The Salvatore Twins – Episode 7

The Salvatore Twins – Episode 7

 

© Happy William

 

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★Emilio★

 

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“Daddy cotton candy!” Lian exclaimed, pointing at a row of stands selling cotton candies, ice cream, doughnuts with coloured frostings.

 

The twins and I were at the amusement park now.

 

We’d taken a casual drive around the city, talking about their school, me telling them about life back at Italy including a tidbit of the donship and guns, which I considered giving up, and other random stuff. Our cruise brought brought us to the big signboard of the amusement park and at their excited yells, I pulled over and here we are.

 

“You really want to have a cotton candy?” I asked again.

 

“Yeah! But mommy says it isn’t good for our teeth.”

 

“She said that?”

 

“Yup,” Leon popped.

 

“Then I guess you should have some,” I replied and paid the vendor for three sticks, handing one to each of them and keeping one for myself. Not that I ate it. I’ve never tasted it in my life…. it’s like eating clothes and fabric!

 

Next I hauled them onto the kiddies rollercoaster and watched as they flailed their arms about in excitement.

 

Just being with them tugged at my chest.

 

Mine. My own kids.

 

Fruits from the love Anne and I had.

 

No, not had. Have. Because I knew as much as a third party would that under all that tough facade, she still had something for me. I just hope that in trying to force it out nobody got hurt.

 

“Daddy daddy….it was soooo much fun!” Lian said breathlessly as she trotted towards where I stood with Leon at her heels.

 

“Oh was it? You liked that?” I asked, bending to their level.

 

“Yeah, super!”

 

“I’m glad. So let’s head home before your mom worries. And besides, I’m feeling a bit down.” I winked at them, and they both laughed as were gathered up stuff we bought into my car.

 

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★Anne★

 

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Twas like my house was a sort of sanctuary for me as I sat on the couch in my pyjamas with my legs tucked under me, watching the television programme alone.

 

No Leon or Lian to laugh with at mamuscha’s madness, or Preta’s misfortunes.

 

*Well if you’d just accepted Emilio back, you’d all be cuddled on a more comfortable sofa laughing at the movie.*

 

That was my subconscious thought pricking, and I hated to admit that it was right. The mind and the heart works differently.

 

Though, come to think of it, what exactly was I protecting? Was it the traitor heart that screamed “Pull him close and give him a forgiving kiss” each time Emilio was near? Or the traitor body that yearned for a touch of his whether near or far? Or the traitor head that kept giving out logical reasons to forgive him, like the twins for instance?

 

My thoughts were interrupted by the soft ding dong of the doorbell which I hurried to answer.

 

“I’ve got a new videogame mom!” was the first thing Leon said as he brushed past me into the house, his eyes focused on what he was holding. Probably the game.

 

“Oh my gosh mommy, we had so much fun with daddy today. We visited the zoo, the park, had some snacks…..” Lian’s tiny voice trailed off as she carried a shopping paper bag into their room, followed by Leon.

 

They didn’t even wait to show me the —

 

“Can I come in?”

 

Shucks, Emilio was still outside.

 

“Mmm” I murmured and held the door open.

 

“You’re kind of late, though not as late as I expected,” I observed.

 

“Yeah. Had a fever coming up.”

 

“Oh.”

 

I studied his face. All the excitement that was visible when he stood out the door was beginning to wear off.

 

I didn’t want to care.

 

Didn’t. Want. To. Care.

 

We both stood there, glancing at each other and looking away when the other one almost saw one.

 

“I got you something,” he finally spoke when the silence was becoming super awkward.

 

“Christmas is like seven months away,” I replied drily.

 

“Not for Christmas,” he snorted, amusement lighting up his handsome face. “When I saw it I thought of you. Here, open it.”

 

Unsure, I received the red velvet box and opened it to the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen.

 

And expensive.

 

I gazed up at Emilio.

 

He smiled and leaned in to kiss my cheeks.

 

“Good night,” he said walked out, leaving me with even more jumbled thoughts.

 

Sighing, I took the box to my room and dumped it on the cupboard, telling myself that I didn’t care about anything Emilio.

 

Leon was coming out of his room, eyes focused on the videogame he held.

 

“Daddy you said you’d…. where’s daddy?” he asked when he saw only me. “He left? Mom you shoulda asked him to sleepover. Why can’t he stay with us anyway?”

 

My little boy looked like he was about to cry. And it was all my fault.

 

I squatted to his level. “Leon try to understand —”

 

“I cannot….” he voice trailed off as he harshly swiped at a drop of tear. With quivering lips, he turned away and made for his room, and I could hear his and Lian’s tiny voice as they talked about if Emilio was going to be okay especially as he was sick, and why I couldn’t let us all be one big happy family.

 

Sighing, I made to head to my room when the jewelry box caught my gaze. I picked it up and held it to myself as I went to bed.

 

It was pretty thoughtful of him, getting me this.

 

But if he continued being thoughtful, charming, caring and handsome, then it was going to be difficult for me to remember exactly why we had to be miles apart.

 

And didn’t they say something about his being sick?

 

I sat up and picked up my phone, my fingers quickly punching in Emilio’s number which I knew by heart.

 

I hesitated over the dial touch.

 

Then I cleared it and tried Emilia instead.

 

“Anne?” her voice came from the other end of the connection sounding as if she was happy or expecting my call.

 

“Yeah…Lia…I was uhm…well you see, the twins were kinda worried if Emilio got back safely? They said sth about his being sick,” I rushed out.

 

I’m sure I could hear her giggle.

 

“The twins……. or you?”

 

“Pfft Lia, you know I wouldn’t call if it were me.”

 

*Ho ho, big fat lie* my subconscious voice pricked.

 

“OK, whatever you say Missy. He’s a bit down….downer still. He hasn’t had dinner either. But I’m guessing some aspirin should do the trick. Right now he’s asleep. Hope he gets better tomorrow.”

 

“Hope so too, and please do take care of him. For the twins peace of mind,” I quickly added.

 

“Alright. You should catch some sleep. Tomorrow would be a big day.”

 

“Big day for what?” I asked, but she’d hung up.

 

So I’m a bit worried about Emilio, I thought as I puffed up my pillow and laid down, staring at the ceiling. But that’s just because he’s a human, I’m a human, we’re all humans. We care for each other.

 

*Love each other?*

 

There was no answer to that as I’d fallen asleep.

 

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★Lia★

 

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Still giggling, I bounced on Emilio’s bed and gave him a high five.

 

“God, did you hear how….worried she sounded?” I asked him.

 

He was grinning.

 

“I did.”

 

When Anne called, and we were expecting her call because the twins promised to do their part well, I switched the volume to loudspeaker as both Emilio and I listened to our conversation.

 

The plan was going even better than we expected, and I mentioned this to Lio.

 

“Yeah, but don’t get your hopes up. Anne can be hardheaded if she wants to be. Everything might just go down the drain.”

 

“Ah Lio, don’t be a pessimist!”

 

“And what’d I tell you about calling me that?”

 

“Calling you what, LIO?” I asked innocently like I didn’t know what he was referring to.

 

He picked up a pillow and threw at me, and just as I was about to do same and start a pillow fight he said, “Don’t, I’m sick, remember?”

 

“Ohhh….” I whispered, “Dear brother you have to rest now okay? And don’t get better tomorrow.”

 

We laughed as I retired to my room.

 

Although we all felt guilty pranking Anne the way we planned to, we had to do it because, as Emilio said, she’s so hardheaded that she might go another six years not being with him even though it killed her.

 

To be continued

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