Ten minutes later, I was walking down the hallway and into Nonnina’s room. My gaze first went to her empty wheelchair parked at the end of her bed. Then it shifted to her bed, where she was lying back with her eyes closed. A sinking feeling hit the pit of my stomach.
“Nonnina?” I whispered, walking up to the side of her bed.
Gradually her eyes opened and she focused on me. “Luce della mia vita” She smiled and reached out her hand.
Seeing her sweet smile and hearing her call me, the light of her life, had my eyes filling with tears. I inhaled a deep breath and tried to swallow the large lump stuck in my throat. I was so relieved today wasn’t the day I had to say goodbye.
I slipped my hand into her frail one. “Are you sick? No one called me?”
“I’m fine, Sophia. Just sad and tired.” She squeezed my hand. “Herbert passed away earlier this morning.”
“Oh, Nonnina, I’m so sorry.”
I stepped out of my flats and crawled into bed next to her. Resting my head on her shoulder, I hugged her arm and held her hand.
“Why didn’t you call me?” I said.
“I didn’t want to bother you. You were enjoying time with your friends. Besides, there was nothing you could have done.”
“I could have come to be with you.”
“Tesoro, dying is a daily occurrence around here. It’s just some make you sadder than others.”
“I know he was a special friend of yours.”
“Herbert was a very kind gentleman.”
“A kind gentleman who was quite fond of you.”
“He made me happy, Sophia,” she said, her voice quivered with grief.
I snuggled in closer. “I know. I could see it in your eyes.”
“I’ll be better tomorrow. I needed today to say goodbye.”
I yanked a tissue out of the box next to us on the bed. Reaching up, I dabbed a tear from her cheek and then mine.
“Nonnina, did you love Herbert?”
“I cared for him. But the love of my life was your Nonno. I was very blessed to have had him for as long as I did.”
“Was it love at first sight?”
“Oh no. I thought he was pazzo,” she said, gesturing with her free hand.
We both chuckled.
“So what convinced you, Nonno wasn’t crazy?”
“He was persistent. He came around all the time. At first, it was an annoyance. But soon, I realized, his silliness came from a deep desire to give me joy. He also gave me love, security, and encouragement. As well as three beautiful children, who each gave me gorgeous grandchildren.” She glanced at me and winked.
“It’s nice that two of your children and four of your grandchildren each found their true loves. Too bad Dad is still looking for his. Mom messed him up pretty badly.”
As usual, Nonnina aimed her gaze upward and asked God for forgiveness before she lowered the boom on my mother. “Perdonami Signore per quello che sto per dire.” I let go of her hand briefly so she could make the sign of the cross. “The only good thing that woman ever did was bring you into the world.”
I blew out a breath. “And I’m just like her.”
She squeezed my hand hard and twisted her head in my direction. “You are nothing like that woman.”
“Nonnina, all my life people have said I look like her, I’m ambitious like her, and Aunt Teresa has mentioned on more than a few occasions that I’m quote, ‘selfish like that woman.’
“Teresa is a cagna,” she snapped.
“Shame on you! Calling your only sister a bitch.” I winked.
“That’s the nicest thing I can say about her.” She pointed to the heavens. “He knows.”
“I love you, Nonnina.”
“Ti amo, tesoro. Now tell me about your trip. Did you have fun?”
“Eh. I’m not really cut out for roughing it in the wild.”
“And how is that handsome man of yours?”
I huffed and rolled onto my back. “Doug is not my man. He’s a friend. You know in this day and age, men and women can be just friends.”
“Complete nonsense.”
“No, it’s not. I have male friends.”
“I’m not referring to that part. I’m talking about you and Douglas. He’s such a dear boy.”
“Then you date him,” I said, sarcastically.
“Sophia Giavanna, don’t be fresh.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I turned my head slightly so she wouldn’t see my eye roll.
“The two of you need to come to your senses.”
“Nonnina, you don’t understand how complicated it is.”
“I suppose you’re right. But what I do understand is the way his eyes light up when he talks about you. How intently he listens to an old lady reminiscing about her beautiful granddaughter. He particularly enjoyed the story about our Florida vacation. Remember, you, your grandfather, and I took that boat tour of the lake with all the exotic fish. They gave everyone a piece of bread to feed to the fish, and you…”
“Ate my piece, thinking it was lunch.”
“You were so adorable with your little cheeks puffed out full of Wonder Bread.”
“The other kids called me blowfish for the rest of the tour.”
“Oh my, he was doubled over in stitches while I told him about that time at the family reunion when you and your cousin Benedetta were five and disappeared. By the time we found the two of you in the laundry room, you had snipped off a chunk of her beautiful blonde curls and coated them in glitter. I’ve never been able to figure out where you got spray glitter from.”
“There might have been some premeditation involved,” I muttered.
All of a sudden a thought occurred to me.
I propped up on my elbows. “Exactly, when did you tell him all these stories? He’s only been here two times. Once with me and then when he stopped by to refill your snack drawer while I was out of town.”
Coyly, she said, “Douglas visits quite often.”
I sat straight up and twisted toward my grandmother. “How often?”
“I’ve never counted…”
“How often?”
“Possibly three to four times a week.”
“Are you serious?”
“Mainly during his lunch hour. He loves the tapioca pudding they serve in the dining room on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
“He eats lunch with you four times a week?”
“Not just me. There are four other ladies who usually sit at my table. I’ve never seen so many gray eyelashes fluttering at one time.”
“I don’t believe this.”
“Well, in all honesty, I think Tuesdays and Thursdays are all about the tapioca.”
“Whose idea was it to keep these rendezvous a secret from me?”
“No one was keeping anything from you, Sophia. There’s no reason to be upset.”
“I’m not upset.”
I was upset. For almost a month Doug and Nonnina kept their relationship from me. I felt betrayed. It was obvious the lying was Doug’s brainchild. My grandmother would never suggest keeping me in the dark. It was as if I were eight years old again, finding out for the first time that the only rosy faced red-suited man showing up for Christmas would be drunk Uncle Vito.
“Sophia, I know it’s difficult for you to let people in after what your mother did. But if you would open up your heart a little bit…”
“Nonnina, my mother cheated on Dad with his best friend. She left without so much as a goodbye and never looked back. She’s a narcissistic, heartless person and I’m her identical twin.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. I’ve heard it my entire life.”
“But Sophia…”
“You don’t understand, I’m not scared of what Doug might do to me. I’m scared of what I’ll do to him.”
IT HAD BEEN three days since we got back from the camping trip. Three days of Sophie and I passing like ships in the night without a word. Three days of no kissing. Three d
ays of no touching. And three days of no sex. But it was also three days of no smiles. Three days of no laughter. And three days of not being near her.
When I woke up the next day and found myself alone in the tent, I decided to give Sophie some room. It didn’t take a genius to realize she was freaked out, but so was I. I had never told another woman anything close to what I said to Sophie. The words just fell out of my mouth. After I realized what I’d said, my first thought was to shrug it off. Make a joke out of it, like it was nothing. But it wasn’t a joke and it wasn’t nothing.
I was all onboard to shelve any conversation. Then I found out Sophie had taken it upon herself to talk with Bryson about changing the sleeping arrangements. I was informed Hart would be my new roomie. To top things off, she avoided me for the rest of the trip, like I had the plague. I went from understanding to pissed off, tout suite. I figured the silent treatment was in order. That would drive her crazy and teach her a lesson. I’d make her come to me. Maybe have her beg a little. I mean, how long could she resist not talking to me, not being in my presence, and of course, not having sex with me? Counting the camping trip, six days. She’s lasted six days with no signs of breaking. I, on the other hand, wasn’t faring as well. My mind and body missed her.
Deciding to be the more mature and bigger person, I was confronting Sophie tonight. All I wanted was for us to go back to the way things were between us. So I’m going back to the beginning. On the way home, I picked up dinner along with her favorite wine. My plan, to set everything up on the coffee table and cue up The Jerk, like our first night as roomies.
As I pulled up to the house, I was a little disappointed to see Sophie’s car. I wanted her to be surprised when she arrived home. She rarely got here before me, so I thought I was safe. I chose to use the back door, leading right into the kitchen. I peeked in the window to make sure Sophie wasn’t in there. It wasn’t her favorite room, so the chances were slim to none she’d be whipping up anything to eat.
Being as quiet as possible, I walked in the kitchen and placed the takeout bags on the counter. I glanced in the living room, glad to see no sign of Sophie. That meant she was upstairs. As I unpacked, the smell of fried goodness was too much for me to resist. I unwrapped an eggroll. As I was about to bite into it, the doorbell rang. I took a quick bite before rewrapping it. I swallowed the fried delicacy, licking my fingers as I quickly made my way to the front door. I didn’t want some door-to-door douche to spoil my surprise.
I opened the door to find a blonde hair, blue-eyed dude dressed in a tux, standing on the porch. A toothy smile plastered across his face. I was blinded by his overly white teeth. Squinting, I stared, waiting for him to say something.
Sticking out his hand, he said, “Hello, I’m Marthers Thompson.”
“So.”
A slight chuckle escaped his thin lips. “Is Sophie here?”
My grip tightened around the doorknob. “Who wants to know?”
“Um… Still me, Marthers.”
“Hi, Marthers,” Sophie said over my shoulder. “I’m running a little late. Come in. I won’t be much longer.”
Craning his neck, the prick peered past me.
A nervous smile crossed his face. “That’s okay. I’m a little early anyway.”
I stood firm as he attempted to squeeze between me and the doorframe.
“If I could slip by,” he said.
I closed the door and followed Sophie and the weird name dude into the living room. The scent of coconut swirled around me. This was the closest I’d been to her in a week. She looked incredible in a deep red dress that fit her to a T and a pair of silver stilettos. Her hair was down and each time she moved, a diamond earring shimmered through the strands.
Indicating the sofa, she said, “Marthers, make yourself at home.”
The guy was lowering himself on the sofa until my words stopped him midair.
I puffed out my chest. “Not there, Mart. That’s my spot.”
“Doug,” Sophie scolded.
“Twenty-four. Seven. Three-sixty-five. If you get my drift.” I winked.
“Doug, can I see you for a minute?”
“Sure, baby.”
I glared at the intruder, entering his personal space in a manly fashion. “Excuse me, Mart.”
“It’s Marthers actually.”
“You really should seriously consider rearranging the letters in that name, Mart.”
“Doug, a minute. Now.” Sophie turned on her heels and went to the kitchen.
Keeping my eye on this guy, I walked backward, pushing the swinging door open then disappearing behind it.
Sophie whirled around and stormed toward me, her violet eyes glowing with anger.
“Are you insane? Any second, I thought you were going to whip out your dick and piss a circle around me.” She noticed the Chinese food. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get us back to where we were. What are you doing?
“Going to a business event—” her voice rose a few decibels then quickly dropped—“with a colleague.”
“Are you fucking him?” The words broke through my clenched teeth.
Out the corner of my left eye, I saw a tightly balled fist headed straight for my jaw. Luckily, my catlike quickness kicked in. My hand flew up grabbing her wrist, thereby stopping the blow. A self-satisfied smirk was developing seconds before her left uppercut connected with my chin. I staggered back against the breakfast bar. Once I got my footing, I shook the haze from my head and rubbed my chin. Who knew such a small object could contain such a mighty and powerful blow.
“What I do and with whom I do it with is none of your business.” She snarled, jerking her arm from my grip.
Keeping my voice low, I said, “Bullshit! One of your rules was about getting it on with other people. I remember because I thought you were talking about a threesome.” I paused as a thought came to mind. “You didn’t have that guy come here for that, did you? Because in my world, I’m the only dick.”
“You’re the only dick in my world as well.”
I thought she had finally come to her senses until I realized what she meant.
“Obviously, we need to sort some things out. I’ll save you from any awkwardness with what’s-his-name and go get rid of him.”
I went to turn, but Sophie grabbed my arms.
“You’ll do no such thing.” She pulled me across the room away from the door. “I don’t get why you’re so bent out of shape over this. Neither of us has any claim on the other. Therefore this ridiculous He-Man display is uncalled for. What we had was nothing more than a convenient partnership. A way to pass the time. Let’s not pretend it was anything more.”
It was as if she’d balled up both fists and pummeled me in the gut.
“Had?” I said.
“What?”
“You said, what we had.”
Her eyes had gone cold. “Yeah. I think it’s best for both of us if we end it before things get complicated. Look at it this way, your efforts paid off. After a five year chase, you finally earned another notch on your bedpost.”
She pushed past me. Her heels clicking toward the door.
“You had on a purplish-blue shirt, a pair of tight dark jeans, and shoes that matched your eyes. You wore your hair down. It had been windy that day, so it was messy, but sexy, like you styled it that way.”
Sophie’s heel-clicking stopped.
“What?” Her voice was low.
“The first time I laid eyes on you at Hart’s basketball tournament. A little crinkle formed between your eyebrows as you tried to figure out where the hell Bryson had dragged you. I noticed you, not Bryson. I crossed the court because of you. It wasn’t until I got closer that I became aware of her. Believe me, I was perfectly content with our arrangement. I had no intention of developing feelings for you. But something happened. I got to see other sides of you. The loving, caring, and sweet sides. The funny and the sad sides. But my favorite was your vulnerable side because I knew you nev
er share that side with other people. I’m an idiot, trying to get us back to square one with Chinese food and a movie. We can’t go back, at least I can’t. I’m sorry, Soph. I didn’t mean to fall in love with you.”
The silence in the room was deafening as I waited for her to respond. I was clueless about what she would say or what I wanted her to say. This was all new territory for me and I was playing it by ear.
“I can’t do this right now,” she said and walked away.
I heard murmurs coming from the next room before the sound of the front door shutting echoed around me.
THE ENTIRE TIME at the event I was a zombie. I was able to pretend to care when someone engaged me in conversation. It was the in-between times that were the problem. Thank God Marthers picked up that my mind was elsewhere. He covered my ass several times in front of the company big-wigs.
I couldn’t shake the despondent look on Doug’s face after I said, “What we had…” That one little word deflated him. Part of me wanted to explain that no matter how much he was hurting in the moment, if we continued down the path of an actual relationship, I’d end up hurting him even more. Today was a preview of the future. But I had Marthers waiting and there was no point letting Doug in on my family secret.
So after a silent drive to an event, where his date acted, what could best be described as bizarre, Marthers was taking me home.
I stared out the car window at the streetlights zooming by, wondering which Doug I’d find when I got home. An angry hurt Doug or a nonchalant unaffected Doug. Marthers cleared his throat disrupting my thoughts.
“Can I ask you something?” he said, glancing between me and the road.
“Since I was a shitty date, I think I owe you at least one answered question.”
Crazy Sexy Love Page 19
