Second Chances

THE DILEMMA

Enrico rested on the sofa, his mind on Angie. He couldn't believe she was a businesswoman, and how much she had changed since high school. He remembered her back in school when she was overweight, wore shabby clothing, had a bad haircut with split ends, and wore braces. She had come a long way with her sense of confidence and achievement.

The television screen showed a morbid love scene causing him to shut his eyes. Love stories were not his thing. Not a moment too soon, he heard a loud, familiar voice and opened his eyes.

His mother, Valentina, shouted from the kitchen. "Stella, I want you down here. I need help with the lasagne. Zia Anna and Zio Pietro are coming for dinner."

A few seconds later, his sister replied. "But I'm busy, Mum. I have to study."

Enrico watched his mother, who stood with her hands on her hips, waiting, as if Stella would magically appear. She always took her time whenever they called her from downstairs.

His mother's dark brown eyes under her wrinkled brow could terrorise anyone into bowing to her wishes. She was short with a chubby build and attractive at fifty-two years of age. He loved his mother, but she could challenge anyone at the best of times.

"You come down here now. My back's playing up so I need you to help."

About ten seconds later, Stella called out. "Okay, Mum. I'm coming. Just give me a second." Her second would most likely turn into thirty minutes.

His mother headed towards her son. "Why do you look so worried, Enrico?" She touched her son's arm. "Is it work?"

He pressed his lips together, fighting the images of Angie's glare when she spotted him. He wasn't welcome in her store and he didn't blame her. "No work's fine. I...I saw someone from the past."

She clasped her hands together. "And who would that be?"

He puffed. "Do you remember Angie from school?"

His mother nodded. "The girl whose mother was an alcoholic, picking her up half-drunk a few times?"

"Yes, that's her. Well, she owns a bookshop, and I went in there today and bought a couple of books." He had discovered her bookshop two weeks earlier, but had only found the courage to go in there today.

"Right. So did you two get along in high school?"

"Not exactly, but I don't plan on seeing her again. It's probably for the best." Looking back now, he wasn't proud of how he had treated her, but he couldn't change the past.

His mother looked at him questioningly. "Speaking of schools, have you decided to be a part of your school reunion?"

More recently, his friend, Lorenzo, asked him to join a school reunion committee. Lorenzo was friends with Jenna, who was the organiser.

"I might, but work's been a bit busy, so I'll see if I can make the time. Lorenzo mentioned they haven't sorted out where to have the meetings yet. It's still in the planning stages."

Stella came down the stairs. She was tall, slim, and toned, and believed that a single cracker contained too many calories. She thrived on diets and read loads of health articles and magazines, which pepped her up. Her towering height accentuated her trim and taut body, and her long brown-black hair waved about as she came down the stairs. "Sounds cool, bro. What's the schedule?"

Enrico lifted his body off the couch, rubbing his thigh. "The first meeting is in a couple of weeks, then they're every fortnight for the next seven months. But I don't know if I have the time for a committee for all those months."

Stella peered at Enrico, her bright blue eyes becoming a shade darker. "Mum, I need to talk to Enrico. Why don't you start on the dough, and I will be right there?"

His mother waved her away in exasperation. "Fine, but hurry up."

She turned back to her brother. "Enrico, I overheard you talking to Mum about Angie. Isn't that the girl you bullied back in high school?" Stella's eyes lingered in the distance.

His cheeks burned. "It was a long time ago, Stella, and something I would rather forget? Why are you bringing it up?"

"I don't know. I am curious about her bookshop. I might just go visit. What do you think? I could use a book or two."

Enrico sighed. "Why? You don't need to go in there. Besides, I won't see her again. I got the books I wanted, and next time I'll buy my books online."

"That's a cop-out, bro. It is her business, and we should be supporting it."

Enrico drew back. He made a mistake going into the bookshop. The way Angie looked at him with daggers in her eyes made him want to leave as soon as he got in there. He shouldn't have gone into her bookshop, knowing she would hate him with a passion. But he was curious about Angie.

His father, Giovanni, would have advised him to take a stand and face his fears. If only his father, a senior detective, was still around. He died several years ago, and Enrico had been watching over his family ever since. He hadn't made the right choices back when he was in Year 12, and he wanted to make up for the way he treated Angie.

A shout from the kitchen reverberated in his ears. "Stella, in here. Now."

Stella got up from the stool. "You should see Angie again and apologise for the way you treated her. You were a jackass, but I still love your sorry arse."

"I love you, too." His sister walked towards the kitchen with a slouch. He didn't need to visit Angie again. She hated him and he had satisfied his curiosity.