Chapter 27
“Yes” lie. “But you will have to call him direct, as it was made in his pe
personal calendar
and mos
not with his p
PAT
“Oh.” She frowns and glances to her fellow worker. “That’s not how “Tell him Violet Coleman is here to see him,” I cut her off.
“Call him,” 1 snap. I begin to feel my pals as adrenaline surges through me. Tell him Violet Coleman is here to see him,” I repeat
es glances with the girl sitting next to her. “Okay” she picks up the phone and dials a mumber:[]
She exchanges
As I wait. I bite my bottom lip so hard that I think I taste blood
“Yes, hello, Mr. Ferrara. This is Violet from reception.” She listens for a moment. “I have a Violet Coleman here, she says she has an appointment to see you today.” Her eyes flick up to me as the listens ||
I hold my breath as I listen
“Yes, sir.” she node. “Thank you.” she puts the phone down.
Istare at her as I wait
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ferrara is booked out back–to–back today. He can’t see you. He sends his apologies.”
oh
The ground moves beneath me as ing every fear comes to fruition.
My nostrils flare as I try to hold it together. “He said that?“]]
She nods, and it’s obvious that she knows this visit was of a personal nature. “Let me look through his calendar and I’ll try to find you another appointment.” She brings up the computer and glaners over to her co–worker. Umum, unfortunately, he doesn’t have an opening until August. She winces as if she cares. Tim sorry”
1 nod and step back from the desk. I’ve never been so humilised in my life.||
ry as he’s going to be.]
Not as sorry as
“Thanks.” For nothing
I tum, and with my heart breaking In my chest, Lmarch toward the front doors, the staged tears building like a tidal wave.
And now I know, that’s it. It’s really over forever, he doesn’t want to see me.]]
There goes my happy ending
I push through the glass doors and into the cold New York air. My heart is hurting
Did that really just happen?!
Oh my god, oh my god
oh my fucking PVÍ.
I lock up
and down the suret, I need to get out of here. A barrage of familiar feelings comes flooding back and I suddenly remember why I chose to leave
- get as far away from this man as quickly as I can.
1 match out to the street and put my arm up for a cal, one instantly pulls up and 1 dive into the back seat ||
The driver takes one look at my fare. “Are you okay, musar“]
longer, and I screw up my face in tears, the lump in my throat as I try to hold it together. “Not really
vipe my eyes in a dram
No matter what the conditions, this baby will never be enough for
Imagine growing up knowing that your own father hates you ||
1 screw up my
y face in tears[]
He will always
The car weaves in and out of the New York traffic and I put my hand over my stomach and make a wow ||
I faded to protect myself from him, but I will always protect you ||
I cry as I take my diamond bracelet off. I will never put this back out again. It’s playsically hard in tabe off læecause I can see tuninggle mig
This was my most prized possession and now he’s moned it forever]]
This is the last pain he will ever case ||
He will never get the chance to hurt my baby like he has me ||
That’s it, I’m done
Gabriel
“And you’ll see on page fourteen of the puposal
ΠΕ • proposal.” 1 point to the graphs ois the whiteboard with a pri ||
The fifteen people aining around the board table all flick to page fautern ||
“As you can see, the trend is emerging as
The intercom buzzes. “Mr. Ferrara]
Dexhale heavily. “Yes,” I smap, annoyed, why is she interrupting me?
“Yes, hello Mr. Ferrara.
Mr. Ferrara. This is Vindet from reception.”
“Yes, Violet, what is 117“]
I have a Violet Coleman herr, she says she has an appointment to see you inday, “|
What?
“Ahhh…” I look around the room as thirty eyes watch me, “1 see…“ troom. I take the lid off the p
pen in my hand as I think.||
Shat
I can’t stop this mareting midway through, people have flown in internationally to attend. I’ve got people with me all day and then a function straight from work tonight with my family:]
to back today, Violet, can you reschedule her to come back? Tomorrow, perhaps?” “Yes, sir,” she repâtes []
“I’m booked bark to hat
*send my apologies.”
“Thank you
scratch my lead in frustration,
un mar, I try to bring my mind back to the meeting
use as I try to collect my thoughts,” truds.” She’s here[]
bh and carry on with the meeting as I try my hardest to keep a straight face
The rand dinner table is filled with family members. Its my brother Alesale’s barthday ||
The talde chatters on in Italian as my mind wanders off on a tangent
I’ve been with a lot of women, many most, actually, don’t speak Italian and it’s never mattered before because I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Their ancestry
ihdn’t matter in me ||
But if I were ever to want something more with a woman who didn’t, how would that look?
Tonight, for exampår |
silting there, not understanding anything the
anyone is saying, would I have in translate or would she just refuse to come at a
mean, sure, anyone can learn Halsan, but that desact change who you are at the core
My future dreains depend on having a family that’s filled with generational traditions, trips to Italy with my siblings and their children and the cousins growing up together and playing the games that we itid as children
A closeness and familiarity!]
I envision my life in an American household and how different it would be from the one I have always known and wanted for myseir]
that life, 1 ki
I know for certain that my wife and children would always be on the outside. They would never truly
by be accepted by their extended family
Tream girl or dream life]
drs eithver or, it can’t be both.||
பா
One Life is Italian with my family, the other is with Violet
I couldn’t bear it if they rejected her and they would
Isip my scotch and slosh it around my mouth before swallowing, the thought is depressing |
Alessan leans in close so that only I can hear him “Let’s go to Atticus]
This place is boring as fuck, and I need some ass.”
rm heading home.”
He screws up his face. “Why?“]
“Because I want to.”
“What the hell is wrong with you lately?“.
“Just because I’m not fucking every woman with a pulse does not mean there is something wrong with me.”
“You’re getting soft,” he mutters dryly as he sips his drink.
I roll my eyes, but his comment hits home]]
What the hell is wrong with me lately, I haven’t been out in weeks
Tve jost interest in everythi
everyone just seems so average||
1 dosen the last of my drink. “Time out * I put my hand on his shoulder as i walk past him. “Have a good night.“||
dus my mother and sister as I say my goodbyes and I walk out of the restaurant and onto the street where my car is waiting ||
“Good evening * Mark undles
(we white Orough the streets of New York as I stare out the window ||
ri nearly five, where in ther||
buildings and 1 park up my phone and check it for the hundredth time today!]
1 oll down la reception. “Hella, thi | in Gabriel Ferrara.:||
“Oh,” the young girl’s voice stammers, Mr. Terrara, hello.“||
“May I speak to Violet?“]
“Yes, speaking”
“What
time did Violet Coleman tay she would be back today?” “Ahhh.” She has no idea what I’m talking about ||
“The woman who came to see me yesterday.”
“Oh right, the lady you were too busy to see.“]
I roll my eyes at her sarcasm. “I was in a board meeting and I asked you to reschedule. When is she coming back?”
“She didn’t reschedule.”
1 frown as i rise to stand. “What do you mean?” I snap
“L” She hesitates as if scared to go on
“Sperit out.“]
T
She left str. She didn’t want another appointment, seeing the first was weeks away. She seemed upset []
1 hang up and immediately dial Violet’s number. I pace hack and forth as
|_ Chapter 28
