You're My Peace of Mind

Part 9

"I don't hate you. I hate the fact that you smile for everyone else but me." that's all I could think of last night. When Claudia came in this morning I was already up since I didn't sleep at all, just kept replaying what Val said to me.

I was sitting drinking my coffee in the kitchen when I realized it was quiet in the house, too quiet. "Where is Kelly?" I asked Claudia who was prepping for dinner. " She left yesterday afternoon, when the doctor came for your wrist." She said. "Wow, really? It's so quiet without her." I said laughing. "Thank the heavens she's gone. She didn't go willing though." Claudia added laughing. "Hey no laughing in this house" Emilio said sarcastically. "We were talking about Kelly." Claudia said. " Oh Shit, that was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time, I was pulling up into the drive way and I see her half naked banging on the door. Val wouldn't let me in until she was gone." Emilio finished laughing.

He poured himself some coffee and turned to me and looked at my cast. "Now what's the story about the cast?" Emilio asked. I told him the whole story with Claudia filling in the blanks since I passed out and couldn't remember. "Lydia always knew..." Claudia started but was cut off by Emilio hand covering her mouth. They started speaking in Italian at this point occasionally looking and pointing at me.

"I know you guy are talking about me." I said annoyingly. "We aren't talking about you, but it involves you. It's not our place to tell you." Emilio said softly. "Emilio, where are we?" I said. I never forgot my task at hand to find out where I am and to call the police. "Ana banana you know can't answer that question." I sigh getting up to wash my coffee cup, I've been here now for almost 2 weeks and I still have zero idea where I am nor have left the house. " We are in the city of the star-crossed lovers." Val said leaning on the kitchen door way.

Emilio looked at him confused but Val just smiled. It was the first time I've seen him smile, it suited him well. "You look less of a killer when you smile." I said mocking him smiling. What he did next almost made my knee give away, he laughed. Not a fake or forced laugh but a genuine beautiful laugh. " Did you figure out the answer?" Val asked me. I shook my head. "Well solve the riddle and then I will take you into the city." I sat down at the table racking my brain about star-cross lovers. Emilio, Val and Claudia were talking in Italian. Everyone I meet here speaks Italian, at that very moment I realized I was in Italy. "Oh my god we are in Italy." I stated surprised that it took me this long to realize. "No shit Sherlock." Emilio said jokingly. "Oh boy." was all Claudia could say as she laughs at me. "Claudia take the day off and enjoy time with your family." Val said to a surprised Claudia. "You haven't said those words to me since...Thank you Valentino." Claudia said holding back tears as she left the kitchen. "Women are so emotional." Emilio stated as he watched Claudia leave and sat down next to me. Val stared at him as Emilio stood right back up "I think I'm gonna have phone sex with Louise." He said as he walked out. "There is something wrong with that man." I said laughing "Highly wrong, we've been friends for about 30 years I don't know how I haven't killed him yet." Val said once again laughing. He then looks at me, "Need a hint?" he asked referring to the riddle he gave me. Nodded my head in defeat. "Well I have a horse and his name is M..." "Verona. We are in Verona, from Romeo and Juliet." I said smiling. "Correct, we are just outside the city, so get dressed and lets go." I stood excited and quickly got dressed. I'm not sure why but it's the first time Val has been nice to me. I looked at myself I was wearing a yellow maxi dress, black sandals and for the first time a smile. But I knew in the back of my mind the smile would not last. That day we enjoyed the beautiful city. I stopped at every building and church taking in the beauty. As I looked like a tourist I couldn't help but notice how Val practical owned the city. People young and old always came up to Val shaking his hand or warmly greeting him. We didn't pay for a thing the own day as once the owners saw Val they waved us in. When Val went to use the bathroom at the restaurant I turned to Duffy "They really do love him here." I said. "They call him the People Boss, he loves the people of Verona and they love him." Duffy said.