Fate Has a Dark Humor

Juno Greco stared at the soaked girl in front of him, a smirk appearing on his lips, fate had a twisted sense of humor, he thought, as he watched the same woman who had ruined his party on the Atenea, now reduced to a quivering, wet heap.

"My, my, look what the rain brought us," his voice dripped with pure sarcasm. "The little devil from the yacht, now turned into a wet kitten."

Gia stood up so fast she almost slipped, her eyes, though swollen from crying, sparked with fury.

"You're having fun, aren't you? You're happy to see me like this?" she advanced on him, completely forgetting who he was and who she was. "I stained your stupid shirt because of a damn accident and you decided to ruin my life because of it!"

Juno let out a laugh as sarcastic as her gaze.

"You're like a wet, hurt little mouse," he looked her up and down, stopping at her soaked dress. "I almost feel sorry for you. Almost."

"It's not funny, damn it!" Gia was shivering, but no longer from the cold. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Because of you I can't pay for my mother's hospital! They're going to pull the plug! Do you find that funny too?"

"It's not my problem," Juno shrugged with studied elegance. "You should have thought about the consequences before acting like a wild woman on my yacht."

"Yes it is your problem!" Gia took another step towards him, tears mixing with the raindrops on her face. "You've ruined my life! I can't find work anywhere because the great Juno Greco decided I should be punished. Does it make you feel powerful? Does it make you feel like a man?"

Juno's smile grew crueler. 

"Don't worry, you little rebel, I'm sure you'll find something... eventually. Maybe cleaning toilets somewhere where they don't know my name." Her tone dripped with sweet venom. "Oh wait, there's a place like that in this town?"

"You don't understand, do you?" Gia's voice cracked. "My mother is going to die if I don't get that money. Is that what you want? Do you want to have a death on your conscience just because your ego couldn't stand a mere waitress standing up to you?"

"Poor little girl," Juno took a step toward her, her height intimidating. "Don't you know what to do? Maybe you should..."

WHACK!

The sound of the cane hitting Juno's head echoed through the park like a gunshot.

"Juno Greco!" An old woman's voice rang out like thunder. "Did I hear right? Is this the way I raised you?!"

Juno rubbed his head, his huge eyes reflecting surprise. "Grandma! What...? What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Grandma Herminia hit him again with her cane. "I came for my medical checkup! The one YOU were supposed to accompany me to! And I find my grandson behaving like a school bully!"

Gia watched the scene with her mouth open, the powerful Juno Greco, the terror of the shipping industry, cowering like a child before an old woman who barely reached his chest.

"Grandma, please," Juno tried to regain some dignity. "It's not what it seems..."

"Silence!" Grandma gave him another blow with her cane. "Apologize to this poor creature! Right now!"

"But Grandma..."

"NOW!"

Juno looked at Gia as if she wanted to strangle her. "I'm sorry," she muttered through her teeth.

"What was that?" Grandma put a hand to her ear. “I didn’t hear you right.”

“I said I’m sorry!” Juno practically screamed, her face red with shame and rage.

Grandma Herminia turned to Gia, her expression changing completely to one of motherly concern.

“And you, my child, are skin and bones. When was the last time you ate something decent?”

Gia, still stunned by the turn of events, could only stammer:

“I… uh…”

“Say no more!” Grandma grabbed her arm with surprising strength. “We’re going to get something to eat. And you,” she looked at Juno, “are coming too, I’m not done with you, young man.”

“But ma’am, I’m not…”

“No buts! And my name is Herminia, not ma’am, now, to the truck, both of us.”

As they walked to the vehicle, Gia could hear Juno muttering curses in several languages. Grandma hit him again with her cane.

"I heard you! Just because you speak French doesn't mean I don't understand you're cursing!"

Already at the fancy Italian restaurant, Grandma Herminia looked at Gia's soaked dress with disapproval, noting that she was carrying the small suitcase with her.

"Little girl, you're going to catch pneumonia, go to the bathroom and change those wet clothes. My grandson will pay for any damage to your dress."

"Grandma..." Juno began.

"Silence!" Grandma silenced him with a look. "It's the least you can do after behaving like a barbarian."

As Gia changed in the bathroom, Grandma turned to her grandson.

"What's wrong with you, son? This isn't the man I raised. Aren't you ashamed of yourself for treating that poor girl like that?"

Juno shrugged, but couldn't hold her grandmother's gaze. "It's nothing, Grandma. She..."

"She what? She stained your shirt? Good grief, Juno! You have hundreds of shirts. That girl doesn't even have a place to sleep thanks to you!"

When Gia returned, she was wearing a simple light blue flowered dress that somehow made her look even more vulnerable. Her long brown hair, though still damp, fell in soft waves over her shoulders.

"Just look at that," Grandma smiled approvingly. "Isn't she a cutie, Juno? Admit it."

Juno shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Yes, Grandma," he murmured, avoiding looking directly at Gia.

"Louder! I can't hear you!"

"Yes, Grandma! She's pretty! Happy?"

Grandma smiled contentedly and motioned for Gia to sit down.

"Now, order whatever you want, honey. You're in your own home."

Gia looked at the menu with hungry eyes, she hadn't eaten properly in days. 

"I... can I order a burger?"

"Of course! What else?"

"And... maybe some fries?"

"Go on!"

"A strawberry milkshake?"

"Don't stop!"

"And... a pork chop with ribs in sauce?"

A little while later, Juno looked at her in amazement.

"Are you going to eat all that?"

Gia blushed, but Grandma intervened before she could answer.

"Of course I am! The poor thing is starving thanks to you, Mr. 'I-ruin-lives-for-a-shirt'. Ask for more if you want, dear!"

As they ate, Grandma watched Gia with interest. The girl practically devoured the food, but still maintained a certain grace in her movements.

"Tell me, dear, do you have a place to live?"

Gia stopped chewing, her eyes filling with tears again. She swallowed with difficulty.

"No... thanks to a certain person," she glanced at Juno, "I haven't been able to find work. My friend fired me this morning."

Grandma shot her grandson a murderous look.

"Do you see what you've caused? It's unbelievable!"

She turned to Gia, her expression softening. 

"You know, I've been thinking about hiring a personal assistant, someone to accompany me to my medical appointments, help me with my correspondence, listen to me complain about my grandson..."

"Grandma!"

"Silence! I'm talking." Grandma took Gia's hand. "What do you think? You'd have a house, food, and a very good salary. And about your mother... well, my dear grandson will be happy to pay her medical expenses to make up for the damage she's caused."

"WHAT?!" Juno nearly choked on her wine. "Grandma, you can't be serious..."

"Shut up, Juno!" Grandma slammed her cane on the table. "You've done enough damage for today. It's time you started fixing it."

Gia eyed Grandma suspiciously. 

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! So what do you say?"

Gia looked at her empty plate, then at Juno who looked ready to explode, and finally at Grandma, whose kind smile reminded her so much of her own mother.

"I... accept. Thank you, Mrs. Herminia."

"Excellent!" Grandma clapped her hands. "You start tomorrow."

Juno stood up from the table so abruptly that she almost knocked it over, her gray eyes sparking as she looked at Gia.

"This isn't over," she growled under her breath, before exiting the restaurant.

Gia felt a chill run through her, but Grandma patted her hand.

"Don't worry about him, dear," she smiled mischievously. "My grandson may look like a lion, but he's really just a grumpy kitten. You'll see how he'll get over it."

What Gia didn't know was that this was just the beginning of a war that neither of them were prepared to fight.