Chapter 14
Months went by and I was starting to feel like myself. I put extensions in my hair to get my length back. I was hanging out with my friends again. I was taking on less and less assignments and was looking for an actual job. I was driving my jeep, on my way to my last assignment, enjoying the holiday lights. My phone rang and I answered the call from the steering wheel, assuming it was my aunt and the bluetooth picked up,
“Theía, eímai sto drómo gia tin anáthesi tóra.”
*“Aunt Sohie, I’m headed to the drop now.”*
“Hera?”
Emiliano’s voice echoed out of the speakers in my jeep and the air sucked out of my lungs. The thunder cracked in my ears and I could feel the waves begin to overwhelm me. I switched lanes so I could pull my jeep over when I said,
“What do you want now?”
I pulled into a grocery store under the shade of a tree and took my phone off the bluetooth so the whole parking lot couldn’t hear our conversation over the speakers.
“You thought you could change your number and I wouldn’t find you?”
Asked an angry Emiliano. I wasn’t going to admit the new number came with the new phone I had to replace the last time we spoke and said,
“Took you long enough.”
After what seemed like an eternal silence, I snapped,
“What do you want, Emiliano?!”
“Anka’s gone!”
I annoyedly shake my head in anger and ask,
“Again??”
“The Spaniards took her, Hera!”
I was over this. *She* wasn’t my responsibility.
“Say something!”
Emiliano growled at me. I just shrugged my shoulders and said,
“You made your choice, Emiliano. I don’t know why you’re calling me. Have a nice life!”
I started to move the phone away from my ear to hang up when I heard Emiliano say,
“Please come to Italy, Hera. Please. I need you. I don’t know what the Spaniards are up to or what they’re going to do to Anka.”
Everytime he said her name, my blood turned to fire in my veins. I hope they kill her.
“I don’t know how I can help you get *your wife* back, Emiliano.”
I could hear Emiliano groan. What did he expect? I knew the longer I sat here on the phone with him the meaner I would get.
“Listen, Emiliano, I have to go now, ok? I’m late for something. Don’t ever call me again.”
I hung up the phone and looked into the clear sky. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. After I calmed the monsoon inside me, I started my Jeep up again and got back on the road to finish my assignment.
The next morning I was working out when the phone rang. The caller ID said Private Caller and I rolled my eyes and answered,
“Fuck off, Emiliano!”
And hung up the phone. The phone immediately rang again and I answered,
“I already told you, Emili-”
“Hera, it’s Mario.”
I stopped running on my treadmill and started walking in circles around the room,
“Mario? I’m sorry I thought you were-”
“About Emiliano, Hera, I wouldn’t ask. I know how things ended between you two, and for that I am sorry. But now Hera, I’m scared if you’re not here. Emiliano is vicious and angry, he’s not heeding any of his counsel. I know you can calm him.”
“Just like you *knew* I could make him forget about *Anka*?!”
Mario fell silent for a moment before nearly whispering,
“Please consider it, Hera. I can’t watch Emiliano damage this family’s reputation, and I know Ambrosio counts on our allegiance to keep the peace.”
I clenched my teeth. Is he really threatening me with mafia drama right now? I took a deep breath then answered,
“Fine, Mario I will come down there, but only for a couple of days. Regardless if *Anka* doesn’t return.”
“It is done. I’m sending the jet to you now. We will be ready for your arrival tomorrow.”
Mario hung up the phone. I looked around my exercise room for a moment before deciding I’d better go pack.
The next morning I was on the plane at 5:00 in the morning and that’s when I realized Mario had sent the jet before he even convinced me to go. The 15 hour flight put me in Sicily at 8:00 in the evening. During the long flight I slept, watched some funny movies, ate, and slept some more. I wanted to be well rested when I landed in Sicily, who knew what awaited me there and I wanted to be ready for anything. An hour before we landed I changed into beige, high waisted, elastic trousers with a flare at the bottom with a white long sleeved crop top, and my brand new pair of crystal Louboutin heels. I pulled my long, platinum hair up into a messy bun, and refreshed my makeup.
When I landed in Sicily, the air was a little crisp, the moon illuminating the island. Mario was at the tarmac and opened the door to a black SUV for me when I got off the plane. We drove silently through the streets of Sicily, up the hill to the estate atop the mountain.
When we arrived, the driver hopped out to let us out, then Mario took my arm in his as he walked me into the house. He led me through the front door, through the corridor, and into a room to the left. It was an office with an impressive display of books amassed in the floor to ceiling bookcases. There was a fireplace with a warm fire blazing to the right and a big mahogany desk in the middle of the room. The chair to the desk was turned away, towards the window. Mario spoke,
“Don Emiliano, ho qualcosa per te.”
*“Don Emiliano, I have something for you.”*
It was silent for a moment before Emiliano spoke quietly,
“Non sono interessato.”
*“I’m not interested.”*
Emiliano’s somber response made my heart feel sick. Mario grabbed my hand and squeezed it, signalling to me to say something. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I was just starting to hush the storm *he* causes, yet here I was again. Mario nudged me and I looked towards the back of the chair and choked out,
“Emiliano.”
The chair swung around and Emiliano looked at me stunned. His eyes were red and the skin around them was swollen. Emiliano stood up and walked up to me and stared at me for a few seconds before he grabbed me and hugged me tight. I wanted to push him off of me. I wanted to wake him from his dream and remind him that I am not *her*. But I became intoxicated by his smell and the warmth of his muscular body; Emiliano completely disarmed me. He released me from the squeeze, but held both of my hands in his, he looked me in the eyes and said,
“I’m so glad you’re here, Hera.”
I felt a shiver down my spine, Emiliano’s embrace was genuinely for me. Mario’s voice nearly snapped me out of my trance,
“Don Emiliano, dinner is ready.”
Emiliano nodded to him without taking his eyes off of me and Mario left the room, closing the door behind him. Emiliano said,
“I thought you weren’t coming.”
I looked him up and down. Emiliano was a mess. His grey button up shirt had more unbuttoned buttons than usual, and wasn’t tucked into his black slacks as nicely. His hair wasn’t neatly slicked back, but in his face, and his normal five’oclock shadow was blooming into a full beard. I motioned my head towards the door and said,
“Come on, Emiliano. Let’s go eat.”