Page 82 of Solace

“I am with a man, a boyfriend. You are so going to kick my ass when I tell you who… Antonio Conti.” A gust of wind again came from nowhere, was this all a sign? I smiled. “Yeah, the enemy but it turns out we weren’t the ones with the evilness, and Antonio was simply going around cleaning up their mess. Yeah, I know. But trust me, Mamma. I have never felt this happy, well since you. I am going to visit you every week, I am going to bring you a fresh bunch of roses and talk a little to you and bore you about what I am up to.”

Tears ran down my cheeks. “The sex is good mamma; Antonio is a real master in the bedroom. He has just taken me away to a cabin, so pretty you would have loved it there. He killed Ricco, he saved me. I owe him so much. I know you would have loved him once you got over the shock of me being with him.”

Wiping my nose as more tears came. “I love you with every heartbeat I take. I am going back to the Dellucci estate to get your pictures; I hope to God I can find one of my real papa, I hope you died in his arms. I cannot believe you were expecting my sibling. I hope he gave you comfort and warmth before your final seconds. I love you, Mamma please keep looking down on me, just not when I’m naked and being intimate with Antonio. I draw the line at that. Oh, and mum, if he asked me to be his wife and have his children, I would.” I smiled. The thought excited me.

“I have to go; I will be back next week.” I got up. I gazed down at her grave. “I will fix this for you, the gravestone. I hate the fact that man chose it.” I stepped back, I could truthfully spend hours with her, but I know Antonio had things pressing.

Leaving the grave and ambled back to Antonio who stood by the car. I wiped the tears away as he approached wrapping his arms around me giving me the comfort I craved.

“I told Mum about you.”

“Oh boy, no wonder my body came over in a shiver,” he said, glancing at me.

“She would hate me, then she would approve once she knew what a hero you were.”

“I would hardly call myself a hero, but hey, it’s okay princess.”

Gazing out the window to see we drove past the entrance and to the other side of the graveyard, puzzled I had no idea what Antonio was up to. I wondered if he was going to his father’s grave. I had no idea where he was buried.

We drove for what felt like a little while passing a funeral taking place, everyone dressed in black and wiping their noses. I know that heart-breaking feeling.

The car stopped and I saw Carlo, Luigi and Cecco once again dash into positions.

I looked up to see Antonio opening my door and placing his hand out for me to take hold of his hand, I did and stepped out of the vehicle. He laced his fingers with mine and walked me through graves over the grass and over to a line of trees, I said nothing but stayed with him. I was careful not wishing to stand on anyone’s loved ones.

He stopped and I did too. He looked at a gravestone, I turned to look at where he was focused.

I read the gravestone.

Here lay a son, brother, and lover

Paul Hykemen

Shocked.

“Oh my God, Antonio.” I wrapped my arms around him kissing him all over his face, I was overwhelmed with emotions. Tears ran down my cheeks, just not believing that he had found my papa’s grave.

“It’s okay princess,” he said as I held him tight. Never in a million years did I suspect to find my papa, the man who made me. The man who gave my mum the sperm to create me. My papa, the man who I shared genes with. The man I grew up with and he played a bigger part in my life than who I thought was my papa.

Releasing Antonio and stood at Paul’s, my papa’s grave and just stared at the name over and over again. Washed with emotion, my heart ached and my legs were close to collapsing. This was something special and appreciated beyond belief.

Glancing across the cemetery. “My mamma is miles away from him.”

“No, they are together in soul,” Antonio heartedly told me.

“You think so.”

“I know so.”

“Do you think he knew the truth?” I enquired.

“I would imagine so,” he answered with warmth and compassion.

“Do you think that was why he was around in my life so much?” I said when further tears left the corners of my eyes.

“More than likely. I would say they were lovers for many years, only her husband never paid attention, no doubt lost in his sick world.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “I will leave you for a few minutes and then we will go to the Dellucci house for those pictures.”

Truly blessed to have Antonio in my life. This was special what he had done. The man was not a monster but a protector of the innocent, who did all he could to keep the streets clean of ruthlessness.