Beliefs Deceive

Chapter 10

20th November 2005
Sunday
3:06 pm

We were in a sitting room, which was situated on the first floor of theirーand our sharedーmansion. I put on the You're Beautiful record and went back to sit on the couch, letting the perfect, some-shade-of-orange lighting that entered through the window do its part of the aesthetic.

"I just can't believe we are together!" Serena cooed as she smiled sincerely at Elio. Elio returned her smile. "I can." He said back. She smiled as she hit his arm, "You know what I mean."

"Get a room, please." Angelo chimed in.

"Soon, Angelo, soon." Serena smiled at him.

Angelo got up and left usーme and Luciaーin the room with the couple. But soon he came back in. From my peripheral vision, I saw Elio stifle a laugh when he saw Seo-Yeon behind him.

"Angelo Sebastian, I told you to bond with them. With her. You're always cooped up in your room all by yourself. We talked about this, son." She said. Angelo turned around to face her, "Yes mom. We talked about this. I remember what I said. Though, I think you forgot what I said."

There was an expression of exasperation and worry etched along with anger on her face. The frown of her lips and the wrinkles on her forehead made that clear.

"Angelo, it takes time. He won't let it happen."

It was quite hard to figure out what they were talking about so instead of trying to understand them, I decided to just listenーto the music and their argument, if I can call it thatーand remember.

"It's too early..." Seo-Yeon spoke up when Angelo did nothing but cross his arms in front of him.

"You said you will convince him."
"It takes time."
"How many more years do you need?"
"Angelo, watch your tone."
"You said, you will take care of it. How are you doing that? Why does she not know about it?" He pointed at the couch we all were sitting on. Me and Lucia were sitting on one end, while Serena and Elio sat on the other end of the couch. I turned to look at my two sisters and found them looking back. Apparently, they looked just as confused as me. Elio looked puzzled too. So, nobody knew.

"Angelo, I need time." Her tone was full of exasperation now. It was like she was fed up from this discussion. As if they had talked about whatever they were talking about a thousand times.
"I gave you all the time I could, mom. I don't want to wait anymore." Angelo's voice turned sad. "I have always made myself clear. And I will do just that even now."
"Angelo, don't. It's not the right time."

He sharply turned and paced towards us. Towards me and Lucia. A hint of desperation clouded his features. He suddenly went on his knees in front of us. My eyes widened. Seo-Yeon called out to her son but he didn't pay any heed to her. Maybe a part of her knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him. Stop him from uttering the next set of words he was going to as he sat on his knees there on the floor.

"I know this is very, very sudden. And I know how this might appear to you. You must be thinking: "How could this happen? This is not possible." I know you might feel overwhelmed but please think it through before you arrive on any conclusion." He sighed to himself. "Would you be willing to marry me?" My eyes couldn't have grown any wider after that. "Would you be willing to marry me, Lucia Rossi?" He has holding her hands as he asked that question. I turned to look at Lucia and boy, was she baffled. "IーI have planned everything, Lucia. We can both take care of Viola together. We can shift to the city for her higher education where she'll have the best of the best options." He took a pause as he took in her reaction. "I won't force you into anything. Trust me, when I say that I've always loved you. And I still love you. I will always love you. In your wrong, in your right." I thought he finished, but then he added such a ridiculous statement after that that I could not contain my laugh. "If you even murder someone, I'll help bury the body."