RIIIIING
RIIIIING
RIIIIING
Oh my god, Penny could only think as a cell phone went off on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the morning after she got black out drunk. All she could think of was what secrets did she uncover for the whole family to hear. She remembers somethings, such as her first job offer. She remembers the surprise guest, Dylan Romano. She knows that he is Danny's identical brother, but she feels like she has seen his face before.
She will have to take another look at him in the morning.
She also remembers telling Quentin how she feels about the job.
Ugh, she keeps her eyes screwed shut and flips over to the side, avoiding the phone call. She prays that Quentin wouldn't bring it up. If she can't say anything to her own therapist, then how is she suppose to spill her secrets to this random man that she happens to be married too.
She is started to warm up to him, trust him a little bit. However, physical trust and emotional trust are very different things.
"Hello, Quentin Romano speaking on behalf of Penelope Marshall, how can I help," a smooth deep voice replaces the shrill of her phone.
Wait a second, she shoots into a seated position with wide eyes. That was a mistake. The light creeping through the blinds burns her head, causing the headache she already had to multiple. The sudden movement tossed whatever was left in her stomach, a vile of vomit wanting to leave her mouth. She controls herself and her physical aliments.
Quentin heard the bed shuffle and looked over to his now-awake wife. "Just a second," he excuses himself from the phone call to address Penny. "Do you want to talk to them right now?" He ask softy and patiently.
She holds her hand out, ready to grab the phone, using the other to brush her red hair away from her face.
"Hello, this is Penelope Marshall speaking."
"Ms. Marshall this is Cathrine Langmen, the General Manager for Heartbreaker. The director was hoping for you to come in for a meet and greet, signing a contract, and general business."
"I'm sorry, Heartbreaker?" Penny was very confused. Based on the language used, she concluded that it had to be for the Off-Broadway musical she was just casted in. However, she still had brain fog from the amount of alcohol she consumed the night before.
"Yes, it is the name of the show you were casted in. Can you meet us at..." The woman on the other side of the phone spit out an address and time, which was today.
"I'm sorry, I am currently out of the city with family for Thanksgiving. Let me talk to my ride, can I call you back in about five minutes?" Penny is trying to keep herself together, but she is fighting very hard not to lay back in bed and fall asleep.
Quentin was on the other side of the room, sitting quietly at his desk listening to Penny. He feels a small twang in his heart and stomach. He was proud of her, proud that she landed such a sought-after role in theater, in New York City.
He saw Penny hang up the phone and flop back into the bed, taking the covers to hide her head. He walks over to the side and nudges a lump under the covers. The lump contracted and groaned. "What was the phone call about? I don't think you are going to call them back if you go back to sleep."
A little face peaks out of the covers, for fresh air and to respond to Quentin. "It was the general manager of the show wanting me to meet the director today, I didn't really pay attention to the time, but I don't know how long it will take us to get back to the city."
Once she was finished talking, she hides back into the sheets. It wasn't much longer until she fell asleep.
Quentin grabbed her phone from the side table and called the woman back.
"So can you make it," it was clear that she had a quick attitude and caller ID. "Hello, this is Quentin Romano, the first one you spoke with and her ride. What time do you want to meet with her?"
"The director was thinking two p.m. in" she rattles off an address that was familiar to Quentin. It was the theater house close to his building.
He looked at the time. It was around ten in the morning. If the left a little after breakfast times then they could make it in time. "I think that will work. I will make sure that Penny is there."
"Ok, have a good day Mr. Romano."
"Thanks, you-" She hung up.
He rushed downstairs to let his brother and Penny's manager know the details. He should be present when signing the contracts. He also wanted to make her a solid and hearty breakfast, especially after the amount she drank before.
He had one thing on his mind recently and it was her...Penelope Marshall. At first, when he met her he tried to fight it, but now it feel inevitable. In the past, his girlfriends had occupied his mind, making him lose focus and only focus on them. They felt almost toxic, poisoning his mind and making him lose sight of his responsibilities. However, to him, Penny felt like she was part of his responsibilities. She makes him want to be better. He is no longer distracted, because she was the only thing on his mind. He didn't care either. When he did his work, she would sneak into his mind. It gave a pleasing break. He would always work himself to death, even when it wasn't necessary. Penny is giving him the opportunity to care for himself through her.
And Quentin couldn't complain one bit.
Danny wasn't in the kitchen yet, probably still getting ready for the day. Quentin focused on breakfast, making a bagel and egg sandwich with avocado and also a banana. It didn't take long and no one was there to bother him. Well, family was in the kitchen, but everyone just minded there own business. That how it was like in the Romano family. Morning time was just another word for alone and quiet time.
He swiftly made the food, rushing around the kitchen to make sure everything is perfect. Back up the stairs, he ran into his brother.
"Hey," they both greet at the same time.
"What's up," they said in unison again. They gave each other a few glances, trying to communicated who would go first. It was decided that Quentin will speak first.
"The people from Penny's show called and want to meet up in the city at 2 pm, for general contract signing and such. I thought that you should be there instead of me."
"Yeah, sounds good. I'll just follow you back to the city. By the way, have you seen Dylan around here? His car isn't even here anymore. Do you think he left without saying goodbye," Danny trails off. His eyes are focused behind Quentin, almost still searching for his missing twin.
"I'm sorry, bro, I don't know," he replied, solemnly. He couldn't believe that his older brother would just take off without even saying goodbye. There was a sense of disappointment that radiated in the Romano household that morning.
Back in his bedroom, he shook Penny awake and made her sit up to eat her breakfast. She was slightly more together about a half hour later than she was earlier. She stayed quiet to concentrated on eating her breakfast. Quentin looked at his watch when she was almost finished, "So we have to leave in about an hour for the meeting in the city. Danny will follow us back."
She nods and slides her chair back. She grabs her overnight bag and walks to the shower, so she could get ready for her first meeting.
***
DR moved his car from the driveway, parking on an empty side street. The man that dropped off the drugs used on Birdie didn't just leave one gift. He also left a powerful gun and bullets in the truck of the car. After gathering the necessary confession, he staked out the Romano land for a good place to hide and shoot his target.
Not sister-in-law, not Penny, not his brother's wife...target.
She is no different from the cold hard murders he hunts. She is no different from the terrorist he has tortured in the past. She is an evil and twist soul that took another man's life.
He had a job to do. He had been hunting her for over a month, which four times longer than the usual time. He was going crazy for a while, but he found her. Soon, this job will be over and he will move on to his next.
He found a sturdy pine tree, littered with pine needles and long branches. He easily climbed to a safe and proper level. From this angle, he can safely rest his gun and shoot out into the garage. He will catch her packing the car and shoot.
Perfect he thinks.
At this point, he doesn't even care about being discreet. In the past, he always covered his tracks, either by making it look like a hit and run or by a gang member. However, joy and his family clouded his mind. He was too ecstatic to carefully plan his hit. He wanted to kill the target and get it over with. He doesn't care how it looks. But, he does care that the rest of his family doesn't get hurt. Faking a car crash, a hit and run, could hurt his little brother. He needs to make sure that everyone in his family is away from the target.
He can't let them be taught in the crossfires.
Her packing the car alone will be the perfect opportunity. He doesn't know what will happen after or who they will try to blame the murder on. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would pin the murder on Alberta Cotta. She does have relations to a powerful mafia.
He chuckles to himself underneath the moonlight. His warm breathe mixes with the chilled air, creating a familiar smokey affect. Everything was falling in place for him.
He always gets what he wants.
He wanted in the night and early morning for her to come outside. He actually left his post at six in the morning to find a gas station to eat and relieve himself. DR didn't think that the target would be awake after getting drunk the night before. It might not have seen like he was paying attention to her, but how could he not. She was the unfamiliar guest that he had met before. He heard her say how she didn't miss her father. To him, that was a strong indication that she murder her father.
Murders feel no remorse. DR knows from experience.
Close to noon, she finally emerges from the house with bags in hand.
He looks through his scope, finger resting gently on the trigger. He aligns the gun to shoot perfectly at his target. He couldn't hear her, but he could see her lips moving.
This was a much smaller window than he anticipated. He couldn't wait any longer. He look a deep breath in, calmed himself, and...
Quentin entered the scope.
With the breath he was going to use to shoot the target, he says, "Fuck!"