Page 36 of Twisted Obsession

Giovanna

The minute the storm swept into the bay, I walked closer to the terrace that each of my family’s bedrooms led out to, to watch it on the horizon. In my head I ran over and over the conversation between me and Salvatore. I reprimanded myself for saying what I had and for not saying what I should have. As I paced back and forth within the wide doorframe, the conversation swirled around in my head.

What do my family think I am?

Stupid?

Immature?

I hadn’t cried.

I refused to cry.

Not even when Dante still hadn’t phoned me. Nor when the storm started to roll around the bay outside my window, and I wanted more than anything to run down to my nonno and watch our final storm together, with his arms wrapped tightly around me, as always protecting me.

Finally, with the storm crashing around directly overhead, I dropped the dress I was wearing to pool on the hardwood floor beneath me and stepped out of its confines. As I took my last couple of steps, I released the clasp on my bra and shucked myarms out. With a flourish I threw it to land on the seat of the nearest chair. Then, crossing the threshold, I shimmied out of my lacy boy shorts and kicked them behind me.

By the time I reached the already soaked and cold terrace, the rain was falling straight from the sky. I strode out under the steel like rods and embraced the pain on my flesh as though it was my lover’s caress. Lastly, I looked up to the heavens and allowed the rain to relieve the pressure inside my head and behind my eyes.

I might have been naked, but clutched in my hand was the phone Dante had given me. I might have given up on myself, but I still hadn’t given up on him. Slowly, I lowered myself to the concrete beneath me, and there I curled up into the foetal position.

In what only had to be a few minutes, I absorbed the pleasure and pain of nature.

‘Do you know I was the first to hold you after you were born?’

‘Yes,’ I whispered remembering the story he’d told me a few times before.

‘I held you upright and placed your head on my shoulder, and together we watched a violent summer storm.’

‘We’ve seen many a storm together,’ I offered.

‘We have, Nipote… although this will be our last.’

‘Are you watching too, Nonno?’ I voiced my question just as a gust of wind swept in and took the words away.

I didn’t need the question answered, I could feel my grandfather inside my heart. Lying there on the floor, I wrapped my arms around myself as the rain washed away everything and made me feel numb with the cold. It wasn’t an unwelcome feeling.

I remembered being a child and questioning him.

‘Why do you like storms?’ I’d wrapped my arms a little tighter around his neck and positioned his cheek against minewhile I waited for the answer. A small laugh was all he replied with.

But that memory was enough, my face burst into its first proper smile of the day.

It took until just that moment for my phone to start vibrating in my hand. Unable to see clearly, I swiped a finger across the screen and pushed the phone abruptly to my ear.

‘Giovanna.’ His voice captured me as he shouted my name down the line like his life depended on it.

‘Dante,’ I reciprocated, feeling my heart warm with the promise of something unspoken.

‘At work all I think of is you. When I helped carry Mia up to her room, with Gabe holding her hand, all I could think of was your hand in mine. Now, I’m standing in the rain and all I can think about is you.’

‘You are?’ I uncoiled my body and sat up as I cupped the phone close to me with both hands.

‘Where are you?’ he questioned.

‘I’m naked in the rain.’ For the first time I looked around the terrace. ‘Seems silly, doesn’t it? I just needed to escape, even if it was for a short time.’

‘Naked?’ He said the one word with wariness.

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