Vincenzo was now satisfied with how Juliano was dealt with. He watched him walk to Tiziana and apologise publicly to her in the room where the girls were waiting. Tiziana seemed fine and not upset. She had given her first kiss to Scorpious so Juliano hadn't taken away something that was too precious to her. Tiziana was a tough girl. No Luciano could defeat her even though he had tried really hard to do so. He had dared threaten her in broad day light but part of him wished Juliano got rid off Scorpious and then Tiziana rejected him. He found no one worthy of Tiziana really.
Vincenzo thought of going for a walk while he was waiting for his father to show up at the O'Neil hotel's office. They had just called him now. His uncle Antonio and Emanuelle O'Neil had a meeting with the Andovinis separately and now that everything was resolved, Emanuelle O'Neil had called his father. Announcments came that they were now allowed to go outside to the front grounds to take photos. Vincenzo walked outside deciding to walk around waiting for his father's car to arrive. The front grounds were so beautiful. Vincenzo smiled at the candy floss makers around the grounds near the marquee where people were taking pictures. Live music was playing too. Candy floss was Terza's favourite snack so Emanuelle O'Neil had made sure there was candy floss at the party beside the food and drinks taken around in trays by servents.
Vincezno frowned as he didnt see her around. He decided to go find her and get a pink candy floss which was her favourite. He got a blue one for himself and a pink one for her. As he was walking around eating his candy floss he heard sounds from one of the rooms. The sound of piano. A terrible sound. The piano was way out of tune. He looked through the windows and saw terza. She was on the piano trying to tune it unsuccessfully. He shook his head smiling as he was eating wathcing terza in amusement doing it all wrong on the piano. He slowly jumped through the window and landed inside the room. She didnt notice his arrival. He slowly ate his candy floss and as he almost finished it Terza turned around.
Terza was shocked to see him. She put her hand on her hand "Oh dear Lord... What are you doing here?"
Vincenzo shrugged "I brought you a candy floss. They run out of pink ones always."
Terza was looking at him with her mouth open. What was it with him. Hours ago he was on a war path after his brother was caught with an Andovini. Now he was different. That was what didnt add up with him. Even when he was not in a good mood, he was gentle. He was always treating her as gently and respectfully. Of course playfulness and sarcasm was there. His jokes never ceased but she couldnt complain. She was sarcastic with him too. That was how you could keep yourself from confrontations with him at times.
Clarisa walked to him "Thank you... But I didnt think you will be eating candy floss too. I thought you would have soda again..."
Vincenzo handed the candy floss to her and walked to the bin. He discarded the candy floss stick in the bin since he had finished eating and then turned around "Well... How can I not like candy floss? Its as close as I get to you... I know you are planning to leave. So I should make the most of it..." His expression hardened as he stared at her making her swallow hard the candy floss that was melting in her mouth.
Vincenzo stood in front of her "Tristan told me you are going to apply for a transfer... He didnt tell me how long for..."
Clarisa sighed "Do you really need to answer this question? Really Vincenzo? When do you think I am coming back? Take a guess?..."
Vincenzo replied "You are coming back when Letizia and I break up... Right?"
Clarisa stated " I wouldnt put it that way.... Letizia transferred to ours school. Someone could take her place as guest so I volunteered. I go to Italy. When she returns to Italy, I will come back to America..."
Vincenzo narrowed his eyes "Has your mother signed the paper?"
Clarisa shook her head "Not yet... But she will. Unless you stop her... You are the only one who can... Just threaten to leave the school and she would do it... You are the star pupil alongside Tristan... Everyone knows that... Your performance and Tristan's in the drama production were noticed. Hollywood is sending my mother their contact cards.. My mother is getting million dollar worth contracts of making hotels near hollywood studios and investments in movies all because they were entertained that night and they want to come to the next production. if you are not in it, they wont come... Apparently you made an impression when you talked to them.. here you go... Your negotiation skills from your uncle Antonio... So yes. You are the one who can do anything... But so can I... If you try to stop me, I will find a way to leave...."
VIncenzo retorted "Terza... I will try to stop you but not in ways you think..."
Clarisa wasnt sure what he meant and wasnt sure if she wanted to know... She then looked around "I should go... They need to send this piano back to where they got it and get me another piano. I want to perform tonight..."
Vincenzo offered "I can fix it for you..."
Clarisa rolled her eyes as she glanced at Vincenzo "No need to fix this piano. Go fix Juliano..."
Vincenzo chuckled and walked past her to the piano. As he started inspecting it he spoke " He is sorry now. Let's leave it at that..."
Clarisa stared at Vincenzo while standing away from the piano " Did you make him cry?"
Vincenzo turned to Clarisa " Cry? No."
Clarisa replied " You should have made him cry for what he did to Tiziana."
Vincenzo pretended to think " I would bear that in mind next time..."
Clarisa took a few steps closer to the piano and watched him working with the piano tuning it. She watched him work with the piano as she finished her pink candy floss. She walked to the bin and discarded the stick as she sighed " Thank you for the candy floss VIncenzo...."
Vincenzo replied without looking away from the piano "You are welcome..."
Clarisa walked closer to Vincenzo and stood near him as she crossed her arms over her chest "Its not working Vincenzo. Leave it. I have tried for the past hour..,"
Vincenzo turned to her " Next time don't. Just call me and I fix it for you..." He then went back to work on the piano again.
Something didn't add up for Clarisa. He seemed so at ease. Maybe that was it... Him beating the crap out of Juliano had helped to put him at ease....but it wasn't it... He seemed so relaxed... It was unlike Vincenzo to react that way when she had displeased him. She had just told him she was going to leave but he was calm. Too calm... He was normally like that. He didnt lose his temper around her. That was what made her wary of him. In his mind maybe he had plans to stop her from leaving so she had to watch her back...
Vincenzo was touching the keys with so much excitement. This was Terza's piano. The piano that she never allowed anyone to touch. It was her piano. At O'Neil hotels, the O'Neil children had parts of the hotel for themselves, a room, an object, a monument in their name. This piano belonged to Terza. No one was allowed out to touch it. She tuned it herself but of course that day she was unsuccessful. He was happy that she trusted him enough to touch her piano. Only her hands touched those keys and no one else's. That meant she didn't mind him around.
Clarisa asked " You are wasting your time Vincenzo. It won't work... lets go... Like I said... there is no need to fix it... Its not fixable... I have tried...If you want to fix anything go make Juliano cry...
Vincenzo retorted "He is keeping his distance... he wouldnt dare try anything now... This is O'Neil territory,.. We had to go easy on him and cut it all short because Andreas showed up . Andrea's girlfriend is his sister... So He suggested diplomacy and apology... But we beat him up enough I guess..."
Clarisa replied "Fine... But still you shouldnt waste your time on a piano that cant be fixed and its going to be replaced.."
Vincenzo turned to her " Do you want to bet?"
Clarisa gasped " Not a chance. No... But I have tried everything with the piano..."
Vincenzo shook his head as he touched the keys and got on with tuning the piano " No. you haven't tried everything. That's why this baby doesn't work... This is an antique piano. A rare beauty. It needs to be treated with care... it is special. A rare beauty... ." He then glanced at Terza and finished his sentence in his mind " Like you Terza..."
Clarisa watched Vincenzo look away and kneel on the floor working with the piano. She sat down on the floor kneeling mirroring his posture. She was curious why he seemed to know about antique pianos " How do you know so much about this piano? I thought you look down at music instruments like you look down on art..."
Vincenzo replied defensively as he turned to Clarisa " I don't look down on anything Terza... I just think sometimes it's best to dedicate time to something more vital and valuable. That's all..."
Clarisa replied " Fair enough. But how do you know about antique pianos like this one. The sound seems to be coming back."
Vincenzo replied as he got on with working on the piano " Of course it's working. I am fixing it so it will work. I make everything work Terza. I don't fail. I can't fail ... in anything..."
Clarisa knew that. Vincenzo was like her brother. He had to be perfect in everything he did... But still he hadn't answered the question. She persisted " Vincenzo... How did you learn to work with the piano?"
Vincenzo sighed " Terza... Terza... You can't have answers to all your questions... "
Clarisa replied " I am just curious... I had so much tuition on working with a piano. I still can't work with this particular piano.., It's ancient... When I chose it in a catalogue I didn't know how hard it was to work with it. I thought I could do it alone.... But how do you fix it?"
Vincenzo stood up " All done. I suggest you play with it to test it... You don't know if it's fixed unless you play with it..." He then offered his hand to her to take.
Clarisa refused to take his hand and stood up " Thank you for working on the piano. Let's see if it's fixed... I still don't why you don't tell me where did you learn it..." She sat down behind the piano and started playing. She gasped. Oh my god. It's perfect. Thank you Vincenzo..." She turned around " I don't know how you did this but I can reward you..."
Vincenzo suggested "With a kiss?"
Clarisa blushed " No... As a thank you I play any song you want on my piano..."
Vincenzo replied " Fine... Play me this..," He then flipped through the ancient looking notes book in front of Clarisa. He found a page and commented " Play this song..."
Clarisa sighed " It's Italian ... I prefer playing Irish music ... but fine..." I play it..."
Vincenzo walked backwards and leaned to the wall watching Terza play and recalled some of his old memories... Memories Terza wanted him to recall that he couldn't retell. He had secrets... Plenty of them.
It was along time ago. He recalled his grandfather sitting him on a chair behind a piano. " You are doing well... You learn fast..."
Vincenzo had been excited to hear his grandfather praise him. He rarely did. He looked up " Thank you Grandpa... "
His grandfather put his hand on his shoulder and leaned closer as he smiled " Vincenzo... There is a world out there. A world of opportunities... Make sure you grab every single one of your chances. Every single one. If you miss one opportunity then you have to run for it until you grab it.... Don't ever fall behind Vincenzo. There is so much you can do after learning to play... I want you to play the piano because you can.... Do you want grandpa to show you a bigger piano? Follow me to the other room. I will show you..."
Vincenzo recalled how he enthusiastically had got off the chair and followed his grandpa out of the room. He had no idea what he was about to see. In the next room he had seen the ancient looking piano. His grandfather had taught him everything he knew about the piano... Everything. Vincenzo had learnt how his grandpa liked to trade antique goods and artefacts... There was a big market for it... The ancient piano was agift from a trader and his grandpa used it to keep Vincenzo occupied while he dealt with his messier jobs while he was with his grandpa.
His grandpa had later on taught him how he planted a bomb in a piano to kill a musician who had refused offer of his grandpa to work for his business bringing more customers for his hotel casinos. The piano had exploded on one of the unfortunate musician's live performances on stage. He knew how every wire worked. His grandpa had made it in front of him. That was the start of his mentoring. His grandpa had taught him his engineering knowledge. His grandpa was quite creative. A genius in his field.
Vincenzo recalled one day sitting watching his grandpa teaching him some tricks with circuits, he had asked his grandpa the burning question " Grandpa .... Why do you work so much with circuits..."
His grandpa had turned to him and said "Because I can Vincenzo... You must do anything you can... You are a Rosario... Use all your gifts... Don't spend your time wishing for gifts that you dont have... Just work with talents and power that you have... You can achive everything you want if you make something of what you possess already ... Most men wish for what they cant have when their own talents are left untouched and never used... You are a Rosario. A smart one.. You wont let your grandpa down I am sure... I know you can do anything with your gifts... You may want to become the president of the United States... But if your family name stops you, if life of crime stops you, make sure you get as close as you can... Do you promise? I pushed your papa too hard becasue I wanted him to achieve what I couldnt... I wont push you like I pushed him... Grandpa didnt know how much was too much when he pushed your papa. Your papa never forgave grandpa..."
Vincenzo didnt know the meaning of most the words but remembered every single one. He had a good photographic memeory for sure to save his words and make sense of them later.