Unforeseen

Chapter VII

Hidden behind the secret door was a long set of wide stairs descending to a lower level. Fancy carpeting and brightly lit fixtures hung gracefullyon the wall accompanying the downward travel. Eventually reaching a certain part of the staircase the room came into view. Landing on the bottom step I found myself standing in a very large library. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves covered the walls, thousands of novels filled the shelves, all in a particular order and not one appeared to be out of place. Against the wall to the left but precisely in the middle was a roaring fireplace. Couches had been neatly placed but spread carefully around it. One of which was occupied by a man who sat with his back towards us, facing the fire. Lorenzo quickly left my side upon following my gaze and spotting our guest. Several whispers were exchanged before the man stood and turned to face me, leaving Lorenzo scurrying out of the room.

Nicholas looked as calm as ever, whatever he was thinking his face was purely unreadable. To my surprise, he was dressed in a nice sweater and comfortable pants quite the change-up from the suit I was used to seeing him in.

"Please have a seat," he said, gesturing towards the couches. "I have asked Lorenzo to bring some crackers and cheese to hold us over for dinner."

"Oh, I won't be staying for dinner," I said shaking my head. 

"Lorenzo told me he already asked you, and you said you would, by now he has told the family." Nicholas almost looked disappointed with my answer probably because he had already been so sure of what the outcome was.

Not but a moment later Lorenzo reappeared carrying a round polished serving dish holding crackers and cheeses.

"Lorenzo!" My irritation level climbing rapidly as I began to yell at him.

"Yes Abriana?" he said, lowering the serving dish onto the coffee table.

"Why on Earth would you tell Nicholas that I agreed to have dinner here?"

Pausing, he and Nicholas exchanged looks, and it was then that I knew Nicholas was lying. Lorenzo was the worst one to try to involve in this matter he was a terrible liar. The Manchini's loved him for this quality though, this meant he always had to be honest with them, and the minute he wouldn't have been they would've known it and they would've replaced him in a most gruesome way.  

Lorenzo simply looked at me with a small smile forming on his face and said, "My apologies Abriana," before leaving the room.

"How about we see how it goes and from there we can decide about dinner?" Nicholas asked.

"Agreed, we can play it by ear." Walking towards him I decided to take a seat on the couch closest to the fireplace.

"Is there a certain part you would like to know first or have any questions about specifically before I begin?" He stared at me closely while waiting for my response. I could see that his chest kept its normal rhythm as he breathed. Telling me that his heart rate was most likely beating regularly.

"I don't have any questions yet, but I'd like to start by saying I do hope you are planning to start at the beginning, the very beginning, as in the business proposition you led." I could hear my heartbeat pounding loudly in my ears as I spoke. "And allow me to finish with this...I also hope for both of oursakes that you do tell the truth about all this." 

"Regardless of what you may think I am planning on it," he said, clearing his throat before continuing. "Starting at the beginning...plain and simple I needed a job done. I needed someone who could be trusted and someone who could complete the task. I had heard from a friend of a friend about a young man that worked in the café on the cornerand that had quite a work attitude. He was pleasant and honest, and people liked him, he seemed to be well known. More or less, Danny was volunteered to me for this job. When I tried to ask more questions about him, I was told to go to the café for lunch and see for myself, so I did.

"Now mind you, I still had no idea even up until this point that Danny was your companion. I knew you had moved on with another man, but I never looked into who this man was. I didn't even ask for his name, not to be cold, but frankly, I didn't care at that time. So, here I am going to the café to seewhat all the fuss was about and it was true he was a great guy. Composed, obedient, punctual, and I watched him most carefully and was able to see that he did win people over and gain trust. He did it right, he did it all right, whatever you wanted he got for you. He told the truth about what you asked even if it was something the customer didn't want to hear or if the café would've advised him against saying but most importantly was, he didn't make you wait. He never hesitated to give you what you wanted, and even with all the tables, he was serving he didn't crack under pressure even if he did get yelled at once or twice during the mix.

"When I offered him the job, he practically leaped at it. He was the happiest man in the world like I had just given him a million dollars cash. He just kept shaking my hand and thanking me, telling me how much this would mean for his family and the baby on the way. He was so grateful in fact that it made me uncomfortable so much so that I felt the need to tell him about some of the dangers that could arise. I didn't find out until after I had returned home from the lunch who he was. I called a family meeting in the study, and upon telling themthe news of our latest employee to my surprise they knew details I didn't know about him. They knew exactly who Danny was and that he was yourpartner. They filled me in on all the information they knew.

"They had eyes on the two of you for a long while after your father called off the engagement. You can imagine the state my family was in after hearing the news. They hate when things don't go according to plan and this one had been put into place so long ago. Everything they saw for the forthcoming was ruined by a phone call. They were very angry and wanted revenge for the destruction of all of our lives and our family's future. But I couldn't let them make an example out of you or Danny. I told them that with everything I had done to you over the years that you deserved this...a fresh start, a new beginning. It was hard for them to take in, but they got over it after a while."

Stopping he took a long swig of water, followed by a shot of whiskey, and then ate a couple ofcheese-covered crackers. "Any questions yet?" he asked, staring directly into my eyes.

"None, you may continue when you're ready," my voice sounding more monotoned than I meant it to be.

"Before I go on would you like me to have Lorenzo bring a handkerchief down in case you need it?" Nicholas asked as he inched towards the edge of his couch. His eyes were filled with genuine concern. 

"I'll be fine." Although it was written all over his face that he was attempting to be as sincere as possible I couldn't help but be stern with him, gazing at him in an unforgiving way until the wrinkles on my forehead hurt.

"Moving forward then...after finding out who Danny was, I couldn't take the proposal away from him. I mean he wanted it and after all, I am a businessman and this was a business decision, so I let it go. Looking back now I probably should havedone the right thing which would've been to go back to the café and tell him I was revoking the offer and explained to him why. But then again, he knew who I was, he knew what kind of a family I came from, and most likely the kind of job I wasoffering him entailed danger, that's all beside the point though. Somewhere along the line during one of the deliveries, someone took him the wrong way. So much so that conversation began to travel. I think it was mainly because he was too happy and too pleased to help. I think it made our kind of people uncomfortable. They thought he was smiling in their faces with a hidden agenda when really...he was just smiling in their faces because that's the type of person he was. Anyway, as the rumors circulated, I got a tip that something may go down during this last delivery."

Even though I was choked up from picturingDanny smiling away in his good nature it didn't stop my blood from beginning to boil. I felt like an active volcano on the edge of a possible eruption. With my body temperature on the rise, I found myself getting up just to pace the floor for a bit to try to cool down. When I returned to take a seat, I chose to be on a different couch, a little more distanced from the fireplace as I knew from here on out things were going to get heated.