My Italian Prince: Clean Romance

by Jasmin Jacobs

  “Namaste! Or maybe Satnam?” Vanessa greeted Kat with a big smile as she rolled out her yoga mat and sat down next to her on the sun deck.

  The Garden of Peace had embraced them both with quiet sincerity and had offered them a soothing escape as they had signed up for a program that promised to give them life-changing experiences. The accommodation on a hilltop above the ocean was completely off grid with solar panels, compostable toilets and a garden, which provided fruit and vegetables. Yoga took place daily on a deck overlooking the beach and classes for your own choosing of disorder followed after.

  “It’s Namaste, Green,” Kat whispered. “And would you please keep it down, I’m trying to focus!”

  “Oh, Sorry.”

  Vanessa began warming up by doing some shoulder mobility exercises she had learned the other day. Then the group was instructed to close their eyes and go search for their Inner Happy Place. Vanessa closed her eyes but couldn’t resist opening one eye to peek at her fellow yogis.

  Kat was sitting on her mat with her legs crossed and her hands palm side up on her thighs. Her eyes were closed, and she drew in slow, easy breaths through her nose. There was some serious soul-searching going on there. Vanessa tried hard to quiet her mind and keep thoughts out in the same way she had been instructed on the crash-course yesterday, but found she couldn’t stay focused. Her mind just wouldn't stop chattering.

  Vanessa gave up on her mediation and looked out over the people who laid on the deck. Everyone in different yoga poses. They actually looked quite funny and she couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Ouch,” Kat elbowed her and hushed.

  Why was she so tense? This inner peace thing was supposed to make her feel... well peaceful. They had been attending the Garden of Peace for two days now and even though Vanessa felt relaxed, it hadn't transformed her life as it had promised in the brochure. She was careful not to mention this to Kat though, who was a bit sensitive to any kind of, what she called “criticism of the healing.” Kat had signed up for all the mind-freeing classes she could find. Sometimes Vanessa had woken up late at night when Kat came back dripping in sweat from one of her night-classes. At one point, she had even woken up early in the morning and got quite the shock when she saw Kat doing the sun salutation pose while standing butt naked on a stool. Although Vanessa had tried to indulge herself in the search for her inner peace, she couldn’t get into it as easy as Kat... However, this was normal. Kat was always trying out different ways of looking on life, while Vanessa was suspicious about everything that she classified as “New age mumbo jumbo.” And The Garden of Peace definitely went into mumbo jumbo category. She preferred science. Nevertheless, she had taken in lots of spiritual, “yoga words” and tried to use them in conversations as much as she could.

  The Garden of Peace was a huge site on the coast, just south of NY. It used to be a hilltop farm, but now it was all low buildings and Koi-lakes. They had settled for a cottage at the upscale LUXE Inner-Peace Area, but one could choose from a whole range of different kinds of accommodations. Like small cozy cabins to the gated Ultra-Lux Ultimate-Inner-Peace cabins. Rumors had it; it was where all the celebrities stayed. There was a hiking track and a running track, which Vanessa totally intended to use sometime. In addition, they sold fresh healthy juices and served vegetarian meals, and there was free yoga at lunchtime on the beach. In the evenings, they showed inspirational movies outside in the garden while everyone lolled on beanbags. Actually, she never wanted to leave.

  “Who’s that?” Kat whispered in her ear. Vanessa tried to localize whom she meant but all she could see were legs and arms pointing in odd directions from the people on the mats.

  “Who’s who?” Vanessa whispered back, intrigued. Was it someone famous?

  “That guy over there,” Kat gave a nod towards a man standing in the Happy Baby Position.

  “Oh, the guy doing the Ananda Balasana pose, I do recognize him!” Vanessa felt excited, finally someone famous.

  She couldn’t figure out who it was though, but whoever he was, he was in great shape. He was dressed in the typical Garden of Peace-Attire, loose yoga pants and a crop top if you were female. This guy didn’t wear anything more than his loose pants, which he had rolled up over his muscular thighs. He was tanned, and his yoga-sweat shimmered on his body as if he was smothered in oil. On a closer look, he was probably smothered in oil, the glow seemed a bit too perfect to be coming from pure sweat. Suddenly the guy changed his position into the snake and his face turned towards them. Vanessa gasped. She couldn’t believe this. It was Mitch! Of course it was. He was going to Garden of Peace that's why it had sounded so familiar to her when Kat suggested that they should go. She had thought it was because she had read so much about it lately.

  “Oh shit, it’s Mitch,” she mouthed to Kat who sat staring with open mouth at him as he had now gotten up and stretched his back by touching his toes with his fingers.

  The Garden’s yoga pants were quite see-through she could see now and taking they costed a fortune in the gift-shop it was pretty bad quality. She had to remember to put a pair of boxers underneath when she wore them next time. Kat still seemed transfixed at the sight of Mitch’s rear end, but had at least covered her mouth with her hand. Vanessa on the other side, felt nauseous. Her first instinct told her to run but she could see that Mitch had recognized her and had gathered his stuff and was on his way over to approach them. Shit! This was not what she had come here for.

  “Vanessa? The nurse? Is it you?” Mitch voice was soft and sounded soothing in the same way as the teacher of the meditation class.

  “Hmm, well, I suppose so,” Vanessa answered in a voice she felt was the opposite of calm, instead, it was high-pitched and tight.

  “Savasana, Vanessa! You’re welcome,” he added explanatory with his soft voice.

  “Oh, thank you,” Vanessa couldn’t come up with anything else to say.

  “I’m Kat, Katherine actually,” Kat sounded as a starry-eyed teenager and held out her hand towards Mitch. She giggled as he bent down and kissed it.

  “So… how’s it going for you, Mitch? Vanessa felt like she had to say something since their last encounter had been quite dramatic and it felt wrong ignoring the subject.

  “Fantastic Vanessa, I’m glad you asked. It’s all about finding your inner voice you know,” He said in a matter-of fact voice and beamed happily. “I’m so glad you’re here Vanessa, now I begin to think it’s the universe who has interfered and sent you here so I can truly apologize to you.”

  “Oh, just forget about it, It’s all forgotten Mitch,” Vanessa told him and patted his bare shoulder awkwardly in a motion to try to emphasize how very fine everything was between them.

  “Oh, great! But it’s important for your inner journey to see face to face with your demons. I thank you for forgiving me Vanessa. Mitch then kissed her hand too and with closed eyes, he put his hands together over his chest and nodded gracefully.

  “Namaste Vanessa. Namaste, Katherine.”

  “Oh my god! Mitch DeLeo kissed me! Kat sounded as she was in shock and her cheeks flushed bright red.

  “I cannot believe you did that Kat, Vanessa gave her friend a disgusted look.

  “Did what?” Kat looked completely unaware of what she meant.

  “Behaving like a star-struck teenager, he’s a messed up addict with a strange attitude toward women.”

  “Right,” Kat nodded and looked a little ashamed. “But God was he good looking!”

  “Katherine!”

  “Oh, ok but you have to admit he had lost a lot of weight and he didn't look at all stressed out as you mentioned he was when you saw him.

  “Kat, I’m serious, stop complimenting him. The man OD’d on magic mushrooms for god’s sake.”

  “You mean he got a bellyache from all the Magic Banana Bread he ate,” Kat gave Vanessa a friendly push and laughed.

  Vanessa couldn’t help but laugh too. It was quite funny after all and now when Mitch seemed all health
y it must be okay to laugh about it.

  “What a drama-queen!” They both giggled so hard they had to leave the garden not to disturb the others doing their trikonasana with full concentration.

  In the cafeteria, they sat down and ordered the Veggie of today which for Vanessa looked the same as the Veggie of yesterday and the day before that, a salad with quinoa, tofu, and beans. For dessert, they had a raw-food carrot-cake.

  “Oh look Kat, tomorrow they serve basil pucks!” Vanessa studied the week’s menu and was overjoyed when she saw something different on it.

  “Basil pucks? Sounds weird,” Kat stated and they both began giggle again.

  “You know what we should do, Green? Try and get a look what’s it like over there,” Kat gestured towards the gated enclosure within the resort where the A-list stars supposedly lived at.

  “We could walk past and just casually peek?” Kat giggled.

  “I’ve tried,” Vanessa said regretfully, the security people just shoo you away.”

  “Typical.” Kat said.

  “Surely, it can’t be only Mitch who’s a celebrity here. The place was supposed to be jammed packed with A-listers,” Kat sounded disappointed.

  “I’ve heard some rumors going around that Angelina and Brad stayed at the Ultra last month,” Vanessa said in a gossip-drenched voice and eager to give Kat some happy news in the celebrity department.

  The truth was Vanessa had secretly begin thinking that there weren’t any celebrities at the Garden at all, apart from Mitch then obviously. That is was all a PR trick to get people like her and Kat sign up to the ridiculously expensive programs. All though she had her hopes up yesterday when a celeb where to join in on the group class and it was a lot of hush-hush about it. However, in the end it was just a Victoria's Secret model who had held up the entire self-esteem group by making everyone sign individual confidentiality agreements. Then she’d spelled her name wrong and we all had to change Candy to Candie and initial it. Kat laughed so hard when Vanessa retold the story she spilled out her healthy smoothie on the floor, which made them laugh even more.

  Vanessa felt so thrilled about the two of them being on the same page again, she was about to suggest to Kat they should order a fruit and vegetable cocktail to celebrate, when Mitch´s serene voice came up close behind them.

  “Is he a guru or something?” Kat whispered as they observed Mitch walking around the lounge area in a Garden of Peace T-shirt.

  Vanessa could easily understand why Kat was so struck by Mitch. If Vanessa hadn’t seen that other side of him, she would probably be as well. He had the most piercing blue eyes you’ve ever seen and he stares at you very intensely before he says anything. Now he wandered around the room greeting people and said spiritual things like “Your journey begins here” and really seemed to mean it.

  “Vanessa, there you are! And sweet Kate,” Mitch turned his dazzling smile on Kat who flicked her hair back a little self-consciously and Vanessa could see her sucking in her stomach. Vanessa sighed.

  “Yes Mitch, here I am, how can I help you?”

  “I would like to invite you and your lovely friend to a special screening of my latest movie. It’s a short film I’ve been working on here at the Garden and it’s about my journey to reach inner peace.”

  “Oh, that sounds great!” Before Vanessa even had the time to say no thank you, Kat had answered for them.

  Vanessa cringed inside but smiled and thanked Mitch for the invite.

  “So I see you guys at the Ultra Inner peace garden at 7 o'clock then. Namaste.” Mitch did the nodding and hand-clasping thing again, waved to the people in the lounge who followed his every move with googled eyes and headed out.

  “That was really cruel Kat!”

  “How come? It can be lots of fun, a private screening with Mitch DeLeo. It’s amazing!”

  “Yeah, but don’t you see that hanging out with Mitch reminds me of Alex a lot and the reason I’m here for is to get over him. Can’t you see the conflict in this?” Vanessa's voice was wobbly and she felt close to tears. How could Kat be so insensitive about this?

  “Oh Green! I’m so sorry I didn’t think of that. I was just so overwhelmed.”

  “Ok, I get it, but this is it. Ok? No more Mitch-time after this screening.”

  “Of course not, I'm truly sorry.” Kat didn’t seem that sorry though as she did a few happy skits as they walked towards their cabin.

  “Can you believe we are going to see Mitch DeLeo, and at the Ultra-area. That’s grand Vanessa!”

  “Yeah yeah, really grand. But I can’t go Kat, I’m sorry but I have the worst headache.”

  “Oh come on Green, take an Advil and join me for just a tiny bit, pleeease,” Kat begged.

  “I actually have some stomach pains also so I’m afraid that’s out of the question.”

  “But you go ahead and go to the screening,” Vanessa told Kat with a wheezy voice as if she had a hard time breathing.

  “I will, but Green you can stop the charade now, you’ll never win an Oscar that's for sure.”

  “Okay, sorry. But I really don’t want to go. I’m sure Mitch is just fine with you showing up by yourself, he seemed quite mesmerized by you to be honest.”

  Kat smiled and nodded agreeing as she tied the ends of her Garden of Peace top in a knot so it showed of her toned tummy.

  “You look great!”

  “I know,” Kat answered with a smile as she headed out the room.

  God, those two were really like two peas in the pod. The same weird self-esteem and unrealistic view on the world. Vanessa could see that Kat and Mitch would get on well and she felt relieved she had gotten out of the screening.

  Vanessa woke up from the crashing sound of Kat bumping into a chair. She turned on the light and squinted at her. Kat looked like she had been into a serious accident. Her hair stood in all directions and was it leaves and twigs ensnared in her damp tangles? Kat’s face, partly smeared with dirt, and her clothes looked as if they’d been ripped off and then put on again in a haste.

  “What’s going on?” Vanessa sat up in alarm as she took in Kat´s appearance.

  “Did he attack you? Oh my God, I should never had let you go and see him alone. I’m so sorry.”

  “He didn’t attack me, Silly,” Kat laughed and sat down on her bed.

  “It was more me attacking him…”

  “No way,” Vanessa was shocked even though she didn’t know why. This was just typical Kat.

  “He’s adorable. You should really get to know him better.”

  “So you know him now? After a few hours in his company? Come on Kat.”

  “Yes I would say I do. We connected in our inner circle and he told me I had touched his heart.”

  “Really?” Vanessa couldn’t help but snort out a short laugh. This was ridiculous, even for Kat.

  “Really! Don’t you remember when you met Alex? You told me you saw his face and then you knew.”

  Vanessa felt ashamed. She had told Kat that, and she had felt it. It had been as lightning had struck her when she saw Alex face for the first time and something had made her sneak into the operation room and made her grab the cords from the doctors and in the end saving his life. After that, they’d been inseparable. Until everything began to spiral downwards in France, she had become suspicious of Alex intention with her and after seeing the pictures of him and the playboy bunnies she had enough and left without telling him.

  “Sorry Kat, “Vanessa whispered.

  “Speaking of his Royal Highness, I have done some investigation on your behalf and I’ve got quite some news for you girl.” Kat sounded pleased with herself.

  “Oh you do?” Vanessa sat straight up. “Go on!”

  “Well, don’t get upset now but I told Mitchy what happened between you and Alex.”

  Vanessa chose to ignore the Mitchy part of the sentence and focused on the latter. “You didn't! That’s really private.”

  “Relax, we're totally in a trusting circle h
ere.”

  “Hmm, ok” Vanessa wasn’t convinced about this circle of trust but she was curious on what Kat had discovered about Alex. “But how can Mitch have updates on Alex? He’s been up here for quite some time now and as far as I understand, you’re not allowed to talk to people from outside when you’re enrolled at the Ultra-inner-peace program.

  “That’s correct, just phone calls if it’s life threatening. But he didn’t need to talk to Alex to understand how everything was being played. He immediately figured it all out. He’s really clever you know Vanessa.”

  “Is he? That’s news for me at least,” Vanessa didn’t mean to come off so harsh at Mitch but she couldn't help herself.

  “Talking about life threatening situations, what happened with Mitch surgery? He made Alex sign some agreement on being his legal guardian if he would end up on life support.”