him curiously.
Hannes felt a familiar heat rising in his cheeks as he met Sofia's gaze, and he shifted in his seat, suddenly acutely aware of the two sisters' presence. He tried to keep his focus on the conversation, but he couldn't help but let his gaze drift to their chests.
He felt his pulse quicken, and he swallowed hard, trying to suppress the heat that was spreading through his body.
He couldn't believe his luck. Just at this table, he was surrounded by four pairs of big, breathtaking breasts, not even counting Alessandro's wife Clara, who had an impressive pair of herself. He had never seen such an abundance of female beauty in one place before.
Maria, Isabella, Gabriella, and Sofia. They were all stunning, and Hannes couldn't help but feel drawn to them. He had always been fascinated by big breasts, but he had never let himself act on his desires before. Now, sitting at this table, surrounded by these beautiful women, he felt like he was in a dream.
He knew that he should be focused on getting to know the family better, on making a good impression, but he couldn't help himself, casting occasional glances at the breasts around him.
Maria noticed his gaze lingering on her sisters' breasts and gave her lover's hand a reassuring squeeze under the table, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Everything okay, Hannes?" She asks, her voice low and intimate.
Hannes blushed. "Please tell your sisters, that I am looking forward to getting to know them better. And that I am sorry for my lack of Italian but that I am optimistic I will pick up their language quickly." Maria giggled and translated his words to her sisters, whose eyes lit up with delight. Sofia' s cheeks flushed a soft pink, while Gabriella' s eyes sparkled with mischief. They both nodded eagerly, their faces breaking into wide smiles. "Sì, certo! Ci piace molto imparare nuove lingue!" Sofia says, her voice high-pitched and excited.
Maria' s father, Giovanni, looks at his youngest daughter with a raised eyebrow, his expression a mix of worry and suspicion. He turns to Maria, his voice deep and commanding. "Allora, dove ha incontrato questo estraneo?" his eyes narrowed slightly at Hannes.
"Where did you meet this stranger?" Giovanni asked, his tone stern and demanding.
Maria hesitates for a moment before answering. "Mio padre, Hannes non è un estraneo. È il mio amico." She says, her eyes locked onto Giovanni' s, her voice filled with conviction.
"Hannes is not a stranger. He's my friend.".
Maria's father looked at Hannes, his expression unreadable. He then turned to her mother, Isabella, who has been watching the exchange with a knowing glint in her eye. Giovanni raised an eyebrow, his voice low and commanding. "Isabella, hai qualcosa da dire su questo ragazzo?" He asks, his eyes locked onto hers.
Isabella looks at Maria, her expression soft and loving. She turns back to Giovanni, her voice gentle but firm. "Giovanni, questo ragazzo è degno della nostra figlia. Io lo sento." Isabella says, her voice firm and confident.
Maria translated her mother's words to Hannes, her eyes never leaving her father's.
"My mother says, she thinks you are worthy of me." Maria said, her voice soft but steady. Hannes' heart swelled with gratitude and relief at Isabella's words.
But Giovanni seemed unimpressed. "Per le donne un sentimento può essere sufficiente, ma non per me, temo." He looked at Hannes with a stern expression, his eyes searching his for any sign of deception.
Nervous and careful not to avert his eyes from Giovanni's Hannes whispered. "Maria, what is happening?"
Hannes whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't understand the conversation but he could feel the tension building. Maria squeezed his hand reassuringly and whispered back, "My father is skeptical of you because he does not know you. He is concerned about my safety, that's all."
Hannes nodded, trying to appear calm and confident. He knew he needed to make a good impression on Maria's father, but the language barrier made it difficult to express himself clearly.
Suddenly, Maria's mother, Isabella, pushed the wooden stool she has been sitting on away from the dinner table and rose to her feet. She walked gracefully behind her husband, placed both hands on his forearms and pressed her breasts against his back and neck.
Giovanni tensed up at first, but then relaxed into the sensation, taking a deep breath, his gaze softening just a little. His expression remained stern, but his body language betrayed slight signs of pleasure and approval. His hands clenched into fists on the table, a subtle display of dominance and control.
Isabella lowered her lips to Giovanni's ear and said with a soft voice. "È fedele alla Madre Divina. E guardate Maria! Non avete notato il cambiamento del suo aspetto? Nel suo seno? Hannes le sta facendo del bene."
Isabella' s words hung in the air, her voice soft and hypnotic. She looked at Hannes with a knowing glint in her eye, her hands still pressed against Giovanni' s back. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with anticipation.
Not understanding Isabella's words, Hannes turns to Maria who for some reason blushed and covered her chest with one hand. "Maria, what did they say?" Hannes whispered, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.
Maria recollected her mother's words and translated them to Hannes, "My mother said, you are devoted to the Divine Mother. And she said that she had noticed a change in me. In my appearance. In my breasts. She thinks you are good for me."
Hannes felt a wave of relief wash over him at Maria's words. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
Giovanni looked back at Isabella, who was still standing behind him with her hands on his arms, pressing her chest against him. Giovanni's stern eyes remained on Hannes, his expression unreadable. He took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied him.
"Non hai sempre desiderato che trovasse un compagno? L'abbiamo anche sottoposta al rituale della Scelta, anche se io ero contrario. Senza successo." Isabella said to her husband in a soft voice.
The room fell silent as Maria's eyes filled with tears at the sound of the words "La Scelta", her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back her sobs, painful and traumatic memories flooding her mind.
Hannes reached out to comfort her, his hand resting on her shoulder, but she flinched at his touch. She couldn't bear to be touched at that moment, not with the images on her mind.
"What's wrong, Maria?" Hannes whispered, his voice full of concern. "What did Isabella say?"
Maria took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling voice.
She looked down at her hands before speaking. "Mamma said to Giovanni that he always wanted me to find a mate and that even my subjection to 'La Scelta' was fruitless..." Maria trailed off, her voice trembling.
Hannes put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her despite his own confusion and discomfort. She looked down at her hands, clasped tightly together in her lap. The room fell silent, the only sound the soft sniffles of Maria as she tries to hold back her emotions.
Giovanni' s expression softened, his eyes filled with concern and sympathy. He reached out, placing a hand on Maria' s shoulder. His voice low and soothing. "Maria, non devi più pensare a quel momento. È tutto passato." He said, his words comforting and reassuring. Isabella nodded in agreement.
Suddenly Maria cried out, pain, anger and a hint of accusation in her voice: "Non è il passato per me! Fa ancora male nel mio corpo e nella mia anima ogni volta che ci penso!" Maria' s cry echoed through the room, her voice raw and emotional. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her face contorted in pain and anger.
Hannes was confused, not fully understanding what was being talked about. But he felt Maria's pain. He knew that Isabella's mention of the ritual, which had traumatized Maria at such a young age, must have triggered a big amount of pain in her that needed to be expressed. He put his hand around her shoulder as she leaned her head against his chin, her breasts moving gently with her sobbing. Leaning further into his touch, her body trembled with sobs. The girl wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in Hannes' chest as she cried. He could feel her hot tears soaking through his shirt, her body shaking with emotion.
He ran his hand gently up and down her back in an effort to comfort her. It was clear that whatever happened during that ritual had left a deep scar on her, one that was still affecting her today.
Isabella's expression changed as she watched her daughter cry, a look of deep sadness filling her eyes. Giovanni looked at his wife and daughter with a mixture of concern and regret. "La Signora Divina ci aiuterà" he said softly, reaching out to stroke Maria's back soothingly.
Maria lifted her head off Hannes' chest and gave her father a weak smile. "Lo so, Papà. Non volevi niente di male." She said, still sniffling.
Giovanni's gazesoftened further, and he drew Maria into a tight hug. No wordsspoken, but the emotions between them spoke volumes. He had kept her distant for so long, but now he realized the pain he had caused her. He pulled away, his eyes locked onto hers, a look of sincerity in them. "Mi dispiace, mia bambina. Non ho mai voluto farti del male." He said, with the faintest trace of a plea in his voice.
Isabella reached out, taking Maria's hand in her own. She smiled softly at her daughter, her eyes full of love and understanding. "Mi dispiace, Maria. So che hai sofferto." She said, her voice full of emotion.
Giovanni, looking at his daughter, felt a pang of regret in his heart. He had kept her at arm's length for so long, fearing that she might get hurt in the harsh world outside the village. But now, seeing his beautiful daughter crying and in pain, he realized that he had made a mistake.
He gently stroked Maria's back, his touch comforting and warm. "La Signora Divina ci aiuterà, Maria," he said, his voice gentle and encouraging. He knew that the Divine Mother would guide them and help them heal.
He couldn't imagine the pain that Maria had gone through during that ritual, but he wished that he would have had more courage back then. That he could have protected her instead of giving up. He looked at her, his eyes softening as she continued to cry softly in his arms.
He couldn't imagine what she had gone through, but he knew that she needed his support now more than ever.
"Shhh, it's okay," he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm here for you."
Maria looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She didn't say anything, but he could see the gratitude in her gaze. She leaned her head against his chest again, her body trembling slightly as she took deep, shuddering breaths.
Giovanni and Isabella watched their daughter, their hearts heavy with guilt and regret. They had failed to protect her, and now she was hurting because of it.
But it was not too late to make things right.
Giovanni looked at Hannes, his eyes filled with a newfound respect and appreciation. He knew that he could not undo the past, but he could make sure that Maria would have a bright future.
Maria's body was still shaking with sobs, but she felt safe in Hannes' arms. She pressed herself closer to him, her breasts pressing against his chest as she buried her face in his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent and letting it ground her.
Hannes wrapped his arms around Maria, holding her close as she cried. He could feel the warmth of her body against his and the softness of her breasts as they pressed against his chest.
He could feel her rapid heartbeat, matching his own.
He ran his fingers through her hair, gently stroking her scalp in an effort to soothe her.
Giovanni looked at the couple and took a deep breath. He knew that he needed to put aside his skepticism and give Hannes a chance. He could see the way his daughter looked at this man, with love and trust in her eyes.
He knew he needed to make the right decision.
"Hannes," Giovanni began, his voice stern but not unkind. "I appreciate you coming all this way to meet my family, and for caring for my daughter. But I have concerns."
Maria raised her head from Hannes' chest, looking up at her father with a worried expression.
"Papà, hanno fatto solo qualcosa di buono," she said, her voice pleading. "Ero così sola, per così lunghi anni...
Pensavi che nessuno potesse amarmi per come sono, ma Hannes lo ha fatto." Maria said, gazing up at her father with pleading eyes. Her voice was filled with raw emotion and genuine affection for Hannes, who stood beside her, holding her hand tightly.
Giovanni looked at Hannes, taking in his features: his short beard, his tall and slim build. He was older than Maria, but he possessed an air of calmness and understanding that Giovanni couldn't ignore.
Despite the language barrier, Hannes seemed to have a way of connecting with Maria on a deeper level, something that Giovanni had never seen before. Giovanni, once skeptical of this mysterious tourist, found himself softening towards him.
"I understand that I may seem unusual to you," said Hannes, his voice deep and gentle, his eyes meeting Giovanni's with sincerity. "But I will always put your daughter's happiness and safety above anything else."
Giovanni sighed deeply, taking in the sincerity emanating from Hannes.
He looked at Maria once again, her eyes shining with happiness, and made up his mind. "I understand that you are a good person, Hannes." he said, extending his hand towards the German tourist. "And I appreciate everything you have done for my daughter. You have my blessing to court Maria, and I am delighted to welcome you to our family as a son."
As Maria's father uttered these words, an atmosphere of joy and gratitude filled the room. Maria's mother, Isabella, clapped excitedly, tears of happiness streaming down her face.
"Welcome to the family, Hannes!" she exclaimed, pulling Hannes into a warm embrace.
Hannes couldn't believe it. He had been accepted as part of the family. He let out a sigh of relief and felt his muscles relax for the first time in days. He glanced at Maria and saw that she was smiling at him, her beautiful brown eyes shining with happiness.
Suddenly, all the tension in the room seemed to dissipate and the atmosphere lightened up.
Maria jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around her father's neck, pressing her big breasts against his chest as she hugged him tightly. Giovanni's stern exterior faded away as he hugged his daughter back, his own eyes welling up with tears at the sight of her happiness.
"Grazie, Papà!" Maria exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. "Sono così felice che Hannes ti piaccia! Sapevo che l'avresti apprezzato quando l'avresti conosciuto meglio."
"I'm so happy that you like Hannes! I knew you would when you got to know him better."
Hannes sat back in his chair, taking in the scene before him.
His heart raced as he gazed upon the ripe bodies of the Tosi women. Maria, Sofia, Gabriella, and Isabella all sat at the table, their ample breasts jiggling slightly as they laughed and chatted animatedly. Even Alessandro's wife, Clara, who was typically reserved, was joining in on the conversation, her large breasts heaving with exertion as she spoke.
The rest of the evening flew by in a blur of conversation and laughter, and before he knew it, the moon was high in the sky. The family began to disperse, each person heading off to their own corner of the house to retire for the night.
But as Maria rose from her seat, she turned to him with a sly smile. "Bene, signor Dettmann," she said, her voice low and sultry.
"It seems you have passed the test with my father." Maria said, her voice filled with relief.
She stood up from her chair and took Hannes' hand in hers. "Come with me," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.