Lancelot knew and had to be damn near tied down by his dad to keep him from finding his way here, and my brother isn’t much better. I had a hard time convincing the two of them that I had it under control and there was no need for them to be here. Gabe had turned off his phone because I guess he knew that those two, at least, would’ve bombarded him with calls to come home.
“Really? She’s okay? That’s amazing; you have to tell Gabe; maybe that would encourage him to come home.”
“No, haven’t you figured it out yet? He sent her away to keep her safe. There’s no guarantee that he'd come back now since he was the one to send her away in the first place.”
“So how are we going to get him back home? And where is she?”
“She’s safe. I’ll let you know more when the time is right; for now, not a word to anyone about this, not even Sheila.”
“Okay, I’m about to burst, though.”
“I know, I hear you. How’s everything there? Your papa is, okay?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t he be? He has Sheila wrapped around his finger, and the two of them have been sneaking out to go to the pub. I don’t know what I’m going to do about the two of them. And she’s taken to teaching him some of the foulest language known to man, words I won’t ever dare say.” I bet Sheila’s language can get pretty colorful in English and Italian, thanks to Pop.
“Leave them alone; they’re good for each other. You know Sheila is always happiest when she has someone to nurture. Be good, and I’ll bring you back a nice surprise.” She squealed like the young girl I met and married, a sound I still find adorably cute. We stayed on the phone long into the night like lovesick teenagers until we both fell asleep on the phone.
GABRIEL
Everyone had commented on Antonio’s appearance during the little gathering at the palazzo. There were murmurs and whispers, with some claiming it was the last down swerve in business that had made the other man physically ill, while others whispered that it must have to do with the rumors. Whichever side they were on, they all agreed that the guy looked bad, like he was at death’s door.
Once it was safe to retire to my room in the palazzo and lock the door, I pulled out my unregistered device and pulled up Antonio’s home. I’d replaced the wine bottle camera with one that would not easily be found, not even with the best equipment, and had placed this one in a much better place. Knowing how ill he was becoming, I figured his bed would be the only place he’d be comfortable, and so that’s where I’d placed it.
If anyone should get lucky enough to find it, they’d just think that the tapes in their closet had been recorded with the little camera, which could in no way not lead back to me. He’d thrown up on himself, and Teresa was griping at him for making a mess. His body was in the final throes of impending death brought on by the poison he’d been subjected to for the past six months or so and the final push I’d given him today.
I watched him fight for his last breaths with regret, regret that I had not had the opportunity to tell him in person, as I had with Felice, exactly why he’d ended up this way. Still, this was better than nothing. As soon as Teresa left the room, I reached over for the burner phone and my little recorder that had already been prepped.
He fumbled the phone from his pocket and answered on the third ring, and I hit play. His eyes widened, and he started looking around the room as if afraid. I removed the recorder and spoke to him for the first time. “This is Gabriel, Sofia’s son. You don’t have long to live. In the next few minutes, you will lose the ability to speak, your limbs will atrophy, and your airwave will be blocked.”
“I thought it only fair that you should know why you’re about to die a horrible death. By the way, it was your wife who poisoned you. Every time you had sex in the last six months, you were becoming infected. I’m sure you’ve noticed your penis starting to rot. Burn in hell, you bastard!” That proved to be too much, and I watched emotionlessly as he fought and lost the battle for his last breath. As Teresa started screaming upon reentering the room to find him keeled over, I hung up the phone.
GIANNA
“You, okay?”
“What happened to Gabriel?” Isn’t it weird? I could’ve sworn not ten seconds ago that I hated him with a fiery passion. Well. Not fiery exactly, but I have spent many a moment strongly disliking him.