Chapter 45: Chapter 45

C H A P T E R - N I N E T E E N

Then, since I might be a feminine fool, I turned open my phone to find Falcone's phone numbers on my contact list. The bar highlighted "Isabelle" as I scrolled down.

I fixed my gaze on my sister's name. Then I remembered that the best case situation was my sister entering the witness protection program, and I avoided thinking about the worst case scenario since they threatened to give me hives.

Then I grabbed a wayward hair, hit go, and placed it behind my ear.

“What?" she said.

Oh my God. She responded!

“Isabelle? Gia here."

"I understand, bitch."

Okay, maybe I didn't mind if my sister went into the witness protection program.

The issue was that I was preoccupied with the worst-case possibilities.

"Are you all right?"  I inquired.

"What does it matter? ”

"Isabelle - -"

"Listen, I've got sh*t to do. Don't spend my time calling and pretending you don't care, okay? ”

"I do give a sh*t," I said.

“Right.”

Sarcasm.

Welp, guess Isabelle's major difficulties didn't cause her to ponder on her way of life and familial connections. Why wasn't I surprised?

"That's correct, Isabelle. Listen to me, I know we'll never be close, you don't drink cosmos and I don't go on acid trips, but you're my sister, I've lived a taste of your issues, and I'm afraid. You may not believe me, but it is the truth. "I'm concerned, Dad is concerned, and Melinda is concerned."

"None of you were concerned when I needed a fuckin' shower the other night," she responded.

"That was before the drive-bys and firebombs."

Silence.

"Perhaps I can help you," I said quietly into the silence.

"Oh, okay, you're willing to do anything for me now." You've been treating me like a piece of garbage for years. You wake up after your living room has been blasted to smithereens. Is that all? ”

"All these years I haven't treated you like a piece of trash," I denied, and I said so because it was true.

More sarcasm. "Unh-hunh."

Now I was enraged.

"Unh-hunh," I said again. "I'm not sure what it is with you, but if you have time to think about it, we will." I didn't cut your Barbie's hair, I didn't take your goods to purchase drugs, and I didn't put my hand down your boyfriend's trousers. I didn't fuck your spouse."

"I knew you'd throw it in my face eventually," she said.

Was she serious?

"You pissed off my spouse!" I screamed.

"Yeah, Gia, and then you shot his a$$. You should never have hooked up with that jerk in the first place. You should be kissing my fuckin' feet now that you're shacked up with Falcone fuckin' Cabrera of all fuckin' people."

This was a valid point.

"I knew you were doing it for me," I answered gently.

"Someone needed to wake you awake."

Oh. My. God.

Was it sisterly affection I felt for Isabelle? I wasn't sure because I hadn't felt it in what seemed like millennia.

"Isabelle, honey, please pay attention to me -"

“No. I'm not sure what Conan said to you, but you have no idea what's going on with me. What I know is correct, but precious Gigi lacks the tools to assist me in sorting this nonsense out. Nobody does. No one, not even Conan. I'm alone in this, and I don't give a damn. I've always been on my own."

"Perhaps if you'd take a little assistance -"

"You're fucked, Gia. You refuse to assist me. You want the drive-bys to come to a halt."

"I do, indeed. "Certainly," I agreed. "But I also don't want my sister to be out there fighting many bad people on her own when I might be able to help."

"There is no assistance for this."

"Isabelle - - -"

"Don't call me back, Gia. Ever. Yeah? ”

More silence.

"Shit!" I growled as I snapped my phone shut.

The phone immediately rang, and I flicked it back open, believing it was Isabelle, and placed it to my ear.

“Isabelle?”

"No, Enrico," I heard.

Oh my god.

"Enrico," I said gently.

"Do you remember me?" ”

Uh-oh.

"I, Enrico -"

"Your house was shot up. I phoned four times and received no response. Antonette said you were OK. You call when your bathroom faucet won't turn off, but you don't call when I'm terrified out of my mind because I hear your living room has been shot to smithereens? ”

"Things have gotten a little out of hand."

"Gia, you got your house shot up in a drive-by," he said again. "I realize things are crazy, but is it too crazy to phone your fuckingfriend and tell him you're fine?" ”

"Mom dropped by yesterday," I told him. "I was feeling a little off."

"I can see Melinda being concerned about -"

"No, Enrico, not Melinda, Mom," says Enrico.

Silence.

I took a long breath in. "Falcone injured you, and I apologize." He's... well... whatever. That's how he is. I couldn't think of anything to say to you, so -"

"You didn't know what to say to me since you'd been concealing a relationship from me for a year and a half." And, like a chump, you're out with Rambo while I'm working in your kitchen and on your house."

"It wasn't like that," I said emphatically, and it wasn't. I simply had no intention of telling him how it felt.

“Bullshit. It was just like that. So I guess I'd like to know why you'd play me for a chump, Gia."

Okay, I was getting angry again.

"Actually, Enrico, it's none of your concern what it was like. I didn't take you for a fool. You're my pal. You call on your buddies when you need anything."

"You have no problem with it."

I said, "And neither do you. Wasn't it me you phoned when you had that awful illness, and I brought you to the doctor and took you home, and I made sure you had your medication and extra Kleenex and cleaned up your vomit bowl? Enrico, I have some bad news: I detest vomiting. I avoid it like the plague—at all costs—just like I hate wearing orange-colored lipstick. For a buddy, though, I'll handle anything.”

"Gia -"

"And wasn't it me, when you wanted to impress that girl, who came over and prepared a three-course meal for you to claim as your own when you took her over to your house?"

"I -"

When I interrupted him, I used all of my arsenal.

"And didn't I give everything up and fly down to Tucson with you so you could assist your Mom in making arrangements to transport your father back up to Manila for his funeral? ”

"Honey -"

I interrupted him once again, saying, "This wasn't a one way street and you know it. I gave as well as I received, and I'm offended that you'd imply otherwise. My sister is in danger, I can't go home, my parents can't go home, and my mother just arrived up out of the blue because she heard I hooked myself up with a man who could buy Jimmy Choos and wanted to get in there and get anything. Now, my living room is a complete mess. She was there even though I hadn't seen her in years. She and I had always been close, but she didn't care to become any closer unless she believed she might benefit from it. I apologize that Falcone offended you; on top of that, I was concerned that I may lose you as a result. Enrico, I don't need this garbage right now. I need my friends close by, and if you aren't one of them, I don't know what to say save that it would be awful to learn that now after all the time we've spent together.”

He said, "I'm in love with you, Gia," without any hesitation. I gulped in air and didn't say anything; instead, I just glanced at my lap while feeling the sharp agony in my chest.

“Honey? "When I remained silent, he phoned.

I mumbled back, "I wish you had have informed me. But I'm unable to predict what would occur if you did, and right now, Enrico, I simply cannot handle this. I adore you and think the world of you, but I already share my life with a man. I don't know where it's going, but I do know that I need to concentrate on the fact that the way he makes me feel scares the living hell out of me."

"I know why he worries you, honey," Enrico softly said.

"How come?"

”

"Because he has Jonas Leighton all over him."

I took in a deep breath.

"Enrico" -

"You do it. That's something you've always done. The good-looking males who walk all over you and think their stuff doesn't stink."

Oh God.

Enrico continued. "It was painful enough when Jonas wore loafers. What would it be like when the guy puts on combat boots? ”

"I'm not sure he's that way."

"I met him once, didn't know anything about him, and he didn't think twice about what he said to me in front of you, Tonette, and whatever the fuck those people were." He couldn't care less about me. What makes you think he'll give a crap about you if he has anything to say you don't like or plans to do something that will harm you? ”

"I believe I know him better than you, Enrico, and he isn't like other people. He truly believed he was doing you a favor."

"Well, Gia, he was mistaken. We've always been close, and now we're having this discussion. He did exactly that. He may have told you he was doing me a favor, but that person is the type who piss in corners. He sensed me trespassing on your turf and drove in that wedge. I don't believe it was anything else."

"I don't want to hurt you any further, darling," I added softly, "but I don't think he sees you as competition."

Silence for a beat, then gently, "Right."

"Don't do this to us, Enrico."

"I didn't do it, Gia; Rambo did."

I opened my mouth to speak but got more dead air.