Storming Venice

by Anna E Bendewald

  “I haven’t tried doing that myself.”

  “I know. You walked in here with most of your breast tissue in your armpits, and the rest was hanging way too low.”

  Raphielli bit her lip and nodded solemnly.

  They left the final store with Raphielli wearing a plum-colored turtleneck and mid-calf skirt, a shrug-style jacket, a beautiful pair of all-weather ankle boots with a low wedge heel, and a dark purple knit head wrap that kept her ears warm and her hair off her face as it cascaded past her shoulders. The stores were delivering everything to her home, so she was only swinging a new purse as she walked with Ava to meet the girls for lunch. They’d only walked a short way before she saw Fauve and Carolette approaching.

  “Ciao, beautiful ladies!” Fauve called out.

  Carolette came right up to Raphielli, opened her new jacket, then fanned her face and gawked. “Elli! That body of yours is a stairway to heaven!”

  “Christ, yes!” Fauve agreed. “How old are you?”

  “Twenty.”

  Ava made a “ta-da!” gesture with her hands in front of Raphielli. “Old enough to dress her curves instead of hiding them.”

  Carolette petted Raphielli’s hair. “Is all this yours? I forgot to ask you yesterday, but today it looks like you have even more extensions in.”

  “It’s all mine.” She loved how her friends made her feel beautiful.

  “How about you walk next to her?” Fauve moved to the other side of Ava. “I don’t have an hourglass figure like you two. And now, because I refuse to feel self-conscious about my lack of curves, let me change the subject. I’m starving and they never feed us properly on the flight from Venice to Riems, so let’s eat.”

  Carolette was positively effervescent as she hurried alongside them. “Now, let me tell you all about the man of my dreams—Zelph Vitali! Ah, mon Dieu! He’s strong enough to do things I’ve always wanted to try in bed! Ooh! And he really cared about giving me a good time. He asked more than once, ‘Do you like this?’”

  Before Raphielli could censor herself, she said, “I had a cognac and took Alphonso as my lover.” She was apparently the only one who found this earth-shattering. Her friends just seemed happy for her.

  Fauve high-fived her, and Carolette asked, “Does he talk dirty like Zelph?”

  “Dirty? No. No, he doesn’t.” She tried to quickly transform her expression of alarm into something else.

  “Ah, just checking.” Carolette shrugged. “Anyhow, I haven’t forgotten my promise. As soon as we’re done eating we’re getting you a vibrator.”

  Raphielli thoroughly enjoyed their laughter-filled lunch in the popular trattoria but wished Giselle had been with them. As they made their way to a sex shop, she felt bold at the prospect of actually trying a stimulation device…until she found herself standing in front of a giant rubber penis and lost her nerve. “Oh, no. I can’t do this.”

  Carolette made a face. “No, that won’t make you orgasm, only stretch you out.”

  She walked her over to some small innocuous-looking devices. Carolette took the demo off the shelf. “Here, it fits in the palm of your hand, and it isn’t off-putting with crazy appendages to insert.” She handed it over. “It’s waterproof so you can use it in the bath if you find that more relaxing.”

  “It’s cute.” Raphielli turned it over in her hand. “It looks like a computer mouse.”

  Carolette shrugged. “So basically, convent girl, you lay down, open your legs, and move it around until it feels really good. Then when it feels so good you can’t bear it anymore, and your breathing gets really labored, move it away slightly and have your orgasm. You’ll twitch a bit, but the spasms will die down shortly.”

  “I’m not a convent girl.” Raphielli looked at the device skeptically. “Spasms?”

  “Oui, that’s your orgasm. The spasms are…ecstasy.”

  “Don’t forget what she’s just told you.” Fauve put up a hand. “When you start coming, you have to move it away. Too much stimulation while you’re coming feels like nails on a chalkboard. Yeesh! And until you’ve experimented for a while, you shouldn’t put the vibrator on your bare skin. Put a washcloth between you and that little marvel.”

  “Coming?”

  “Or arriving…you know…another word for the big O.”

  Raphielli looked around to see if anyone was staring as she selected a baby blue one, but they were alone. Even Ava had moved off to the racks of alternative lifestyle clothing and appeared to be examining the craftsmanship.

  Carolette led the way to the cashier. “Also, the left side of your clit has more nerve endings, so you’ll want to concentrate there. Move over to the right and the center to give yourself a break.”

  Fauve gave her a skeptical look. “Okay now, are you just messing with her?”

  “You’d better not be.” Raphielli tossed her head defiantly.

  “No. I read it in Cosmo.” Carolette crossed her heart. “And after years of testing that theory, I’m here to tell you it’s true. Test it yourself.”

  “Fine, I will.” She handed the box and her debit card to the bored-looking cashier. “I’ll report my findings.”

  Carolette plucked a box from an impulse rack and placed it on the counter as Raphielli accepted her bagged purchase. She tried not to be obvious as she studied the box labeled Ben Wa Balls before it disappeared into a bag. It seemed to be some sort of jewelry. But then she was pretty sure she was wrong when Fauve warned, “Don’t you dare put those in before we head to the airport. I don’t need to be embarrassed by you at the metal detector.”

  Raphielli’s mouth went dry as Carolette smirked, “You give me too much credit. I wouldn’t be able to keep a grip on both of them while walking quickly down a long terminal. The balls would probably drop out mid-stride.”

  Fauve howled with laughter and then clamped a hand over her mouth when someone turned to stare. She whispered, “If your runaway Ben Wa comes rolling my way, I’m going to kick it and keep walking.”

  Oblivious to their raunchy purchases, Ava came over to give them quick cheek kisses. “I’ve got to dash. I have an appointment with a fabric supplier. My assistant hired a boat to take you to the airport. Your luggage is already on board. It’s waiting for you outside.” Ava bid them adieu, and then walked off into the darkening afternoon.

  Raphielli arrived home to find the Vitalis taking a break from their exploration. Seeing Alphonso after discussing sex much of the afternoon made her giddy. When he gave her a hug and a lingering kiss on the lips, Zelph raised his brows but stayed silent.

  “Your new clothes look great!” Alphonso said. “How was your day?”

  “I taught the cooking class—it went well.”

  “You taught it?” He sounded impressed.

  “Sì, Juliette took Giselle to the doctor’s for a pregnancy test.” She thought she saw the cousins exchange a look but continued, “Shopping with Ava was fun but tiring, and when everything’s delivered, I’ll be on my way to filling my closet.”

  “Well done.”

  “I certainly gave my new debit card a workout,” she said. “Can you two stay for dinner?”

  “Sure,” they said in unison.

  “We can talk about the symbols we found.” She rang for Dante and asked to have a simple antipasti supper served in Salvio’s office, and then the three headed there to talk. The room was glacial, so Alphonso set to work building a fire in the hearth, with Zelph handing him logs. Raphielli found herself staring dreamily into the fireplace—it was so big the three of them could stand up in it. The mechanisms of the flue were made of hammered iron and she thought idly how solid everything in the palazzo was, thick blocks of stone, impregnable locks, even a timeless temple. What a strange place to call home, but it will make a great place to keep women safe.

  Guiseppe wheeled the dinner cart in and set plates of pillowy calzone and a platter of vegetables, cheeses, and appetizers before them and then disappeared.

  While Zelph made himself a pl
ate, he pointed to the interior wall. “Check out the new door.”

  Raphielli went to the hanging tapestry and pulled it aside. Instead of looking into the black mouth of the secret passage to Il ponte Diamante, there was now a door.

  Zelph said, “I hid the key inside that molding next to it. If you want to use that passage, stick your hand in that cornice there.”

  She plucked out a key and unlocked the door. “Brilliant!” She locked the door again, dropped the key into its hiding spot, let the tapestry fall back into place, and started to laugh. “I just got the funniest vision of Salvio whipping the tapestry aside and running face-first into a door.” She snickered. “Like a cartoon.”

  Alphonso’s face darkened. “I can’t find any prospect of him in this house funny.”

  “You’re right.” She sobered. “Let’s talk temple research.”

  “I came up empty online,” Zelph said, looking disappointed.

  “Me too,” Raphielli said. “But I got a call today from my former classmate, Eugenia. She’s now the librarian at the abbey.”

  “And?” Zelph asked.

  “I’d emailed her pictures of the drawings of both the Moon Sailor’s symbol over the altar and that ornate knot. I was vague about where I’d seen them.”

  “Were they familiar to her?”

  “No, but she promised to research them for me.”

  Alphonso finished a mouthful. “I’m making some casual-sounding inquiries of people who live around here. Someone’s bound to know about the temple. Just fishing ever-so-delicately about whether anyone has been inside this palazzo, and if so, in what capacity.”

  “Good.” Raphielli changed subjects, giving voice to something that had been plaguing her. “I’ve been thinking a lot about Petro and Reynaldo’s families. They deserve justice.”

  “That they do,” Zelph agreed.

  She pushed on. “It was different when Gio imprisoned Salvio for double-crossing him. But now we know he’s a murderer who should be put on trial for his crimes.”

  Alphonso looked grim. “Petrosino could mete out a death sentence and kill him.”

  “I can’t believe you just said that.” She hoped that was just hyperbole, but he looked back at her steadily and his soft brown eyes were unreadable. She went on, “Detective Lampani says he has enough evidence to convict Salvio in court.”

  “The three of us already know what he’s guilty of, and with a phone call you could let the don dispense justice,” Alphonso said. “Save tax-payer cost and the effort of convincing twelve jurors.”

  “I don’t want to hear you say that again.” She held her hand up. “Murder is a mortal sin and destroys God’s grace for the sinner. I’d burn for eternity.”

  “We’ll strike that option then.” Alphonso gave the fire a last poke, came over to the couch, and looked down at her lovingly. “I don’t want to talk about Salvio.”

  She felt her pulse quicken and turned to Zelph. “Please don’t take this personally, but I was hoping to spend some time alone with Alphonso.”

  “Say no more.” He headed for the door. “Thanks for the dinner.” He left with an impish smile on his face.

  Alphonso kneeled in front of her. “I’ve been thinking of you all day.”

  “I was wondering…would you stay with me again tonight?”

  “I’d love to.”

  “I’ve got a new purchase I’d like to show you.” Alphonso moved closer and as he kissed her waiting lips, she felt warmth ooze through her body.

  Giselle felt like she’d been at the hospital for an eternity. They started off with paperwork, then taking blood, and the doctor put her on the schedule for an ultrasound. As hours ticked by, nurses kept bringing her fluids, and she obediently drank enough water to fill a fish tank. Then they took forever to prep her for the ultrasound, and the procedure had taken so long she was seriously contemplating asking them to give up. After being allowed to empty her bladder and get dressed, Giselle joined Juliette and Doctor G in a consultation room. He reviewed her file before nodding and smiling.

  “You’re pregnant. My best guess is four weeks. Morning sickness can happen as early as three weeks post-conception, but the ultrasound was inconclusive. We’ll send your urine sample to the lab for specific hormone levels.”

  “So, I can go home?” Giselle felt antsy. She needed to talk to Markus.

  Juliette was ecstatic. “She took a vitamin therapy four days ago. Maybe that did it?”

  “Let’s not do any more vitamins unless I prescribe them. We’ll start those soon.” He looked over his glasses at Giselle. “We need to draw more blood.”

  A nurse appeared and ushered her back to the little room for more poking and draining. Giselle couldn’t wait a minute longer so she excused herself and visited the restroom. As soon as the door was closed she whipped out her phone and sent a text to Markus and Vincenzo:

  I’M PREGNANT! MEET ME IN MY ROOM.

  She returned to the nurse’s room and sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair. While they drew blood, she eyed her phone compulsively for a reply. Finally, the doctor reappeared and gave Juliette permission to take her home.

  When they arrived at the palazzo, she told Juliette she wanted to lie down. She was intercepted by Nigella but waved her maid away. “I don’t need anything. I’m taking a nap.”

  Giselle went to her room, dropped her things onto a chair near her dressing room, and proceeded to her sleeping chamber where she found Markus waiting for her.

  “I came as soon as I got your text,” he said. “No one saw me sneak in here.”

  She moved into his arms.

  “Ah, my fertile woman,” he murmured, then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her upturned mouth hungrily. Thrilled, she ground against him, kissing him as he took hold of her hips.

  “NO!” came a guttural scream.

  Scared witless, Giselle spun around in time to see Nigella slumping to the floor in a faint, and Juliette in the doorway quivering with rage. Markus put his hand up for calm and tucked Giselle behind him as Juliette raced forward like a ferocious mother tiger.

  “What are you doing?” she screamed. “How could you? No! No! Get away from her!” She tried to hit Markus, who neatly captured her wrists and subdued her. The grand dame doubled over and began keening in alternating wails of outrage and sorrow that pealed off the walls.

  Giselle stood rooted to the spot, wanting to do something to help Juliette, but too afraid to approach her in the throws of such hysterics. There were voices and running footsteps in the hall, then Gabrieli came racing in with his bodyguard Tiberius and a valet. The men glanced around in confusion, and then Gabrieli turned to them. “Leave us.” They backed out so fast they didn’t stop to help the maid lying on the floor.

  Gabrieli hurried to his wife’s side. “I came as soon as I heard about the baby. What is it? Juliette?” He was on the verge of crying at the sight of her distress. He looked up at Giselle and Markus, who still held Juliette’s wrists. “Please, let her go.”

  Markus did and took a step back with Giselle.

  Gabrieli got down on one knee next to his wife as she started ripping at her own hair in a growing hysteria. Gabrieli got a hold of her wrists. “Sshhh. What’s happened? Darling? Sshhh. What?”

  “Listen, please, Juliette,” Giselle said. “I haven’t been unfaithful! I promise!”

  “I saw you! You—” she shrieked.

  “Mama, stop!” Vincenzo called out from the doorway. “Giselle hasn’t cheated. I’m the one who’s been unfaithful.” He stooped down to help Nigella, who was regaining consciousness.

  Now Gabrieli collapsed onto one hip beside his wife as if he’d been shoved. Everyone’s mouth fell open. The contessa goggled at her son through a blur of tears and was gasping like she’d run a kilometer.

  Vincenzo was calm as he helped Nigella over to a chair. “Let’s take this into the study. Leonardo needs to be here.” He tapped a quick message on his phone while Gabrieli helped Juliette up, and Ni
gella sat wobbling with her eyes averted.

  Giselle hung behind Markus as the five of them moved down the hall past the security and staff who waited uneasily. The count addressed them as he passed, “We are not to be disturbed.” He slid the study doors closed behind them.

  Gabrieli sat next to his wife and eyed Giselle sitting next to Markus before looking at his son. “Vincenzo, you’re scaring us. What’s going on?”

  Vincenzo turned to Giselle and Markus and offered his hands up in supplication. “Markus, you’ve been so patient and I’m sorry for this scene. I hope you can accept my apology. Gigi, you’ve been my truest friend. I couldn’t be happier that you’re pregnant and becoming your own woman. I’m sorry I handled this so badly. I hope one day you’ll forgive me. I’ll ask his holiness for an annulment tonight.”

  “Do not stop now,” Markus said shaking his head. He pointed toward the shell-shocked parents. “Time to make it clean.”

  Vincenzo took a deep breath and turned to his parents. “My marriage has been a sham. I’ve never slept with Giselle because I’m homosexual.”

  Giselle was proud of him, but felt a flood of empathy for his parents’ pain, which was hard to watch.

  Gabrieli began to tremble and lurched to his feet. “This isn’t true. Why are you saying this? What’s going on here?”

  “Why do you say these lies?” Juliette made her hands into white-knuckled fists and hugged them to her chest. “Dio! Do not let this be happening!”

  Gabrieli was shaking his head back and forth, then it snapped up with a realization, and his voice became strange. “Dio mio! Are you saying Leonardo needs to be here because…”

  “He’s my partner,” Vincenzo said firmly. “He’s always been the love of my life.”

  “You corrupted someone as innocent as Leonardo?” Juliette became irrationally protective of Leonardo. “Shame on you, Vincenzo! He idolizes you! How can you take from him his eternal salvation? You are both damned to Hell!”