He remembered something distracting his attention. Yes! It was his phone. He remembered looking at his phone, expecting a call from Dean and Jack. She pushed the phone far away from him. It explained why his phone was near the mirror. What else happened the night before? He couldn’t remember. All he remembered was talking to her until she slept.
“Tom! Tom!” Donna said, trying to figure out why Tom was acting like he was seeing a ghost.
“Yeah!” Tom said, jolting back to reality.
“Slept well? How was your night?” Donna asked with a smile. Her hair was rough and uncombed. She was wearing Tom’s bathrobe. Tom gazed at her lips. “No more lipstick or lip gloss,” he thought to himself. It proved they had exchanged kisses the night before.
“Okay I guess,” Tom said after a moment of silence.
“Nothing happened here last night, right?” Tom questioned with absolute uncertainty. Donna stared at him.
“Like what?” Donna asked.
“Never mind,” Tom said with his eyes piercing into hers. He could tell a lot from people by looking into their eyes. She was looking at him differently now. There was a smile of satisfaction on her face and there was also a sign of fear. It was like she knew more about him than before.
“Your Butler had to end the party early last night! It was getting really rowdy,” Donna said.
“Hmmm,” Tom replied still hoping he hadn’t revealed too much about his life to Donna and hoping they didn’t have sex.
“Tea or coffee?” she asked.
“Coffee. I’ll need it to clear my head,” Tom replied with a little humor.
She poured a cup of coffee that was already on Tom’s table. Tom picked it up and their hands clashed. Tom couldn’t handle the tension. It was like she was expecting him to remember something or to say something. She looked at him with eyes full of expectation.
“So! Did anyone else sleep over?” Tom asked, breaking the silence. Avoiding the question of sex.
“Yes. Some of your sister’s friends stayed over. Too drunk,” she replied abruptly. Quite disappointed.
“And. What are they doing today?” he asked.
“They should be going to the beach soon for a tan and for some fun,” she replied.
“And…are…you going with them?” Tom asked wondering why she was giving straightforward answers.
“No I figured that I’d rather stay here – with you,” she replied.
“Oh really,” Tom said. Something was definitely wrong.
“And why would you want to stay here while your friends are having fun?” he asked.
She frowned.
“Who says going to the beach is fun?” she asked with a forced smile on her face. Her carefully shaved eyebrow thickened with tension.
“Well, I don’t….”
“Don’t what?”
“Nothing,” she replied
“Did something happen here last night?” Tom finally asked trying to get the edginess out of the atmosphere.
“Nothing really. You looked sick and I helped!” she said abruptly and nonchalantly.
Tom sat on the bed beside her. It wasn’t the alcohol. Maybe it was just the anxiety of his well-anticipated revenge that led to sexual intensity.
“We had sex last night…” Tom asked dumbfounded. Donna nodded.
“And you didn’t stop me?” Tom asked.
“Why would I have stopped you?” She grinned.
“You definitely enjoyed it,” she giggled. Tom sighed.
“I suppose I also told you about my family?” Tom asked. He hit his head with his hand with a face full of regret. She nodded again. This time, she was afraid.
“Yes. That’s why I pushed your phone away. You were preoccupied with an expected phone call from Dean and Jack, your body guards,” Donna replied innocently.
“Shit! She even knows their names,” he thought. She rested her back on the bed, facing him. She placed one hand on his chest in an effort to calm him down.
“I’m sure you feel better now. He must be dead already,” she said as she brushed her hands on his face, trying to make him feel as comfortable as he was the previous night. Tom looked at her. They could both feel their hearts beating. There was no way Tom could convince her that he made all that up. He shrugged off her grip gently.
“Yes I do feel better,” Tom said as he tried to weigh the consequences. He was feeling terribly stupid for letting her stay in the room, but then again, what man could have said no to her body?
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” Donna replied. She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. He didn’t know what was happening. There was a sincere feeling of loyalty in her eyes. Somehow, he trusted her and he didn’t know why.
“Okay. I’m sure you know I’ll be traveling to Illinois soon,” he said to her.
“Yeah you told me last night,” she said.
“Gosh!!!! What didn’t I tell her?” he thought to himself.
“Okay,” Tom said, nodding. He stood up.
“So what did I not tell you?” Tom said, walking back and forth his room.
“Relax Tom,” Donna said with a gentle voice. Tom stopped and stared at her.
“Aren’t you afraid that I’m going to kill you?” Tom asked curiously.
“No! Not at all,” Donna said with utmost confidence. Tom looked at her. He scoffed then laughed. Her confidence was too high.
“And why is that?” Tom asked.
“Because you’re not a killer. I looked deep down inside you and I could tell,” she replied. Tom gazed at her. It felt like she was playing mind games.
“Really?” Tom said, unsure of his self.
“Yes,” she said as she walked towards him slowly. Tom took a step backward with every step she took forward until he hit his back against the wall.
“Now that I know the real Tom Olivetti, well, from what I have heard about him and seen him do, he is not a killer,” she said with her breasts touching his chests slightly.
Tom was extremely confused. How could she not be scared after all he told her? All his life, he had hidden the real truth from his girlfriends because he was scared they would see his family as monsters.
She smirked and backed away from him slowly. Her dazzling features smothered his eyes.
“What next?” he thought with his head against the wall. He couldn’t tell Don Olivetti about what he told her because he was already hiding something from him. He couldn’t tell his father because his father will get very upset for interfering with mafia business without his consent. It would kill his father to know that he ordered the death of someone. He gazed at Donna as if he was staring into an abyss.
“I trust you,” he finally said. She smiled back. He gazed deeper into her eyes.
“It’s not her fault. She can’t suffer for my mistake.” He thought.
“But don’t give me a reason not to,” he threatened. “I won’t disappoint you!” she said, smiling back.
The night before was exhausting. Dean, Jack, Bobby and Raphael had checked into a motel to change their clothes and clean up. All blood stained evidence were burned in a bathtub fire. Dean was pleased. Everything went according to plan. The thought of Tom’s relief gave him a unique feeling of accomplishment.
Dean looked at Jack’s clothes. It was stained with blood. “Thank goodness I didn’t have to bury that stinker,” Dean said out loud.
“Yeah,” Bobby and Raphael laughed loud. Jack didn’t give them the pleasure of a pretentious smile. He kept cussing in his mind. He walked into the bathroom, removed all his clothes and tossed it in the bathtub. He checked to see if the smoke detector was still unplugged, brought out a bottle of spirit, poured it on the clothes, lit a match and tossed it on the clothes. Ten minutes later, the clothes were burnt. The air extractor in the bathroom absorbed the smoke.
“C’mon you’ll soon get over it,” Dean said, tapping Jack on the shoulder as he walked out of the bathroom.
“Do you know what?” Bobby asked.
“You did the most work tonight, burying the dead man. Give yourself a cookie for that,” Bobby added. They laughed. Jack gave a quick smile then returned to his normal mood.
“Cut him some slack guys,” Dean said with a bottle of beer in his mouth. Raphael switched through channels on the television, looking for something to watch. His nose was no longer bleeding, but was full of bruises and a purple gash.
“You know you should go to the doctor for that,” Bobby said to Raphael. “No I don’t think so, I’ll handle it,” Raphael replied.
“You could be infected or something,” Jack added.
“With what? HIV?” Raphael laughed.
“I won’t be surprised if the asshole we just killed had HIV or some weird incurable disease. Remember, blood contact causes HIV?” Dean said. Everyone laughed except Raphael.
“I don’t see why that’s funny,” Raphael replied. They continued laughing.
“Yeah go to the hospital first thing tomorrow. Get your nose fixed and set your appointments for HIV screening later,” Dean joked.
“Alright! It seems like a joke to you guys. Will do,” Raphael replied. He finally found an interesting channel.
“What’s this?” Bobby yelled.
“What!” Raphael replied.
“You watch, the Kardashians?” Bobby asked.
“Sure! Those girls are hot as hell,” Raphael replied.
“That’s just sick…” Dean replied.
“Yeah I’m sure you get your daily boner just looking at them,” Bobby replied.
“Hey! Let’s watch football or something,” Dean added. It led to a quarrel.
“Hey! Hey! Guys! Chill! Okay!” Dean shouted.
“Don’t get too comfortable here. We have to head back to the mansion in an hour. No time to play,” Dean said, grabbing his keys from the dresser across the television.
“We’re going now?” Jack asked quietly from a corner. He was wearing a set of fresh new clothes.
“Nope! I’m hungry. I need some Chinese food in my life,” Dean said as he walked out of the room.
11
It was their last day in New York. Donna had left. Francesca, Sara and Tom prepared for their relocation to Springfield, Illinois. They were anxious, aggravated, angry and disappointed. They dreaded the idea of moving to Illinois.
Tom stood in front of his large closet, wondering where to start, as his mind drifted to the last three days. Purio Maccuzo’s death gave him a sense of satisfaction. However, his encounter with Donna drowned his mind with regret. He dreaded the gossip that would transcend at his high school once Donna got back. It would destroy any chances he had with Nina.
He was seated on his bed, highly stressed. He ran his fingers through his hair. At that particular time, all he could think about was Nina. The little time they had spent together felt more profound than anything he had done in years. He picked up his cell phone then dialed Nina’s number without a second thought. He felt a necessity to tell her he was leaving town.
“Hi,” he said as soon as she picked up.
“Hi,” she replied in a voice that seemed angelic. Her voice automatically cleared his worries from his mind. His sudden relaxed state baffled him.
“So you missed out on my party the other day?” Tom said. “Yea! Sorry about that. I had a previous engagement,” Nina replied.
“Previous engagement?”
“Well, more like over protective parents. They think your family is nothing but bad news,” Nina replied. Tom paused. He was in anguish. His family’s reputation was a factor in his attempted relationship with her.
“Well, I’m not surprised. I’d be afraid of my family too,” Tom said casually. Nina laughed.
“Your family has an intense reputation, Tom. I wasn’t trying to offend you,” Nina replied. “Intense is a subtle word for what my family is,” Tom joked. There was a brief silence as they listened to each other breath.
“Uhm! I’d really want to see you before I leave,” Tom finally said. “You’re leaving? Where?” Nina replied in a disappointed tone.
“I’m moving out of state for a while,” Tom replied. “Hmm. Family issues huh?”
“Yea. Family issues,” Tom replied. There was a longer pause.
“Well, if you can meet me in an hour, my parents and brothers won’t be home,” She finally replied in a half reluctant tone.
“Can I take you out…for…uhm…a date? Lunch? Or something less formal?” Tom replied in a half confident tone.
“The answer is no Mister! You have a bad reputation when it comes to girls,” she said in a humorous tone then hung up. He was anxious and confused.
Tom got up from his bed. He took a quick glance at his wristwatch. He gathered some clothes, threw it in his luggage then walked out of his room. Bernard, the Butler was already waiting outside his room to help carry out his luggage. Tom briskly walked to his father’s room. The thought of leaving his father behind during the mob war was difficult.
“Are you sure we have to leave?” Tom asked. “Yes. The safety of my children is very important. We are at war and we don’t want any casualties. You will be safe at your grandma’s,” Walter replied. There was a brief moment of silence.
“You should be leaving now, Tom. You have a flight to catch in three hours,” His father added. Tom nodded in response.
“Be safe pa!” Tom replied.
“Call me when you get there,” his father replied as Tom walked away.
He ran down the stairs to the front of the house as quickly as possible. Jack and Dean were standing by his black Cadillac as Tom arrived to the front of the house. “Your sisters?” Jack asked.
“They’ll be going in a different car. There’s someone I’d like to see before we leave,” Tom replied as he rushed into the vehicle.
“Who?” Jack asked. “Nina Owen,”
Nina Owen was seated in the living room of her home. She was wearing jean shorts and a pink tank top. She remembered the conversation she had with Tom earlier. She felt guilty for leading him on. She had deliberately hung up before Tom could ask for an address. Her unusual urge to see him, speak to him, and touch him, baffled her.
Minutes into her TV show, a black Cadillac with tinted windows, pulled over in front of her house. She leaned over the couch to get a better glance of who it was. She smiled. She knew who it was immediately. Who else drives a black Cadillac with tinted windows? She stood up, walked to the window of her living room, wondering how Tom got her address. Two men walked out of the car before Tom did to scan the premises. Seconds later, Tom walked out of the car then to the front of her house.
The bell rang. Her heart skipped a bit. She took a deep breath then unlocked the door. Tom stood by the front porch with a smile on his face.
“Hey!” he said with a soothing smile. Her reaction changed. There was something about his smile. It made her forget everything she had heard about him. It made her forget about his family’s reputation.
“Hey!” Nina replied with a genuine smile. Tom thoughts felt unusually incoherent in her presence.
“Uhm. Wanna come in?” She replied. Tom nodded as he walked in. Jack and Dean remained outside.
“You must be pretty important,” Nina said as she observed Tom’s guards.
“Na I’m not! My family doesn’t want collateral damage…long story,” Tom joked. Nina smiled in response.
She couldn’t understand what she was feeling. Tom’s presence made her feel different. She loved the way he gazed at her like she was the only one who mattered in the world. She was uncomfortable with the feeling and so was Tom.
“A mobster in my house,”
“So – Question…” She said as she casually walked to the center of the living room to turn the volume down. Tom turned towards her.
“How’d you get my address?” She asked curiously. Tom was stuck. “Shit! I forgot she didn’t give me her address,”
“Well – I – I – Uhm,” he said incoherently then sighed. “Now I feel li
ke a stalker,” Tom joked.
“Well, the truth is I told one of those guys outside to find out a little about you so I could stand a fighting chance to win your attention…” Tom added, shifting from a state of incoherence to a state of confidence. Nina struggled to hide her smile.
“My attention?” She asked. Tom nodded in response. A feeling of awkwardness became apparent in the atmosphere. If anyone else had figured out her address, she’d label the person a stalker, but it was Tom. An energy radiated around him. She couldn’t control the urge to smile despite the logic behind it. Tom tried to distract himself by looking at other things in the house. He tried to avoid her glaring eyes. He tried to avoid staring at her beautiful persona.
“Well, next time, maybe you should consider asking me on a date or something,” Nina replied with sarcastic humor. Tom laughed then scoffed.
“I did, you hung up. Plus you have turned down every guy in school. Even the jocks! I doubt I stand a fighting chance,” Tom joked. Nina laughed.
“In that case, your confidence is deceiving,” Nina replied. “What do you mean?” Tom asked.
“You went through all this trouble to find out everything about me,”
“Almost everything,” Tom corrected. Nina laughed again.
“Well, almost everything about me – then, you walk in here with all this confidence only to compare yourself with the stupid Jocks at school,” Nina said. Tom laughed.
“Oh trust me, I don’t compare myself with stupid Jocks,” Tom replied in a humorous tone. He felt evil – he had just spent a night with Donna and now he was with Nina. Nina didn’t feel like any girl he had come across. She was different. She had a magnetic glow around her Tom couldn’t comprehend.
“Well, Tom. You’re really hot! Good looking! Rich...”
Olivetti: Inception Page 8
