“Oh, he is he’s gorgeous. I can’t lie.” The girls talked, drank, and ate late into the night. When Anya finally lay down to sleep, she felt a bit better about her feelings for Calix. She needed to talk to her mother, and, even if she had to deal with her father when she called the house, she would because she really needed her mother.
Chapter 18 Finally, the plane touched down in Italy, and Carol couldn’t have been happier. She had never spent so much time in the air before and was more than ready to disembark.
“So how was the flight for you, Carol?” “Honestly? It was very long, and I couldn’t fall asleep. The first class cocoons were fabulous, but it made it hard to talk.”
Maria nodded in agreement. “Yes, that is the one drawback. Come, baggage claim is this way.”
“What time is it? I need to reset my watch.” “Well, we left just before eight o’clock, the flight was thirteen hours, and there is a six hour time difference. My guess is almost one in the morning.”
“But we’re ahead of the east coast, so I can call Anya, and it won’t be too late to talk to her.”
“No, it’ll be okay, unless she has gone to bed early.”
“Damn, I forgot, I told her to turn off her phone and get a new one.” “Well, turn your phone on and see if she tried to call you. We didn’t tell her we were leaving early.”
“I think I should wait till we get situated, so I can talk to her when I can focus my attention on her.”
“That sounds like a good idea. There should be a car waiting for us. Let’s get our luggage and head to the front of the airport, so we can find the car.”
It took them longer to get their luggage than it did to find the driver waiting for them. When they were nestled in the car, Maria’s driver informed her that Vito had called several times. Vito wanted Maria to call him, no matter the time, as soon as she arrived. He had even left the message that he knew she didn’t want to talk to him, but that it was extremely important for her to call him. Begrudgingly, Maria pulled her phone out of her purse, turned it on, and called Vito.
“Si.” Came the deep voice of Vito. “Parlare rapida (Talk fast).” Maria was short and curt. She was still having a hard time taking in what he and Calix had done.
“Maria, please listen to me,” Vito pleaded. He told Maria the reason why he had agreed to make that deal with Calix; he thought that Calix was truly in love with Anya and this was the way he could have her. Vito told Maria how he expected Calix to woo Anya and prove to her how he really felt. He explained how he had no knowledge of what Calix had done to Anya, and that he did not approve of that
behavior.
Vito had been in love with Maria for years. He had fallen in love with her before she had even met his brother. They shared a brief history. But, when his brother had brought her home to meet the family, he acted as if they had never met. Everyone always thought the reason he never married was because he never wanted to drag someone into his lifestyle, which was partially true, but it was mainly because he only wanted Maria. When his brother died, Vito felt so guilty. He missed his brother and wished he hadn’t died, but, at the same time, he was excited that he might have a chance with Maria. He felt horrible about that, so he did absolutely nothing to pursue a romantic relationship with her.
“Maria, you know me, how could you think I would approve of such
behavior?” Vito was actually upset. Though being the tough man he was, he refused to let it show.
“Vito, I don’t know what to think. I would never have dreamed that Calix was capable of such behavior. I did not raise him that way. How could he love her and do that?” Maria was starting to get really upset just talking about it again, and she began to cry. Carol sitting next to her in the car was trying to soothe her by rubbing her arm.
“Maria per favore non piangere (Please don’t cry). He does love her. You should have heard him. I’ve never heard him that upset before. I swear, Maria, I think he even started to cry.”
Sniffling Maria asked, “How can that be, Vito?” Vito sighed, and his voice became softer. “You of all people, Maria, should know how crazed a man in love could act.”
Maria was silent for a moment. They had not talked about or brought up that night in forty years.
Her voice was hushed. “I wasn’t forced, Vito.”
“But, you didn’t say yes either. I just took what I wanted.”
“Vito.” “No, it’s in the past. Leave it. Calix was wrong in what he did. I don’t approve in any way. He asked me to help him find her, and I said no. I told him he has disgraced us. He has been put in his place and acknowledged he did wrong. I also know that, despite all that, he does love her. Do what you will with this information, tell Carol or don’t tell her, I leave it to you. Now, there is something regarding Carol that I do need to talk to you about.” Vito went on to tell her some of what Calix and he had planned.
“If she starts to feel bad for him or guilty, let her know this is happening with or without her, and please, explain to her that I did not approve of Calix’s behavior. Buona notte, angelo (Good night angel).” His good bye said, he hung up.
Angel, Maria thought; he hadn’t called her Angel since that night. Carol broke through her remembrance.
“Maria? Are you okay? What did Vito say? What’s going on?” Maria sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes before she answered Carol. Her voice was rough and heavy with the emotions running through her.
“Vito was telling me his side of what happened.” “Really.” Carol stiffened with her response and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Carol.” Maria reached out and touched her arm gently. “Carol, he had nothing to do with what happen to Anya. He never threatened to harm you; Calix added that to persuaded Anya to say yes. Vito has never hurt an innocent woman. He told me he only agreed to Calix’s deal because Calix begged him; he told him how long he had waited for Anya to grow up and how much he needed her. He thought Calix would marry her then win her over with his love. He had no idea about what had happened in Calix’s office that
morning.”
“And you believe him?” “Carol, Vito has never lied to me. It was wrong of me to assume he was a part of it. I was just so shocked to hear of what Calix had done, I never thought him possibly of such an act that I didn’t know what to think about Vito. But, Carol, I believe him. He has never lied to me in forty years.”
“Do you believe Calix really loves her? I mean, how could he do that to her if he loves her?”
By the time Carol finished her question, they had pulled up in front of Maria’s house. Their driver parked the car and got out to open the door for them. Maria quickly turned to Carol before she got out.
“Yes, I do, and I’ll tell you why when we’re settled in the house.” With the door held open for her, Maria exited the car. Carol waited for their driver to walk around and open her car door. Almost two am in Rome, but you could still the see the beauty of Maria’s villa. It was stone and stucco, and the drive way was fan shaped paved stones. Carol couldn’t wait to see what it looked like in the daytime. She could see that there were a lot of trees, flowers, and just all kinds of different foliage. As they walked into the villa, Carol was in awe. They may have updated the villa, but they kept all the history and old style beauty.
The hallways were wide, and the walls painted in old school Italian marble effect with different colors throughout every room. The villa had vaulted ceilings with archways and exposed beams. It was truly one of the most beautiful houses she had ever been in. For a moment, she forgot about all the drama in her life and enjoyed the moment of finally being able to come to Italy.
“I know it’s late, so would you like to finish our conversation, or would you like to wait till morning?”
Carol thought for a moment on what she wanted to do. After a couple of
minutes, she decided to wait till the morning. She just wanted to enjoy this night drama free. She was even going to wait on calling Anya back.
Chapter 19
Calix woke up Wednesday morning feeling like shit. He’d only gotten a couple of hours of sleep, same as last night. Calix didn’t want to get out of bed, but he needed to get started on Senator Richards. Before he put the plan in motion, he needed to let Carol know a little of what he was going to do, so that she wouldn’t get in the way. He didn’t want to talk to her, and she’d probably hang up on him when she heard his voice. No, he would e-mail her that would be the safest way to tell her.
Reluctantly, Calix got up and out of bed. First thing to do was to call his office and let them know he would not be in and to reschedule any appointments he had for the day. He then walked out of his bedroom and headed to his home office. Stopping dead in his tracts as he came to the living room of the penthouse. All the flowers he had gotten for Anya were still there. He thought he’d keep them, incase Anya came back. But, now, after having talked with Carol, he knew Anya wasn’t going to return. In anger and frustration, he started kicking over vases that were on the ground. When that wasn’t enough, he picked up vases from the various surfaces and threw them against the wall, shattering the vases. His breathing had deepened during in his explosion of anger. When he calmed and looked around the room, glass shards and crumpled flowers littered the floor. He didn’t care; he simply turned and walked to his office.
As he sat down in his chair and turned his computer on, he picked up his phone and called his cleaning service.
“Sparkle Cleaning.” “Yes, this is Calix Anastas. I need a cleaning crew sent to my penthouse. We had a small accident.”
“Yes, sir, we’ll send one out within the hour.” Hanging up with the cleaners, he then opened his email program to begin his email to Carol, but what should he say. He just started typing and let his mind and thoughts flow.
To: Carol Richards Cc/Bcc: From:
CalixAnastasCEO@AnastasInvestme ntCorp.com
Subject: My Apologies Carol, I know you do not want to hear from me or see me again. But, I need to tell the whole story from the beginning. Please, do not delete this e-mail without reading it. I know what I did was
inexcusable. I know it may not seem like it to you, and I have not said it in so many words to Anya, but I love her.
I first met Anya at a function that your family attended. I even remember what she was wearing. Her dress is what first caught my attention and then her eyes. For someone who was so young, her eyes held an old soul. When I discovered she was barely eighteen, I was shocked and left her alone. It is common for men of my age to date younger woman, but a teenager is a teenager legal or not. I never forgot about her. Over the next few years, I guess you could say I became obsessed with her. Each time I saw her at a function, I had to keep telling myself that she was too young for me. But, each time I noticed something new about her, I would want her more.
Once she turned twenty, I just didn’t care about the age difference, so at the last function we attended, I reintroduced myself and asked her out. She adamantly refused me and blew me off more than once.
I was desperate to have her and did what I thought was the only way to get her. I know now that I have loved her since she was eighteen years old. I never meant to hurt her in any way, and after that episode that morning, I hated myself. I made a promise to Anya, a wedding gift I was going to give her, and, wedding or no wedding, I will give it to her. She wants you to be free of your husband. We both know he won’t let you leave willingly. So, we are planning to persuade him, I guess you could say. I have contacted your attorney. You should have received his papers. Sign them as soon as possible. We need to get you separated from him in every way. This will happen with or without you helping. I promised Anya, and I will not let her down this time.
My apology might not be enough for you or Anya, but I am truly sorry. Calix Anastas Finished with the e-mail, he started to call all his contacts and witnesses that he needed. He had to get all the pictures he could, along with all the notarized and signed confessions and statements.
*** Considering she went to bed after two am, Carol woke up early, and she felt refreshed. She dressed and left her room in search of the kitchen. Walking down the halls, taking more notice of the decorations she saw all the beautiful details she had missed last night. She finally heard the clink of dishes and followed the sound.
“Good morning.” Carol smiled.
“Buongiorno, Carol. How did you sleep?”
“Surprisingly well, considering.”
“Yes, considering. Let’s eat, then we will talk, yes?”
“Yes,” Carol agreed. “Come, sit. Sophia made an Italian breakfast, but you’ll probably like some eggs or something.”
“No, no, this is fine.”
Carol sat down at the small table in the kitchen. Next to the table was a
beautiful terrace right through gorgeously big windows. But when she looked closer she saw that they were actual some sort of glass doors or something They looked as though they might push open but there were no hinges. The table was set with a tray full of different kinds of biscotti, sweet rolls, and a cup off mocha latte.
“This is a beautiful house, Maria.”
“Yes, I love it. I don’t feel stressed here. Did you talk to Anya yet?”
“No.” Carol looked down into her coffee as she answered.
“Good, I wanted to talk to you before you did.”
“What about?” Carol knew she just had to ask to make sure. Maria started to fidget and twirl and turn her coffee cup, circling it in her hands. And then she started her story.
“When I was young, I met a very handsome man a few years older than me. We bumped into each other now and then at different places. We smiled and flirted a bit. Just after I turned eighteen, a group of my friends took me to a disco, club,
whatever you want to call it. And, he was there. I’d had a few drinks, so he offered to take me home, and I accepted. When we got to the back alley of the club where he was parked, we were completely alone. He mumbled something in Italian; I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like, ‘I can’t stand it anymore.’”
Maria took a deep breath and a sip of her latte before she continued. “He pulled me close, kissed me, and then backed me up against the wall. He lifted my skirt, pushed my underwear aside, and took me right there. I was a virgin. It hurt, but then it felt good. He called me his angel, his angel of light, and kissed me over and over again. He never asked, and I didn’t say yes. He just took, but I didn’t say no either. When we were finished he apologized, told me I drove him mad with passion and he had to have me just once. I liked him. I had been interested in dating him had he asked me, so I asked why just once. I wanted more of him, but he said with his position and lifestyle, I would be a weakness and a target, and he’d die if anything happened to me.”
Maria looked up at Carol to gage her reaction to all this. “Over the next couple of days, I kept going back to the same places we used to bump into each other, hoping to see him, but I never did. I did, however, meet my husband at one of those places. It was a whirlwind romance. He reminded me so much of my lover, and he was so sweet. I fell instantly in love. We met and eloped all within five weeks.”
Maria looked Carol straight in the eye. “This next part that I’m about to tell you no one knows, so I’m trusting you to keep it that way. If you don’t think you can keep my confidences, then tell me now.”
Carol reached over the table and gave a gentle squeeze to Maria’s hand. “Of course, you can trust me, just as I trust you. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I feel as though we have a strong friendship. You’re the only one I’ve ever felt comfortable with to talk about my married life, and I mean honest talking, not what I’m supposed to say.”
“I feel the same, Carol. So, when we got back from eloping, he took me to meet his family. We were sitting at the table eating dinner; his family had accepted me with open arms, and then in walks my lover. He walked over to Marco’s mother and kissed her, apologizing for being late be
cause of business. Then he turned and saw me. Before he could say a word, Marco stands up and, once again, announces our news. ‘Vito,’” Maria heard Carol’s gasp, but continued, “Marco called out, ‘I eloped. This is my wife Maria.’ Something went dead in Vito’s eyes as he looked at me and heard Marco’s announcement. He acted as though we had never met and reached out to shake my hand and welcome me into the family. We never spoke of that night again, even after Marco had died. Calix was born eight months later.”
“Oh, Maria.” Carol was speechless. She didn’t know what to say, and then something clicked. “Wait, eight months …does that mean you were pregnant before you got married?” Carol stopped as she saw the tears fall down Maria’s face. “Did you know? Does Vito know?”
Maria shook her head. “No, I didn’t, and no he doesn’t, not positively. I know he suspects, but we never spoke of the night again. I never cheated on my husband. Though I loved Vito, I was completely faithful, but when he died, I almost felt happy, because now I would be free to be with Vito. I knew he still loved me. He had lovers come and go, which I understood. He couldn’t live like a monk. But none lasted more than a few weeks, and he never brought them home to meet the family. I know Vito felt the same about Marco’s death, which, no doubt, made him feel just as guilty as I felt. Marco was a good man, a good husband, and I did love him, just not the way I loved Vito.”
Maria sniffled and wiped some tears away. “So, you can see now why I believe what Vito tells me, and why I said that I should never have doubted him, and how I know a man, who has been denied the object of his affection for so long, can act out and momentarily snap and do things out of their nature. A man in love and crushed by that love can turn into a love crazed beast. Calix loves Anya, of that I’m sure, and so is Vito, and I’ll tell you why we know…”
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