Most things in life come as a surprise.- Lykke Li
GISELLA
"Giovane maestro, Mia Cara, you're back," Zia Benedetta smile as she welcomed us and Zeta walks him to his chair.
I hold Zia Benedetta's arm and drag her away secretly from Zeta and Signore Nicolo. "Where is Signor Giuseppe?"
she frowns, "Vecchio maestro is in the study room alone, he's waiting," she says. "You don't like him, do you?" she furrows her eyebrows.
I grimace."How did you know that I don't like him? you don't like him too?" I ask with a flinched face.
She looks around carefully, "Yes, I don't like him, and I know why you don't like him," She reprimanded.
I jerk away from her hold a little bit surprised about what her answer will be like, " Yes, and It was because he made you marry his son by threatening you and your parents. I'm I correct?" she asks.
I was stunned by her genuine answer. "Yes, that is why I hate him so much," I frown.
"Gisella!!!" Signore Nicolo calls. I look up at Zia Benedetta and walk away from her.
I smile at her before leaving her on the passageway, "I'm coming," I reply.
I walk up to Signore Nicolo, "You will go and salute him," He said. With this, I froze.
My head was sweating. "Me?" I ask.
He was just staring at the ground as always, he sighed. "Hmm, don't worry, we will go together," he said with a sticky frown glued to his handsome face. I help him up as we work towards the massive study room.
He was standing closer to the window and was smoking a big cigar his grey hair dance according to the melody of the wind, his big coat his famed around his shoulders and his eagle head walking cane on his left hand.
"papà, why are you here?" Signore Nicolo asks him as we halt on the sidewalk of the study room.
Oh goodness, why is signore Nicolo asking him such question, I hate seeing that grumpy face of his, I am the only one who can see him now and he can't see him. I don't like him, so he should not get him upset. I don't know if he's upset or happy because of his face, his mood is always like that without expression.
With this, he turns away from the window looking at me and Signore. The expression on his face was unacceptable, It can scare little rats away from a cheese trap. " you're both back," he said.
I felt my forehead sweating. I swallow hard looking at his grumpy annoying face. "pa...pa...padre," I called, "Can I make caffè for you," I was just trying to be polite because of my parents and Signore Nicolo because. heaven knows how I despise him.
His frown tightened. "No need," he said with his Italian accent that was way deeper and thicker than the one of Signore Nicolo.
I felt Signore Nicolo cling to his walking cane. Umm... both papà e Figlio has the same strict and strange behavior. I thought.
Immediately, his eyes were fixed on me, with this I stiffen and he takes one step at a time to where I and Signore Nicolo was standing. What to do, what to do, I hate him but he is scary.
He halts at our front, I felt my body weaken, Signore Nicolo held my arm not to be scared. He looks at his son and back to me. "Gisella." He called, and I felt my body tense up. I look down at my feet, I can feel my palm are sweaty already and Signore Nicolo is holding my hand.
"Let's go out for dinner," He inquires. I felt numb and so was Signore Nicolo's reaction. "Since that brat of a son doesn't know how to treat his guest." He added as he held my hand as we walk out leaving my blind husband alone in the study room.
on my way out, I told the shocked Zia Benedetta who saw Signor Giuseppe holding my arm. "Help Signore N..." I pause by the grumpy stare that Nicolo's father gave me, then I corrected myself. "Help Mio caro marito a tavola per mangiare e riportarlo nella sua stanza, sto uscendo con mio padre," She was dumbfounded and nod.
**
we arrived at a restaurant closer to Signore Nicolo's mansion which is named Beppi's Restaurant. It was not that late, we went in and a tall male waiter attended to us and we placed our orders.
He looks at me, I was pretending to scratch my ears to avoid his burning grumpy graze. I notice that he was looking at me, and thank goodness my chair is not closer to his.
"Gisella, bring your chair closer to me, I've got something to tell you," with this I felt like committing spiritual suicide, I was crying bitterly inside my heart. Oh good heavens help me from this man.
I got up and took my chair closer to him and sat down, I was sweating badly. I hate this man but I don't know for sure why I hate him If it is because he underestimated my parents or because he forced me to get married to his son... good heaven.
"That stupid boy, Is he sleeping in a separate room?" he asks with his small eyes dark and sharp. I nearly choked on my very own dry saliva. My eyes were about pooping out from the socket. "Why are you looking at me like that? tell me the truth, is he strict with you, easily upset without reasons? Tell me, I know that you don't like me a bit because I can see It in your eyes. I can help you," He added.
I flinched. "No...No...No... Signor, It was me who requested for a separate room," I murmured as his intense eye won't stop looking at me.
His face hardens. "Gisella, It has been 9months and two weeks now, you're still new to him, He might be strict, grumpy, unpredictable and blind, but he is a nice kid. He has always been like that since he lost his sight," He says.
"Pa...pa...padre, It's not what you think," I defended him unknowingly.
His face got even tighter in the frown. what will it take this man to smile? I guess that he doesn't know that smiling takes fewer muscles than frowning. His eyes glare again at me. "You're not only naive Gisella but silly too. Padre knows better," he winks at me. He looks horrible winking. Immediately the waiter arrived with our order which seems like ages, I have been dying of hunger.
***
Third person's Pov
Signore Nicolo walks with his Papa with the support of his walking cane and his Papa holds. "I'm getting old, my back Isn't in good condition." He complains. "Nicolo, Your bed is so soft and warm, I'll sleep here tonight, you can share Gisella rooms with her," he said.
Nicolo knows his Papa very well, but what he doesn't understand was what is plans are. "No need Papa, Zia Benedetta prepared a room for you, I'll just sleep in my room tonight," Nicolo replies sarcastically, knowing [pretty well that his Papa had plans.
"You scoundrel," Signor Giuseppe Caruso yells angrily at his son. with this Nicolo support himself using his walking cane to create a clearer part to walk in. "Papa, you win this time, you can sleep here in my room, they are twenty-six rooms in this house, but don't worry, I sleep at Gisella's" He sighed and walks out.
.
Zia Benedetta walks to Nicolo in the guest room. "Signorino, the room is good to sleep, but the bathroom..." she says in low voice.
"It's okay, Zia Benedetta, just make sure that my Papa feels comfortable and don't take your eyes off of him till he sleeps Okay? that man has plans," His face tightened in a frown.
Zia Benedetta nods, "Okay, Signorino, you can go take your bath now before she gets in and also, have a good rest," she says and walks away.
Immediately Zia Benedetta steps out, he drops his walking cane and went to close the door. He pulls off his dress and walks into the bathroom. after his bath, a sound was heard which was Gisella entering the room. She was surprised to see Signore Nicolo's clothes on her bed. Then something fell from the bathroom which made Nicolo scream in annoyance.
Gisella turns around in shock and Signor Giuseppe came running in. "Figlio?" Signor Giuseppe screams in fear. "Nico...Nicolo..." He repeats again with a faint voice. Gisella held his shoulders as they both look at the bathroom door wondering what is going on in there. Gisella was frightened because of a different expression on Signor Giuseppe's face, he seems worried.
"Pa...Padre, Let's go out first. You should get some rest, he is fine. I will go see him afterward." she says with an apologetic tone. She wanted to yell at Nicolo and ask him what he is doing in her room instead of him being in his, but Zia Benedetta has told are everything and also why Nicolo always screams while taking his bath. It is because he felt frustrated with the darkness, he wants to see colors but can't, she also said that losing his sight was permanent. "If we remind him like this by asking what the problem is, it will make it fill worst," she added.
Signor Giuseppe Caruso sighs. "Hmm, okay then," he said.
She gave him a slight smile. "Padre, you should have a rest in my husband's room, I am here with him, I take care of him when he gets out don't worry," She said genuinely. She hated him, but now felt bad to see him like this.
Nicolo Caruso sat on the toilet bench, the frown on his face looks regretful, he looks at his reflexion in the mirror, the big scar on his shoulders and back bring backs bad memories. He clenches his arm on his walking cane and throws it on the floor angrily. "Damn it," he added. he got up and put on a robe and pick up his walking cane.
He walks out from the bathroom using the cane to create parts. He saw Gisella sitting on the bed waiting for him curiously. "I'm fine, " he quickly says, knowing that Gisella has a question for him.
she feels faint. "I know, and I believe you, I know that you're fine," she added.
The frown on Signore Nicolo's face was cruel. "Rest assured, I will recover! from all of this nonsense," He said bitterly. this made Gisella confused.
From all this Nonsense? she thought.
WORD TRANSLATION
<<ITALIAN>>Mio caro marito a tavola per mangiare e riportarlo nella sua stanza, sto uscendo con mio padre
<<ENGLISH>>My dear husband at the table to eat and bring him back to his room, I'm going out with my father
<<ITALIAN>> Padre
<<ENGLISH>> Father
<<ITALIAN>> Vecchio maestro
<<ENGLISH>>Old master
<<ITALIAN>> Figlio
<<ENGLISH>>Son
<<ITALIAN>>Signor, Signore,signora, Signorina,Signorino
<<ENGLISH>>Mr, Mister, Mrs, Miss, Master
<<ITALIAN>>giovane maestro
<<ENGLISH>> Young master
<<ITALIAN>> Mia Cara
<<English>> My lady
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