Vincenzo MorenoWhat held me in place was a thin piece of thread. Shattered beyond words, I struggled to accept what had happened. I still saw it as a dream. Perhaps, all of this year was a dream. I could wake up and realize there wasn't any Rina to begin with. That I was the good old guy who didn't take no for an answer. I couldn't emphasize how desperate I was to be proved right. That I was in a terrible nightmare. Rina had contributed to what could be my downfall. There was no point hanging onto the hope that Madre wouldn't believe her. The woman I knew, the woman who had chosen her friend over her son, wouldn't start now to be loyal. I didn't know how I got to my room. One minute I stood gaping like an idiot in the hallway, and the next, I was shutting the door behind me.I remained still at the door as the implication of what had happened sank in. That's right. A woman was my undoing after all, and that was totally and completely my fault. Triggered, I charged forward, held
UnknownDelicious sounds danced their way into my ear, touching every corner of the studio and giving me a high. That was one reason psychedelic rock was my favorite. It was a safe drug. I didn't have to worry about any health problems or the police. Apart from my sweet, juicy music, a nice warm male voice streamed from the laptop on the table. I was at a point in my life where I questioned my sexuality. I'd thought I was straight; however, a lot made it seem otherwise. A lot like now when I cherished the voice I heard. It was deep, strong, an epitome of masculinity…Okay, I wouldn't fool myself any more. I wasn't attracted to the voice, but the message that was delivered instead. It, together with my hallucinatory music put me on top of the world. "Flight 224JF of Gaspare Moreno Airway suffered a bomb attack this afternoon. The flight which was destined for Bangkok was the target for a suicide bomber. Many are feared dead; others in critical condition. Cherry Hilton joins us live
Vincenzo MorenoMy eyes glided across the screen of my phone. It was nothing other than a lecture slide that stared back at me. It'd been so for a while: me, buried in a book. I didn't think the status quo would change.When I wasn't reading, I slept, or ate, or did what my battered mind thought up. Anything except thinking about the pack house. Sometimes, that line of thought was unavoidable, especially when I'd studied for a long time. You know, the occasional mind drift. I handled this by taking a break and running my feet across the carpet. Its soft, feathery feel helped to keep me at ease. Contrary to what I'd believed, I still had an eye for my academics. Last week's happenings hadn't affected my zeal; hence I had been studying off my ass in preparation for mid semester tests.A knock sounded. Ignoring it at first, I was forced to speak when it came again."I've had dinner," I grumbled, wondering why the maid was disturbing me. "Hey, it's me." Michele. I rolled my eyes; the
Vincenzo MorenoVial di Moreno stretched ahead. As always, monstrous looking. Not even the enchanting hands of spring could transform it. I glanced across the windshield, taking in the long array of olive trees to the patchy shadow cast in the floor by the leaves, to the far end of the boulevard—showcasing a glimpse of the pack house. That haunting yellow building. The day was bright. It could turn hellishly dark in some minutes. Pressing on the gas pedal, I crept in. The only thing I consciously did, apart from driving, was to hold my breath. Whatever happened in the next three minutes or so, I'd remain strong. Not exactly for myself, but someone. The worst wouldn't happen to me; rather her. And that was why I'd come. To stay by her side and defend. I'd take the full responsibility and further spite Madre. I'd make Rina understand that I was serious. I meant it when I'd said she mattered to me. We would figure out a way out of this weird pregnancy thing. Getting to the main entra
RINAThree months later…The view outside was intimidating. Large expanse of uncultivated land, mountain backdrops and hard rugged terrain.Having your loved one with you could help a lot. It made a great deal of difference. For you, safety was sure, and the evil inherent in the world ceased to exist. I shrugged. Mammà's presence always made me forget we were in the middle of nowhere. And likewise my presence to her. I wasn't freaked out at night when it was eerily quiet and my body forced me up for a pee or a late-hour snack. Dark halls didn't scare me anymore; and so was being in isolation. I'd forgotten what going out was. Running errands, racing to class, seeing similarly dressed persons —all those were now alien. And I was okay with it, as the smile on my face showed. Mammà was the reason. The cheerful future was too. A tear dropped as I looked down, inevitably meeting my protruding belly. I was three months and two weeks gone, a stone throw from being free forever. I rais
Rina ZanteFiona's son had dropped me off just at the station. I needn't say much for Fiona to make that arrangement. My ruse was to see a relative of mine who'd kicked against my supposed relationship with Andrea. I wanted to patch things up. My wishes had been granted—only that there was no relative, and here I was roaming around the streets of Villa-in-Pietra, a town four hours from Florence, with no hope of a place to lay my head, let alone food. And I was extremely hungry. Fiona had said Bologna was three hours away… I couldn't say. Maybe that was a slip of the tongue. Villa-in-Pietra. I couldn't believe it: the extent Luna could go in preserving her image. She'd separated Mamma and me from the rest of the world— a stone-faced guard, as our only company. I couldn't say I totally faulted Luna. I mean, she must be living her worst nightmare. Her son had laid with a maid, claiming she was his mate. Wow fuckety wow, if I were Papà. Such a revelation. Such a twist. And the fool
Vincenzo MorenoHer room was a brown monochrome. Fairly furnished and with large panel windows. I couldn't stop myself from wondering if every therapist's office was this way. Depressing. Dr. Yolanda edged close and handed me a cup of coffee. "I'm going to be honest with you," she said while lowering to her seat. "I'm glad you called."Her gaze spoke volumes. She expected me to lay my worries bare—my greatest pet peeve. However I had no choice. I wanted none of these anymore: torn away from Rina, waking up miserable, and being in exile. "Do you want to talk about it?" I stroked my thumb over the handle of the cup, then sent the hot beverage sliding down my throat. "How much time do I have?" I asked. "Forty five minutes, but I'm willing to make it an hour."Why? Because I'd make an interesting study?My focus laid on the coffee as I mentally prepped myself to talk."I want all this to end. I just want to wake up and see this as part of the past." A short pause followed. "I don'
Rina ZanteBit by bit, the wardrobe came into view. I fixed my eyes at it for a while before finally heaving up. My arms bore the under of my belly. A huge yawn left my mouth. I was tired, even though the sleep had been long and peaceful. Then again, I didn't see myself fancying the idea of taking another nap. My gaze moved to the curtains. It was well lit. A clock hanging next to it stated the morning had long started. Some minutes to nine. Off to the bathroom, I couldn't say what would become of today. One thing was sure, however, I'd be out of town in a short while. As I brushed, a thought materialized. It was one that widened the soft spot that'd been attached to my heart ever since my belly became visible. The bathroom sink had inspired the thought. It looked just as cozy as the tub in my dream. Clean in its pale blue color and adorned with cloud patterns around. The dream had been lucid; I could remember details of it. The babies had been having their bath. Just me with the