Vincenzo came out of the mansion and glanced at his sister and Tristan. He sighed at how fun loving they were. They were throwing snow balls at each other and laughing out loud. By the looks of it they had also made a snow man too in the time they had. Well they were in the hippie mood. He hated hippies. He believed the end of era for all these fun loving peace promoting hippies was coming. The 70s was going to be over in a few weeks. A new age of technology was starting in the 80s soon and he was hoping his sister left all her hippe ideals behind when she started college is September.
Vincezno walked silently towards them with his hands in his pocket wearing his long black coat. His men who were standing around the front yard stiffened. They feared him. He made an example of any of them who failed. That morning he had made a statement about cost of failure by making an example of one of the men. He felt their fear in the air all the time but now it was intensifying. That brought a menacing smile to his lips. These men had seen nothing yet. He was bound by the rules of his father now but that couldnt last forever.
As he was walking to his sister and Tristan, he sighed at the two lovers. They were in a different world.
Vienna asked Tristan "Can we take a picture with the snow man?"
Tristan smiled and then glanced at the approaching figure of Vincenzo and turned to Vienna "Sure, we can get Vincenzo to take the picture for us." He then turned to approaching figure of Vincenzo " Here he is. You dont mind taking a picture of us? Do you Vincenzo?"
Vienna turned around and saw Vincenzo. Her smiled vanished. As if Vincnezo was going to do anything for her.
Vincenzo wanted to say no. What was this snow party about? But then he saw the expression on Tristan's face. Tristan's look was not threatening and was not friendly either. He didnt say anything. Not that he needed to. Vincenzo knew that look full well. It said " She is my girl. Don't you forget it. Remember that, always." And of course Tristan had phrased his question in such a demanding way. He was telling him to take a picture. He was not really asking. He narrowed his eyes and silently walked closer to Tristan with his hands in his pockets. His stare didnt leave Tristan's.
They both held their own cards in their game of rivalry. Tristan took no prisoners in his demands.. No matter who he spoke to, he demanded what he wanted and he either got what he wanted or he was going to take revenge. He always delivered his threats and was precise at delivering justice but ... so was Vincnezo. Tristan was not the only one who delivered justice.... The two boys had so much in common. They understood each other. As long as Vincenzo didnt pressure Vienna into anything she didnt want to be part of in the crime business Tristan didnt object. And likewise. As long as Tristan didnt try to fasten the pace of his relationship with Vienna, then Vincenzo had no problem with Tristan.
As Vincenzo stood in front of Tristan he spoke in a hard tone "Why would I refuse? Its just a picture?
Vienna smiled "I will go get the camera. I will be back in one minute." She then turned around and ran to the mansion.
Vincenzo raised an eyebrow "So you are imptressing my sister by making a snowman? Is that the best you can do? Not so impressive."
Tristan stated " Impressing is not what I am after... Showing her a good time is what I want."
Vicnenzo nodded "Sure.... tell someone that who doesnt know you... You give her what she wants.... That is not going to her favour."
Tristan stated "And what do you think will go to her favour? What am I meant to do?"
Vincenzo spoke "Talk to her about her college course choices instead...."
Tristan spoke "She wants to study medicine like her mother... There is nothing wrong with that... She loves science."
Vincenzo spoke " She needs to study Law and Economics...."
Tristan stated " She is not interested..."
Vincenzo stated "Since when does that count? Since when does she have an option?"
Tristan spoke "Since she is my girl."
Vincenzo spoke "You cant let her throw her life away... She must enter business. She got the highest grades in her year for law and economics. She has the talent for leading a business. Why waste it on biology?"
Tristan stated "How is she throwing her life away by being a doctor... She wants to follow hetr mother.. Whats wrong with that?"
Vincenzo stated "Of course you would say that... Your own sister is going to study law ... You dont have the same concerns as I do..."
Tristan stated "Why would I have concerns... My father is happy with Clarisa's choices..And from what I have heard, your father does not mind Vienna's choice in college... So you shouldnt have any concerns unless you dont agree with your father's judgment..."
Vincenzo stated "My father agreed because my mother agreed...."
Tristan spoke quickly " She is coming... Lets not discuss that now. Your vision for Vienna does not match what she wants...I don't want her to hear about your criticism of her college choices right now... It's Christmas Vincenzo..."
Vincenzo muttered " Humbug.... As Scrooge says it well.. Don't talk to me about Christmas ..."
Just then Vienna got there and laughed at Vincenzo " Have you been reading A Christmas Carol today then?"
Vincenzo offered his hand to take the camera " Give it here..."
Vienna gave him the camera and walked to the snowman standing next to Tristan.
Vincenzo took a few pictures and stopped " Happy now?"
Vienna shook her head " I want you to be in the picture too. Can you give the camera to a guard and come in the picture?"
Vincenzo sighed " Not really..."
Tristan gave him a hard look. " Vienna he is waiting for Letizia to come to take a picture I guess... She is on her way... isn't she? You called her when I came to your office..."
Vincenzo spoke " I asked Viggo to pick her up on his way. He just was having a meal at a restaurant with Angelia..."
Vienna gasped " She went out for dinner... that's great improvement... is Angelia on her way too??"
Vincenzo chuckled " Viggo thinks Letizia will scare her off. But since it's hard to get Angelia out of her house, he will take his chances..."
Tristan turned serious " Tell your girl to not stab the waiters in front of her like last time we went out for a meal as s group. We all know what Angelia went through. She is sensitive to blood ... She had to identify all dead members of her family who were massacred at a party. She was the only one who could as she was the only Andovini. You can't let Letizia be so insensitive... There was also no need for her to stab people if she didn't like the food..,"
Vincenzo stated " I spoke to Letizia about toning it down in front of Angelia because whether I like it or not,... Angelia is my brother's girl and my father agrees with it. I don't ... But that don't matter... I also have suggested to Viggo to send her to a mental health asylum for a couple of months if she is out of control. If Angelia can't handle blood then she would have a very tough time living with Viggo and being shielded. At some point she has to get over her fears.... "
Tristan sighed " Angelia doesn't need mental asylum. Anyone else would have been disturbed by how Letizia just stabbed the guy and twisted the knife in his tights. It was lucky Vienna didn't get upset. If Vienna was affected I would have not let it lie... so you see the seriousness of Letizia's attitude ..."
Vincenzo gave a look to Vienna " My sister is not afraid of blood. She wants to do medicine... Doesn't she? I think Angelia must learn to overcome her fears just like how Letizia is working on her fear of dogs..."
Tristan nodded " Sure.. Your girl just uses dogs to torture people. She uses dogs as a weapon. Well Angelia can't overcome her trauma by torturing people exactly... Can she? You can't compare Letizia and Angelia."
Vincenzo shrugged " Why not? She will learn."
Just then Vienna who had been silently hearing the usual topic discussion between her boyfriend and her brother just looked away and saw a car "Viggo is here..." She then ran to the car to greet Angelia. She hadn't seen her in a while.
As the car stopped, Letizia got off the car and gave Vienna a nod " Hi."
Vienna smiled and hugged her " Hi."
Letizia held Vienna tightly and then looked into the distance at Tristan who was looking at them in silence and with a passive expression. She wasn't sure what went on in his mind. Was he jealous of even girls hugging Vienna, she wondered. It was not so hard to imagine. Who could blame him. Everyone liked Vienna. She was the perfect all American girl at their school after years and years. She was always prom queen and her beauty had over the years caused so much boys to get beaten up for liking at her for too long. Only newbies made that mistake. The rest of the boys just watched her from windows and talked about her all the time. When Tristan found out they paid for it but it never stopped. The boys loved her too.
Letizia broke apart and stood aside watching Vienna's next move with interest. It was interest to see what she did with the air of perfection around her. Viggo helped Angelia get off the car and Vienna hugged Angelia tightly.
Letizia didn't blame the boys for being obsessed with her. She was beautiful. Her pale flawless skin, her beautiful eyes and her perfectly straight golden hair made anyone stare at her. She looked like her mother a lot. Rumour had it her mother had caused a war with the Voltolinis because ambrogio wanted her before he married Portia Agistini.
Vienna smiled at Angelia as she pulled away " You came just on time. We wanted to take a picture with the snowman Tristan and I built and will be going for some Christmas shopping and dinner. Is that ok?"
Angelia smiled for the first time in a long time and Letizia sighed at how it made Viggo's expression to change to an excited one. As he took her hand and lead her to the snowman, he mounted Vienna a thank you with a smile. Vienna had the magic touch with anything and anyone.
Letizia went to stand next to Vincenzo who kissed her hair and whispered " Hello beautiful."
Letizia smiled. She leaned closer to him. Vincenzo had his secrets but he had made her trust him with her life. He still didn't trust her enough to tell her how he had met Cristina and how they had become best friends and remained best friends... But she was willing to overlook that for now.
As a guard took a picture, Vienna took the camera away and stated " I will put this back.... Angelia do you want to come? I want to show you our decorations for Christmas."
Viggo held his breath and braced himself for a "no.
Angelia nodded " Sure."
Viggo breathed out in relief as he watched Angelia walk away with Vienna. Christmas miracles happened. Or rather Vienna made miracles happen with her soft gentle approach unlike Letizia's violent and crude ways that sucked the life he tried to breath into Angelia, right out of his girl with her remarks about death and injuring people on front of Angelia.
Tristan asked " How is she today?"
Viggo stated " Like always. Hardly any improvement. Maybe a little change. Even if she gets better it doesn't matter. I want her to be back to her old self. Her calm state is so easily revertible."
Letizia spoke " Well. She needs to toughen up like the rest of us."
Tristan spoke " If you can refrain from violence on front of her, it would help. She had had a mental break down last time because of you."
Letizia looked at Tristan with her hand in her heart " I only submitted a customer service enquiry like I usually do."
Vincenzo spoke " Tristan, cut it out , she knows to tone it down with Angelia. I spoke to her beforehand... " Vincenzo then wrapped his arm around her and turned to Letizia "Next time submit the enquiry to the restaurant manager directly ... in his office in private and not in public... Alright my spitfire?" He then kissed her cheek.