4

I’m in the room brushing my hair, thinking it’s time to cut them a little, trying not to get anxious since soon my uncle should come to Linda’s house to meet me. The last time I saw him, was when he sent me back to Italy, I did not want to stay, I wanted to return to the place where I had lived with my mother in the last months of her life. They say she died of sadness, she was never the same person after the death of my father, and I had the impression that it would also happen to me, for losing both. My uncle spread the rumors of places where I could be, and even some of which I had died. And for two years I lived practically a recluse in the Convent of Saint Lucia, occasionally went out to the village with Mother and some sisters, and always felt protected by them. My uncle sent money, for my expenses, and as a form of gratitude to the Convent, sometimes we spoke by phone, sometimes I received letters from Nikolai, but my contact with the world outside the old walls where I lived was restricted. I was sure, if I got too far away from there, Villani would find me. Well, he found me anyway.

I do a braid in my hair, and soon I think if it is really necessary this dress, I do not want to cause any trouble, I’m not in my family’s house, but I have the impression that Linda wants me to wear tighter clothes when Michael is present, and it bothers me as much as the heels. The dress is black, and was delivered by a store at the request of Linda, with another dozen bags that I did not get to look at. I hear knocks on the door and soon Fabian opens it, and without looking directly at me, says that Linda’s guest awaits me. My uncle, Joe Cavalieri, who I hope can help me get rid of that arrangement. I know talking to him in private will be almost impossible, but my other alternative is to run away.

I go down the stairs after taking a deep breath, Fabian goes right in front of me, as if without his presence I simply could not reach the last step, where Michael Villani is, with a totally indecipherable expression. He is serious, in a terribly austere way, looking at me as if I had done something that displeased him, and as much as my desire to stay away from him is enormous, I do not realize what I could have done but hate him and his company.

He offers me his hand when I’m two steps from the ground, and even contradicted I put mine on his, warm and soft, and falter on the last step, then he holds me immediately realizing my nervousness, and sending me a look of who was little caring about the fact that it was being negotiated.

“This shouldn’t be a long conversation” he says, holding me next to him “and after talking to his uncle, I have a gift for you.”

“A gift…” I can’t think of anything, and Michael’s arm around me makes me apprehensive. This kind of man, common to our world, audacious and thirsty for seducing girls in the same situation in which I find myself is all that definitely does not appeal to me.

“Nothing much” he talks, with that way that he doesn’t give importance while he’s next to me “it’s only very useful, as long as you use it moderately.”

We do not continue the conversation, because we entered a more intimate room of the house, and immediately I see my uncle, the same way of smiling skewed, the hair browned, elegant and tall, well dressed, as I always remembered him. Joe Cavalieri opened his arms to me and I hurried my step to him in a hug. For a moment I have a good feeling, to be back, family, even not being in Chicago.

“You look so beautiful, Giu” he looks me in the eyes “you remind me so much your mother!”

I sit next to him, and we talk for a while, about my aunt Charlotte, my cousins, and how everyone was eager to meet me, my uncle says it shouldn’t take long, and I notice a quick exchange of glances between him and Villani, that for a moment I had even forgotten about existence, so we soon got into the subject, the reason that brings him to Linda’s house.

My uncle says that deal had already been settled, before Erico Villani’s death, and that unlike my uncle Tony, he had no intention of going back on his word. When I ask if I could go to Chicago, my uncle paused before answering. And the answer is not the one I had imagined. When Linda had said that I would stay there for a few days, I thought it would be until he came to pick me up, and I feel frustrated as I hear that I will be under the protection of my future husband until the wedding, which would take place a month after the engagement.

“I thought I would be able to stay with my family before the wedding” I look at Joe to Michael, who had said almost nothing while my uncle explained that they had both made conceptions, and that was one of Villani’s demands.

“What do you get in return?” I ask Cavalieri, feeling as if there is a pressure in my throat.

“Giulia, behind our decisions there are almost three decades of conflict” Joe puts his hand on my shoulder.

“Will I be a prisoner then?” I face Michael, so annoyingly quiet that it just makes me think he’s even more obnoxious “It’s a terrible way to start this deal!”

“I am making sure that this time the agreement is fulfilled” he responds, calm and annoying.

“What do you think I’ll do if I go to Chicago?” I’m thinking maybe I have no choice but to run, even though I know my chances of escape are minimal.

“Tony helped with the escape of our sister, Giulia” Joe took a deep breath “Villani and I are just trying to gain the trust of New York and Chicago, and be sure, most do not believe that this union will happen.”

“Which is the reason for more disagreements” Michael agreed, and then offered a glass of whiskey to Cavalieri “You will stay here, some Chicago soldiers will be allowed to do your security while you are our guest. Your uncle is welcome to visit you, as well as your cousins. Linda has already invited your family.”

“Knowing that we are, both families willing to make this union happen, is good for everyone” Uncle Joe approaches me “I will not lie to you, I gave a valuable shipment to Mr. Villani, just as he passed on to us the management of an important club. It’s part of the agreement, Giulia, and the cooperation between our families will leave us in an important position.”

Hearing them talk about their deals and what it represented made me sick, they don’t understand how I feel. I am a mere pawn in the hands of men who thought of nothing but power. When I say goodbye to my uncle at the end of the afternoon, my only thought is that I can’t expect him to do anything to avoid that marriage, and that any opportunity that came up, no matter how risky, would be my best chance, not only to honor the memory of my mother, but to live the life she did not have.

I thought Michael won’t miss me when I go back to the room, the plan was to try to get my personal belongings back, and Linda had assured me that she would soon have them back. If I can get a message from me to one of Nikolai’s contacts, maybe he can help me. I hear a slight knock on the door.

I imagine it must be Linda, bringing Morgan with her to try to cheer me up, but I see Michael.

“I brought your gift” he had a bag from a famous brand of mobile phones “you’ll need that.”

He’s standing at the door, but he doesn’t seem rushed, it was like he was waiting for me to invite him into his old room, which I think is great, because I didn’t mean to do it. I think about telling him to get away with that cell phone, but the truth was that it can facilitate if I want contact with the outside world, even knowing that there must be all kinds of "app" there, to track me, and very possibly Villani can have even read my conversations. Still, if I know how to use it, it can be a useful tool.

I approach, suspicious, and the way Michael looks at me makes me want to retreat. I feel cornered every time I need to talk to him, and I know this has to end, it just makes him more sure that he can do whatever he wants with me, so I lift my chin slightly, not realizing that he took two steps towards me, which left us inches apart, so I can feel its warmth behind the masculine scent and faint cigar odor. He stares back at me, as he hands me the bag, I feel his fingers graze mine, warm and soft, and soon after he turns and leaves, and in silence I can hear the sound of my heart as if I had run to the edge of a cliff, and almost fallen.