Romance: My Italian Prince, Undercover Love: Sweet Romantic Comedy

by JACOBS, JASMIN

  “Hi, mum”

  “Vanessa! Kat!” Vanessa’s mom exclaimed when they entered the small boutique space. “Just in time!”

  In time for what? Vanessa had the time to think before she saw what her mom meant.

  Behind the take-away disk, her Aunt Steffie and uncle Marty popped out their heads.

  “Vanessa! We’ve missed you!” Aunt Steffie gave her a hug.

  “How was Europe?”

  “Great, thanks, even though I only visited France and Monaco, Aunty Steffie.

  “That’s what I told you, there are 34 different countries in Europe, you have to specify,” Uncle Marty quickly replied to his wife.

  Vanessa smiled at her mom's sister and her husband. She was sure this had been a heated discussion for a while, as the two of them always seemed to nagger at each other, but in the end, they were one of the most loving couples she knew.

  “Marty, don’t be a smart head, I was with you when you looked it up on the computer. I had to help you with that google-thingy, remember.” Aunt Steffi gave her husband a small but loving pat on his head.

  “Anyway, Vanessa, what did you say, it was all good over there?”

  “Yeah, I guess it was at least in the parts of France and Monaco I visited,” Vanessa replied with a smile.

  “Really?” Aunt Steffie clicked her tongue disbelievingly.

  “But the people over there, all those tiny waists, and French manicures?

  “And drugs,” Uncle Marty puts in ponderously.

  “Exactly!” Vanessa laughed.

  “I’m just glad that you’re back here in one piece,” Aunt Steffi gave her another hug.

  “Do you stay for dinner?” her mom asked.

  “Oh, no I’m sorry we’re cleaning up my apartment.”

  “Oh I see,” Her mum sounded disappointed and Vanessa felt a flinch of guilt. She knew she had been absent ever since she came back to NY and her mom really needed her help to take care of her dad.

  “I’m sorry mom, another time. How’s dad?”

  “Not good Vanessa, not good. We’ll have to start to think about that care-center for real soon. I don’t know for how much longer I can put up with this.”

  “But Mrs. Green isn’t there any help you could get at home?” Kat suggested.

  “I guess dear, but it’s all expenses, expenses and with the deli and all I don’t know if we can handle that extra.” Mom sounded so sad Vanessa had to hug her.

  “Oh, mom! It will be all right, I will come up with something, don’t you worry. I’ll never put you or dad down you knows that!”

  “I know Vanessa, but you seem to have drifted away from us since you met that prince of yours.”

  “Well, as a matter of fact, he’s not my prince. He never was and he never will be. It’s all over. Vanessa sounded so convinced when she said it Kat looked at her in surprise and nodded approvingly.

  “Exactly! So don’t you worry. I’ll have your daughter under sharp surveillance, she’s not going anywhere.”

  “Oh, great Kat. So now you're my babysitter?”

  “Don’t you think you need one?” Kat replied happily.

  “‘hmm, maybe...” Vanessa felt outnumbered when she looked at the faces around the room, everyone eyeing her with concern.

  “Damn right you are! And now, grab that cleaning wipes and let’s get your place in order.”

  Kat could be somewhat demanding when she put that side to, and Vanessa knew it wasn’t any idea to protest. She took the bag of cleaning products her mom had put together for her and hugged her family goodbye.

  “See you real soon mom I promise! Give dad a hug from me.”

  To say that Vanessa had neglected her apartment since she came back from France was an understatement. When she and Kat opened the door, a huge pile of unopened mail fell over them.

  “Ouch!” Kat screamed when a cartonage envelope the size of an old-school phone book landed on her foot.

  “How can someone in this era of email and text messages have so much mail?” Kat looked in disbelief at the mountain of envelopes flooding the floor.

  Vanessa didn’t answer. She stood leaning at the wall for support panting for breath.

  “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

  With a shaking finger, Vanessa pointed at the large envelope that just had hit Kat.

  Kat reached for it and eyed it carefully. “It doesn’t have a sender address? But it looks important. Is it what I think it is?”

  “It must be, look at the sigil! Vanessa could only breathe with small heavy puffs and now she even felt dizzy.

  Kat looked at the impressive sigil in gold and blue, printed on the envelope. House of Savoy.

  Vanessa took the envelope, sank down on her feet in the hallway, and stared at it. At one point, she even sniffed it. There could be no mistake. This was Alex reaching out. This was the first contact she had had with Alex since she had left France.

  “Open it for god’s sake!” Kat said impatiently.

  “Oh, okay. What do you think it is? Do you think he wants to see me?”

  “If that’s what he wanted, he could’ve just called you as a normal human being would do.” Kat shook her head. “But who knows how his royal highness thinks?”

  “Did you bring the wine?” Vanessa asked with a shaky voice as she shoved her shoes and jacket in a corner and headed to the living room.

  “Certainly so!” Kat answered. “You open the letter from Count Dracula and I’ll pour us some wine.”

  Vanessa sat down on her couch her eyes transfixed at the envelope. She fingered a little on it and then suddenly threw it away, just as if it had burned her.

  “I can’t open it Kat!” Vanessa said with a small voice.

  “I’ll do it. Give me the damn letter.” Seriously, what decade does this guy think we’re in? Sending a letter with a golden sigil, ha, it’s just too much...”

  Vanessa ignored her but she had to admit she had a point. What was wrong with using a phone? If he had something to say, it would be easier just reaching out to her by calling her.

  She closed her eyes as Kat threw open the envelope and fished out a thick piece of paper.

  “What, what? Just tell me!” She begged.

  Kat didn’t answer but instead she sat down, took a heavy sip from her wine glass, and began flicking through the pages. It took forever before she said anything. Just a few

  “Aha, hmmm, and I see.”

  Finally, she turned to Vanessa. Went out to the kitchen, came back with the bottle, and handed her a glass of wine. She sat down close to Vanessa. Fetched her hands and said slowly.

  “Vanessa, I want you to drink this wine, all of it”, She patted on the foot of the glass so Vanessa would drink it all. “That’s a good girl.”

  “Oh, my god Kat” What does it say?”

  “I don’t really get it all, but it’s not good Vanessa, it’s not. I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh,” Vanessa blinked a few tears from her eyes and looked at her friend. “Just tell me Kat!”

  “It’s some kind of legal document stating you’re no longer an employee of the Prince of the Royal house of Di Savoy. Kat almost spitted out Alex´s title as it disgusted her.

  “Okay, what more?”

  “I’m afraid that’s it. Nothing more, no note, nothing. Just these documents and a copy of your contract. Which is apparently no longer valid.” Kat looked worriedly at Vanessa.

  This was it, Vanessa had ever since she climbed on that plane to NY had some silly belief that Alex would somehow reach out for her, tell her it had all been a misunderstanding and begging her to come back. After all, she had written in her letter she had passed on to him by Raffi the boat boy, that she loved him and wished they could work things out. She just needed some time alone to think after seeing the pictures. So this was how he answered to that? What a horrible, horrible person!

  “He fired me?” Vanessa was in shock.

  “Seems like it,” Kat looked p
issed off. “He’s a jerk! Please trust me when I tell you that you’re so much better off without this guy.”

  “I don’t get it? I left him a letter in which I poured my heart out and this is the response?”

  “I can’t explain it either, it’s just weird. To me it looks like he wants to punish you. I mean if he had any decency in him he would still let you be employed until the end of your contracted time. What are you supposed to do now? Ask the hospital to get back before scheduled?”

  “I guess I have to.” Vanessa felt numb.

  This was bad. She had realized when she left that she had violated her contract, which was supposed to reach until the end of the year. However, she never thought Alex would make a thing out of it and fire her. She didn’t even knew if she could get back to the hospital before New Year. They had her position filled in.

  “Let me see,” Vanessa reached out for the papers. “Does it say anything about my salary?”

  She scanned the papers, looking through the paragraphs.

  “At least it doesn’t seem as if he cuts me off on my salary. It says here that I by leaving have ended my contract but I think I will still be paid for the period until I get back to the hospital in January.“

  “But that’s great! Let’s go on paid holiday!” Vanessa shot Kat a mean look without saying a word.

  “Ok, sorry, too soon.” Kat mumbled and fumbled with her glass.

  “So what do you want to do? I guess cleaning is out of the picture?”

  “Let’s get drunk! Vanessa took down her glass of wine in two gulps. “Let me see, I think I have a bottle of vodka somewhere. Yes! I found tequila!” She exclaimed victoriously a few minutes later after searching the apartment for alcohol. Let’s go party!” Vanessa poured shots of tequila in two milk glasses and handed one to Kat.

  “Yeah, Green! That’s the spirit! Let’s get this party started!”

  “Cheers to my new life without Alex,” Vanessa shouted and poured the tequila in her mouth, shook her head and grimaced when the strong liquor hit her tongue, “Eew, disgusting!”

  “I know,” Kat giggled and filled up their glasses for another round.

  Chapter 8

  Of all worthless nights out she ever had, this had to be a minus six on a scale of ten. Vanessa stood in the rain on the corner of some street in a hip Manhattan neighborhood she’d never been to before. Music pounding faintly from the club below her feet. Kat had taken possession of the only nearby doorway and now had her tongue down the throat of the bearded hipster she’d chatted up earlier on at the bar. A few feet away two young women sheltered underneath a newspaper, arm-in-arm caterwauling “It’s raining Men” as if they were still on the karaoke stage. One of them extending an arm for Vanessa to join in. “It’s Raining Men” the girl squealed happily. Her long hair was all ratty in the rain but she didn’t seem to mind. Vanessa minded though.

  “It isn’t bloody raining men! She called back morosely. “It’s just raining!”

  Normally Vanessa loved karaoke too, but she wasn’t in a singing mood tonight. She felt sore inside, like she wanted to curl up away from everyone else. If only Alex hadn't sent her that letter with her contract, she would still have her hope to live on. That Alex would reach out for her, and they might get back together. She had truly believed it was just a matter of time. Now she just felt empty.

  Rain splattered down her collar as she stood trying to hail a cab for forty minutes, shifting from one blistered foot to another. She’d had to hold her jacket over her head as a makeshift umbrella, but then she had slipped on the wet curb and dropped it in a huge pile of water. She’d just wanted to find a taxi, go home, kick off her stupid boots, and take a nice hot shower. However, there was no sign of a cab.

  Vanessa would have to walk all ten blocks from the nightclub to get to Kat’s apartment.

  A car splashed through a puddle near the sidewalk and she jumped back, but not before a shower of water had hit her in the face. From the doorway, she could hear Kat hotting things up, murmuring into the ear of the cute guy. Vanessa caught a few familiar words, and despite her sad mood, she had to press her lips together so she didn’t laugh. Month’s ago they’d had a girls’ night in and Kat ended up confessing all her dirty-talks secrets. She had said she used the same line each time and it worked every damn time. This meant she was definitely walking the blocks to Kat’s place by herself.

  Vanessa looked around the sidewalk. The two women were now doing the worst “Dancing Queen” routine she’d ever seen. The traffic whooshed by, drenching them in waves of water. Rain drummed through her wet jacket into her hair. Vanessa's thoughts were circling round her head as she trailed off helplessly; she would never find a taxi, she would be stuck out in the rain all night. Those coconut cocktails were noxious, she should had stopped after four. Alex was probably in bed with some European Princess right this second, telling her how beautiful she was. Her feet were blistered and they were freezing but it was nothing compared with the pain she felt in her heart.

  “Taxi” she screamed the word and waved frantically. “Over here! Here!” Clutching her jacket over her head, she ran along the sidewalk, skidding slightly, yelling until she was hoarse, “Taxi! Taxi!”

  As she reached the corner, the sidewalk was crowded with people so she skirted around them and up some stairs that led to a huge city building. She looked around herself trying to find out where she was and suddenly froze. Her eyes transfixed at the face right in front of her.

  It was Alex. Oh god. She took a few steps forward to see better. Her foot skidded on the wet step and she was not sure what happened, but she tumbled right over and down the steps like a three year old. She scrabbled desperately at the stone balustrade, scraped her skin, and wrenched her hand.

  “Oh shit” was the only thing that came to her mind to say as she sat on the ground, magazines all over her body and all over the crowded sidewalk. People stepped on them as they’re everywhere on the street, some lay in neat stacks in high water puddles. The man from the Newsstand kiosk she just had crashed into came running towards her.

  “Ma’am are you alright?” He asked concerned. “Are you hurt ma'am?”

  Vanessa didn’t hear him, she only focused on the beautiful man on the cover of the latest gossip magazine that lay in the water pile in front of her. There he was, her Alex. But standing close to a glam-looking woman in a beautiful dress. She looked closer and to her horror, she could see an older man staring back at her from the picture, standing behind the couple with a broad grin on his face. Brunetti. She squinted to read the tiny text under the picture. Oh, they’re in Venice, on a movie festival. One could count… She felt sick. She flicked through the wet pages to find the article inside. The Prince and the movie star. What?!

  “Ma’am, you can’t sit on the wet ground like that, you’ll get sick.” The kiosk-man helped her to get up and she looked around herself. It was a mayhem and she had created it.

  “I’m so, so sorry. I can buy some of the wet magazines to compensate for the damage,” she whisked out her overused credit card and handed it to him. “Please, just add what you think the damages will cost you.”

  “No, no. Can’t do that Ma’am. It was an accident. You just try to get home safely now ok.

  The man turned around and began to collect wet newspapers and magazines from the street.

  Vanessa took a few wobbling steps and registered the distant yellow light from a cab.

  “Over here” all that came out was a whisper, she didn’t have any strength left in her body.

  As in a miracle, the taxi driver stopped right in front of her. She climbed in clenching the soaking magazine with Alex face on to her chest. The prince and the movie star she echoed the sentence from the magazine article as they drove off. The cab making the water sprinkle as a fountain over the poor kiosk owner who stood bent down on his knees trying to collect his drenched newspapers from the street.

  “Green, wake up!”

  Vanessa tried to move he
r head towards the sound of Kat’s voice. But her limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. With a heavy sigh, she crawled up to a half-sitting, half-lying position and slowly opened her eyes. It felt as shards of glass poked the backs of her eyeballs. She groaned with pain as the harsh daylight hit her.

  “Coffee?” Kat held a cup of the hot beverage in front of her.

  Vanessa took the offered coffee with shaky hands and looked at her friend. How was it possible that she could look as fresh as a daisy after last night? Kat’s long hair fell in beach waves over her shoulders and she had changed from party-outfit to leggings, a comfy jumper and pashmina scarf thrown around her shoulders. Vanessa herself felt like someone who would blend in perfectly at a homeless shelter for heroin-addicted prostitutes, or actually, she would probably stand out, looking even grimmer than the poor homeless women do.