Unforeseen

Chapter III

Even as against the whole job offer as I was, Dannystill took it. Surprisingly the Manchini's allowed him to finish out his work week at the café before stepping into his new role. We didn't speak a word to each other for weeks when he started as their delivery boy. I felt there was nothing to talk about. He knew where I stood, I knew where he stood and that was the end of it. I admit it was hard, every time he would strike up a conversation, I'd have to force myself to remain silent. I don't think heunderstood how truly upset this made me. It killed me to see him leave for work in the morning. I didn't know where he was going, what he wasdelivering that day, or even if he was going to be coming home to me that night but knowing as much as I did was enough. The money rolled in each week as they had promised, this made Dannyhappy and with it the more depressed I felt. The weeks had turned into months, and it was almost too much to handle, he was in the water too deep, and there was nothing I could do to pull him out.

"I couldn't sleep last night," he said to me one day at breakfast. "I woke up sweating and shaking, I was tired, I think I was having a terrible nightmare about something, but I can't remember what. I 19found myself getting out of bed and taking a walkdown to the kitchen for some water. I could feel the cool air sneaking in the cracked window, so I decided to step outside for a minute or two to calm my nerves."

Swallowing hard while looking down at hisglass of orange juice he continued. "The moon was beautiful last night. I almost wish you could've seen it. It shined so brightly it lit up the sky. It was then that I got to thinking the world needs the moon, but it also needs the sun. We humans aren't like the world, we can't always have both things we want in one day, sometimes we can't all come together and be at peace. I can plainly see that we need money I am reminded every day coming home to this house, watching the bills fall out of the mailbox, seeing you and that little belly. But above all I need you, I need you like the world needs the moon and the sun. I am choosing not to go after the money anymore, I want you. I want you to be proud of me.I want to give our child the father it needs, a father it can look up to, and I want to be able to give you the husband you deserve. You and our family are more important to me than anything, and I'm sorry that I made you feel alone in this and let it go on for as long as it has."

Tears streamed down my face as I questioned when he would tell them, and he told me tonight after his deliveries were done for the day. For the first time in a long time, I kissed him goodbye before we each headed off to work, feeling such relief after his breakfast speech. I swear I even walked a little taller and strode a little faster on the way to the flower shop. It was the best feeling to see us finally back on the same page together.

Thankfully, the day passed by quickly. No customers gave any fuss about the smell, prices, or quality. It would seem everyone was in a rather pleasant mood today. Finally, I was within arm's reach of the remaining hour at work. Business hadslowed down and with the time of day I took it upon myself to start cleaning up the shop before I reached the end of my shift. Behind where I stood at the cash register was a small prep table where a little watering can was held to help pep up the flowers that needed it throughout the day. We would also take care of trimming off ends of stems and removing thorns if the customers wished. Still, not enough time passed in cleaning up the clippings and wiping down the table, so I decided to take one last walk about the flowers and water them. Not too farinto my stroll, I was midway watering a large patch of red roses, when I heard the bell ring at the front door, signifying a customer had entered the shop. Without lifting my head or turning around I tried to greet the last shopper as warmly as I could. After hearing no reply, I turned to take a look around the room for my final sale.

*Clank, Clank, Clank* filled the quiet air – the sound of me dropping the tin watering can on the floor, after coming face to face with my customer, Nicholas Manchini. He had grown into quite an attractive man, he had the dark edge about him, that made him mysterious, drawing in the opposite sex. Although many of the women chose to keep their distance as his quiet, even-toned self sometimes frightened them. I believe the real reason was at times his influence frightened them more, even if they didn't want to admit it. The intimidation thathis body language could give off was something remarkable. 

He is the type of person someone would bet money on to show up in a grocery store, snap, and start shooting everyone there. Quiet but deadly is what they say. But no one knew the real him behind closed doors, not as I did. It had been so long since I had last seen him, but not long enough for me though. I could've gone my entire life without seeing him again, and it wouldn't have put a dent on me. Not like the scratches and scars that he had 22permanently left on my body. The silence between us dragged on for quite a while, giving me just enough time to remember why I hated him so much.

~

The history between Nicholas and I was complicated and went on almost my entire life, up until Danny had come into the picture, that is. History beginning with me leaving the rest of my family in Vernazza to move with the Manchini's, which was very painful in itself. All the love and people I had ever known got stripped from me to go with someone else's family who was entirely unfamiliar to me. But not only that we were practically kids ourselves. I resented him for this from the get-go even though that part wasn't exactly his fault. He had no control over that.

Growing up I held little things against him for so long that were stupid and should've been let goof. Unfortunately, when you are at a young age meddling in love – knowing nothing about it – you think that the little things are the big things. And then you come to find out later that you wasted time holding grudges over insignificant actions.

By the time I was old enough to know better Nicholas was tired of my childish games. Even in days when I would try to act better and just plainly be better, he wanted no part of it, like he didn't even 23notice me anymore. Funny how some things go, a person may chase after you for so long, and yet you show them no attention, and then the minute you realize you were wrong and want to genuinely try to make things work, they don't want to try anymore. The caring side had dissolved away entirely. 

Thank goodness the lies and cheating didn't start until a few years before Danny. I guess I should consider myself lucky that way, that it didn't happen when I was a child. I have heard traumas such as that can be almost catastrophic for a youth, enough to drive a person mad. This type of damage can alter a young one's mind, their thought processindefinitely, and change the course of who someone was meant to be. A child couldn't possibly ever comprehend what they did to deserve that, and the fact is that most times there is no rhyme or reason for these occurrences.

Fortunately, by the time I was an adult I knew how to handle these problems, it was obvious that anew chapter had to begin. I suppose I should be happy too that the scars he left on me were moreemotional and not always physical. Regardless of how they are present, the pain from it all can still last a lifetime. Wounds can disappear once they heal but the memories can live on forever.