Page 9 of Memento Mori
“It was very nice meeting you, Aaliyah.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “You’ll be hearing from me soon.”
He opened the door, and I slid inside the backseat of the car. “It was nice meeting you too, Antonio. And I look forward to it.”
With a smile and a nod, he closed the door. I signaled the driver to drive us to the airport.
As we drove away, I glanced out the rear window. Antonio stood in the same place watching the car, with his hands shoved in pockets with a look of confusion and awe on his face until I could no longer see him.
“Who was that?” Abel asked from the front seat.
“Nobody.”
I had doubts that Antonio would call, but deep down, I wished he would.
Chapter Three
I LOVE YOU AND ONLY YOU
Antonio
Five months later...
The red lights of the alarm clock mocked me in the darkness of my bedroom. “Another sleepless night,” I mumbled, kicking my sheets off in frustration.
As the early morning hours settled in, I tossed and turned, unable to find any rest. I grabbed my cellphone from the nightstand and dialed the one person who could soothe my mind long enough for me to drift off to sleep, at least for a few hours. As soon as the second ring ended, her smooth voice resonated in my ears.
“Can’t sleep?”
“No. It’s getting worse.” I couldn’t help but groan as I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. “When are you coming home?”
Her contagious giggle sounded over the line, instantly putting a smile on my face. Never in my life would I have thought I would ever say this about a woman, but I missed her. It had been five months since we’d met that day at my sister’s home, and I could say without a doubt it was the best day of my life. My life changed that day.
“Antonio, I’ve only been gone for two days.”
“I know, Bella. Two long fucking days. You know I can only sleep if you’re beside me.” In my bedroom, I paced in front of the windows, gazing at the endless sea of lights. “I need to have you in my arms, Aaliyah.”
“I know, Antonio. I want to be in your arms too. This should be a quick trip,” she said with sadness in her voice. “In a few minutes I’ll land. The meeting shouldn’t take too long, and I’ll be back in your arms before tomorrow night.”
I let out a groan. “That’s too long.”
“You sound like a big baby.”
When she laughed, the hint of sadness disappeared from her voice, exactly as I had hoped. I really missed her, but I didn’t want to cause her to feel unhappy. I knew she missed me just asmuch. She had a job to do for Abasi and taking business trips would always be a part of it.
“How’s that situation going with your family?” she asked. “Are they still trying to marry you off?”
It bothered me when she brought this up. It was a sore spot for both of us, but I understood her need to be reassured that we were together no matter what.
Since Aaliyah and I had been dating, I kept nothing from her. I informed her of what my parents were doing. But she was in a difficult situation too. While we both wanted to be in each other’s lives and even discussed marriage, Abasi was a bridge she wasn’t ready to cross yet. And I understood, because my parents were a hurdle, I wasn’t ready to jump either.
“Bella,you know I have to keep up appearances, just like you. There’s nothing going to come from it. The women my parents are throwing at me, don’t compare to you and never will. I love you and only you.”
“I know.” A sigh of frustration or exhaustion escaped her. “And I love you too, but what if they leave you no choice? What if they make you choose someone else, like your father had too?”
The vulnerability in her voice was crippling. Aaliyah was a strong woman, one of the strongest women I knew. To be a part of this world she had to be. She dealt with murderers and warlords. All types of criminals. Dangers surrounded her daily, and being Abasi’s daughter, placed a huge target on her back. Manyunderestimated the strength she possessed, but when it came to me, she showed me a different side. A softer side.
“I’d choose you without a doubt, Bella. Always. But it’s not going to come to me having to choose between you and the famiglia. When I tell my parents about us, there’ll be no more of these setups. And when you tell Abasi, we can move forward with our lives together.”
The voice of the pilot reverberated through the receiver.
