“She’s taking it hard.” Franco looked at her lovingly. “I want to comfort her, but I think she just needs to grieve.”
Later they were talking to friends from school. “I think I saw Ric Santini at the church,” one of them said. Gini immediately felt a stab at her heart. She had to hide her emotional feelings for him. Franco couldn’t know how she felt.
“Yeah,” Franco said putting his arm around her. “I was hoping he’d show up here. I haven’t seen him for so long. I saw him stand up in the back of the church. He feels the same about Mama as I do.”
“Gini. Franco.” Patrice hugged Gini with one arm. She was holding her infant son in the other. “Of course, you two are married. Could it be any other way?”
“What a cute baby,” Gini said.
The group of friends got bigger as more people arrived. Gini took the little boy from Patrice so she could use the restroom. She sat down in a chair and held the bottle of juice and the little boy sucked on it, looking up to her. He soon fell asleep in her arms.
“That baby looks good on you.” Franco sat down in a chair next to her.
She looked at him and smiled. “Isn’t he just so cute?”
“How in the world did you two have a blond baby?” another classmate asked, sitting on the other side of Gini.
“He’s not ours.” Gini gently hugged the little boy. He was so cuddly in her arms, his body so warm next to hers.
The crowd started to leave, and the family decided to get a drink together. They ended up at Tino’s Bar and Grill.
“Oh, wow, this place takes me back,” Franco said.
“Frankie!” Tino walked from the kitchen, his apron wrapped around his waist. Tino was the only one who got away with calling him anything but Franco.
“Look at you. Just look at you all grown up.” He held Franco at arm’s length in front of him. “You still live around here?”
“No. Haven’t for a long time. Tino, this is my wife, Gini.”
“And married! Who would’ve ever thought that tough street kid would turn out to be such a good man?”
“A lot of that had to do with you.” Franco gave him a quick side hug, and then introduced the rest of the family. He told him of Mama’s passing, and Tino expressed his sympathy.
As they all settled around a high table in the bar, Franco took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. Gini could see his large upper arms hard under the shirtsleeves that covered them. She wasn’t too fond of the scruffy, unshaved look in general, but it looked good on him—sexy. He pulled his chair as close to hers as he could and sat down.
“Hey, Frankie, is that a bun on the back of your head?” Dwayne asked in a snide way.
“Yeah, what of it?”
“You a girly now?”
Franco reached back, pulled at the wounded hair, and took out the band. The wavy black hair fell around his ears and neck. Gini’s body reacted—aroused. She still had strong feelings for him, which surprised her. She felt a tingling of her body and a strong desire to make love with him. She picked up her water and quickly took a swig.
“Hahaha. Look at those locks.”
Franco stood up. “You want to go outside?”
“Franco!” She grabbed his arm.
“Sure, why not?” Dwayne was still laughing. “It looks good. I’ll have to admit I never thought I’d see the tough Franco with a bun.”
Both men laughed together, and Franco sat back down. He pulled the hair back and put the bun back up on the back of his head. “Keeps it out of my face.”
Franco always wore his hair longish and greased in high school; he thought it made him look tough. Sometimes he shaved it close on the sides, leaving it long on top and in the back. He was kicked out of school once for wearing a Mohawk. The only time he ever had a buzz cut was when he shaved it off. He was very conscious of his height, wishing he could be as tall as Ric. When he was a young boy, he had been constantly picked on by the bigger kids.
“How do you know Tino?” Cindy asked.
“He saved my butt more than once when I was a kid.”
One Saturday when Franco was in fourth grade, he was following a gang of boys. Franco desperately wanted to be part of the gang. The four boys, older and much bigger, went into the corner store and then ran out after stealing some beer. Franco ran after them.
“Get out of here, squirt,” one called out.
As they continued to run, Franco picked up a rock and threw it, hitting one in the back. The gang member stopped and then went after Franco. He knocked him to the ground and was just about to beat him when he was suddenly lifted up.
“Get off him,” Tino said. “Find someone your own size to pick on. Get out of here before I call the police.”
Franco was still lying on his back looking up at the man who had probably just saved his life.
“Come on, kid. Come with me.”
“I could have taken him.”
“Ahh, I’m thinking not.” He helped Franco to his feet. “Hungry? I make a pretty mean hamburger.”
Tino had seen Franco around the streets and knew someday he was going to get into a lot of trouble if someone didn’t get a hold of him and help him out.
Franco followed him into the bar and back to the kitchen. Tino sat him at a small table. Franco watched as he put the hamburger on the grill.
“What’s your name?”
“Franco Legotti.”
“Wow, awesome name. I’m Tino. This is my joint. Give me your dad’s phone number, and I’ll call him.”
“I don’t have an old man.” Franco drank the Coke in front of him.
“How about your mom then?”
“Nope, no mom either.”
“There has to be someone I can call.”
“Nope, I’m my own man.”
The two sat in the kitchen and talked while Franco gulped down the hamburger. Tino made him another one. Tino shared his stories about being a street kid until he finally was thrown in juvie. He hated it. Once he got out, he changed his life. After close to two hours, Franco finally told Tino about Mama Elizabeth. Tino knew who she was.
When Elizabeth came to pick him up, Tino told Franco he was always welcome to come get a hamburger and talk.
“I spent a lot of time in this bar until I got into middle school. Tino was a great friend. I don’t know what I would have done without him and Mama.”
Gini gave a quiet sigh and put her head in her hands.
“Babe?”
“I need sugar,” she said quietly.
Cindy immediately got up and went to Tino. He brought Gini a glass of juice.
“Here you go.”
She took the glass, her hand shaking.
“What the hell’s going on?” Franco asked, helping her with the drink.
After Gini started feeling better, she told Franco about her diagnosis. And Cindy told him about how sick she had been the week before.
He had a sinking feeling. How could this be happening to her all at the same time? No wonder she was so emotional. He wrapped his arm tight around her. He felt helpless. He couldn’t fix death, and he couldn’t fix her illness. It made him want to yell and throw something.
Ric was sitting in a booth in a darkened area of the hotel bar, reading his emails, and sipping his drink. He suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“Babe, come on, come to San Francisco with me.”
“I have things I have to wrap up here.”
“Then come when you’re done…” The voices trailed off as they walked past.
Ric quickly laid his tablet facedown and put his head down, partially hiding his face in his hands. Gini and Franco sat on two stools at the bar. Ric could see her facing Franco, and he could see Franco’s face in the reflection of the mirrored column she was leaning against. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they both were emotional. He couldn’t stop watching.
“I have a nice suite we can stay in for a few days. I’ve opened an office there, and I’m here to get it set up.”
“You have an office in the States, and you didn’t even tell me… not only that you have an office, but also that you were in California.” She huffed and turned away from him.
He ordered a whiskey for him and a cup of tea for her.
“I was going to call. Then I heard from Cindy about Mama so decided to surprise you there. Gini, we can live together in San Fran. I’ll still be going to China, but it will be easier to come home.”
“You…” She was so angry she found it hard to speak. “You think I’m just going to pack up and move to California? Franco, my job is in Boston and DC.” She faced him and stared him in the eyes. “You do remember I have a job? And a successful one at that. How many times have you been to the States and not let me know?”
“Babe, now, calm down.” He put his hands on the sides of her face, slowly pushing back the curls. “I just got in a few days ago. I contacted you every time I could get a signal from China. I would let you know if I’d been here. I love you. And I want to be with you.”
“Then open an office in Boston.”
He took his thumbs across her eyebrows, leaned over, and kissed her.
“Mmm…” she quietly groaned and fell into the kiss.
He pulled back. “I have to catch my flight.” He took a business card out of his pocket and wrote something on it. From his wallet, he laid a twenty-dollar bill on the bar and put the card next to her teacup. “Come to San Francisco. We’ll figure this out, I promise. We’ll figure what is the best for both of us.”
He reached over once again putting his hand on her face. He kissed her, this time leaving his lips on hers after the kiss. “I love you.”
Ric saw the look of passion in both pairs of eyes.
Franco stepped away from the bar and turned to leave. He ran his hand down her arm slowly as he left, grabbing her hand briefly. Gini sat, not moving, and watched him leave.
Ric once again hid his face. After Franco had walked by, Ric looked back to Gini. She was crying. She turned her stool back to face the bar, ran her finger around the cup rim, and then picked up the business card. Franco had written his hotel and suite number on the back.
Ric grabbed his tablet and quickly walked out the opposite door from Franco and went to the elevator hall.
Gini opened her purse and took out a tissue. She had to pull herself together before going up to be with Ric. That’s where she wanted to be—or was it? In the elevator, she touched her fingers to her lips. She could still feel his kiss, the softness of his lips, the firm Gini kisses, meant just for her. She thought of his strong arms pulling her into his safe zone. Announcing to the world that she was his and no one else’s. By the time she got to her room, the tears were flowing again out of control.
Ric heard the connecting door on her side click closed. He walked over to it. “Gins, is that you?” He heard another door close from inside her room. “Gini.” He got no answer. Then he thought he could hear water running.
He went to the small refrigerator, took out a small bottle of scotch, and poured it into a glass. He would order up some carrot cake for her. She loved carrot cake.
About an hour later, the connecting door for the rooms opened, and Gini walked through it. She had on pajamas and a robe. Ric stood up and went to her.
She felt she ought to guard herself. She was so confused she didn’t know where she wanted to be. But when she saw him, she snuggled close to him. “It’s been a long, hard day.”
“I know, sweets.” He kissed her on the top of her head. “I got you carrot cake.”
“Comfort food, just what I need.”
They both walked over to the couch and sat down. She leaned forward and took a bite of the cake. “I guess you saw Franco came to the funeral?”
“I saw him.” He got up. “I’ll make you some tea.”
She smiled. “Thanks. He opened an office in San Francisco and is there for a few days. He wants me to move there.”
“What? Are you going to?”
“NO! Ric, I can’t believe he thinks I’ll just pick up on a whim and move. He has never appreciated I have a job—a good job, one that I love.” She could feel her anger rise as she spoke.
The last thing Ric wanted to talk about was Franco. The two of them hugging, him kissing her—he wanted that image to go away. “I talked to Michelle. We made our plans to meet. She sounds like a nice person. I think I’ll enjoy working for her.” He squeezed the water out of the tea bag with a spoon.
“Michelle, who’s Michelle?”
“I told you about Michelle Walker in Reno. We’re driving there tomorrow, remember?”
She abruptly stood up. “You’re moving to Reno. Fine, Ric, go ahead. I don’t need you; I don’t need anyone.” She stomped through the connecting doors and slammed hers closed.
“Gini!” He ran to the door. “Gins, please, we were just going to take a road trip. I’m not moving anywhere. Gini.” He put his arm up on the door and laid his forehead on it. He could hear her crying. “Let me in so I can hold you. Sweet Gins, I want to comfort you. Let me in.”
“Go away. Leave me alone.”
He sat on the couch for a while trying to work, but couldn’t concentrate. About midnight he walked over to the door. He couldn’t hear her, so he went to bed.
Around three o’clock, he was startled awake when the bed moved. He opened his eyes and saw her crawling under the sheets naked. He moved to her and pulled her into his arms. They kissed, her mouth hot and hungry. It aroused him of course, but also made him feel strong. She needed his love.
She turned over onto her back. “Franco wants to talk.” She turned back and looked at him.
“Sweets, you have to decide how you want to do this. I will help in any way I can, but you have to make the decision. Just know how much I love you.”
“I know. He just doesn’t get it. Do you think he’ll realize I don’t want to move?”
“I don’t know, Gins. I don’t know.” He pulled her close and held her tight. He didn’t want to let her go ever. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.
At five o’clock, she carefully got out of bed and went back to her room. After getting dressed, she went into the living area and left a note on the bar. Then she dragged her suitcase out of her room into the hall.
At the airport, she sat across from the ticket counters. What was she going to do, go back to Boston or go to San Francisco? Each time she decided on Boston, she stood up, took a couple of steps, and then sat back down. Franco had so much explaining to do. Did she just say “enough” and walk away from him, or give him a chance? She had loved him all her life. And the kiss certainly showed that her feelings for him were still there. Then she remembered the lovemaking with Ric only a few hours earlier. His gentleness and caring, making her feel wanted.
She finally walked up to the ticket counter. “I need to change my ticket.”
Ric woke up and saw she wasn’t in the bed. “Sweets, are you in the bathroom?” He went through the open door. “Gini.”
When he walked into the living area, he saw the note:
I have to go to him. I have to; he’s my husband.
Chapter 14 – Reconciliation
“Okay,” the kind lady behind the ticket counter said. “Let’s see what you have.”
Gini handed her the ticket. “I want to fly to San Francisco with a stayover, and then an open-date ticket from there to Boston.”
“We can take care of that for you.”
When Gini got to the hotel, she was taken to Franco’s room. The man at the reception desk was asked by Franco to call him when she arrived. She put down her purse and went to the window. The view was of the Bay with only a small glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. She had so many mixed emotions inside of her. So much so, she had a stomachache.
It seemed like only moments later when the room door opened. “Babe, you’re here.”
Franco walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and started to cry.
He pulled her closer. “I know this has been hard for you. She was a terrific lady and we will all miss her.”
She nodded her head against his body. Then she stood back and took a tissue out of her purse and wiped her face.
“I want you to forget all of your troubles. We are going to take a cruise around the bay. It’s so beautiful out there. It will give you solace.” He put his hands on her face, pulled it to him, and kissed her.
The familiar kiss she had so loved. His strong hands swallowing up her face. She started to cry all over again. What was she doing? Her life was so messed up. Her mind so confused. He pulled her close to him again.
His phone rang quietly in his pocket.
“Thanks, Mario. We’ll be on our way.”
“Our boat is ready,” he said cheerfully.
“Our boat?” She stood up straight and pulled down on her jacket.
“My office manager here, Mario, owns a sailboat. It’s quite beautiful. You’ll love sailing around on it. I promise you’ll love it.”
Gini suddenly had a feeling of doubt. Franco seemed way too comfortable in San Francisco for it to be his first time there. Had he been to the States often without contacting her? No, she pushed the thought away. He wouldn’t do that.
Mario handed them both a fancy life jacket after Franco had helped her step onto the polished deck of the large schooner. He slipped it up over the heavy windbreaker jacket he had bought for her earlier and zipped it up her front, then carried his farther into the boat.
The captain, Mario, had fixed them lunch. It was placed on a table in the front of the large open space. Next to the two plates and a large bowl of seafood salad was a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. Mario popped the cork and poured each flute about half full.
After Gini and Franco got settled, the boat slowly went through the marina using a small motor. Once in the open water, the captain started hoisting the sails. She watched him go through a routine of untying the ropes and pulling down hard on them with his gloved hands. The fabric billowed out in the soft breeze. The rope was then tied tight to hold the sail. She found it quite fascinating.
Green Stone Ring Page 23