Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cleo

  I don’t like funerals in fact I really hate them. Death is part of life, and through death there is always some sort of rebirth that takes place. Hence the saying by Saint  Francis of Assisi  ; "it is only through death that we are born to eternal life."

I’ve learned that death is not the hardest part; the letting go and moving on after  the loss is . Having lost two children at the hands of Rosa taught me that.  Angelo is sensitive and  he is still scarred from what Nina did . 

When he  woke up from the shooting  incident that had happened he accused me of omitting the truth from him. Truth be told I was not omitting anything from him. I wanted a less painful way to tell him what had happened . 

A double tragedy sucks and feeling like you’ve lost everything in the blink of an eye is even worse . Angelo accused  me of keeping vital information from him and all I could do was try plead my innocence. I have seen him livid before , but what had happened still has me shook . What also happened at Claudio’s funeral I didn’t expect.

My day started like any other day apart from the fact that I was waking up alone in my apartment and I hadn’t checked on my babies . I couldn’t let them see my swollen eyes because I had cried myself to sleep the night before , and  I had to find the strength  inside me to put myself together and go to the funeral service. I knew I couldn’t go to  Luigi’s funeral because ; I was a Massa and  even though Blue was allowed to go , I wasn’t allowed to because I had married him as a Massa and not a Massa Luca. 

He still refused to take his father’s surname because he just didn’t want to believe that Romano could be his father. They were  opposites but compared to Luigi who always had his father around , Angelo felt betrayed because he was raised by his uncle and felt no connection to his father.

I wasn’t seated next to Blue at the funeral but the person sitting next to him was  the last person I expected . Besides feeling betrayed because I was  just about to give this person another chance to prove herself ,and show me she could be trusted . She just messed up any chance of us fixing what was left of our friendship. Blake had called me three days ago and asked me if I wanted to be part of the funeral  in anyway and I said; no. 

Since Salvatore was  missing in action, a publication  had caught wind about me and Angelo's relationship and the last thing I needed was the kids being caught in a crossfire they didn’t start. They had called me asking me ; if I could give them pictures of the twins and Ava exclusively for a spread . When I declined the reporter told me; she will get all the information she needed and my kids will appear on every publication . As soon as I hung up I changed my number and got the mobile service carrier to  shut down my number and recycle it. 

The press was going to be at the funeral and I knew the twins where not on their way . They were staying with Daniel and my mother.  No one had my new number .  As soon as we took our seats the service began . I wasn’t planning on going to the burial  ceremony, but Carl had spotted me and he made sure I didn’t leave his sight . I had taken an Uber and  as soon as we got into the Audi  S.U.V   He started talking;

“ Cleo .”

“Carlo Perelli .”

“ Are you and the boss okay?”

“ Are you asking as an employee sent by his boss or genuinely as a friend ?”

Carl took a deep breath

“ As a friend . I still remember the day I almost ran you over .”

“ Angelo was having me followed.”

“ You’ve gotten smarter  in giving us the slip and run.”

“ It’s not by choice .”

“What’s going on besides Angelo messing up .” 

“A tabloid  contacted me . “

“When?”

“ Three days ago .”

“ I am so sorry I  failed  you . “

“ You are not at fault.I just need to go to the burial … and pay my last respects.”

“ He was like a father  to us too and for what its worth  he thought  of you like a daughter.”

I nodded and took out my phone to call a cab to take me back home from the cemetery. I don’t like being treated like I am a stranger to my husband. Not everyone knew that we were married and a  selfish part of me wanted to keep it that way. 

“ He loved you like a son.”

“ We received your flower  donation . I couldn’t track you down .”

“ I need to keep my head low. The press is around and I knew I was  going  to be hounded after the call so I went to the last place anyone expected me to be.”

“ Are you safe ?”

“ Yes  Carl I am .”

“ Angelo is going through hell without you.”

“ Self induced. He keeps on hurting me and I seriously don’t know how many times have I told him I am not his ex’s rolled up into one .”

“ He told me that he acted out of character .”

“ A guy has never and I mean never lifted his hand at me . I still forgave him. I’m stupidly in love with him. I have never given  a guy so many chances before.”

“ I’ve never seen him  want to make a relationship work . Give him a break and time.  I remember when I thought I had lost my son . I made the mistake of shutting everyone out. I  even at some point hurt Clara, to the point where I believed I was beyond redemption . “

“  You are telling the story to someone who has talked to the person you hurt. She understood. I don’t understand and the stuff he does lately .”

“I am asking just for me Cleo. Give him time . We are two peas in a pod . He’s not using . He has been clean . He will  not touch that stuff .”

“ I’m asking for time too.”

We pulled into the Massa acre and  I sat next to Carl . I was pretty sure that Angelo didn’t recognize me. I was wearing a Black round neck a line  dress , boxed heel  heels and a blazer. It was a cold  summers day and it was cloudy too. 

My eyes still ached from all the crying I had been doing .  My sunglasses and hat hid my face .Before I went out  the car I texted my mom and told her that I would call the kids later . The burial went by quickly and I was doing okay until Angelo looked my way but he was given a hug and a kiss by Jane, and I saw a flash in the far distance and I knew that the press had followed .

Caught in between hurt and panic I walked away While Carl was walking towards Jane to drag her away from my husband I had never been to the acre and before I knew it I was lost inside what looked like a marble Labrinth.  When I finally took a  deep breath and took a seat my eyes landed on a placard that was gold. When I looked at the inscription my heart stopped and started breaking. 

©#KCMmuoe