Her Venice Affair (The Albury Affairs)

by OW, Christina

  He’d taken her home, waited patiently for her to tell him what was wrong, but she didn’t speak. She just sat on the sofa, staring straight ahead in a daze. She didn’t speak that night or the next morning and she ate as if she was forcing the food down her throat, like she had to eat.

  Reno felt out of his depth. It was clear she had suffered a tragedy but he wasn’t sure what. She wasn’t like this even when their mother died. His mind conjured up reasons that gave him nightmares. He tried to dispense of his fears by asking, threatening, and even begging for her to talk to him but still she didn’t say a word. She wasn’t even fazed. She just sat on the sofa like her mind was completely switched off.

  It was only when he found her in the ocean that first time that she spoke.

  “He’s dead,” she’d said. “I should never have left him alone. Allan is dead.”

  Reno had wanted to ask who Allan was but she didn’t seem present enough to hear him. Lacking another avenue as to how to help her, he’d sat behind her in the water and hugged her to his chest, like he always did when she was sad when they were young. She would always tuck herself into him like she was trying to crawl into his chest, but she didn’t now.

  She hadn’t moved. With her back pressed against his chest, she sat with her arms laying lazily at her sides, her hands and feet sinking into the sand, as she stared straight ahead at the horizon. They’d sat there like that for what seemed like hours until the sun began to set.

  Then she’d said, “This was his favorite time of day when we were out on his yacht.”

  He had been a little surprised by her tone of voice. It sounded like she was smiling. He’d looked down at her and true enough she was smiling. Her cheeks were also wet with tears.

  Reno had felt helpless, and angry because of it. He hated not being able to help his sister. He pressed a kiss to her temple and hugged her tighter. He was willing to do just about anything to lighten her grief.

  “He would always drag me out on the outer deck and make love to me under the red, yellow, and orange sky until it was dark.” She turned her head into his neck. “He wasn’t much of a romantic, but he had his moments,” she whispered.

  Once the torches on the beach were the only light left, he lifted her in his arms. “Let’s go inside, Riana.”

  She wrapped her hands around his neck and he began the trek back to the hotel. He heard her whisper in his ear and the words turned his feet to stone. Then she began crying and he held her tighter in his arms, his heart torn to shreds at the despair in her voice.

  “What am I going to do, Reno?” she sobbed. “What am I going to tell his child?”

  Oh, God no! He felt a sharp pain in his chest and he visibly winced. “We’ll figure it out, Riana, I promise.”

  And now, over two years later, this wasn’t the solution he’d been hoping for.

  He stood next to her and listened to the excited shrieks of his twenty-two month old niece as she played in the water. She was beautiful, with soft, black curls bouncing around her head as she ran, brown eyes that sparkled like diamonds, and a smile that rivaled the sun. She was gorgeous, always so happy, and a light in their lives.

  Reno thanked God every day for little Aurora. The moment the doctor placed her in Riana’s arms, he saw a little of herself crack through the shell of grief she was confined in. And though she wasn’t completely herself, at least she cried less and smiled and laughed more. He was finally able to let her roam the beaches alone without worrying she was going to take a dip.

  “Are you sure you want to go back?” he asked for the umpteenth time.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “It’s just…” he stopped when she turned to him.

  “Reno, I have Aurora. The only other family Allan had was Melody and now she’s alone. Don’t you think our daughter would help her with her loss as much as she has helped me?”

  Reno knew she was right but why did she always have to be the martyr? After his wife had run away, Riana and Aurora were all he had, and he was so used to having them around. Now he was going to be alone again.

  “And once you get there, what are you going to do about a place to live, money…and other stuff.” It was the last kick of a dying horse.

  She moved before him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Loraine emailed me. She’ll meet us at the airport. And for money, Allan left me some.”

  This was the first he was hearing of this. “What do you mean?”

  “I checked my account yesterday. Allan deposited two hundred thousand dollars the day…”

  Reno felt her body tremble when she stopped speaking. The time she said the words ‘Allan is dead’ was a onetime occurrence.

  Reno wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. “You’re okay. Remember you have a part of him in Aurora.”

  She let out a shuddering sigh and stepped out of his embrace. She quickly wiped away her tears and smiled up at him. “He would be proud of her wouldn’t he? Though he might have preferred a son—”

  Reno grabbed her shoulders. “Riana, stop. Anyone would be proud to have that little angel as a daughter.”

  “Weno! Pway wit me!” Aurora yelled laughingly as she ran to him.

  Reno was amazed by how well she said that. At eight months she spoke—more like gibbered—a hand full of words including ‘mama’ and ‘dada’. At ten months she was running around like a little penguin, causing havoc and laughing at the disaster she left behind.

  The day she could work her legs marked the beginning of chaos and extreme exercise. An hour with her was more exhausting than a full day of work with unhappy hotel guests.

  He stepped away from Riana and prepared to catch Aurora as she launched herself at him. “How’s my princess doing?”

  She tugged on his shirt collar. “Pway wit me!”

  Riana laughed and Reno treasured the sound. They were so few and far apart he never took one for granted.

  “Honey, uncle Reno is tired. I’ll play with you.”

  Aurora’s brows drew together. “Weno tired?”

  He tickled her releasing a shrill of giggles. “Not too tired for you.”

  She wiggled in his arms and he placed her down on the ground. She ran for the water and Riana called out to her to be careful as she nibbled nervously at her lower lip. He was proud of the restraint she showed. Usually she would run after Aurora just to make sure she didn’t get hurt running or keep her from tripping or stepping on something sharp.

  It took a great deal on his part but he’d finally convinced her to stop smothering the kid. He knew she was afraid of losing Aurora, but if she kept acting on that fear, their lives would be miserable.

  Reno chased after his niece and they played until they were both exhausted. Of course, once she had enough energy again, Riana had to take his place in the game.

  He watched the sun begin to set and he pulled the bag Riana always brought with her closer. They always did this every day at this time.

  Aurora stood up from where she sat in the wet sand and pointed at the horizon. “Daddy!”

  Reno watch Riana fight back the tears as she picked up Aurora. “Yes, it’s time from daddy now.”

  She came and sat down next to Reno, placing Aurora on her crossed legs. Reno handed Riana the shirt and album.

  Riana hugged the shirt to her cheek then inhaled it’s scent and whispered ‘Allan’, permitting a few tears to escape her closed eyes. She then handed Aurora the shirt, which she hugged tightly in her chubby arms, and then Riana opened the album.

  Every day, at this time, Riana remembered Allan with his shirt and their pictures in Italy. She shared those memories with her daughter. Also telling her the little she knew of Allan Sr., Aurora, and Melody Sinclair.

  Every day, when the sun set and the sky turned yellow, red, and orange, Aurora Cora Sinclair, from the day she was born, became acquainted with her father, Allan Patrick Sinclair Jr.

  * * * *

  Loraine tapped her foot nervously as she wat
ched the flight announcement screen. Riana’s plane had just landed. Loraine could only imagine how difficult it was to drag around luggage while trying to control her almost two-year-old hellion.

  Loraine chuckled to herself.

  Riana had sent her Aurora’s pictures and even home videos—the little girl was a hurricane! The one time—after Loraine had begged in her countless emails—that Riana agreed to Skype, they’d only been talking for ten minutes when she heard crushing and the screaming of a very scared cat. Riana didn’t even flinch. She just sighed, disappeared for a moment, and came back ‘restraining’ the girl who couldn’t be much bigger than the cat she was terrorizing!

  Aurora was such a beautiful girl. With the same brown eyes that harbored mischief, same dangerous smile, and once or twice Loraine had seen the familiar expressions on her face. She looked so much like her father.

  Loraine felt sad thinking about Allan. She didn’t know him that well but the impact he made on her best friend’s life…she felt the guilt pile up for not being there for Riana when she needed her the most. She spent a year living it up in Paris only to get an email from Riana’s brother Reno, asking for help.

  He had been scared for Riana, because of the deep depression she had sunken into. She’d wanted to go to New Providence but Riana didn’t want that. She had told Loraine that she needed her solitude where only Aurora and the memories of Allan were permitted. So Loraine had stayed put, calling, emailing. Whatever form of communication was available to her she had used to keep in touch with Riana. So when she’d decided to come back, Loraine got a flight that would land in New York two hours before Riana’s.

  Reno had done all he could to help Riana survive Allan, now it was her turn.

  Loraine clenched her fist tightly around the suitcase handle. Just a few more hours before she could wrap her hands around Theresa’s neck…

  “Loraine!”

  Loraine started looking up. Riana waved at her with a huge smile on her face. But even thirty feet away, Loraine could tell Riana had lost her spark. Her smile seemed necessary and it didn’t reach her eyes.

  Riana pushed the trolley while a stewardess in a blue and white uniform carried Aurora. She was glad Riana had gotten some help because she had two bags piled up on the trolley.

  Loraine laughed at the animated sight of Aurora as she struggled to keep the blue bonnet on her head as she held her head up high and her chin out proudly. The stewardess had better forget ever getting her bonnet back.

  Loraine moved to meet them, quickly wrapping her best friend in a bear hug. She was about to move away when Riana’s grip tightened stopping her.

  Loraine reciprocated the tight hug as she whispered reassurances to her. “Everything will be okay, Riana, you’ll see.”

  She felt Riana nod against her shoulder then she slowly released Loraine and turned her back to them. That’s when Loraine noticed the tears she was discreetly wiping away. She knew Riana didn’t want Aurora to see.

  Loraine added her suitcase on to the pile on the trolley and moved to block Aurora’s line of sight to her mother. She said hi to the stewardess and turned her attention to Aurora. “Hi doll, remember me?”

  Aurora stared at her for a long while before she let out a shrill of giggles, stretching her hands out to Loraine. “Cwazy Wowi!”

  What? Loraine placed her fists on her hips. “Excuse you, missy?”

  Aurora wiggled in the stewardess arms until she placed her on the ground. Aurora moved to Loraine and pulled at her jeans with a high-pitched whine. “Up! Up!”

  Loraine quickly picked her up to stop the sharp siren. Immediately Aurora was in her arms, she began giggling again pulling at Loraine’s hoop earrings.

  “A little spoiled, isn’t she?”

  Riana sighed. “Blame her uncle Reno.”

  “Weno!” Aurora squealed looking around.

  “He’s not here, sweetheart,” Riana said. She then thanked the stewardess who was happy to leave her bonnet with Aurora before she left. Riana pushed the trolley and they headed to the exit. “I hope the apartment is still there.”

  Loraine took off her hoops and tucked them in her back pocket. Any more pulling from Aurora and her ear lobes would be split in two. “Yeah it’s still there. I had my other luggage sent ahead. Why?”

  Riana was quiet for a moment before she spoke. “I left some suitcases there when I came back from Italy.”

  Loraine wanted to ask what was in them, but the distant look in Riana’s eyes told her not to.

  She prayed that things would get better for her friend. They had to.

  The trip home was quiet, especially since Aurora, fell asleep immediately when they left the airport. Riana held her while she slept and Loraine noticed her fists kept clenching and unclenching and her breathing was sounding a little labored as she stared out of the window.

  Was Riana having a panic attack?

  Loraine pulled the tiny, in-flight whiskey bottle out of her handbag. She opened it and held it out to Riana. “Drink this. It will calm your nervous.”

  Riana turned around and Loraine noticed the panic in her eyes. “It’s too soon. I shouldn’t have come. What if Melody blames me, too? Theresa said it was my fault Allan died. And I’ve been thinking about it and I know, I know it wasn’t, but I left him alone, so it is my fault!” Her shaky voice kept rising as she rumbled on, tears flowing unrestricted down her cheeks. “If only I had stayed, then maybe I could have helped him. Or, or if I didn’t even go in the first place, then Allan would have spent two weeks instead of ten weeks in Italy and maybe he would still be alive. I was a distraction! I should never have—”

  “Stop!” Loraine pulled one hand away from Aurora and placed the tiny bottle in it. “Drink!”

  Riana tossed her head back and downed the entire thing with a hiss.

  Loraine wiped Riana’s cheeks dry with her thumbs. “You did nothing wrong and Theresa had no right to blame you for Allan’s death. The man who killed him was a lunatic and if you had stayed, you and Aurora would have died with him. Do you think that’s what Allan would have wanted?”

  Riana shook her head.

  “Then forget about that bitch.” Loraine took Riana’s hand. “And Melody doesn’t blame you.”

  “How would you know?” Riana sniffed.

  Loraine took a deep breath. The news had shocked her too when her parents informed her. But it was a wonderful thing that Melody was doing. The only thing strange she found about it was the charity was named after Riana. It would be a wonderful surprise if the guest of honor also attended…but after her break down, would it be such a good idea?

  “Loraine, how would you know?” she repeated a little forcefully.

  “Melody has started a charity in your honor and the party is tomorrow night.”

  Riana looked puzzled. “Why would she do that?”

  “We could find out. My family was invited. If you want…you could come with us?”

  Riana stared out of the window and remained silent. Loraine knew it was never going to happen, but it was worth a shot. She looked out her own window and watched the streets pass as the came up to their apartment.

  She’d try asking again after Riana had rested.

  * * * *

  Loraine stretched as she walked out of her bedroom and into the living room. She’d taken a nap when they arrived at the apartment but she still felt exhausted. She hated being jetlagged. If it wasn’t for Riana, she would’ve spent the entire day in bed, but it was time for some shrink time with her best friend. But coffee first.

  She paused when she saw five suitcases sitting in the middle of the living room. They varied in sizes and some had a very familiar pattern on them.

  “Oh. My. God. No way!” Loraine rushed and knelt next to them and ran her hands over the Dolce & Gabbana suitcases.

  Only people with money coming out of their asses bought a three-piece set in the signature print of tan and brown colors of Dolce & Gabbana luggage. But it wasn’t just the three pi
eces sitting on her living room floor, but two more large leather, trimmed printed scotch grain suitcases.

  Loraine’s family was wealthy but her mother considered one medium sized suitcase too expensive!

  She squealed. “No effing way!”

  “Loraine, you do know they are just suitcases right?”

  Loraine looked up at Riana, appalled. “Just suitcases!” she screeched. “Have you no respect for royalty? These are Dolce & Gabbana, you do know who they are right?”

  “Yeah, they are human beings and they make nice bags,” Riana responded dryly.

  Loraine’s lower jaw fell. True, Riana had never put fancy labels and the people behind them on a pedestal. Heck, if Chris Hemsworth walked by her with a ‘hi’ she’d smile at him, respond with ‘have a nice day’, and keep on walking. Anyone who wasn’t a dead, talented artist didn’t hold much more than passing attention for her.

  Loraine shook her head and went back to the suitcases. “I forgive you.”

  Riana chuckled. “You want to see what’s inside?”

  Loraine snorted. “Knowing you they are probably artsy fartsy stuff.”

  Riana sat down on the couch with a glint in her eye that made Loraine suspicious.

  “I’m going to lose my mind when I open these bags, aren’t I?”

  Riana shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  Loraine zipped open the large D&G print suitcase first, revealing garment bags. She looked at the labels and drew in a shocked breath. She quickly moved to the next large suitcase and opened it to reveal more garment bags.

  “O.M.G. Riana!” she shrieked, moving onto the next. She felt like a little girl opening presents on Christmas and she got all she wanted. Designer clothes from Milan!

  The last large suitcase was filled shoes and Loraine thought she was going to faint. Everyone knew Italy was the home of shoes and she was sitting with—from her quick counting—around fifteen pairs of designer shoes.