PastMay 2009My life had changed within a week.It went from a mess to a mess of epic proportions. My father, if I could still call him that after the push, he had given me, had decided that his home would serve as a transit point for gamblers to stay.He wasn't familiar with the shady movements, but he knew that something ugly was going on deep inside the state for even county sheriffs to look away.That's why I didn't want to be home.The fact that my mother had found an excuse to get me out of there, send me to my cousins' house and give me money to go to the fair in Syracuse, was a great sigh that I was grateful for.We arrived at the fair, David parked in a safe area, then we got out, walked and walked into the crowd. We detailed the decorations, listened to the music and saw that there were many games which gave me all the joy in the world, they would be a spectacular distraction for everything. I thought about what couples would do and decided not to be a bad third, so I decid
PastMay 2009I kept smiling as long as I could before going downstairs and approaching, I saw, to my amusement, that Emma had opened the bag of goodies without my permission and had a face of circumstance that told me that the effort she had put in was worth all the money in the world. She stuttered as if she couldn't find the exact words, which made me aware that she was a beautiful girl, with an unusual beauty that you didn't tend to see all the time.I was captivated for the first time, and it was only the third time I had seen her."How did I do it?"She narrowed her eyes and snorted, she looked very curious in that bratty girl."You know the answer, so go get your trophy and don't play dumb," he said seriously, and I couldn't help but smile at him."Just so you can see that I don't hold any grudges against you for the misguided ruse, let's split the prize," I offered, and she frowned. “Not only did I win a trophy, but I also won three hundred dollars in cash.”He tilted his head
PastMay 2009Meeting the new guy who worked in the workshop wasn't as bad as other times, actually, if I put aside his initial insistence, I could give him credit for having the guts to play along with me and that was the only good thing about those days.Mean-looking people came home more and more often, which put us in such danger that old Bruce intercepted us outside the high school to have a chat with me. He knew very well what it was all about."Are you okay, Emma?" He asked once I got into his truck and sighed.Lying to him was not an easy task, he knew the tricks well, all of them because of my grandmother's data, of course."I'm fine as far as it goes," I said to be honest."What the hell is your father doing at home?""Honestly? I don't know," I said, convinced because even though I was always looking for the good, if I saw something bad, I was able to report it right away. “A lot of people go to the house at various times, so I'm trying to spend as much time outside as poss
PastMay 2009"Listen to me, Emma, your father just needs understanding, he goes through hard times, but it doesn't mean that he is a bad husband or a bad father, we have to be more open, more understanding, soon he will have the money for us to leave that house and look for another place," she said in an attempt to divert me from the inconvenience. “Just be patient, I will intercede so that this summer you can spend time away, you can work and if possible, stay with your Aunt Emilia in Aberdeen.”I didn't buy anything from his words, the fact that he dared to ask Aunt Emilia for help when she had sent us to hell because of Dad's rants, told me that things were worse than I imagined and that the fact that I told him about my fears, He had relevance in that difficult decision.Gods."I won't leave you alone with him...""You'll do it by this time, so stick to it.”I almost complained, but I decided to be smart and keep my head down. She intended to leave without saying goodbye, however
PastMay 2009It had been days since I had been out for hamburgers in which I looked like an idiot in front of Emma and the school was in its final weeks, which led to a discussion meeting about summer jobs, the positions that would be lost at the end of the summer job, and the readjustment that Bruce would have to make in the workshop."Apart from my granddaughter Chloe's place at the front desk, we need to fill three more positions for the summer," she explained and sighed, "and as I told you it was planned, we will start offering a kind of home delivery service to which two qualified drivers will be added. So, I listen to ideas.”"Well, I think you can rule out Chloe's position right away," David said. “She got a job at youth camp with her boyfriend, so chances are he's calling you to let you know.”"Wow, that leaves me a little in chaos," Bruce remarked listlessly."You could ask Emma if she wants to come," David proposed, not very convinced."I'll see what I can do, I understand
25. LucianoPastMay 2009The day of the feast arrived.The space was huge, so much so that I didn't doubt that the owners were some important landowners in the region. We got off and I was surprised to see Emma with the group, she looked beautiful in a white floral dress with a Vinotinto blazer on top that matched the flowers on her dress. She didn't have a drop of makeup, which made her pink lips stand out in contrast to all of her. Her blonde hair was arranged so that it was tied to the side and when she saw me, she couldn't help but smile at her."These people have a lot of money, don't they?" I asked just to make conversation."A lot, the Marleys are the largest producers of bison meat in the country," Abigail specified, and I pretended to be surprised."That's awesome, having so much money must be interesting...""Absolutely," Chloe said with a cynical smile. Callum can say something about that."My family isn't wealthy," he snapped, angrily."But he's had power...""Oh, no! Tha
PastMay 2009Dancing with Luc was nice until they poured me a drink of beer.Once in the bathroom, I took the opportunity to clean my face and hair, as well as rearrange myself and then Linda came in and saw me with a touch of surprise in her eyes."Could you get out? Please," I asked in the kindest way I could."I can help you if you leave your face long," she offered, to my surprise, and I saw that she had a purse from which she took out wipes, perfume, and a ponytail. “This should do.”I looked at her for a few long seconds before accepting, she wasn't someone you could trust right off the bat, but I figured I must have produced some kind of empathy in her to make her feel sorry.I finished and when I opened the door, the rest of her friends came in and held my arms with more than amused smiles."Now let's get the party started, Emma," she murmured, and I began to scream."Help!” I cried out in fear. “They want to hurt me!”I felt a slap that moved everything.I couldn't believe i
PastMay 2009Grandpa left me alone with Luc.I couldn't believe it, honestly, I didn't know how to feel about everything that was happening to me."Here's black tea, it's one of the few things I get right," Luc offered, snatching me out of my musings and blushing returned to my face."Thank you for everything, you didn't have to...""Don't say that," he cut me off quickly, "it was the least I could do under the circumstances, I was your companion and something happened to you because I left you alone for a few moments.”"I would never leave without warning or do anything to put myself in such a bad situation as being exposed to danger," I admitted with tears in my eyes."I believe you, Emma, I know something else happened," she added, her lips pursed."I think so too, but I have a bad feeling, and I know that the moment my parents find out everything will blow up in my face...""Do you have a bad relationship with them?"The question slammed my eyes shut. "It's that bad, huh?" He bl
Emma's BirthHannaI was tired of fighting.I had to do it for the child I was carrying in my womb because otherwise, I had no reason to continue. I was weak, discarded, and with my soul in pieces, without the consolation of saying that no one had told me. My whole family was at pains to remind me how foolish I would be if I let myself be carried away by the love of a man who wasn't worth it.They were right.The result was to run away with him, leave my house like a thief, and travel with the thought that my love story would have a happy ending. It didn't—quite the opposite. What would be a life away from a controlling father and siblings, where I could do whatever I wanted and no one would force me one more day to do what I didn't like, became a dark hole that swallowed me up without letting me get out of it.It was scary and very disturbing.Bruno was just the bait that someone else used to kidnap me from my life, my roots and origins in Britton. After a twenty-two-hour drive to Ne
Months later...EmmaWe went for Aurora.I was a little girl who was abandoned at the entrance of a church, she had a terrible story, but she was one who told me she needed all the support in the world. She came from a family of Latino immigrants, she was a beauty of a creature, but she was afraid of people, of the world, of people.And rightly so.I couldn't blame her for it, it was just a matter of trust.She was eight years old when we met her, isolated from the rest while drawing fairies and magical creatures. The first one who saw her was Luc, when I looked for him, I ran into her and I just fell in love and even more so when they told me that she went through many shelters where she ended up with some kind of problem because people had no patience for her silence. That caught my interest and when I found out that she was aware of how a family member left her, pushed her aside, I just wanted to do all the paperwork right away.She was hurt, lacked confidence, and deserved all the
Three years later...LucianoWe would finally have our happy union.She, as an adventurer, decided that she didn't want a big gala or celebration, but wanted to have a quick and fun meeting in Las Vegas, that's why we were there, in one of the most iconic chapels on The Strip.Emma seemed like a goddess in every sense of the word.Seeing my wife walk towards me in a beautiful champagne satin silk dress and with a long neckline that incited all my desires, was not only what excited me, but my biggest dream more than fulfilled. I felt in the clouds because of the beauty she gave me, because of the immense love she gave me and because she agreed to be with me, before that, I could not avoid some tears, it was something automatic that not only touched the audience, it touched her much more who also let some tears slip from her eyes and when she arrived at the altar, Bruce gave it to me with great love."Here I give you my granddaughter, live to make her happy, don't break her heart again
PresentOctober 1017"Well, Luciano, you can start exercising, soft things, nothing high-impact, you must recover your previous condition, but yes, I give you my blessing to have intimacy.”We burst out laughing, I saw my sister typing mischievously and I asked her:"Did you write to my girlfriend?""No, I wrote to the one I want to be mine, but it's very hard to crack, I have a feeling it's going to be a very difficult ninja path to travel," he blurted out solemnly and I shook my head over his nonsense."Take it easy, Alice has a past that hides beneath that noble heart, be careful and don't pressure, she must have her time...""Well, I'll drop you off at home and then I'll go to the academy, so...""No, I need to go to the headquarters of the companies, I have something very important to do there and I'll take one of the cars I have there," I asked and he looked at me suspiciously."Well, let's go.”When I got to my office, I looked at the person who was filling in for me, a person
PresentAugust 2017Luc was still the same, a little more stable for passing the critical stage, but the same.I spent the day with all of them, Diana left early to be with her baby and me, Giulia, Enzo and Lilly went to the cafeteria for dinner."What do you want to eat? I talked to the manager of the cafeteria and juggled to get something decent," Enzo said and I didn't even know what to say."I'll just eat some fries and a soda, today is the day to break the diet," Giulia said and her brother shook his head, but didn't say anything."I'll eat a hamburger, thanks," Lilly said.Both she and Enzo saw me and I had no choice but to lie to them, so I sighed deeply and said:"Like Giulia, I don't have much of an appetite and I don't know if I'll be able to eat anything else.”Then a man not so old, perhaps about Uncle Ismael's age, appeared and Giulia got up to go and hug him tightly."Who is it?" Lilly asked and I shook my head."I don't have the slightest idea about it," I admitted.I s
PresentAugust 2017"I wondered if you would follow the route of the road, but no, I thought that the best thing you could do was to seek help," Adriano said mockingly as the six men around us laughed."Don't do this, Adriano," Luc muttered clemiciously."Of course, I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it very well, so well that I'm not only going to go get you, but I'm going to make sure that Giulia and Enzo suffer a lot," he blurted out angrily, and I watched as the dogs we heard came out from behind the trees."Put me down so I can help you," I said softly to my beloved, and he ignored me."Separate them," Adriano ordered, and that made Luc squeeze me much tighter.The men came over and the dogs growled, that's when I knew it would all end badly, so badly that my tears came out without any filter. I was thrown at the feet of Mr. A, who bent down to see me with a wicked smile."What I'm going to do with you will be the funniest thing, Emma.”I swallowed hard and restrained myself fro
PresentAugust 2017Guido was a demented one."Please don't do anything stupid, murdering a billionaire like Luciano Basciano will put a target on your back, you won't be able to live, you won't be able to run away easily," I said in an attempt to negotiate with him and touched my earrings, begging Enzo to pick up the signal."Don't want to see my idiot face, just... Don't do it, it's your fault that I already have that bullseye on my back," he explained cheerfully."You're not thinking with your head, release him before the FBI sneezes and does an unprecedented search," I offered, and he laughed."Emma," Luc said a little nervously."Just be crafty, if you leave Luciano near the road, he'll pay you a lot for me, use that, give you anything to free me later...""Shut up! You talk incessantly and if you don't want me to lose patience with both of us, just shut your mouth," he blurted out furiously and I restrained myself.”He kicked the seat and I squealed with some drama that made Luc
PresentAugust 2017"I'm all ears," I said with difficulty."Things have become difficult for me in these months. I'm not going to lie to you, it's still hard to understand everything, but now I'm coping calmly and the therapies help. Opening up was something I always wanted and didn't imagine it would be so painful.” His voice cracked a little, and I held back. “Now I see events more clearly and I am able to accept my mistakes.” He smiled with a bed. “It's up to me to give myself the opportunity to supplant hatred with love, to recover the illusion of the uncertain and to believe in what is really worthwhile.”"That's good..."It was unmatched."Yes, it is. However, it's not an easy thing to do, saying it motivates you, but doing it is taking it to another level. Continuing in pain won't do anything for us and I want to remedy that.” The understanding of his words showed me the clear and stark reality of us. “Your life went on after you left Britton, it's such a different one... Whic
PresentAugust 2017"Say what you have to say.""My cousin will never forgive me, and I'm aware of that.” The phrase made me hesitate, especially because of the perennial lament she had. “I want to tell the whole truth once and for all.”"What are you talking about?" I asked, not understanding anything.She avoided the gaze as if she had a hard time holding it."When you guys started dating, things changed a lot for me. Emma was all about her family and she was immersed in the love they feel... That made me feel displaced and I made stupid things because of my jealousy that affected both of us.”"Why tell me and not her?""It's something I'll do in due course, when he's able to hear me... Now, I know it's not the time and I must tell you something that involves you. That's why I came to you first, Luciano.”His tone of voice was weak, but the firmness in the last few sentences was all seriousness."I don't know what you mean by telling it now. What makes you think I want to know anyth