I'm What?

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Tonsil hockey, really, bro?" Ricardo sighs out interrupts my hot make-out session. "I thought we were in the big leagues now." Lucas and I casually push each other out of our arms scoots to different side of the bench. Ricardo just stands there smirks holding a bottle of whiskey in his crossed arms. "Shouldn't play for too long, Catalina has training." Ricardo informs.

"I have training, now?"

"Actually wait ten seconds." Ricardo answers staring intently at his Rolex. Holding his pointer finger in the air, "training day 1 starts now!" He yells running out of the cellar like an excited little boy.

"I though with you guys being Mobsters that you would be cold and ruthless not warm and fuzzy." I tell Lucas dusting off my clothes.

"We had to make an exception for Ricardo." Lucas answers in all seriousness. I can't control myself from the laughter that rudely interrupts my straight face. "Are you serious?"

"Of course." Lucas just stands there straight face like a military solider during boot camp. Lucas is back to his mobster self letting the last two hour Lucas fade away in his exterior. "CATALINA!" I hear Ricardo's voice yelling down the cellar's short hallway. "I better go." I tell Lucas leaving him to clean up the empty wine bottle and glasses. Changing out of the shorts and t-shirt, I raid my new closet to find a workout outfit. Finally coming pair of black Nike pro short and a oversized PINK t-shirt from Ryanne's luggage. Ryanne hasn't worked out since sixth grade PE but she always packs workout clothes. I toss my already greased hair into a tight bun on my head while walking outside were Coach Ricardo and the rest sit drinking lemonade. At least the view is nice. The grapevines shine in the distance, giving a clear view of all around us; which is practically nothing.

"Catalina are you ready?" Ricardo asks swinging the silver polished whistle off his finger.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I nervously answer staring down at my bare feet. "Why am I bare foot again?"

"Because we are on the grass." Is all Ricardo says before ordering me push ups, sit ups, a couple miles to run and more, then after finally getting into the fighting aspect. "Starting tomorrow morning you have sun rise yoga with Diana and mother," Ricardo informs me while I try my best to keep up with him. We just started running and so far not so fun especially since you are in a garden/ grassy area of the yard. "Oh shit." I mumble out falling face first. Tripping always a strong suit.

"Come on, Valastro, I don't need you tripping over my good looks." I snort out an 'eww' before getting up off the muddy ground. I dust myself off as best as I can but nothing helps the fact that there is something funny with my left wrist. I ignore my wrist to sprint to where Ricardo is. "Okay?"

"Alright."

"Good, now later tonight once it gets dark we will start some boxing lessons." Ricardo answers as we slow down. The house just a few feet from us. Air conditioning calling my name, begging for me to get out of this humid heat. "How was the run?" Giovanni asks looking at our sweat selves. He just sits there in his hammock reading some war story book and sipping some lemonade. "Excellent of course," I fake smile and grab a towel that the maids left out for us.

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Later tonight, Ricardo and Lucas gave me my first boxing lesson, they both were impressed by how fast I learned the punches and combinations. "I think I am dead." I exaggerate falling to the grassy ground. I stare up at the beautiful well light stars, looking for the different astrology signs. "We should do something tonight." Ryanne finally says coming out of the house. "Is that my best friend I hear talking? I can't really tell because she hasn't really been around."

"I haven't been around, you totally ditch me for the business." Ryanne fires back.

"I didn't come to Italy for vacation, I came to get married and to run this damn business!" Both of us being the girls we are stomping away fuming about our little argument or words as I would call them. I do feel bad about the who not being here for her but I do have a wedding and some business to take care of first. If that means side tracking my friendship with Ryanne then so be it.

"Catalina just the person I wanted to run into." Giovanni says helping me from falling backwards. "Come with me." I follow the old man knowing that this would only end up as business. either killing someone or meeting with a business associate. "What is it?" I ask once we are behind closed doors. Anthony and Frank are already here with solem faces, something must be wrong. "la mia dolce bambina (My sweet baby girl), something terrible has happened." Anthony is the first to suck in a breath to tell me. "Come possiamo dire di lei? (How are we to tell her?)" Frank asks looking between the two men.

"Please, spit it out. It's torturing me to not know." I honesty tell them taking a seat on the leather chair in front of Giovanni's desk. The room seems to suddenly sadden as my little brain tries to piece things together. And just like that everything clicks, "No! No! Tell me, it isn't true?" Tears streaming at the thought of losing the only parents I know. "They aren't dead?"

"Mi dispiace, Catalina (I am sorry, Catalina)." The three men all seem to say in unison. I fall out of my chair hugging my knees to my chest. "NO! NO! THEY CAN'T BE DEAD! THEY CAN'T BE!" I scream out rocking myself back and forth. Anthony at least comes and holds me cooing comforting things into my ears in hopes to calm me down. I fight against them all as I stand sucking up my tears and walking upstairs to my room. While leaving I hear the Italian words, I wish I never hear again, "Sta facendo quello che ci si aspetta. (She is doing what is expected." Frank says.

Ciò significa che lei è pronta. (That means she is ready.)" Giovanni answers as the office door is slammed shut.