CHAPTER Eight
Erin
The Galleria Vittorio’s bustle has me on edge today for some reason. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always a ton of people hanging around. Crowds don’t bother me as much, and this mall is definitely the place to be in Milan. The art etched into the marbleized walkway along with the glass ceiling creates a sight people back home in Louisiana can only dream about.
To make the capes that go along with Nikolai’s lead dancers’ costumes, I need about ten yards of Italian silk fabric. Adriana, who has pretty much adopted me in a big sister-mentor kind of way, decided to tag along after I mentioned where I was going.
We wind up exploring both the Galleria and the Piazza del Duomo, another historic shopping area in central Milan. Hagar has more patience with our ventures than me. He obediently drives us back and forth between the two plazas more times than I can count.
Eventually, we find the perfect shade of crimson colored silk in a fabric shop called Galtrucco. With two floors of both no-name and designer fabrics, a girl like me could easily lose herself all day in such a place.
“So, the real reason you’ve chosen to stick with me today is…?” I ask Adriana and wait for her to fill me in.
“My brother told me to make sure you don’t work yourself to death.” She glances around, her long, dark ponytail flapping back and forth.
“Did he now? This from the man who invented the term workaholic?” I answer as we walk into a coffee shop.
“He talks about you a lot more than you might think.” She tilts her head and gives me a knowing look, one that says she’s doing her best to try and hold back her smile. I narrow my eyes. A picture forms in my head.
I mean, sure, Alek probably did send her over to check up on me. He has this bossy, borderline alpha-male thing going on. Well, he is a maestro. It must be hard to run an ensemble filled with almost a hundred different attitudes. And I have to admit that I truly admire what he does.
But I’ve also experienced his possessiveness and another passionate side of him as well. That’s the one he hides behind the mega-playboy persona. It’s also the one I’m most afraid of getting used to having around me. I glance over at Adriana, narrowing my eyes. I want to ask her about his tattoo, but decide against it.
“What?” Adriana asks. She has the largest eyes I think I’ve ever seen. Her pretty sapphire blue color stands out when she turns up the volume on you this way.
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You’re still thinking I’m Alek’s spy. I can tell,” she says and gives me an amused side glance. “But really, hanging out with you gives me time to stall.”
“Oh? Has Alek been slinging his whip at you again?” I ask jokingly.
“No, but Mother has this creepy male friend who recently moved here. He’s always staring at me.” She shakes her little body out and makes a disgusted face. I appreciate her animations, her liveliness, everything I’m not and probably never will be.
“I can’t imagine Katerina dealing with anything or anyone who’s less than perfect. That includes creepy people,” I say, sipping my macchiato.
“You’re still kind of mad about what happened at dinner, aren’t you?” she asks.
“Not really. I just don’t get why I was suddenly made out to be the dark nun, or something,” I answer.
“Come on, Erin.” She makes a light laugh. “You’re so sharp when it comes to designs and things. I bet the manager of Gucci is sweating like crazy because he’s so nervous about what you’re doing with Black Butterfly. I hate to say this, but you absolutely suck when it comes to understanding men. Mother sees that my brother has a thing for you. I can see it too. The only blind person in this dance is…Erin.” She pokes her lips out like a fish and makes weird kissing noises. It still doesn’t make me feel any better about the way Katerina treated me, either.
“That’s not true,” I answer.
“Because you don’t want it to be.”
“Okay, Mom. Thanks for the heads up. But no thanks at the same time. Subject change please.”
Adriana slumps a bit and then says, “Well, you’re coming to my show tomorrow night, right?”
“Are you kidding me? I’d have to murder Luca and Carla both if we missed that show.”
She throws her arms around me. “Thanks so much, Erin. You totally rock.”
I don’t ask what she means. But it’s nice to have someone around who reminds me of what it used to be like when I had a sister.
* * *
Adriana makes a gorgeous mermaid. And her talents as a ballerina rivals even the most accomplished dancers. I sit mesmerized by her portrayal of Seraphine, a choreographed version of a fantasy where a mermaid girl falls in love with a human boy. In the end, the girl winds up using her powers to save the boy’s life. The show comes complete with sparkly tutus, men dressed in colorful ballet outfits, and a light display that seduces the eyes.
Luca hasn’t taken his eyes off Adriana the entire time. Carla and her girlfriend, Trina, have been engrossed in conversation between each other most of the night. But even those two quiet down when Adriana’s performance begins. That leaves me sitting alone for the most part, while thinking of the depressing nature of Seraphine’s story of forbidden love. It’s almost as bad as Romeo and Juliet’s tragic ending, and this is so not what I need to be taking a part in tonight.
As the final note to the finale booms through the auditorium on the heel of an aggressive drum progression, Adriana makes a continual twirl that makes me feel dizzy just by watching her dance. The mermaid has saved her lover, but must now accept her exile. Adriana’s final move brings the emotion inside the finale to vivid life.
The curtain falls and Luca flies to his feet. “Brava! Brava! Perfetta e bellissima!” I stand, but give my boss a double take as he catches the attention of the people sitting around us. Even Carla and Trina turn their attention toward the stage.
Could it be possible that Luca and Adriana…? Oh hell no. I’ve been living with Reckless Me’s voice for too long. But still…hm.
I’m caught up in this thought when Luca suddenly grabs my hand, pulling me into the hallways that run along the outside of the main auditorium. We’ve managed to escape before the rush of people start heading toward the exits.
Traipsing down these hallways makes me think of Alek and the day I flashed my goody gumdrops at him. To this day, he has never said a word about the most embarrassing moment of my life. He’s a complete gentleman. Maybe it’s time to consider Petre’s advice. I need to find that line of the straight and boring I’m walking on and decide whether I’m brave enough to move along in life without sticking to it.
We stop in front of Adriana’s door and wait. I have no idea where Carla and Trina have run off to. She mumbled something about heading downtown to the Alcatraz, one of Milan’s wildest nightclubs, later tonight.
I think I hear Alek’s voice. He seems to be heading straight toward us. My heart hammers and several thoughts start to race through my head.
Alek steps around the corner. A redhead is hanging on his left arm, and they seem to be having a lively conversation. My thoughts go from giddy-girl bubbly to kick-ass vixen in less than a second.
“How lovely. It’s Rose Dewitt-whatever from Titanic,” I announce before I can stop myself.
“I think she’s very pretty,” Luca says.
“Be quiet, Luca,” I mutter out the side of my mouth. Alek and Rose head straight toward us. I can hear Righteous Me for the first time in days. She’s getting her I-told-you-so voice ready.
“Alek. What a surprise,” I say with as much polite sarcasm as I can create. Rose Dewitt-whatever looks me up and down. And I think I just saw her lips turn up.
“Likewise, Ms. Angelo. I do believe we have a knack for running into each other in this hallway.” He beams a knowing smile at me, and I throw mental daggers at him. Right. He’s probably ticked that I flat out turned down his proposal the other day. But his little innuendo calls for some comeback action.
“Allow me to introduce Lila Davis, the woman who’ll be singing during Requiem’s interlude. Lila is a soprano. She has performed at the most prestigious opera houses all over the world. These fine people are our designers, Luca Martuccio and the talented Ms. Erin Angelo.” I keep my gaze locked on his.
Lila scoffs and says, “Well, I won’t need any designers. I have my own team, thank you very much.” Luca and I exchange glances.
“So, what song will you be singing for Alek’s show?” I force my lips into a smile. She looks me up and down as though I’m a bug sitting on her shoe, which I could very well be. I think I’ll choose to be the stink bug.
“My Heart Will Go On,” she purrs and gives Alek a proud smile. Only Rose Dewitt’s twin would choose that song, and then stand there looking like it’s the coolest thing in the world. Alek cuts his eyes toward me. A silent challenge. Alright, buddy, you asked for this.
“How appropriately boring. Requiem is a group of songs about healing from ailments of the mind and being different. It’s about taking chances and feeling life build up inside you after such a long time of walking around like a zombie,” I say firmly. Lila scoffs and looks shocked.
Alek clears his throat and says, “Luca, if you’ll keep Lila entertained while I have a word with Ms. Angelo please.” He takes my hand, pulling me around the corner where we first collided a little over a week ago. “What’s wrong with you?”
“You embarrassed me,” I say, hugging my shoulders. “Why’d you have to go and mention ‘that’ day?”
“Is that it? I’m making you act this way because I embarrassed you? No one knows what happened besides us.” His accent has suddenly deepened and he’s standing with his hands on his hips. I don’t know why, but I’m feeling a bit intimidated.
“That overdone song plays on the radio at least a hundred times a day. Anyway, you asked me to be your singer,” I remind him.
“And you turned me down.”
“You didn’t give me time to think about it.”
He closes his eyes a short moment, inhaling deeply. “There’s more riding on the success of this production than you realize. I have a show to run, Erin, not a babysitting service.”
His words smack me harder than a hand could ever do. “I won’t hold you up then,” I whisper and start walking back toward Luca. Alek reaches for my hand, but I snatch it away.
“Erin, I’m sorry,” he calls out behind me.
I would’ve stopped. I wanted so much to go back to him. But my nose stings and my vision’s all blurry. I’m not used to feeling tears as often as I’ve been doing lately.
I don’t get this thing that’s taking over my head. I blame Reckless Me for slacking on the job. And I want to bitch-slap Righteous Me for being right all of the time when it comes to the men in my life. “Luca, take me home now, please?” I say, my voice trembling.
Adriana stands outside the door to her room now. She takes one look at my face just before she purses her lips and gives her brother a hard look that reminds me so much of their mother.
“Your performance was fantastic, Adriana,” I somehow manage to say. Luca and Adriana exchange glances one last time just before he and I head toward the exit. I simply ignore Lila standing there with the big smirk on her face.
I’m sure Adriana will want to find out what happened the next time I see her. For now, I just want to go home, back to a place where I don’t have to worry about the crappy things that happened tonight when I attempted to step out of my comfort zone.