Adele was in the kitchen making a cake. It was time for her children to come back from school. She had left work early to get ready for dinner time. She watched through the window as a car pulled over. She smiled. Her children were home safe. She watched them get off the car alongside Cain who was expected to come to their home for that day. His father wanted him back and Costanzo had decided it was best to send him to Francisco's house while he negotiated with cain's father.
As she was mixing the ingredients, she watched Cristina enter the kitchen " Ms Rosario. Please let me help you..."
Adele smiled warmly at her " No sweetie. You are a guest here for tonight. Why don't you go back to watch tv or if you are bored, just take a sit, my children are here now with your cousin. I can bring you all gelato.
Cristina smiled as she walked to the table " Mrs Rosario, I think we won't have any room for dinner if we have gelato now..."
Adele chuckled " You don't know my children then... they eat a lot. They exercise a lot and this week they are in survival camp and have been doing a lot of physical activity. She then turned around and walked to the freezer. She took out the ice cream tub and brought it to the table.
Cristiana offered " I will help you Mrs Rosario." She proceeded to bring ice cream glasses to the the table from the cupboard. She picked up a scoop and opened the tub.
Adele smiled " Thank you for your help sweetie.... I will be back in a minute. I must go to the storage room to get a drink." She then walked out of the kitchen.
Cristina for busy with taking scoops from the tub and setting them on ice cream glasses. Just then she screamed as she felt herself suddenly being lifted in the air. She heard her cousin behind her " Cristina. You are here." He threw her effortlessly into the air making her laugh.
Cain caught her in his arms and then set her down on the ground.
Cristina turned around and pointed the scoop at him " You scared me... Don't do that again..." she then noticed she had audience who were looking at her and Cain from where they were standing unmoving.
Cain wrapped his arm around Cristina's shoulder and looked at the twins " This is my cousin Cristina." He then turned to Cristina " They are Viggo and Vienna."
Cristina smiled " Nice to meet you. If you have a cool mom like Mrs Rosario then you must be cool too."
The comment made Vienna and Viggo smile. Viggo shook his head as she walked to the table and took an ice cream container " Nice to meet you but .. don't say that... You have no idea..."
Vienna smiled warmly and walked behind Viggo. She embraced Cristina " Nice to meet you." She then pulled away " I hope you stay long... Cain told us you have to go back. I hope you stay for the sleep over this Friday."
Cristina nodded " I will try.."
Vienna sat down on a chair " Sit down and let's have some ice cream before the boys finish our share..."
Cristina sat down next to Vienna as Viggo and Cain sat opposite them. The youngsters got on with eating ice cream. But then seconds later, Cristina felt the shift in the air. She heard a voice from behind her " What's going on here?"
Cain nodded at Cristina " Hey, Vincenzo, meet my cousin Cristina..."
As Vincenzo walked to the table, Cristina turned around and said " Hi ..." She then gulped as he took his form in.
Vincenzo froze in his spot. He looked at Cristina with curious eyes. Vincenzo stared her down as he slowly walked in the kitchen towards the fridge not breaking eye contact with her staring her down in silence making her swallow hard. But she wasn't breaking eye contact either.
Viggo shook his head " Aren't you at least going to say hi to the guest?"
Vincenzo turned to Viggo sharply " You are all about etiquette aren't you?"
Cain was surprised and knew something didn't add up. He raised an eyebrow as he looked between Vincenzo and Cristina " Call me crazy but do you two ... know each other?"
Viggo and Vienna also looked on at the strange situation with interest. It was strange the way Vincenzo was looking at her as though he knew her.
Vienna nodded " I was going to ask too..."
Viggo sighed " Come to think of it Vincenzo, you are not acting like you normally do with girls... Have you seen her before?"
Vincenzo's stare went back on her after giving the others in the room a dismissive look. Emotions were crossing Vincenzo's face that no one could read but then he shook his head and masked it with his words as he stated right at her " Do I know you? Where do I know you from? ... Do I have time to remember you? I might find time for it later..." He then turned to Viggo " Maybe or maybe not I know her..."He then walked on towards the fridge. He opened the fridge door and took out a can of soda.
Cain asked "can you speak with no riddles? Do you know her?"
Vincenzo spoke " Look who is talking... You are the riddle master...."
Vienna asked " Cristina... Have you met my brother before?"
Cristina turned and bit her lip " I think so.... But don't want to recall. Don't ask me more please... I don't want to recall meeting him at this moment if it makes sense..."
Cain nodded " It makes perfect sense..."
Viggo sighed " I don't blame you.... I know the feeling... No one wants to remember Vincenzo..."
Vienna asked " What did he do? Tell us..."
Vincenzo closed the fridge door with more force than necessary. He turned to Vienna and popped open his soda. He narrowed his eyes at his sister " What does that supposed to mean? ... Why would I do anything to her? Don't judge... I have standards..." He then turned to Cristina as he drank from his soda. He walked closer to her "Let me think ... Nah... I don't have time to recall you...Neither do you..It's strange. Isn't it. I have bumped into you before but I don't want to recall it... Neither do you... Let's keep it that way. Shall we?" He then winked at her.
Cristina looked almost hurt " Ok."
Vincenzo nodded as he took another sip from his soda.
Cain, Viggo and Vienna looked at each other and then at Vincenzo. This was bizarre.
Cain spoke " Vincenzo.. What is this? Stop playing mind games with my cousin..."
Vincenzo turned to Cain " Trust me if I wanted to play her, I would have ... Why would I want to play games with her? We have met before but ... we are not meant to recall... She is bound by omertà if you know what I mean... It's strictly business." He then turned to her " Isn't that right?"
Cristina nodded " Yes..."
Vincenzo downed what was the rest of his soda and threw the can in the bin soundly. He then turned to Cristina " May I have a word in private?"
Viggo gasped " Not a chance... You actually think Cain will let you be alone with his cousin?"
Vincenzo turned sharply to Viggo " I would never hurt her... This is business... Besides she can take care of herself. I gave her a pepper spray awhile ago." He then turned to Cristina " Isn't that right?"
Cristina nodded " Yes..."
Cain, Viggo and Vienna were just too shocked at the situation. What had just happened? Vincenzo made no sense and Cristina didn't act in any way that implied she was scared or felt threatened. She looked abit nervous but who wouldn't have been that way if Vincenzo stared them down? He was intimidating.
Cain asked " Seriously.. If you are not telling us anything, then ... Leave my cousin alone at least..." He looked at Cristina " You don't have to go any where. Sit down..."
Vincenzo rolled his eyes and walked away to the kitchen door " You don't tell me what to do Cain. You are in my father's home. Don't you forget that. It's her choice... I will be in my room..," He then disappeared.
As Vincenzo left, Viggo, Vienna and Cain gave out the breaths they were holding and Cristina found herself faced with questions left and right.
Viggo asked " Tell us exactly what's happened between you two? Did he do anything? Just tell my mum..."
Cain asked " Why didn't you tell me you knew him before?... When did you meet him? Has he hurt you?.,,"
Vienna asked " Seriously? How? When? How is this possible?... Why haven't I and Viggo met you before?... What has he done?..."
Cristina sighed and put her hand up " I don't want to talk about it but ... It's not what you think... He never did anything .... It's not about me or him... It's simpler than you think but it's about secrets... sorry... I have to go talk to him now..."
Cain banged his fist on the table " Wait..."
Just then Adele came in the room. She had two bottles in her hand. She didn't know what had happened. She put the bottles down on the blunter top and smiled at children as they said hi to her. She smiled at Cain " It's great to have you here Cain. Would you like something else to eat before dinner?"
Cain smiled at Adele " No I am fine Mrs Rosario..."
Cristina nodded " excuse me... I will be back..."
Cain wanted to protest but then thought against it. Vincenzo was crazy but he behaved in his father's mansion. He wouldn't have dared do anything to his cousin when his mother was there. Vincenzo feared nothing but his father and of course didn't act nicely to anyone he hated unless it was for his mother.
As Cristina walked out of the kitchen, she took out s deep breath. She walked straight to the bathroom. She entered and washed her face with cold water. She took deep breaths and looked at the mirror. She wished he didn't make her feel so helpless. In her 14 years of her life, she hadn't felt like this. Here they were meeting in America and it made all that had happened that she didn't want to recall more real than ever. Meeting him again brought back memories, ones she wanted to forget...
Cristina came out of the bathroom and sighed. She had to speak to him but she didn't know where he was. If he wanted to speak to someone he did so there was no need to avoid the inevitable... But she wished others weren't too worried about her...Vincenzo never hurt her... She knew that.
Just then she found him appear out of no where in front of her " Hi, why don't you come in?"
Cristina then found him grab her hand and he lead her inside a room. He spoke " Sir down. Talk. Speak now or hold your peace out there."
Cristina sat down on his bed as she watched him stand towering over her " I have nothing to say to you..."
Vincenzo narrowed his eyes " Really? You spoke more out there... I won't get mad at you if you confess to anything... Have you done anything you shouldn't have?"
Cristina sighed " No."
Vincenzo spoke " Are you sure?"
Cristina sighed " Yes.. Why am I really here? Just for your questions?"
Vincenzo spoke " Why else would you be here?"
Cristina spoke " Maybe so I can ask my questions ... Have you thought of that I might have questions? You are not the only one involved..."
Vincenzo spoke " There is nothing to be concerned about. I know that..."
Cristina spoke " If you know that then why am I here? It makes no sense. You ask how is everything when you know all is well..."
Vincenzo spoke " Sorry if I wanted to see you....Maybe it is fun for me to look at the expression of annoyance on your face ... I just thought I ask... I like to hear it from you... Relax... You only live once... Don't be too serious. You know this goes beyond business... Do you want to play some chess while you are here and we catch up?"
Cristina sighed " You never change... Just like when you were back then... This is not the right time..."
Vincenzo shrugged " I like beating you in the game... It gives me satisfaction... It's never the right time for you and me... We can catch up on business while we play... I will go easy on you..."
Cristina didn't understand him. He was rude, mean, offensive, egoistic, dangerous ... But he treated her well. She guessed she was lucky she met him first when she did ... when they were only five..."