Olivetti: Illumination

by Tamilore Odimayo

  With the advent of nuclear warheads and the constant provocation and nuclear testing procedures of countries like Iran, Canada and the U.S, the time for war seemed so far away, but yet so near. He could taste it. He knew he’d see that world in his lifetime. He was the carrier of the gene that would make that world happen.

  “Boss, the car is ready,” Chris Gambino said. Frederick nodded in response. While he was waiting for orders from high up, he had to fulfill the duties of a family man.

  “Your brother has a point. Now that Don Cruccifixo is taking Don Sanchez’s side, you cannot be with Catherine,” Don Frederick Olivetti said. Walter paced around the room angrily. He was already a well mature man with a stable job on Wall Street. Regardless of his family’s criminal background, the only woman he wanted to be with was Catherine Cruccifixo. They had grown up together, gone to college together and done everything together. What bonded them was beyond physical attraction, it was a lifelong friendship. Now, that friendship was threatened by family feuds.

  “No! I refuse to accept it! I’m marrying Catherine whether you like it or not,” Walter replied. “I forbid it,” Don Frederick Olivetti said. “I agree with father. This isn’t a time for petty emotions,” Daniel Olivetti said.

  “Great, now I’m listening to lectures from someone who chose the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with! And I can’t be granted that choice?” Walter replied.

  “It was easy for me because I wasn’t trying to marry the daughter of a rival,” Daniel replied.

  “Don Cruccifixo is the rival! Not her!” Walter yelled in response as he stormed out of the room.

  “Be practical Walt! It’s not just about you, it’s about the entire family’s future!!!” Daniel yelled after his brother. Don Frederick sat on his chair quietly. Daniel sighed.

  “Be easy on him, Dan,” Frederick said.

  “He should know better. He’s acting like a hopeless teenager,” Daniel said in a low tone. Frederick sighed.

  “The Sanchez family suspects me for killing their boss – Eduardo Sanchez,” Frederick said. “I know,” Daniel replied. “Did you?” Daniel added. “Yes I did,”

  Daniel scoffed. “Well, I’m sure you had a good reason,”

  Frederick nodded. Daniel didn’t understand why, but he was the only son who respected his father’s decisions regardless of how drastic it was.

  Just then, Chris Gambino walked in. Daniel immediately walked out of the room. “Boss, the Russian mobs are getting restless. They want to know who leaked the information on the last big drug bust by the FBI. They think there’s a mole among the five families. Now that the Feds are closing in on everything mafia, they want to know if they are safe,”

  Frederick sighed. There was a reason he was still involved with illegality. It was part of the plan. Though, there were other methods to achieve the same goal of controlling part of the human population, addiction to drugs seemed to be the ultimate and logical option. Frederick ruminated on all possible alternatives. Seeing the future was beginning to wear him out.

  “Okay,” he finally said.

  “Blame two of the five families. Plant evidences against them. Make it impossible for them to escape the justice system. Remember, they must be incarcerated at all cost,”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes! The influence of the mafia will soon fade. Something else will get the attention of the Feds soon,” Frederick said then turned away.

  “And Chris, make sure it has no ties to our family,”

  Chris turned towards the door, about to walk away. “Boss! Your son, Roberto Puccini, has completed his tours in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged and is now working for a private military contractor,”

  Frederick was never able to get rid of the child Clara had while cheating on him. Robert was a reminder of his gullible trust for Clara. After desperate failed attempts to find her child’s real father, he gave up and decided to raise the boy with his own children. The only difference was that he gave Roberto Puccini the liberty to do whatever he wanted – which included joining the United States Air Force – a decision he didn’t tolerate with his own children.

  “I know,”

  “I’ll need him soon,”

  Chris smiled and walked away.

  Mexico city, Mexico. The weather was hot and dry. The scorching heat only made the pain of his loss worse. Don Sanchez mourned for his dead brother, Eduardo Sanchez. They had shared the same womb. Their brotherhood was beyond the bond of blood or family. They were once one egg before splitting into two. Their childhood was tough, but it seemed easy because they both had each other. Now, he was gone. There was nothing else, but the painful memory of a magnificent loss.

  They ruled Mexico together. Eduardo never liked responsibility, but his twin brother, Don Sanchez did. Hence, his rise to power. Eduardo, like Frederick, was also associated with the Order of the Illuminati. However, his association to the Order wasn’t due to his species. He was very much human. However, he possessed skills that distinguished him from every human alive—the skill to kill powerful men at a time world class assassins were needed.

  He was notorious for his clean kills. He never left a trace behind. This was due to the help of the Illuminati; still, he was good at his job. Good enough to enter the white house and come out without any record of being there. Like all pawns, his time had to end. The human species were beginning to discover modern forensic technology that could have exposed him and members of the Order. He had to die and the person ordered to kill him was Frederick Olivetti.

  Don Sanchez stood by his brother’s coffin. Tears flooded his eyes. Pain. He could see his brother’s killer in his head. His brother always shared everything. At least, most of it. The face of Don Frederick Olivetti stayed in his memory like a memorable scene from a horror movie. He kissed his brother’s forehead then stared at him one last time. It was like looking into a mirror.

  “He would pay, I promise. As long as I live, I will make sure everyone in his family pays for this,”

  “My dad is going to kill me when he finds me,” Catherine said as she walked into their apartment on Oxford Street, London, England. Walter turned towards her, instantly shifting his attention away from the television screen.

  The idea of running away from their family seemed like a good one. They wanted a life without the negative side effects of being born to wealthy mob bosses and a life where they didn’t have to be controlled.

  At first, living in New York and spending time together didn’t bother anyone. After Don Cruccifixo and Don Frederick Olivetti became sworn enemies, things changed. They were willing to separate and destroy the love their children had for each other. Now, the threat of separation was becoming more vivid and dangerous for both. This reality led to their multiple failed attempts to flee.

  First, they were in Milan, Italy. Everything was perfect until they realized their folly. Of course, Don Cruccifixo, her father, had enough influence in Milan to make life unbearable for them. Then, they made a narrow escape and fled to Dublin, Ireland. It was a dull city with minimal fun. It was perfect, at first. There weren’t many Italians in Ireland. It wasn’t long before her father figured out a way to get the help of the Irish Mafia. Blackmail attempts in New York, perhaps.

  Catherine and Walter then fled to London, rented a regular apartment on the Upper East Side and changed their identities.

  It had been a year since they received any threat. No one knew where they were and they were happy. Their bank accounts had been frozen by family members, but it didn’t take long for Walter to figure out a legal way to make money—selling suits.

  His heart skipped a beat as she walked closer to him. He was famished. He was hopelessly in love with this beautiful woman he had grown up with. Her presence always made him feel better, no matter their circumstance. She was his oxygen and he was hers.

  She smiled. “Why do you keep staring at me like you’re seeing me for the first time in years?”

  “Well, I don
’t mean to sound cheesy, but every second without you feels like years,” he joked as he swept her off her feet. He lifted her up towards himself effortlessly. They laughed. “Your failed words of romance baffle me. You should take lessons from Shakespeare,”

  “If Shakespeare felt what I feel, he’ll be more famous than the Queen of England,”

  He kissed her soft lips. Time faded. He tried to carry her through the tiny hallway then to the bedroom. It was amazing how two people born into wealth could live in an apartment so small, it was almost the same size of their walk-in closet in New York.

  It didn’t matter that they ate one meal a day to save up for their house rent. It didn’t matter that they only had a handful of clothes. They once had to sell their jewelry for rent. It didn’t matter that despite their advanced degrees, they had to work in petty jobs just to stay below the radar.

  They finally got to the bedroom, kissing erroneously. Both were inseparable magnets. Walter slowly unbuttoned her blouse.

  “Wait. Wait. I have something for you,” she said as she gently pulled away.

  Walter smiled as she brought out an old gold watch from her purse. He had a look of surprise. “Why, what’s the occasion?” he asked.

  “It’s been a year since we moved here,” She replied as she put the watch on his wrist. He smiled. He was truly grateful, but he had a subtle look of disapproval. She laughed. “You should see your face. Don’t worry; it didn’t ruin our budget for rent or food. I got it from a local pawn store,”

  He smiled and sighed then slowly drifted to sadness. She noticed his sudden mood change. “What’s the matter?”

  He said nothing as he rested his head on the bed. The sheets smelled dusty because they couldn’t afford soap. She leaned on his chest – her blouse, half unbuttoned.

  “It’s okay, Walt!” she said with a gentle voice. She knew he felt partly miserable.

  He sighed. “I should have gotten you something too,”

  “You got me something, us! That’s all I need right now!” she replied.

  “You know what I mean. How long are we going to live like this? I have a master’s degree in Business Administration and I’m selling cheap suits that barely pay for rent. I – I need to be able to give you a better life, one where we don’t have to hide, one where we don’t have to scrounge for pennies and one where I can show the world that you’re mine and mine alone,”

  She chuckled as she placed her palms on his roughly shaved cheeks. “I’m yours and yours alone, Walt! No one can ever take that away from us. No matter what!”

  There was a long silence. “Remember when we were kids and I beat you at that game we used to play in your backyard? You were older than me, yet you wouldn’t agree to a loss. You made me play again and again until you won.” She said to lighten the mood.

  “Hmm that’s funny, I don’t remember losing,” He tickled her. They played. They laughed. Now, both were staring at each other. She was happy she could take his mind off his worries. Childhood memories always seemed to do the trick. They had both watched each other grow. Catherine became the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Walter became the most intellectual and charming man she had ever met.

  “Walt, what I’m trying to say is, you have never accepted defeat. No matter what, you’ve always found a way to get what you want. As long as you want me, I’ll be there,” she replied.

  He said nothing. He stared at her lips. He kissed her so gently, her body trembled. His hands followed her curves slowly. She could feel the cold air on her body. She was naked. Their sexual attraction overwhelmed the awareness of their ongoing actions. He slowly kissed her chin then slowly moved towards her two plump breasts. He gently caressed her nipples with his tongue has his hands teasingly caressed between her thighs.

  She felt a sudden intense sexual energy. She could feel his parts stiffen. He removed her panties with one hand as the heat between her thighs increased. Her body yearned for his. He dipped his finger into her lady parts, gently massaging the spots that mattered the most. She moaned as they kissed. She shuddered. The cold dissipated. All she could feel was his naked body against hers. She could feel the heat stemming from both of them. The two bodies melted into one.

  He gave her all the attention in the world. There was nothing else on his mind, only her. She was beyond pleased. She moaned and groaned even more. He paused. “What?” she asked, still drowned by his affection and upset that he stopped midway. “We couldn’t afford birth control pills this month. Remember?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said as she pulled him towards her, impatiently. He kissed her gently and now all she wanted was him inside her. His body responded to hers. He slowly inserted himself into her. She shuddered more. He moved his hips gently. Back and forth. Chest to chest. Groin to groin. Lip to lip. Her nipples pointed out aggressively. She was overwhelmed with both love and lust, for this man.

  All those years, they denied their feelings for each other. Being ‘just friends’ with the man of dreams, then, was more painful than a knife to the chest. Finally, at a Beatles concert, they both confessed their love for each other. Now, they were in an apartment in London, hiding from both their parents and making love to each other like it was their first time together.

  Walter moaned as they both climax. She could feel all of him in her as her walls contracted and their moist thighs retracted. She was breathing heavily. “I should buy you a watch every day. That was amazing,” she joked, out of breath and sweating furiously. They laughed.

  Still breathing heavily, they stared at each other, side to side. “I don’t think I’ll ever not want you,” he said as he brushed his hands through her hair. She smiled in response as both closed their eyes to sleep.

  He woke up in what seemed like minutes later. He looked at the clock, it was morning. He reached out for Catherine. She wasn’t there anymore. She’s probably in the shower. He stood up briskly, wore his briefs then walked to the tiny toilet separate from the bathroom. He eased himself as he thought about the previous night. He smiled. He then walked up to the sink, splashed some water on his face then gazed at himself in the mirror as he suddenly realized he couldn’t hear the sound of the shower.

  “Catherine?” he called out. No answer. He walked to the bathroom stall. She wasn’t there. He walked to the living room and then to the kitchen, she wasn’t there. He walked back to the room, confused. There was no note on the living room table or on the bedroom dresser. It was unlike her. She never left the apartment without leaving a note. Besides, there was no reason for her to leave. It was a Sunday and they had planned to take a walk at the park.

  The clothes she wore the previous night weren’t on the bed. Her sandals were gone. Whatever happened, it looked like she was in a hurry. He slipped a t-shirt on then noticed something that made his heart skip a beat, a black leather glove. They both couldn’t afford one, so it wasn’t hers or his. He picked it up then walked through the hallway then to the front door. He yanked the door open; a letter on the front doorstep. He smiled. Catherine. He opened the letter. It read; Come back home, son. She’s gone. Sincerely, your father.

  He recognized his father’s distinct handwriting. How did he find them? He was sure his father didn’t abduct Catherine. Don Cruccifixo must have. His heart sank with hopelessness that quickly drifted towards anger.

  “I love you, Catherine. That boy is not good for you. Walter Olivetti is a bad omen. He and his good for nothing father have nothing good to offer to you. If you become an Olivetti, you’ll never be safe. I did what was best for you. Your mother wouldn’t have approved,” Don Cruccifixo said to his furious daughter.

  “You sent people to kidnap me from my apartment, dragged me to a plane and flew me back to New York to tell me what my dead mother would approve? That’s absolutely ridiculous father and you know it!” she replied sternly. She could imagine Walter’s distraught look after finding her missing from the apartment. She could imagine his fury. She cried.

  “Fath
er please, please. Let me go,” she begged.

  Don Cruccifixo was stubborn. He was sublimely jealous of Don Olivetti. Don Olivetti’s rise to power superseded his even though he was in the business before Frederick. Yet, Frederick had managed to command more respect than he could ever imagine. Now that Don Sanchez was wailing for revenge and top members of the five Italian mob families were slowly losing their grip on New York, it was only wise to stay in the winning side with the Mexican Cartels and Colombian drug lords. He knew Don Olivetti would fall and he didn’t want to be around to hear the fall.

  He was aware that he was a traitor to Don Frederick Olivetti and members of the Italian mob. It was time to make a new ally, with the Mexican Cartel, and he knew just how to do that.

  “Billy de Sanchez has asked for your hand in marriage,” Don Cruccifixo said. Catherine rose her head up in shock. The eyeliner she had on the night before had smudged all over her face. “What!”

  “Are you serious, Dad? Is this the sixteenth century? Hand in marriage? That’s ridiculous Dad and you know that!” she replied with utmost disdain. Don Cruccifixo sighed, but said nothing.

  “I will not marry a Mexican for your political gain! I will not marry him because I do not love him! You have no right! No right! No right whatsoever to determine who I’m going to marry! I can’t believe this! If mom was here, she would be…” she yelled.