“I know lots of people and I like to try new things all the time. I just do a search on my phone for whatever I’m in the mood for and voila.”
As we talk about the restaurant, a female waitress stops by and gets our drink order. A few minutes later, she hands us the drinks and takes our meal order. I end up getting the lamb chops with a side salad and Gia orders the salmon with spinach rice pilaf and sun dried tomato sauce.
As we wait for our order, Gia’s cell phone rings again. She reaches into her purse to grab it. Looking at the caller ID, she rolls her eyes and answers the phone.
“Yes?”
I hear the muffled voice in the background but can’t make anything out.
“Yes, I know. I will be there tomorrow. And no, I didn’t say anything to Brad. Why is he talking to you about this anyway?”
The muffled voice responds and she throws her head back, obviously irritated at the whole conversation.
“Listen, I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later. Bye.”
She ends the call, powers off the cell phone, and places it back in her purse. “Ugh! Men, I swear. Get on my last fucking nerve.”
“Who was it?”
She huffs. “My cousin.”
“The one that owns the club?”
“Yeah.”
“What happened? Is it about Brad?”
Gia sips her drink and glances at me. “Brad called him and spilled the beans about us hooking up. I guess Brad got my hint and just quit. He said he didn’t want to work in a place that I’d frequent.”
“Well, you can’t blame him, can you?”
Her eyes shoot daggers at me. “Whose side are you on?”
“No one’s. Just look at it from his perspective. Would you want to be around someone all the time who obviously doesn’t want to be anywhere near you?”
“I see your point.”
“Yah, you better.”
The waitress arrives with our meals and we dig right in. The lamb smells divine and the meat falls off the bone, the tender and succulent meat juices rich with flavors and spices. Each bite is a moment in heaven. The salad greens are evenly chopped, enabling me to easily fill my mouth with a scrumptious serving. Salad dressing coats each cut of lettuce, exuding a zingy and rich taste.
“This is delicious. Good choice Gia.”
Gia stuffs her face with salmon. “I told you. It’s fucking awesome!”
We continue to enjoy our meal in a comfortable silence. As we finish up, the waitress returns to take our empty dishes and asks if we want any dessert. Too full to eat anything else I graciously decline. Gia, on the other hand, orders a little something.
“Damn. For a twig, you sure do eat a lot.”
Gia raises a brow. “You talking to me?”
I point a finger toward her. “Yeah you.”
She slaps my finger away. “Ha ha. I do eat, but I also work out three times a week, so it all evens out.”
My body slumps back against the seat. “I don’t know how you have the time or the energy to work out. I’d be dead.”
She glances around for the waitress, waiting for her dessert. “Working out actually gives me more energy. You should come with me sometime.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“And I’m serious. You’re not one of those people who say they’ll show up but never do, right?”
I cross over my heart with a smile. “No, no. I will. Promise.”
“Good, cause you know I would kick your ass.”
I laugh at her honesty. “Yup, already knew that.”
After Gia devours her dessert, we pay our checks and start heading out. By the time dinner is over, it’s already nine o’clock. We’ve spent the entire day together and I had a blast with Gia. It was just what I needed: a day of fun, exploration, and relaxation all at the same time.
Gia follows close as we head to the front of the restaurant. One of my shopping bags slips out of my grasp and crashes on the floor, spilling the new clothes everywhere. Folding them up quickly, I put them back into the bag and carry on, but as I start walking out, I bump into a lady.
“Oh excuse me.”
Startled, I quickly apologize. “I’m so sorry. Lots of bags here.”
I hear a familiar voice call out to the woman, “Ya ready to head out babe?”
I turn toward the sound of the voice, only to find Easton. My breath catches as he comes into focus. He notices Gia and me and freezes next to his date.
I’m confused and shocked. “Easton?”
Clearing his throat, he acts nonchalant. “Oh hey ladies.” He quickly introduces us to his date. “Heather, this is Gia and Melanie. I uh…work with them at the hospital.”
He then faces Gia and me. “And this is my fiancée, Heather.”
The blow hits me like a pile of bricks right to the gut. Shock and utter disbelief fill my mind as I listen to his words. Fiancée. I’d suspected that Easton was hiding something, but not a woman he was going to marry. He lied to me. In fact, he used me. He made me do things that I would never have thought do in a million years. But, could I blame him? It’s not like he forced me to have sex. I agreed. I wanted to do it. But would I have done those things knowing that he was engaged? Most definitely not.
I watch him with a look of fury and disgust as he slips his arm around her waist. A chilling heat rides up along my spine, causing the hairs on my arms to stand at attention. I want to yell and scream at him. The last three months were a complete fucking waste.
At that moment, it feels as though time stops. Everyone at the restaurant is frozen in place. My eyes fix onto Easton’s and all I see is red. Fucking red. My grasp becomes loose as the shopping bags slip from my fingers. I raise my hand, aiming for Easton’s face, and slap him with all of my might. His face twists in the other direction, absorbing the blow. The initial smack burns the palm of my hand, but I know it must’ve hurt him much worse.
Time reverts back to normal as I bend down to grab my bags off the ground. A faint yelp from Heather rings in my ears as I stalk off toward the entrance. Looking behind for Gia, I see that she’s yelling at Easton so I continue my walk out.
Exiting the restaurant, I let out a high scream. Passersby glare at me as I let out my anger. Seconds later, Gia comes up behind me and grabs hold of my arm, pulling me toward the subway.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
Gia stays with me that night. I didn’t ask her to stay, but she knew I needed someone. I don’t talk much and Gia doesn’t pry. She knows I need time to figure out what the hell just happened. As I lay in bed, reliving the horror at the restaurant, it all comes crashing back to me.
Prom night. I feel as though I am experiencing it all over again: seeing the one person who has your heart sharing his with someone else. It fucking sucks. And, not only has it happened to me once, but now, twice. Do I have the word ‘sucker’ plastered on my forehead?
Gia holds me as I cry tears of sadness, not for Easton, but for me. For being so gullible and naïve. And just fucking stupid.
******
Avoiding Easton at work is much harder than I thought. He is everywhere. The halls, the nurses lounge, the waiting room in the ER. He even has me paged and instructed to see him in his office. I avoid him as best I can for the next week, glancing over my shoulder, checking stairwells, you name it.
Starting out a morning shift, I grab a breakfast sandwich at the cafeteria and head in line to pay. As I pull out a couple dollars, Easton sneaks up behind me, holding out cash.
He motions to the cashier. “I got this.”
While the cashier gives him his change, I give him a ‘stay away from me’ look and walk off.
He rushes after, spinning me to face him. “Melanie, I’ve been trying to talk to you for the past week. Don’t avoid me.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Listen, things with Heather are over. It’s done.”
Finding it hard to believe him, my brow arches. “Oh, really? Why? S
he found out you’re a disgusting creep?”
“I was honest with her and told her about you, so she broke it off.”
“Oh, so you blame me. You know what, stay the hell away from me!” I spin around and start walking back to the nurses lounge, but his hand grabs hold of my arm.
“But, I want you. I chose you.”
I twist out of his grip. “Fuck you!”
******
“Hey Gia, I need to talk to you.”
Gia sits to me on the sofa in the lounge. “Sure, what’s up?”
Nervous, I let out a deep breath. “So, I gave my formal resignation today.”
She gasps. “Wait, what? Why? Is it because of Easton?”
Hanging my head low, I reply, “Yes. I can’t stand to work here anymore.”
Her arms caress my shoulders. “But honey, don’t let him win. Just ignore his cheating ass!”
I shake my head. “It’s not that simple. I’ve told him off multiple times but he won’t quit it. So, I’m leaving.”
Her eyes grow wide with shock and she asks, “Where are you going to go? Did you find another job?”
I close my eyes and let out a big sigh, ready for this nightmare to end. “Not yet. I have a couple interviews lined up, so I’m hoping to find one soon. I have enough savings to last me for three months, but hopefully it won’t take that long to find a job.”
Gia pulls me into a warm embrace. “I’ll miss seeing you around.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I promise, “You’ll still see me, just not at work. Come over to the apartment anytime. Deal?”
Her lips peck my cheek. “Deal.”
Roman
THE BLARING SOUND of my alarm clock echoes throughout my bedroom. Rolling over, I slam my palm on the clock, shutting it off. Pulling the covers up over my head, I dread having to get out of bed today.
Just as my body starts to dip back into sleep, the alarm on my cellphone rings again. A loud groan escapes as I pull off the covers and force myself out of bed. Walking over to my dresser, I turn off the cellphone’s alarm and lean my body over, falling to the ground. Landing on my hands in a perfect push-up position, I complete thirty push-ups in a matter of seconds. I then head to the pull-up bar and work on that, completing ten pull-ups. Concentrating on my breathing, I let the burn flow through my body, waking it to life.
After my morning exercise, I jump into the shower, then get dressed. Grabbing three eggs from the fridge, I whip them in a mixing bowl and cook them to perfection before adding a couple sausage links. Breakfast is made. Within a matter of minutes, I clean up and head outside, walking toward the subway.
As I wait for the six train, I notice a couple walking toward me with a baby stroller. All three of them have exuberant smiles on their faces, ready to spend a day in the city. Summer in New York has come and gone and now the snow is starting to make its way into our presence. I love New York City when it snows. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Most people hate it, especially with all of the shoveling, but I think it’s worth it.
As the train arrives, I pull out my headphones and start one of my Spotify playlists. Listening to music has always been a favorite past time for me. It allows me to see the whole and experience things in a new light. Lyrics hold the key to reaching someone’s soul. With just a simple song, two people can be forever connected in a way that only they understand. I take a seat over in the corner of the subway car, still glancing over at the couple and their baby.
The baby is young, probably about six months old. Watching them hold and embrace the child brings a smile to my face. I’ve always wanted kids, and lots of them. Growing up in an Italian family has its perks: great homemade food and lots of cousins. It’s a shame I don’t have any siblings. It would have been great having a younger brother or sister, but then they too would have had to endure the loss of their parents, and I wouldn’t want to wish that upon them.
As the train makes its way up to the Bronx, I keep an eye out as the passengers come and go. You can never be too careful in New York City, crazies everywhere.
Thirty minutes later, the train arrives at my stop and I step off the platform, heading downstairs into the busy streets. Stopping off at the local flower shop, I purchase two red roses and head toward the bus stop. A few minutes later, the eight bus arrives and I take a seat in the back, relaxing while Spotify continues to play in my ears.
The bus weaves in and out of traffic as it picks up new riders of all shapes and sizes, crowding the bus after ten minutes. There’s never a New York City bus that’s empty, that’s for sure, unless of course it’s after one in the morning. Looking out the bus window, a bicyclist rides along the side of the bus, swerving in and out of traffic, moving right along with it. Pedestrians flood the streets, cabs pick up passengers, and people shout for taxis; it’s all a continuous circle.
The twenty-minute bus ride goes by in a flash and as my destination approaches, I hit the tape, signaling my stop. Approaching the stop, the bus pulls toward the curb, opening its doors. Making sure I have the roses, I step off the bus and walk toward the cemetery. The rusting cemetery gates come into view as I approach it. Tightening my grip around the roses, I walk inside, just as a lonesome feeling surges through my body.
I travel across the cemetery, looking for the grave. As my feet pound against the dirt, I notice other people paying their respects to their lost ones. Some are alone, while others came in groups. A few cry, and some just stare at the tombstones in silence.
In the blink of an eye, I find myself facing the tombstone, the one object that brings pain every time I look at it. Bold letters chiseled into the stone send a chill down my spine. Moretti.
I tiptoe to the stone, place the roses on it, and look down at the grave. “Hey Mom, hey Dad. Happy Anniversary.”
Waiting for a response that’ll never come, I continue the conversation as though they listen. “So, nothing new in my life at the moment. Oh, wait! Actually, I won a little award at the firehouse yesterday. It wasn’t anything official or anything. Honestly the stupid award was for chess champion and it’s actually written with crayon, but that counts for something right? Aunt Maggie and Uncle Vinny are doing well. Aunt Maggie isn’t sick anymore, so that’s one good thing. The doctors actually just cleared her last week, which was a huge relief for all of us. Everyone at the station has been really good to me. Captain has graciously taken me under his wing. He even let me in on a secret family recipe of his and I can’t wait to use it and impress Aunt Maggie.”
A gust of wind flows through the cemetery, making the strands of my hair sway in the current. Hoping that it’s some sort of a sign that they’re listening, I smile and continue with my updates.
“I’ll be twenty-eight next month and I’m still single. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been on a couple dates, but nothing really worth the time of a relationship. Uncle Vinny’s been pressuring me to settle down and lay some roots, but I’m not ready. Aunt Maggie’s been sending hidden messages to me about Melanie, telling me to look for her. In a way, I hope she’s right, but I don’t want to go off and start searching for this girl. But god, she’s beautiful. From her golden locks down to her soothing voice, she’s absolutely perfect. What if I’m not good enough? What if she doesn’t want me?”
I think about what I’m saying and laugh. “Look at me. I sound like a complete ass hat, talking about some girl who doesn’t even know I exist. I’m just wasting my time, aren’t I?”
I bow my head in defeat, wishing for an answer. “Focusing on my career with the fire squad is all that matters to me right now. I can’t dwell on a crush I’ve had for ten years. It isn’t healthy.”
A deep sigh escapes my lips. “I just don’t know what to do anymore. I…I miss you guys. I wish you were here. Every child needs their parent and growing up without either of you really hurt.”
Trying to change the subject, I remember one of the happiest moments in my life. “Hey, remember that crazy blizzard we had? It was about ten feet of snow an
d I was out of school for a week. I remember Dad and I went outside and crawled on top of parked cars and made snow angels on top of them. And then afterward, Mom made hot chocolate and we snuggled by the fireplace. Just feeling the two of you holding me while telling me wonderful stories about your adventures meant everything to me.”
A somber feeling slithers its way into my soul. Feeling the rush of pain and desolation shatters my heart into a million pieces. A small tear slopes down the side of my face. My voice cracks and I try to keep some composure. “I’ll always cherish that memory. It is and will always be one of the happiest moments in my life.”
My visit lasts for another twenty minutes as I stand there in silence, feeling the wind’s current against my skin. I can’t help but shed more tears as I wallow in my own despair.
As I prepare to say goodbye, I bend down, kneeling on one knee, and say a silent prayer for my parents. I miss you. I love you. And one day, I’ll see you again.
Getting up, I kiss the tip of my finger and reach out to the tombstone, placing the kiss on the top corner edge. “I’ll come visit you guys soon. Promise.”
Roman
THE EMERGENCY ALARM sounds throughout the firehouse, jarring me awake from my sleep. My eyes shoot open and take in the blurry surroundings. Carter jumps out of his bunk and races to the bathroom. As the sleep daze fades, reality sets in and my body comes to life, ready for action.
Jumping off the top bunk, I pull a FDNY shirt over my head. Fire retardant coveralls slide over my body from top to bottom. I bend down to slip on a pair of thick black socks and grab my gloves off the dresser. Seconds later, Carter races out of the bathroom and quickly gets dressed. Loud voices echo throughout the firehouse, yelling at us to hurry the hell up.
As Carter finishes getting dressed, we nod at each other and rush toward the fireman’s pole. He grips the pole with his hands while crossing his legs around it, sliding down in a flash. I follow suit and let the pole carry me down the bottom level.
The captain yells out orders as we get all our gear in order. “Type 4 heavy timber! Multiple residential apartment buildings affected. 86th and Lex!”
Little Moments Page 9