The Eternal Moment

by DEMETRIO VERBARO

  CHAPTER 8

  67th. Avenue on the Upper East Side was a quiet street, just outside the chaos of downtown Manhattan, with two rows of trees that served as guard to elegant and modern buildings.

  Sidney climbed the stairs of the house number 45, took a deep breath and rang the bell.

  He heard in the distance a gentle female voice:

  «Love, I'm going to open the door. » Then the same voice raised the volume:

  «Just a moment, please! »

  Jessica opened the door and stood stunned, as if hypnotized. Soon after, she let out a shout of joy and dived into Sidney’s arms.

  «Oh my God I can’t believe it. What a surprise! How nice to see you again, it's been so long. Let me take a look. » She took both of his hands pulled them and pushed him backwards. « Look at you, you're charming. »

  Sidney adjusted the collar of his black silk shirt and stared at Jessica enraptured: «You look good too. »

  Despite wearing athletic pants and a simple t-shirt with straps and despite the fact that her hair was tied back in a ponytail and in her face there was no trace of any make up base, or eye shadow or lipstick, her friend still radiated charm and grace. She was a beautiful woman even with only soap and water. She was mature, sensitive and self-confident.

  Jessica could not contain her enthusiasm. She was like a child on Christmas morning:

  « Giuseppe hurry up. Come and see who's here. »

  Giuseppe had just awakened not long ago. He was in jeans, bare-chested.

  «What's going on? » He asked, rubbing his numb eyelids.

  When he saw his friend, he was speechless.

  Sidney pulled him towards him, holding him in a bear hug: As soon as he saw his friend, was speechless.

  Sidney pulled him toward him, holding him in a big hug, « I missed you so much old friend! »

  "You too."

  «C’mon in, I'll show you the house. » Jessica took him by the hand, but the man drew it back as if he had been struck by an electric shock.

  They looked into each other’s eyes, his heart had vibrated like a violin string caressed by Paganini.

  He swallowed. «You stung me with the ring» he said trying to sound convincing.

  The woman turned the engagement ring in his ring finger. «I'm sorry."

  Sidney's voice oozed pain. «Giuseppe has a nice taste, it is a great ring. When is the wedding? »

  "In autumn."

  They crossed the ample living room, there were few furniture pieces but with good taste, a bookcase, a walnut desk topped with a slate-colored lamp. On the wall, there were hanging framed photos of the two of them. In the corners there were vases filled with yellow orchids. Everywhere there were candles that released delicate perfumes.

  Jessica opened a white door. «This is the guest bedroom. The bed is a square and a half. You'll be comfortable. The closet is large, the environment is luminous ... »

  The woman kept talking, but Sidney was not even listening. He just nodded, while his thoughts wandered: «God, how beautiful you are. I would give my life to kiss you. If somebody told me that your lips are poisoned and die by even brushing them, I would kiss you all the same. »

  Giuseppe shouted from the kitchen: «The coffee is ready, I also warmed some croissants. »

  «I would like to freshen up before! Where's the bathroom? » Sidney asked her friend.

  The woman pointed to the door. «I'll wait for you in the kitchen. »

  "But this is a palace" Sidney thought as he washed his hands in the large bathroom consisting of glass walls, elegant faucets and a huge spa bath.

  After a few minutes he reached his friends in the kitchen and in a low voice he asked:

  «What the hell do you do? Do you deal drugs or something? This house seems to be the suite of a five star hotel. »

  «At first, we lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn. It was a dumpster, the living room window closed by itself, the tap water was of an indeterminate color, and the walls were made of tissue paper. The time it took to set aside a few dollars and we moved here. »

  «I liked our apartment in Brooklyn. It was our first love nest» Jessica said as she kissed her fiancé.

  Another shock pierced Sidney, his heart bled like stuck by a fiery dart

  . He tried to act indifferent. He opened a croissant and filled it with jam.

  Giuseppe hurried to drink some coffee and said dismissively: «I'm going to get ready, otherwise I'll be late» and ran into the bedroom.

  «How's your job going at Ralph Lauren? Your parents are excited» Sidney asked the woman.

  «I have an important role. I’m head of the department that does business with Milan. »

  « Are you happy? »

  The woman completely stopped swinging her coffee in the cup and looked up. Her eyes had a disarming clarity. «Yes, I think so. But you, are you happy? »

  Sidney thought for a moment and then replied in one breath:

  «I survive! »

  The lace in Jessica’s shirt slipped down the shoulder leaving the tattoo of a horse in display.

  Sidney said in oracular tone: «I see you've covered my S tattooing Lady Oscar over it»

  The woman immediately placed back the lace. A tear ran down her snow-white face.

  Sidney quickly changed topic. «How is Giuseppe's career going? »

  The woman brushed off a strand of hair from her face with the back of his hand. «It's one of the most esteemed professors at New York University. »

  «You're very proud of him, right? »

  «Of course. His latest research regarding the psychological dependence on social networks is having a huge success. He has received a lot of money from sponsors. He has lectured in Los Angeles, Las Veg ... »

  "Do you love him?"

  Jessica got up. The man stopped her by the wrist. « Do you love him? »

  The woman broke free. She looked at him with fierce eyes and responded with hot vivacity:

  «Yes, I love him. » Her voice went quiet. «Now, I'm sorry, but I need to get ready too. »

  Sidney went by the window and stared on that fantastic maze of lights, asphalt, people and cars that was New York. He stayed like that for several minutes, lost in thought, looking at the profile of the skyscrapers that loomed in the distance and the people hurrying to the street.

  He wondered why so much trouble, what were they looking for: love? Fun? Success? Or just a hot Hot Dog with mustard?

  «So what do you think? »

  Sidney turned and spat on the floor coffee that he was sipping.

  In front of him, there was Giuseppe wearing a dark green tweed jacket with patched khaki elbows, a checked shirt closed at the neck by a red bow tie, and rough woolen pants.

  «Sorry buddy, I'm sorry» Sidney said, starting to laugh. He stopped trying to contain himself, but the laughter burst out of him like lava from Mount Etna and echoed through the house.

  «Sorry, I cannot stop, it's just ... it's just that you're so ridiculous! What the heck are you wearing? »

  Giuseppe, frowning, said:

  «I paid two hundred dollars for this jacket and, besides, spoke mister elegance, when you were a boy you wore socks of different color »

  Sidney pulled up the hem of the pants. «If that's why, it still happens. »

  When Giuseppe saw a brown sock and one black one, he lost all inhibitions and laughed until there were tears in his eyes.

  The two friends embraced with strength, their sincere laughter was unstoppable, like when they used to meet, as teenagers, at the wall and talked about everything and nothing

  Jessica arrived and saw Giuseppe laughing and joking like he hadn’t in so long. She looked at his slender chin that protracted, his brown eyes that flared up when he spoke, his round face, his prominent jaw, his forehead large and a thought touched her heart:

  «Yes. I love him. »

  CHAPTER 9

  Nicoletta turned off the television, took a shower, put on her pajamas and checked in
the bathroom mirror for any black spots on her face. She found several, tore down two pieces of toilet paper and started pinching his face. "I really need a facial cleansing» and in the same train of thought "and maybe even a pedicure and manicure."

  She rummaged in the drawer and took two boxes of medicines, filled half a glass of tap water and took everything to the bedroom.

  She laid under the covers. She swallowed two pills of Xanax and one of Pentothal.

  Anxiolytics were her only friends.

  As soon as a negative thought touched her head, she took some pills. "My life sucks. To hell with it. I’ll take a Xanax."

  "I am a brilliant reporter who washes stairs for a living! Fuck! I’ll take another Xanax."

  She was going through a difficult period, an age when dreams are lowered to hope, when the youth has gone, but old age has yet to arrive.

  She was about to fall asleep, when Sidney entered the bedroom.

  «Mom, but are you already in bed? It's six o'clock in the afternoon. »

  «None of your business. »

  «As you wish, I’m going out. I’ll take the scooter. I have to go to ... »

  The woman's head was clouded, and her thoughts confused.

  "To your bitch’s! Go wherever you want and come back whenever you want. "

  Sidney approached her. Her voice was soft but his tone was sharp. «Why if you hate me so much, you brought me to Italy with you? Why didn’t you leave me with Dad? »

  Nicoletta rolled her eyes and let out an evil laugh.

  «Your father, your father, your father ... what a silly boy you are, your father ... » she took another pill of Xanax and collapsed into a deep sleep.

  Sidney rolled up the blanket and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He could not hate her. His beautiful childhood memories were seared in his mind: his mother used to sleep with him in his bed because he was afraid of monsters, she used to kiss him after coming back from school, on Sundays they used to bake a cake together, but then something broke inside her. Something bad had happened, something that his frail mother had failed to deal with.

  Sidney went to get Jessica. He had invited her to a restaurant to celebrate their two and a half anniversary.

  Riccardo in a good-natured tone warned him:

  «Bring me my princess by midnight, one o'clock at the latest. »

  Jessica got on the scooter and put on the helmet. Cristina came up, hugged her and told them with a tender voice:

  «Have fun, I love you. »

  Sidney was driving slowly and very carefully, as he always did when there was a passenger behind him. Cristina’s words bounced on his head, "I love you." It had been so long since the last time that her mother had said those words that he had to make an effort to remember them. He had never realized how much he missed the sweetness contained in those three words. He lowered his visor and wept silent tears.

  They arrived to Scilla’s beach almost at sunset.

  The sunrays were scattered over the sea, creating a blaze of lights, except one ray, who, rebellious, went to hit the castle on the headland, coloring it with fire.

  The tip of Sicily seemed the tongue of a huge dinosaur drinking from the sea.

  They took off their shoes and, hand in hand, they began to walk on the fine sand first and then on the shore.

  They did not notice the time passing, or the moon that had replaced the sun, the eyes of one were just for the other's eyes.

  Jessica suggested inspired:

  «Let’s not go to the restaurant, I'm not hungry. Let’s stay here, it is such a beautiful place, and then everybody has left, the sea and the beach are here only for us. »

  Sidney kissed her tenderly on the tip of the lips, then turned right and left and confident because the place was empty, he stripped and dived into the dark sea wearing only his boxers.

  Jessica laughed amused. «You're crazy. »

  Sidney with a decided gesture of his hands splashed water on her. «Dive, it's so warm. »

  The girl did not need to be told twice, with an elegant movement she pulled off the turquoise silk dress.

  The boy did not have time to admire the triangle-shaped bra or the black lace panties with a pink bow, because Jessica quickly plunged down into the sea.

  They kissed for a long time, first tender, then sensual. The water could not hinder the contact of their bodies. They sought each other. They hungered for each other. They wished for each other fervently.

  The girl came out of the water and laid down on the shore, next to a small boat chipped by the saltiness. Under the flickering light of the moon and the fine white sand that covered her legs, she could be mistaken for a mermaid.

  In Sidney’s eyes, Jessica had never been so beautiful: her wet hair smelling like a rose drenched with dew; from them, drops of water descended, which shining, plied the soft skin of her face, illuminating her purple cheeks. Each look of her blue eyes was a cupid arrow hurled at the heart of her boyfriend, already overwhelmed with love for her.

  The boy approached her and hugged her, feeling the warmth of her body, of her sweaty and flushed face.

  Jessica realized that that night she would have made love for the first time and began to tremble, excited. It wasn’t like she had always imagined. She had always imagined that she would have done it in the mountains, in a room full of scented candles, in front of a lit fireplace, with background music. Then she considered it for a moment and realized that it was the most romantic like this. The reality had exceeded the imagination. The sea was caressing her skin, the music of the waves dying on the shore, the starry sky as the ceiling and her blue prince, Sidney, the only love of her life. She wondered how many people had the good fortune of losing their virginity to their first love, and she felt happy, ready.

  Sidney nibbled at her candid chin, and then he ran his tongue down her neck to the girl’s breasts, still immature, feeling the salty taste of her skin.

  Jessica gasped.

  They removed their underwear, the girl clung her thighs around his waist, the boy in a gentle voice asked:

  «Are you sure? Are you ready? We are only seventeen. We can wait if you want. »

  Jessica closed her eyes slowly and then she sank into his arms, naked, defenseless.

  «I'm ready, I love you» she answered, simply.

  Sidney entered inside her, gently, patiently.

  A stifled moan came from Jessica's throat.

  The rhythm of the movement accelerated. The naked bodies, full with furious passion, rolled on the cool sand, which tickled and excited them even more.

  Their hearts beat strong, imbued with new sensations, so mysterious and powerful to overwhelm their mind and their senses.

  The pleasure, which had become as intense as to be almost unbearable, exploded with all its power.

  Shouts and gasps filled the silence of the night.

  The two teenagers separated, completely exhausted, staying lying on the ground with their bellies up, hand in hand to stare at the beauty of the heavenly vault.

  Sidney breathed heavily. He tried to catch his breath. «I love you too» he managed to say.

  When he returned home he found his mother in the kitchen, with a half-empty glass of vodka in hand. That night she felt already old, in the autumn of his life, counting the days that escape away.

  Sidney took the glass and put it in the sink. «Haven’t you had enough of this stuff? »

  Nicoletta clung to the neck of the bottle and took a big gulp, and then she shouted:

  «What the fuck do you want? Who do you think you are? I hate you. You're a bastard like your father. You and that asshole have ruined my life and my career. »

  «I'm going to bed. You should too. »

  «And do not tell me again what I have to do. Not because you are fucking that little whore you have the right to ... »

  Sidney turned with his eyes blazing, and told his mother with cold lucidity:

  «Call my girlfriend a whore once again and I swear I'll kill you
. »

  Nicoletta, laughing hysterically, told him:

  «Honey, you think you love her, but she will only make you suffer. It is better that you find out now, love is just a pile of shit. »

  CHAPTER 10

  The alarm clock rang. Giuseppe reluctantly opened his eyes, put his hand on the right side but found it empty. Jessica, in fact, was already up. She was brushing her hair sitting in front of the dresser mirror, in a black bra and a blue thong.

  «How long have you been awake? »

  «Half hour. I don’t want to be late today. We have the preparations for the charity event tomorrow. »

  Giuseppe leaned back in bed with a satisfied expression. He considered it a great privilege to observe Jessica as she got ready trying to make herself more beautiful than she already was.

  He remained dazed looking at her while the woman put on her makeup.

  Jessica’s face got a dark semblance with a dark foundation securing it with powder. She colored her cheeks with earth- colored blush. She lit up her eyes with a blue eye shadow, then she applied a satin lipstick, starting with cupid’s arch and spreading it slowly over the entire mouth, finally adding a bit of brilliance with a shiny gloss.

  "There is nothing more erotic and sensual than watching a woman as she puts lipstick" thought Giuseppe.

  She opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of tights, slowly slipped in them and adjusted the elastic of the waist with small jumps.

  Giuseppe overwhelmed with excitement, in a moment was behind his girlfriend, filling her neck with kisses.

  Jessica dodged him with a gentle wave of her hand. «Stop teasing me, I just told you I'm in a hurry. » Then he slipped a loungette skirt and an embroidered tulle mesh.

  The man felt his heart sink. «You are beautiful. »

  The woman laughed and spun her head around, hugging him exuberantly. «Thanks for the compliment, but it won’t work at all. I have to run. »

  Soon after Jessica left, Giuseppe went into his friend’s room.

  Since Sidney was still sleeping comfortably curled up under the duvet, his friend pulled the cover, shouting:

  «Wake up sleepyhead. »

  Sidney shielded his eyes with his hands to protect them from the sunlight, stretched his limbs and stood up in a second. He felt in great shape in those days. His eyes sparkled with vitality and his whole body exuded energy and health. «Give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go out. »