Per Verse Vengeance Read online

  “I’m helping Nicole with her new computer,” Ava says.

  “What type of computer did you get?” Natalie asks.

  “Your generous brother bought me the latest Mac.”

  “I accidently destroyed Nicole’s computer,” Nick remarks.

  “How did you do that?” Natalie asks.

  “It’s a long story. I wouldn’t want to stress you out with all the details,” Nick replies and Natalie punches him in the arm.

  “Don’t be such an ass. And just for the record, I’ve been taking karate lessons.”

  “In your spare time?” Nick asks.

  “Yes, it’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you use your time efficiently. So you better not mess with me.”

  “I won’t. Not even if you had a gun pointed at me and were ready to pull the trigger.”

  “Such a gentleman,” Natalie remarks as she looks at Nicole and smiles.

  “Oh, that I’m quite sure of … even though I think if I had a gun pointed at him, he might take some sort of action. Isn’t that so, Nicky?”

  “You’re not my sister so I would recommend you never point a gun at me.”

  “What if I point a gun at you?” Ava asks as she climbs off Angie and crawls onto Nick’s lap.

  “And what would Chuck and Snoopy think about that?” Nick replies.

  “They wouldn’t like it,” Ava whispers.

  “I wouldn’t think so,” Nick remarks as he looks into her big, brown, curious eyes. “And who was the first president of the United States?”

  “Washington.”

  “And the second, third, and fourth?”

  “Adams, Jefferson, and Madison.” she replies with little hesitancy.

  “And the capitals of New York, California and Florida?”

  “Albany, Sacramento and Tallahassee,” she replies as Natalie reaches over and grabs her off Nick’s lap.

  Gina and Nick serve dinner on paper plates with plastic knives, forks and paper napkins.

  “Hope I didn’t overcook everything?” Frank asks as he sits down next to his wife.

  Angie takes a bite of her steak. “It tastes absolutely wonderful.”

  “My husband has turned into a fabulous chef. Whoever would have thought … a tough guy from the Bronx. I don’t even go into my kitchen anymore,” she says as she winks at him.

  Everyone helps clean up after dinner, then Nick and Ava leave to go watch the Charlie Brown marathon. Gina and Frank, confident their child is in safe hands, excuse themselves and go off to bed.

  Angie turns to Nicole and remarks, “Those two really need some alone time.”

  “Gina’s an amazing mother,” Nicole replies.

  Natalie, half asleep, turns to her mother. “I’m going to make an executive decision and give the crew the rest of the week off with pay. Can we stay here tonight and the next few days?”

  “That sounds wonderful, sweetheart.”

  “Great! I’m going to join Nick and Ava.” She kisses her mother and hugs Nicole. “Such a pleasure to meet you. See you tomorrow.” Angie and Nicole sit alone by the pool.

  Nicole turns to Angie. “How about we split a beer?”

  Angie smiles. “I see my son has told you about some of my habits. Yes, that would be wonderful. It’s such a beautiful night.”

  Nicole walks toward the house and can’t help feeling that this was how it was meant to be … her and Angie, alone at the end of night, sharing a beer and maybe discovering some of each other’s secrets. She feels like she did with Ava … an undeniable desire to be liked and loved by this captivating and intelligent person. A chill runs down her spine as she remembers Nick’s warnings, but how could she be totally honest without alienating herself from these people?

  The kitchen is dark, and when she opens the refrigerator, the light inside blinds her for a moment. I must be crazy. Nick doesn’t want to be with me. He’s just feeling guilty for leaving his family and I’m the charity case that’s making him feel better about himself. She grabs a beer from the shelf and looks for cold glasses. She sets everything on the shiny granite counter and as the fridge closes, darkness sets in again. Compared to these people, what am I? An unholy creature … a dirty, disease-infected mosquito living in a swamp. For some reason, her mind slips to Elizabeth, to the promise she made to the girl she loved … the one hope at the end of a dark tunnel … all that is left of that now is a pile of ashes in an urn in the back of her car. I can’t even set her free.

  She walks back outside carrying the beer and two chilled glasses. “Do you ever go back to Bronx?” she asks as she pours the beer.

  “Occasionally, I still have some family and friends back there. We still own the house my children grew up in. My husband’s family bought it for us as a wedding gift.”

  “Nick never talks about his father.”

  “He probably doesn’t remember him. He was only two when his father was killed. Natalie had just turned one.”

  “My God, that sounds terrible.”

  “In exchange for the wedding gift, his family pressured my husband to get a real job. So he joined the police department, like his father and brothers, and two years after that, he was killed in the line of duty. It took me years before I ever talked to my in-laws again. They tried to give me money for the kids but I threw it back in their faces. My husband was a beautiful man. He wanted to be an artist, a painter, like Da Vinci or Picasso, and he had plenty of talent but his family was convinced he was just wasting his time on a stupid dream.”

  “That’s so wrong. How did you manage?”

  “The death benefits from the police department were enough to keep us going for a while, and the little he had in his pension plan helped. I got some modeling jobs, mostly local, and that was enough to keep us above water. Believe me, I couldn’t afford to get my children the best of things but we were a lot better off than many families.”

  Angie takes a sip of beer. “Beer tastes so much better in a chilled glass.”

  “You did an amazing job raising your children. Your husband must be looking down and feeling awfully proud.”

  “I seriously hope so. At times when I look at my Nicky, I see my husband. He blessed me with the two greatest gifts in my life. He was the type of man they would have idolized … a father they would have easily looked up to. I still have all his paintings and sketches … many of them done on simple paper napkins.”

  Angie laughs as she takes another sip of beer. “I was his favorite subject.”

  “Of course you were. I imagine if you were alive during Da Vinci’s time you would have been his favorite subject.”

  Angie reaches over and gently touches Nicole’s face. “Personally, I think Mr. Da Vinci would have preferred you. You are so beautiful.”

  “Thank you. But I really don’t think Mr. Da Vinci would have even noticed me if I were in the same room with you.”

  “Don’t ever sell yourself short, sweetheart.”

  “Did you ever make up with your in-laws?”

  “No, but eventually I allowed the children to visit them. I felt they had a right to know who their grandparents were on their father’s side.”

  “And how did that go?”

  “Honestly, I never asked and they never told me. I do know that whatever money they gave them went straight into the church’s box for the poor. Natalie let that little secret slip out while we were visiting Nick in the hospital in Germany.”

  “It must have been torture for you when he was away.”

  “It was as though he stuck a dagger into our hearts. Someday, when I get up the courage, I’ll ask him how he could do something like that to us. If it was to hurt me, well, he achieved his goal, but to hurt his sister is unimaginable to me. I cannot tell you how happy I was when she told me she was taking off the rest of week. She’s been under so much pressure, and if Nick doesn’t decide to come back soon I will see to it that the company is sold. I will not let any company undermine my daughter’s health and well being.”
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  “She seems to be a very strong person.”

  “She is. One does not achieve what she has without being strong, but when your partner … your brother … decides to go on a misguided adventure, it can break the strongest of people. They were inseparable. They collaborated on everything … even though the idiots in this town assumed that Nick, being the guy, was the brains behind the operation. I guess if anything good came out of this affair it cleared up the misperception about my daughter. She can stand toe to toe with any guy, including her brother, and outshine all of them.”

  “Nick told me Natalie’s brilliant and that she was finally getting the credit she deserved.”

  “Nick has always been her biggest fan and always refuted allegations that he was the genius behind everything. He always made sure that her name was the first to appear on all their productions, but stereotypes, especially in this town, are difficult to erase.”

  “I understand why you would be upset with Nick, but there’s no denying that your son is a hero,” Nicole says with conviction.

  Angie looks directly at her “My son did what was expected of him. He should never have been in that situation in the first place.”

  “But he saved lives at the risk of losing his own. That’s the definition of a hero.”

  Angie smiles. She takes Nicole by hand. “I want to show you something.”

  They walk down the hallway and open the door of the screening room. On the screen, like all the other times, are Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. Angie continues to hold Nicole’s hand as they walk toward the center seats. Nick, Ava and Natalie sleep in three chairs that are reclined into beds, complete with pillows and blankets. Ava sleeps between the two adults with Natalie and Nick’s arms wrapped around her.

  “Those are the only three chairs that turn into beds. We had them built like that because at least one or two of us would always fall asleep while watching a movie. I don’t know what I enjoyed more, the movies or being surrounded by my children. There was no better dream than waking up and seeing the faces of my two sleeping beauties.”

  “So there was a time when something else was on the screen besides Peanuts movies?”

  “Yes. We have diverse tastes when it comes to movies, but now that Ava is here, it’s Chuck and the gang all the time.”

  “Before Ava ever arrived, that’s all that your son was looking at,” Nicole remarks.

  “Is that so,” Angie replies as she takes one last long look at the sleeping trio. “I think it’s time us ladies get some sleep too.”

  In her room, Nicole takes off her robe and bathing suit and steps into the shower, turns on the water and allows it to splash against her body. She can’t help but feel that she’s entered an alternate universe, like in a comic book.

  Somehow, she can’t shake the feeling that Angie and Natalie know everything about her. Like Nick, they seem to have the power to look at a person and immediately know everything. The feeling is uncanny and weird. She thought that Nick was exaggerating about his mother, but if anything, he didn’t tell half the story. She can still feel Angie’s presence all around her: the penetrating eyes, the soothing touch, the enigmatic smile and the voice that could easily talk a suicidal person off a ledge.

  After her shower, she sits on the bed in her pajamas and looks out the window at the swimming pool and the reflection of the palm trees on the surface of the water. She lays her head down on the pillow, pulls the blankets over her body and turns onto her side. If ever she wanted Nick to enter her room and just hold her, it was now.

  Fifteen

  When Nicole wakes up, Ava is looking down at her. She’s dressed in her bathing suit and holding a breakfast tray filled with fresh biscuits, fruits, eggs, bacon, sausages and a glass of orange juice. The early morning sun rises through the branches of gently swaying trees and touches the backs of large, gaudy mansions.

  “Wow, is that all for me?”

  “Yes. Nick said you liked cold pizza for breakfast but we didn’t have any…”

  “Are you at least going to help me eat it?” Nicole asks as she sits up in bed and Ava sits beside her.

  “I already ate breakfast. Cereal with milk,” Ava replies with a tinge of sadness.

  “Is that what you usually have?”

  “Yes, but I used to have it with chocolate syrup. Even though everything came back cancer free they still don’t want to take any chances. Yesterday was so much fun, but now it’s back to healthy food all the time.”

  Nicole hides her smile. “That’s because they love you so much.”

  “I know.”

  “Is everybody else up?”

  “Mommy and Daddy are still asleep but Angie told me not to bug them. That it’s good they were sleeping.”

  “Yes, sometimes getting a lot of sleep can work wonders.”

  “When are you and Nick getting married?”

  “I don’t think we’re ever getting married. He didn’t even look at me once last night,” Nicole replies and immediately shivers at the words that just came out of her mouth.

  “He’s just trying to make up with Natalie. She’s still very mad at him for going away.” Ava leans toward her and lowers her voice. “I’m not suppose to talk about it, so please don’t tell anybody … but I think he’s a superhero, like Batman.”

  “Do you know where he went?”

  “Of course. He went to fight the bad guys. I saw him in the hospital. It was very sad. So many soldiers were missing legs and hands.”

  “You went to Germany?”

  “They didn’t want to take me but I made them. They thought he was going to die but I knew he wouldn’t. Superheroes don’t die and once I got there, he got better.”

  “I can definitely see how you could have that effect on him.”

  “Angie and Natalie were there for a long time. All the sick soldiers were in love with them.”

  “I’m sure they must have fallen in love with you too.”

  “Yes, but I told them I was too young to get married. It made me very sad to have to say no, but I think they understood.”

  Nicole looks at Ava with amazement. “I’m sure they understood.”

  When Nicole finishes eating, she changes into her bathing suit and takes Ava’s hand on their way down to the pool.

  “Do you think your mother would get mad if I kidnapped you?” Nicole jokes.

  “Yes. It would make her very sad and she would never stop crying and they would be the sad type of tears.”

  “How about if I kissed you a hundred times?”

  Ava giggles and Nicole bends down and kisses her all over her face, ears and head.

  “That wasn’t a hundred,” Ava remarks.

  “Well, I don’t want to use up all my kisses in one shot. It’s still early.”

  They walk out the door to the pool. Nick sits at a table with Natalie at the far end of the pool. Papers are spread out across the table and they are talking quite seriously. Nicole looks across at them for a long moment. Ava looks up and pulls at Nicole’s arm, “Don’t worry, he’s in love with you.”

  Nicole laughs as she looks down at the adorable child. “I guess if anyone would know it would be you.”

  “Yes, he tells me everything.” They walk into the pool and Nicole asks, “How about we do a warm-up lap?” They swim slowly across the pool as Nicole keeps a vigilant eye on her pupil. They stop at the far end of the pool and rest on the edge, directly across from Nick and Natalie. “Good morning,” Nicole says to them with a smile. Natalie looks across at them and calls out, “Good morning, ladies.” Nick looks up from a piece of paper he is reading from and simply smiles at them. They swim back to the other side of the pool and begin their lesson. The early morning sun glistens off the water and illuminates the sprays of splashing water like pearls of heavenly magic accompanying the musical laugher of the child and her teacher.

  Nick walks over to the side of the pool and looks happily across at Nicole as she lets go of Ava, and the child, lik
e a champion, stays afloat on her back as she paddles with both arms. Nick claps, to the delight of Ava and Nicole.

  “Can I speak to you for a moment?” Nick asks.

  Nicole instructs Ava to continue practicing, then gets out of the pool and sits down with Nick at a separate table away from Natalie and where they can keep a close eye on the child.

  “So, did you give my mother a foot massage last night?” Nick asks with a touch of sarcasm.

  “I don’t even know what that’s suppose to mean.”

  “My mother couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful she thinks you are. It’s all she spoke about while we ate breakfast. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was speaking about one of her children … or about Ava.”

  “I sure hope you set her straight about me,” Nicole remarks as she momentarily takes her eyes off Ava and looks at Nick.

  “Actually, I agreed with everything she said.”

  “Really. I thought it wasn’t a good idea to lie to your mother.”

  “I didn’t lie to her. She simply detected the wonderful qualities in you that it took me a little longer to notice, but then we met under different circumstances.”

  “I stood up for you,” Nicole remarks.

  “I figured.”

  “It’s time to come clean. Your mother and sister deserve answers.”

  “I wish I knew how.”

  “Why don’t you follow the advice you gave me and simply be honest?”

  Nicole reaches over and places her hand on top of his. They watch as Ava climbs out of the pool and runs into the arms of her adoring mother. “There really is no substitute.”

  “No, there really is no substitute,” Nick agrees as he wiggles his fingers between Nicole’s until their hands clasp together like an unbreakable chain.

  Nick stands up, reaches over, and kisses Nicole on the mouth for a long and loving moment. “I’ll see you in the house.”

  “Yeah, I’ll see you in the house,” Nicole remarks, her face suddenly glowing. With Nick out of earshot, she whispers to herself, “Wow! Maybe he does tell Ava everything.”

  Natalie walks toward Nicole, smiling and holding a folder filled with business papers, and sits down at the table.