Chapter-52

I twist and turn hoping to find just enough comfort for me to fall back asleep. But it only brings me more out of my slumber. Sighing I give up on my sleep and open my eyes.

Everything is a blurry for a fleeting second but soon I focus my eyes and see the wooden ceiling.

I turn my head sideways seeing the open door leading to the lush forest.

I sit up and carefully observe my ambience.

The smoke still arising from the almost burnt wood, the water seeping from the ceiling and the droplets falling from the windows. The birds sitting on the windows animately turning their heads.

A smile adorns my face as I reminisce about the last night. The way he kissed me and touched my body. His soft caresses which I yearned for.

I look around but don't see him in the hut. I stand up to look for him but a stinging pain makes me wince.

Ironically the pain is brutual but the cause of it sweet. I smile like a fool as I try to get up.

It's just then when I notice that I am wearing lorenzo's shirt. It reaches down till my thighs covering me properly.

With much difficulty I stand on my feet. Should have realised last night that Lorenzo's strokes are going to paralyze my legs.

I feel my legs shaking but take small small steps towards the door.

It takes me time but I reach the door.

I feel my energy draining as I take door's support to stand.

"Kuhu"

I hear lorenzo's voice and see him sitting on the steps leading up to the hut.

He immediately comes by my side to assist me. He grabs my shoulders and stabilizes me.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

He asks concerned.

"You happened."

I reply and look into his eyes with mischief.

"What?"

He questions confused.

"Oh! Don't tell me you had a short term memory loss and forgot last night."

I say melodramaticly while covering my mouth with my hand.

"No I didn't."

He smiles finally understanding what I am saying.

I giggle.

And in an instant he picks me up. Taking me along with him in his arms, he goes and sits on the steps again this time with me on his lap.

I gaze into his eyes which are intently looking at me. He leans down and pecks my forehead. I close my eyes feeling the touch of his lips.

At the loss of his lips I open my eyes and look up at him.

He smiles at me.

Even though he is smiling but I feel that there is something off. He just don't have that glow he usually does.

I view him cynicaly and asks

"What is it?"

He meets my gaze and asks

"What?"

"What is bothering you?"

I question

He looks taken back but then grins.

"You really know me that well?"

He sighs and leans into me. His arms tightening around me as he cuddles me.

For a moment it is utter silence that surrounds us but then he speaks

"I saw you walking like that and I fear that I might have hurt you. I am sorry if I was too much last night, it's just that I couldn't control myself."

He says as he brushes my hair soothingly.

I cup his face in my hands slowly leaning in. I gently place a kiss on his lips as I say

"Everything about last night was perfect."

"Everything."

I say breathily against his lips.

He puts his lips on mine again. The kiss slow and gentle.

His soft lips against mine feel like heaven as I kiss him back.

We both finally break the kiss with our eyes closed and breathing still.

He puts his chin on my head and I tilt my face further back into his neck.

The sound of  birds chirping, the slow rustling of leaves, his scent, the clear skies and the trees of different shades of green, all feels like heaven.

"Sing a song."

He says to me.

Tum ho paas mere

You are near me

Saath mere ho tum yoon

You are with me in such a way

Jitna mehsoos karoon tumko

As much as I feel you

Utna hi paa bhi loon

That much I attain you as well

Tum ho mere liye

You are for me

Mere liye ho tum yoon

You are for me in such a way

Khud ko main haar gaya

I've lost myself

Tumko, tumko main jeeta hoon

And I've won you

Kahin se, kahin ko bhi

From one place to another place

Aao bewajah chalein

Let's go without any reason

Pooche bina kisi se hum mile

Let's meet without asking anyone

Bandishein na rahi

There are no more barriers

Koi baaki ... tum ho

Remaining now ... you're there

Tum ho paas mere

You are near me

Saath mere ho tum yoon

You are with me in such a way

Jitna mehsoos karoon tumko

As much as I feel you

Utna hi paa bhi loon

That much I attain you as well

Kis tarah cheenega

How will this world snatch you

Mujh se yeh jahaan tumhe

Away from me

Tum bhi ho main

You and me are together

Kya fikar ab hum mein

Now we have nothing to worry

Tum ho mere liye

You are for me

Mere liye ho tum yoon

You are for me in such a way

Khud ko main haar gaya

I've lost myself

Tumko, tumko main jeeta hoon

And I've won you

It feels as if everything in the forest have stilled. Only my voice is reverberating in every corner rest all noises are gone.

"You are angelic."

Lorenzo says as I feel his lips on back of my ear.

"You remind me of my mother."

He tells me after a pause.

"She used to sing me lullabies when I was little."

He tells me and I realise I never saw or met his mother.

"How come I never saw your mother?"

I question.

"She is dead."

He replies.

I turn my head to look up at him.

"I am so sorry, Lorenzo. I didn't realise..

He smiles and cuts me off.

"Don't be. I am sure she is in a better place now."

He reassures me.

He places his hand on my cheek and says

"My mother, Isabella."

"The most beautiful woman, ofcourse you are really beautiful too my love."

He immediately adds sacred that I will get angry.

I laugh at his cuteness and pinch his cheeks. Making sure that I am not miffed he continues.

"She would cook me the most delicious meals. I still remember her standing in the kitchen making pasta, while she humms. She would make me sit on the shelf. I would totally be in awe of her as she would would roll out dough and we will sing fa la nana Bambino (a lullaby)

on my request."

"She sounds lovely."

I say as I feel myself picturing little Lorenzo with his mother.

"She was but alas she was never happy. I am glad that she is up there, atleast there she will be happy.

She used to put a brave face on for me but her marriage with my father was a total sham."

"It was a marriage of convenience my grandfather forced on my father. He used to love someone else. But when met with the ultimatum to choose between mafisio capo's position or the love of his life."

"He choose mafisio."

"Then like the coward he was he went on to blame my mother for ruining his life when he himself took the decision.

He despised her. My mother, she was just too pure for him. She spend all her life trying to win his heart as she  believed that she indeed destroyed his life."

"After a year of their marriage I was born. A child born out of a failure of marriage only for the purpose of continuing the legacy of THE ACCARDO'S."

"My father never loved me. If anything I was a reminder to him of the wedding he despised with his heart."

"I hate him."

I intervene as the hatred for his father grows in my heart.

He chuckles hearing my response.

"Me too sweetheart."

~~~~~

"I was a weak boy. I was always sacred of everything. My mum doted on me a lot. She used to treat me like a little procleian doll, always making sure I was never hurt.

And I loved her pampering. But my father saw this as a hindrance in me being the future head.

I was 5 and still very much gentle and kind exactly opposite of what my father wanted."

"So he declared me useless and decided to have another child. Mum got pregnant with luca. I loved that time as my father sent both me and my mum to live separately in Sicily away from the familial mansion."

"Those were the best times of my life. But what I didn't know at that time was the seclusion I was cherishing would become the cause of a life long scar."

"I still remember the date, 9 June. It was a gloomy day, the clouds were up in the sky rumbling. Mum was heavily pregnant. She could barely walk. I was playing in our room when I heard her yell. I ran to the kitchen. She was on floor in a pool of blood."

~~~~~

I grab his hand as my heart clenches hearing him.

~~~~~

"That was the first time I saw blood. I started crying and went to her.

I still recall calling her.

She said to me in a weak voice.

Call for her help.

Those were her last words to me."

"I called my father again and again but noone answered.

Then I ran out of my house to call for help. After half an hour I somehow managed to bring some people back home. An ambulance was called and she was admitted."

"It was half past 12 when my father walked into my room with a baby in his hands."

"It was luca."

"He handed over the baby to me and told me that my mother was no more.

He walked out.

I wanted to cry but then one look at luca and I knew I had to stop my cries or else he will wake up."

~~~~~

A tear drop falls from my eyes followed by many others it feels as if someone has punched my heart.

"How could he be so cold?"

I question but Lorenzo just gloomy smiles.

~~~~~

"After a month of my mother's death he got married again. This time to the love if his life."

"Bianca Ferragamo."

"Pitch Black hair and grey lifeless eyes. She was the embodiment of pure evil.

I don't know what my father saw in her. Even as a child I was wary of her."

"When she got married she bought Angleo along with her. He was born out of her first marriage. He was 3 years older than me."

"Angleo was always distant and quiet. A gloomy child lurking in the corners. I never paid attention to either of them. I was too busy soaking in the loss of my mother and handling luca.

She also didn't try to reach out to me. I was invisible to her."

"A few months went by. I was still taking care of luca. I had a brief interaction with Angleo but that's all. And as for Bianca she just pretended that I don't exist. She was busy hoisting parties every sunday and drinking liquor."

"I knew that she was a bad person but the extent of her evilness was still not known to me.

One night when I was passing by her room I heard the cries of a boy. I peeked into the room out of curiosity and what I saw was something I could never forget."

"Angleo was lying naked on the floor while that evil wretch was hitting him with a wooden stick. He was curled up like a ball, crying and she was hurling swears at him.

She pulled him up and ask him to lie on the bed. She started disrobing herself.

As she got rid of her clothes, I saw her looking at me with those dead grey eyes."

"I ran."

~~~~~

"Are you alright? You don't have to tell me and relive it."

I ask concernd.

But he still looks composed as he says

"It's fine my love. I have lived it and survived it can't hurt me anymore."

I nod in acknowledgement as he continues.

~~~~~

"That was the day I knew I was doomed too. It was just a matter of time, she had to eventually come for me.

I tried to avoid it. I used to never be in the same room as her."

"But one day I heard the cries of Angleo. Even though my brain advised me not to get involved but my heart couldn't just see him living like this.

He was crying holding his bleeding finger, which I am sure was her doing."

"I got my meds and a donut.

I went to him. We both didn't say a word. I gave him the donut to eat while I tended his wounds."

"A bond was established that day."

"It became our thing. Whenever he was hurt I would go to him with a donut and meds."

"But this was short lived as one day bianca barged in and caught me.

Soon her assault shifted on me too. She never molested me because she feared I would tell my father because what she didn't know was the broken bond between me and my father."

"That didn't stop her from hitting me.

She would physically assault me and then molest Angleo.

It used to hurt like bitch but I was happy because she finally stopped hitting angleo."

"The bond between me and angleo became more strong."

"One night she was furious as she had  fought with my father. She hit me first but then he started mercilessly hitting Angleo. He was crying and begging but that bitch was relentless."

"I saw the look in Angleo's eyes, he looked at me with hope.He was screaming my name for help. I didn't know what came in me but as soon as I heard him scream my name something just happened."

"I saw a knife lying on the table near by. I grabbed it and while she was busy hitting Angleo I with my full force pulnged the knife on her back. She grimaced and fell. I took the knife out and started plunging it in her chest while yelling"

"You are hurting him."

"I don't remember what happened exactly but someone pulled me off of her and rest all is hazy. A day later I came to know that she was dead. I didn't feel an ounce of pity for that bitch."

"That day changed me. It was first time ever that I killed someone."

"My father got more distant. The despise that he had for me turned into hatred as I was the one who destroyed his life yet again. But what was different now was that it didn't bother me this time, instead I welcomed his hate."

"Angleo thanked me and saw me as his saviour. He and I became best friends. He was the only genuine connection I had back then."

"I stayed there for 3 more years then I was sent for my mafisio capo training. When I was gone Angleo took my position of taking care of luca."

~~~~~

I hug him as I weep.

"I hate everyone who let this happen to you."

He hugs me back and says

"There there my love. Don't cry. It's over and it made me what I am today."

"How can you say that? Everything that happened was not okay. It was horrible and I wish for that bitch to rot in hell."

I say as I face him.

He wipes my tears.

"I wish that insects feed on her flesh and that she is fried in hot oil. I want her to get tied by harsh ropes and get her skin pulled."

I curse.

He laughs hearing me.

"You are adorable, sweetheart."

He kisses the tip of my nose.

"Will you take this seriously? I am not joking."

I say angrily.

"Neither I am, my sweetheart. She got what she deserved. And the reason I am telling you all this because I confessed my love to you last night."

He stares deep into my eyes and says

"You kuhu are the love of my life. I don't want to hide anything from you. Not my past, neither my present. No matter how dark or uncomfortable my past is I want you to know it."

He says and kisses my hands.

My mouth drys as a bitter taste sits on my tongue hearing his words. He is telling me everything while I am...

"I forgot to tell you that when you were asleep I tried to call Angleo and the line got connected. I told him about what happened and they would be here anytime to get us."

I nod hearing him.

"What happened? Why are you still dazed?"

He asks me.

"Is there something you want to say?"

I look at me and see him looking at me with a weird expression it is as if he knows everything I have not told him.

I gulp and reply

"Nothing."

I see his eyes narrowing for a second it feels as if he is testing me. But that fleeting expression is gone in a instant.

He smiles and says

'Well I don't like this gloomy version of you. So smile and let's enjoy the few moments we have left."

I smile hesitantly as both look ahead at the forest.

A few minutes pass by with us both lost in our deep thoughts.

I silence of the forest is broken by the sound of engine and soon a car comes into view followed by many.

"They are here."

Lorenzo says as he picks me up in his arms and gets up.

Angelo gets out of the car pacing towards us.

"Lorenzo put me down everyone is watching."

"Let them watch then."

He says taking me along with him.

He doesn't say much to Angleo besides acknowledging his presence. He moves towards the car with me in his arms.

We both sit in the car to finally go back.