by J. G. Sumner
“About three and a half months. I was going to suggest we move in together, but when I showed up at your motel, some British guy was there. I didn’t want to intrude. I came back a few days later and was told you left. I figured you came back here for that bitch who was carrying your child.”
How in God’s name does she know all of this, and why can’t I remember? What is going on? “Can you please untie me? I need to stand up and think about all of this. I don’t remember any of these things. I’m just so confused.”
“Uh-uh. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you go back to her. She screwed up your entire life. If it weren’t for that little princess, we’d be married and living happily in Italy where we both belong. This isn’t your home.” Emilia’s arms are crossed and she means business.
“I didn’t say I wanted to go back to anything. I just want a chance to process everything without being restrained in one position. Most importantly, I want to see my son with my own eyes and make sure he’s safe.” I’m a master at playing Emilia’s games. I did it for many years just to appease her so I didn’t have to listen to her constant complaining. For a while, I honestly thought that’s how relationships were meant to be. That’s until I met Kate. She’s never really had any qualms about who I am.
Emilia pauses. Without saying a word, she turns her back to me and exits the room. I’m left in quiet that’s alarmingly eerie, as though I were in solitary confinement. There’s not even a creaking of the floors. I’m alone with my thoughts and struggle to get through the fog only to end up in a dead end. I try to turn around and search through another door, but I come up empty handed. It’s as though my memory has been completely erased. I punch the ground below me in frustration and beg for a glimpse into the past.
Moments later, Emilia walks in with AJ in her arms. I’m immediately on alert and the need to hold him is equivalent to having a drop of water after wandering through the Sahara Desert for days. I attempt to reach out and hold him, but the ropes prevent any contact. “Please, can I just touch him?”
Emilia continues to look down at AJ while she speaks. “Who would’ve known your father would’ve become such a doting and loving daddy? That’s very lucky for us, isn’t it?”
“Please, you can’t do this. He needs his parents.” I’m not one for groveling, but in this case, it’s needed. I’ll do whatever it takes to get him out of the arms of this sea witch.
She continues to smile and coo at my son. “He seems to be doing just fine with me. We’ve been bonding. I’ve even let him suckle on my breasts. I’m sure milk will come in in no time, you know, with me being pregnant and all.”
I resist the urge to vomit right here on this dirty orange shag carpet. “What is it that you think is going to happen here?”
Emilia smiles and kisses AJ’s forehead. “We’re going to raise our children together and live the life we were destined before you decided to try and run away from me. It’s simple really. Besides, you couldn’t possibly want that other woman back after she ran away with your cousin. Who would want to share?”
Emilia is definitely off her rocker. More so than my angry cousin ever was. I’m not sure what to do, but I need to find a way out of this mess. “How did you get me here?” Again, my memory is drawing a complete blank.
She chuckles a bit while giving herself a mental pat on the back. “I was in the Starbucks when you entered. It was obvious you didn’t see me or I’m sure you would’ve stopped to say hello. When you were waiting for your espresso, you sat down, leaned your head against the wall, and passed out. I can’t imagine how tired you must’ve been to do that.” Emilia pauses but the grin on her face hasn’t disappeared.
“I do have to say, I’m a genius. This couldn’t have happened any better if I tried.” I picked up the espresso and brought it to the table where you were sleeping. I may have slipped something into it. Anyway, I couldn’t let you just sleep there with this cute little baby strapped to your chest, so I gave you a little nudge.
By the time you opened your eyes, I was across the room watching and waiting for you to drink the coffee. It didn’t take long before you got up to leave. I couldn’t just let you walk around aimlessly with the drug in your system, so I followed and guided you back here. You went willing and were even happy about being tied up. What can I say? You love being with me.”
Did I just fucking hear that right? She drugged me into following her somewhere and somehow in that sick and twisted mind of hers she thinks I enjoy this? What the fuck? When did she turn into such a goddamned lunatic? “You’re batshit crazy! I don’t want anything to do with you. I have a fiancée at home who I’m deeply in love with. There’s no room for you or your antics. Now let me out of the ropes and give me back my son. Enough with this shit!”
“Please stop cursing in front of our boy. He doesn’t need to hear that kind of language.” Emilia attempts to cover the little guy’s ears.
“There is no ours. He’s mine and you will take your hands off of him right this second or I’ll have you arrested for kidnapping!” My blood is beginning to boil and heat is radiating off my face the madder I get.
Emilia turns her back and once again heads out of the room.
“Where are you going? Bring him back here!” I’m alone again and I can only imagine what she’s doing to my child. “Do you hear me? He’s not yours. Bring him the fuck back right this minute!” I slam my fists on the ground once more and kick the bed behind me. I’m acting like a petulant child, but right now, I don’t have any other alternatives.
“How dare you talk that way in front of him! You will not call me names, curse, or suggest that I’m a bad mother while he’s around. Do you understand?” Emilia’s arms are crossed and fury burns in her eyes.
“How many times do I have to tell you he’s not yours? He has a mother who loves him very much, and a sis…and is missing him.”
“Wait, did you just say he has a sister? How did I miss this? I never saw you with any girls.” Emilia squats down to my level. “Where is she?”
The last thing I need is for psycho mom to find out about Abby. I need to watch my tongue better. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You said AJ has a sister. Now that I’m thinking about it, you did mention you had twins the other day. Where is the other one?”
“No, you misheard me. I was going to say he has a sick grandpa, but why would you care about that? So, I stopped mid-sentence.” Even to me the excuse sounds pathetic as it rolls off my tongue.
Emilia leans in closer and plants her lips on mine. I attempt to pull away, but she holds my head still and forces her tongue into my mouth. I use what little movement I have and use the momentum to pull us apart.
“You will remember how good it was between us. You better get used to it because this is our life. We will be going back to Italy next week and getting married. I don’t want another child of ours born out of wedlock.” Emilia gets up from her knees. Her long wavy brown hair falls down her back and she turns to exit the room one final time before leaving me here in darkness, and wondering what the hell is going on.
Chapter Seventeen
Kate
I want to pace, but don’t have the energy. I want to scream, but what good would that do? Tony took off with AJ, and now there’s no trace of either of them. Why did he come back? Was it just to get the son to carry on the Bertalucci name? Is he trying to find yet another sick and twisted way to torture me? Doesn’t he think I’ve gone through enough? Now, he’s gone and done this. What I wouldn’t give for all the tragedies in my life to go away, and just start new and fresh.
Sometimes I wish I’d never met Massimo “Tony” Bertalucci. Yes, the breakup with Mike was horrible, but I would’ve recovered. Who knows, I may have met someone else who would’ve treated me like a princess without me having to be kidnapped twice. It would be a dream come true, except despite everything, I love Tony. He’s my lifeline. When he’s here, I feel more alive and energized than ev
er before. The connection we have is like nothing else. I’m learning very quickly that a connection isn’t everything. I can’t be selfish and think about what makes Kate tick. Instead, I need to focus on my babies. One’s sick in the hospital, and the other is God knows where with a man I don’t even know anymore.
I sit at the edge of my couch staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows. I watch the people below walking along the streets, and I hope more than anything, one of those people will be Tony bringing my son back to me.
I have the sudden urge to light up a cigarette even though I’ve never smoked. I just need something to do. Sitting around waiting for news that may never come is driving me insane. I was already halfway there with the depression. Now, this. How much more can I take before finally crumbling in a million little pieces? Is this some sick joke to see what will finally send me over the edge?
A knock on the door pulls me away from my self-destructive thoughts, but not from the view of the passersby below. It’s Jasper. I don’t have to look to know. He has a very specific knock that I’ve come to love and rely on. Jasper has been a godsend, and my backbone. If it wasn’t for him, who knows where I’d be right now. He’s the only voice of reason in my life. Everyone else hates Tony and have biased opinions.
“Come in.”
The door creaks as Jasper opens it. He shuts it quietly, and the soft footing of his steps on the hardwood is the only sound I hear.
“Well?” My heart has suddenly begun racing and performing somersaults in my chest. I silently pray for some good news.
“There’s no trace of him. The last time I could find any signal, he was at the Starbucks down the street.”
I’m not sure I heard Jasper correctly, so I turn my head to meet his gaze. Jasper is sullen. His eyes are sunken, and he smells as though he smoked a pack of cigarettes before he got here. I swear to God, Tony is going to send Jasper and me to an early death the way we’ve been worrying about him for the past few months.
“Did you say the Starbucks?”
Jasper nods and shifts his glance to the floor. “You know, he’s refused to go back there since you were taken. I can’t imagine why he would start now.”
It’s my turn to nod. I stare back out the window. I too know that Tony hasn’t been able to go back in our most-frequented coffee bar. After all, I was getting Tony coffee there when Matteo nabbed me for the second time. I think in some way, Tony thinks it was his fault I was kidnapped.
“He loves you, Kate. He wouldn’t just disappear again without good reason.”
I want to believe him, but the more that happens, I have a harder time believing it.
“He won’t let anything happen to AJ. Everything is going to be okay.” Jasper moves a couple paces forward and rests a hand on my shoulder.
I feel like an empty shell. There are no more tears left to shed, no feelings left to hurt, and no heart left to break. This is the pathetic person I’ve become. “You should go now.”
“Kate, you can’t just sit here by yourself. Why don’t I take you to the hospital to be with Abby?”
I shake my head. “I just want to be alone.” I think that was God’s plan all along. I was supposed to be a lonely old hag living by myself with fifteen cats. Love and happiness aren’t part of my destiny.
Before I can wallow in any more of my self-pity, Jasper scoops me up in his arms and carries me out of my apartment. I don’t bother to fight. There’s no point. Jasper is much stronger than I, and it would be futile.
“Where are you taking me?” The sound of my voice is dull and emotionless. It shocks even me.
“Where I should’ve a long time ago.”
Jasper drags me into the black town car waiting by the curb. I’ve become familiar with this vehicle over the past few days. It’s the one Tony got to take me to and from the hospital. It goes against all my beliefs of using public transportation, but lately, it’s been a godsend.
Jasper pats the driver on the shoulder and he takes off just as Jasper shuts the door. I haven’t met this driver yet, but I’m certainly not in the mood now to make acquaintances.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea that we leave. What if Tony comes back, or someone calls to update us on his whereabouts?” I can’t use the word disappearance. In my heart, I don’t want to believe Tony and our son have become victims of yet another kidnapping.
“We both have cell phones. Besides, you need to get out of that apartment. It’s bringing you down.” Jasper squeezes my leg as I turn to stare out the window.
One time, that apartment was my lifeline. It represented a new me—someone who broke out of their shell. Tony and I had so many happy memories there, including the night we celebrated our engagement. Now, it seems foreign. Even with Tony redecorating the kids’ room, it doesn’t feel like home anymore. Perhaps when this is all over, I’ll need to consider finding something out of the city. Something that’s a little more quiet and private.
A warm feeling settles inside at the thought of raising my two children in a cozy cottage where they can run around free of any cares or concerns. It almost brings a smile to my face…almost.
The car stops. I break from my daydream to notice we’re stopped across from the Empire State Building. I glance over at Jasper searching for answers.
“Don’t worry, doll. It’ll be fine.” Jasper takes my hand and assists me out of the car.
As we head to the magnificent building that took only one year and forty-five days to build, we bypass all the people standing in line and head to the front. Jasper produces his identification and takes the security man aside. I can’t imagine what identification Jasper has that allows him to move to the front of the line, but the man is known for pulling off some amazing tricks.
A few seconds later, the security guard is waving us onto the elevator—alone. There’s not a single person on it with us.
“What’s going on? How did you make this happen?” I wave my arm to indicate the space in the elevator.
“You’re going to have to wait and see. Let’s just say, there’s a lot of things that money can buy. Your fiancé now owns a portion of this building.” Jasper produces a sly smile.
Are you freaking kidding me? When did Tony go off and buy a building, let alone the Empire State Building?
The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open on the one-hundred and second floor; the highest of the two observatories. We step out and are immediately met with wind in our faces. Unfortunately, being in the middle of April, it’s a bit chilly.
Jasper puts an arm around me and pulls me close as I cinch up the Burberry jacket that barely fits around my midsection.
On a clear day, one can see up to eighty miles surrounding the building. Jasper guides me to the side in which the Freedom Tower becomes completely visible. I look past the wrought-iron bars, and the only thing I can focus on is the observation floor Tony took me to the day he proposed. For a moment, I’m lost in space and time. There are no cares or worries. Only the brief moment in time where I thought all my dreams were going to come true.
“Kate…Kate…” I hear the words, but I’m unable to look away from the world I left behind almost a year ago.
Jasper cups my face in his hands and breaks my trance. “I need you to look at something.” Jasper pulls away and points at a bronze-plated plaque attached to the wall below the wrought-iron.
I get closer and kneel down to read it.
“This is where my life began the moment I found my soulmate. May our love show no boundaries, and our future have limitless possibilities. If ever we’re lost, this is where we can be found.”
Chills make their way up my spine, and tears well up in the eyes I thought were as dry as a desert. Images flash through my mind of the day Tony found me here almost a year ago on April sixteenth. The kiss left me weak in the knees and left sparks in the air. In that moment, the world ceased to exist around us. We were in a bubble.
I glance up at Jasper waiting for him to say something, but I al
ready know this plaque was put here by Tony. I don’t really need to know anything more. I stand up and notice for the first time the two security people keeping the crowds away from this particular section of the observatory.
“He had this placed here when you went missing. Tony came up here hoping to find you like he had before. He wanted this to be your magical spot forever.” Jasper pauses and peers out at the skyline. “I have to say, when Tony does something, he does it big.”
For a brief moment, I catch a glimpse of vulnerability and concern for his friend. Before I have a chance to say anything, Jasper has composed himself. “He loves you to the depths of his soul. Don’t ever forget that.”
I glance back down at the plaque, place a kiss on my two fingers, and place them on the metallic piece symbolizing our love.
A chuckle escapes from my chest as I stand back up. “Is this what you mean by Tony owning a portion of the building?”
That sly smile is back, and Jasper winks at me.
Jasper puts an arm around my shoulder as the security guards escort us back down the elevator. I take this opportunity to think about the road Tony and I have traveled. There have been a tremendous amount of potholes. Some of them have been huge and unforgiving. More often than not, it has been bumpy. During the short stents of smooth freshly paved road, life has been amazing. The question is, is there enough good to outweigh the bad? I’m just not sure. I do know that this one act of love, faith, and determination on Tony’s part, is a reminder of the man I know and fell in love with.
Chapter Eighteen
Tony
“Emilia! Emilia! I’ve got to take a fucking piss!” The room is still dark. I heard AJ cry not too long ago, but he was quickly soothed. I hope that crazy bitch isn’t drugging my kid also. “Emilia! Il tuo culo qui!” I yell for her to get her ass in here.
