Dead Flower

Chapter 12

I didn’t know how to feel about how my life was now turning out in the small town of Balerno. I didn’t want to be attached to any drama but it seems that the Bianchi family seems to be very strange and dramatic. I wouldn’t brush off any of their words because I knew that anything in life is possible because individuals are different. A part of me is hopeful that things will just simmer down and the Bianchi’s will leave me alone. It seems my once quiet and peaceful life is now dramatic and on display for everyone to see. 

I stepped out of my bedroom after I had put on some clothes for the day. Today was a Friday and Friday’s were my favourite. I wore an off the shoulder bishop sleeve floral organza maxi dress and I had put my big curly hair into a thick ponytail and used several marigolds as a flower crown on my head. I twirled in the mirror and smiled at my beautiful reflection. 

I walked into the kitchen but stopped in my preppy steps as I saw my counter and my entire kitchen, dining and living room floor covered in black beautiful roses. I didn’t need to ask myself who they were from because I already knew it was from the black angel who lives in the black house. I worried for a moment about how he had gained access into my house during the night while I was asleep and I felt violated and nervous. I didn’t find the gesture soothing or calming but very concerning. 

A beautiful and warm breakfast was already prepared for me on my dining table with juice and jugs of water, a perfect setting for breakfast for 1. I stepped on the black roses which covered every inch of my floor and walked to the dining table. I sat down in the chair and looked over the breakfast. There was a yellow note next to my plate that detailed what the breakfast was. 

 Crustless Quiche Lorraine (low carb skillet) the note wrote.

Neatly folded besides my clean and empty glass that I use for drinking water was a black envelope. I opened the envelope out of interest of what was inside. I was met with a letter inside with neat calligraphy writing. 

Il mio fiore, 

My sincerest apologies for not joining you for breakfast, my time is of the essence and my schedule makes it a challenge to do anything besides work. My business requires my attention constantly and even though I have many hands doing the work for me, I must always oversee them. You too will soon come to understand the struggles that we face as the Bianchi’s in trying to maintain and expand our empire. 

Giustina told me about your dinner last night and any questions that you have to ask about me, you can freely come to me and I will address them and answer them accordingly. I am pleased that you have a relationship with my sister, but you should never trust anyone, fiore. You are innocent and Giustina is wise and mischievous. You will only get closer because she will be your protector when I am not around. 

I am not in need of a friend, fiore, I am in need of a companion and a child bearer who will be the mother of my children. My empire has been built and I need successors. You will be the one to provide this for me and for that, I am grateful. 

My security have ordered and delivered your stock to your flower shop where you will find everything laid accordingly. I will only see you tonight and I look forward to it. 

His letter only made me more uneasy because there the words were, in plain black and white, that he wanted me to carry his children. I sighed, losing my appetite as I put the letter down and looked around the house as if he would pop out at any moment. I wasn’t too sure what to do. I didn’t want to continue staying here because I wasn’t sure how serious this was or if it was just some sick joke they were playing on a young black girl, who wasn’t Italian like the rest of the town. I didn’t feel safe anymore because everything this man did felt so much like a promise. His words weren’t asking me, he was telling me. 

I didn’t want to leave because a small part of me thought that I could still talk to him and get through to him. Maybe if I sat down for dinner with him tonight, I can get him to change mind. I’ll just have to be firm and strong in setting my boundaries and letting him know that there’s no way that this will be happening. I couldn’t let this continue. 

But what if I do tell him that there’s no way that this was happening? What would he do to me? Would he get angry? Would he hurt me? And if he did, what would happen then? Who would help me? He basically runs this town. I know he does because he has the largest home that towers over everyone and I assume he’s like the mayor of it in terms of position. If no one is going to help me if I get hurt then I shouldn’t put myself in such a position. I needed to leave and I needed to leave today. I’d rather be safe than sorry. 

I stood up from the table and rushed to the bedroom, wanting to pack away as many of my clothes as possible. I pulled out my suitcase from my closet and turned to the windows to close the blinds so that, if Gregorio had any of his security watching me, they wouldn’t be able to see anything. I wasn’t sure how I would manage to slip out because I’m sure there’s a car waiting for me at my front door that will take me to work. 

My heart was racing and my breathing was coming out fast and panicked. I knew that I had to get out of here but how? I don’t have a proper car and the VW van won’t even get me over the mountain. There’s no way that I can leave because his security is surrounding my house and I’m sure they will easily catch me if I tried to run. 

I buried my face in my hands as I finally broke down in panic. I cried out of fear and worry as I sat on the bouncy bed, “what am I going to do?” I asked myself in a desperate whisper as I looked around my bedroom in desperation for something to be revealed to me. I couldn’t stay here, not anymore. 

My eyes landed on the one device that would fix everything; my phone. I immediately rushed to my nightstand and picked up my phone, unlocking it with facial recognition. It seemed that I didn’t even need to think about who I had to call first, my fingers just typed my father’s number and the next thing that I knew, the phone was ringing and I was pacing nervously, waiting for my father to answer the phone. 

“Princess?” my father answered the call and I let out a cry of relief at the sound of my father’s thick and warm voice. I immediately felt warm inside and I knew that he would protect me. He always does. 

“Daddy…” I said in a broken and scared voice, and I knew that whatever I would say would make him be here in hours, “I’m scared.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked and I heard shuffling on the other end, “it’s Marigold, I think something’s wrong,” I heard my father say and I knew that he was with my mother because I heard her voice scream in panic. 

“There’s this crazy guy who says that I’m going to marry him and have his children. He just won’t leave me alone. He broke into the house while I was asleep-”

“He broke into the house?” I heard him exclaim and I nodded my head. 

“He’s crazy, daddy. I’m scared, I just want to leave but I can’t because he has his security watching me all day.”

“I’m on my way. Your mum and I are on our way. We’ll be there in an hour maximum, just hold on, okay? Hold on. We’re coming.”

I nodded my head, “okay, okay daddy, I’m waiting. I’m going to just stay in the house and wait for you. I’ll keep the bat close.”

“We love you.”

“I love you too.”

My father cut the call but I knew that he would keep to his word and he would be here soon. I wiped my face of the tears before I looked around my room and rushed to lock my bedroom door. I walked back to the closet and continued packing my clothes. In an hour’s time, I’d be out of Balerno, away from the Bianchi’s and sipping hot cocoa while watching Ralph breaks the Internet for the millionth time. Everything’s going to be okay, I just got to believe it.