“What good news?”
“Julio and Lissa decided to come back early. I thought you knew, I figured that’s why you called.”
“I didn’t know, but that’s great news.” Joan meant what she said - she wanted to press Julio for news about Antonio. The sooner they returned, the better.
“When are they leaving the islands?”
“Oh, they already left. In fact, I expect they’ll be showing up at your place sometime tonight.”
After hanging up with Abby Joan hurried to notify the rest of the household of Julio and Lissa’s imminent arrival. Mamacita was back from Barcelona and she supervised as a feast was prepared with Joan’s help.
When all the food preparation was completed, Joan helped Susan bathe the boys and put them down for a nap before retiring to her room to try and relax before sprucing herself up.
Her stomach was a rumble of butterflies, her thoughts never quite letting go of the fear she had that something bad might have happened to Antonio. Another thought, one that she tried not to face, made her stomach twist into a painful knot.
What if Antonio had just run? Run away from his problems, away from her? What if he never intended to come back for her?
She was so tense that the idea of a drink flashed in her mind again. She thought of the wine cellar and wondered if the wine was any good.
“No!” She told herself.
It was Antonio. Every time she got caught up in her passions for him bad things happened.
She’d make sure that he was alive, hopefully after talking to Julio later that night ask him away from Lissa, and then, she’d make plans to leave Europe. She’d join her mother in New York and find whatever kind of job she could. Hopefully something that would keep her too busy to think about Antonio in some career that wouldn’t put her back with the kind of people who dealt with their emotions and feelings by masking them with drugs and alcohol.
Maybe she’d go back to school? She could study design or architecture.
With that thought keeping lifting her spirits Joan tried not to think about how hard it would be to leave the triplets, or how long it might be before she had the courage to return to Europe to visit them.
Shouts of glee from downstairs and the honking of horns alerted Joan that the honeymooners were finally home.
There was a great celebration in the house and Joan put on her best happy face, greeting Julio and Lissa as they returned to Spain as a married couple.
Lissa rushed to the playroom to see her three boys and Joan’s heart swelled as she saw how happy the boys were to see their parents.
Hunter, Ryland, and Marco looked so adorable, freshly bathed and in their matching outfits.
Miss Susan had the video camera running the whole time.
They eventually settled the boys back into the playpen near the kitchen and everyone gathered around the table to enjoy the lamb stew with hot oven bread and a cold bean salad.
Julio and Lissa talked excitedly about the honeymoon in between asking for stories about every new thing any of the triplets had done while they were away.
Miss Susan, who wanted to be called Susy by the adults, joined them at the table and was like one of the family. Joan had been getting along well with her, but she hadn’t shared anything of a personal nature with her so it surprised her when Suzy asked Julio her next question.
“Mr. Torres? I read in the newspapers that Antonio Ferraro was staying here, and that that man who got killed on your property was coming after him and not the Viscount. Is that true? The reason I ask is because I’m a huge soccer fan and all of my friends are super worried about him. Do you know if that was him? Do you know him? Do you know where he is?”
Everyone grew silent, and Joan saw Lissa slide her eyes to her new husband, apprehension in her gaze. Joan held her breath, fearing the worst. Maybe, something bad had happened to Antonio.
She twisted the napkin on her lap, afraid to look at Julio for fear his expression might reveal a truth she couldn’t bear to know. “Well, Susy,” Julio said, his tone was so pleasant that Joan allowed herself to glance at him. He was smiling broadly as he dabbed a napkin at the corner of his mouth. Joan noticed for the first time that he’d begun to grow a mustache. “In fact, I know exactly where he is because he was with us. That’s the reason we came home early, because Antonio wanted to come back.”
“He’s okay?” Susy blurted.
“You brought him back?” Joan said, as she gripped the side of the table to steady herself and looked first at Julio and then Lissa.
Lissa looked away, but Julio nodded to the two surprised fans of Antonio Ferraro.
“He heard about the public’s concerns and he didn’t want people to worry about him anymore. He’s holding a press conference about it here tomorrow, but Susy, I must warn you - we don’t want anyone to know until I make the announcement for the press conference.”
“Of course, I won’t say a word, I promise. I’m just glad he’s not dead or something.”
Joan wasn’t satisfied. She put down her napkin, pushed back her chair and got up.
“If Antonio is here I want to see him, right now. Where is he?”
Lissa jumped up. “Joan, wait, stop...”
But Joan was already leaving the room to go find him herself.
Of all the mean tricks to play. To make her worry, and be hanging out with Julio and Lissa the whole time. She didn’t want to speak to her sister. She could have at least told her....
“Joan, wait,” Lissa shouted. “He’s got too many problems. You shouldn’t get caught up in his life. He’s not worth it.”
Joan stopped. She didn’t understand anything. How could it change so much? Before, Antonio had abandoned her - or so she’d believed – because of her troubles with addiction. Now he was the one facing an addiction crisis. Just because he was gambling and it had almost gotten him killed, that didn’t make it any different than what she’d faced and conquered... or could conquer if she just stuck with her program.
She just wanted to see him, to hold him, to feel his living, breathing body in her arms one more time.
“I can’t just walk away, Lissa.”
She burst into tears and Lissa covered her in a hug.
“Oh, Joan,” Lissa said, as she wrapped her arms around her. “You don’t understand. He’s come back to turn himself in. Once he does, he’ll be ruined. Don’t you understand? I tried to tell Julio not to bring him here. I tried to tell him that you’d get over him if you went back to New York and had a little time.”
“He’s here? Here in this house?”
“Well, not exactly.”
“He’s back in the guest house?”
“Yes, but wait. Joan. Wait! He might go to jail for what he did.”
“I don’t care. I love him.” Joan started towards the back door to the foot path that would take her to Antonio.
“JOAN WAIT!” Lissa shouted.
Joan whirled. “I told you, I’m not going to abandon him. This could be his last night of freedom.”
“I know,” Lissa said, giving in. “I was just going to tell you that it would be faster to take the electric cart. It’s out front.”
Joan smiled at her sister and, picking up the skirts of the traditional Spanish house dress she’d worn for the occasion, hurried to the cart.
Her heart thumped with excitement as she sped toward the guest house, even as her mind told her that she needed to be cautious. There was a possibility that he didn’t want to see her. As she came out of the vineyards and pulled up on the road to the guest house near the vacant winery, her heart thumped when she saw lights in his room. She parked the cart and stumbled to the door, then took a moment to put herself together before knocking on the door.
She saw shadows move on the curtains, then heard the door open.
Antonio stood there. His face was drawn and sad, but his injuries had mostly healed.
“Joan,” he said, in a voice that was flat and held no emotion.
&
nbsp; She’d expected him to pull her in for a swoon-worthy kiss. But instead, he stepped forward and hugged her hard. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that a sob might have escaped his body.
He stepped back.
Joan wanted him. She moved towards him and tried to kiss him as she tugged at his clothes trying to undress him.
She didn’t care if he was a criminal. Whatever he’d done she would stand by him. She wanted him. She needed him. But, he didn’t respond.
“I can’t. I have people coming over, they’ll be here any minute.”
Joan panicked. Had he decided to turn himself in ahead of schedule? “No, Antonio, I won’t let you turn yourself in tonight, not before I have a chance to be with you one more time.”
The ghost of a smile crossed Antonio’s face, “What are you talking about?”
Joan wiped away tears with the back of her hand and sniffed. “What are you talking about?”