Gio (5th Street) (22 page)

The first was a safe one saying only that Toni knew Bianca was in class and to give her a call when she could. The second was what she was dreading:

I’m not sure if you’ve seen what I’ve seen all day today on TV but I hope your not responding has nothing to do with you being too upset. Call me please I’m worried now.

How was it possible that after spending such an incredible day with Gio she could possibly care about this? Her insides were instantly on fire as she hit speed dial and called Toni back. She needed warning before she turned on her television.

Bianca was angry—more than angry but it felt different this time. If she was going to be deprived of being with someone as amazing as Gio her only consolation was that she at least had Felix. Someone equally amazing just a few days ago, right? At least she’d thought so until Gio had come along seeping slowly into her every waking—and sleeping—thought.

Before Gio, Bianca had been excited about her future with Felix. Sure, he wasn’t without his flaws but for the most part the only one she’d found in him was the possibility that he wasn’t being completely honest with her and so far all her suspicions had been all for nothing. He kept proving time after time that he was in fact in love with her and the rumors were all without merit.

What she’d done today with Gio was inexcusable. But even though she’d kissed his friend—
all day,
something told her whatever Felix had done was much worse. Not only that if he’d really done anything he’d probably been doing it for quite some time. It made her feel like the biggest fool on the planet because she should’ve seen something like this coming sooner. The signs had all been there. She just refused to see them—clung on to the hope that he was really telling her the truth and now she could very possibly be left with nothing.

More than anything, she knew why she’d lit up so fast. And it was almost humiliating to admit it. Her stomach had been in knots from the moment she and Gio snuck their last kiss in the car tonight. The countdown had just started until their next chance to be together like they had today and Bianca didn’t think she could make it. It had
just
started! She’d never felt anything like this. She was already tempted to skip this whole business of finding out what Felix did and run out there to be with Gio now. So the idea of ending things with Felix and leaving here never to see either of them, but most dreadfully never seeing Gio again, was what really had her falling apart.

Toni answered. “I’m sorry Bianca. I didn’t mean to alarm you but when I didn’t hear back from you—”

“I haven’t seen or heard anything, Toni. But can you please warn me. How bad is it?”

Bianca held her breath in anticipation. “It’s not too bad. The only reason I brought it up is because you usually respond fairly quickly and I hadn’t heard from you
all
day so I had visions of you curled up in bed crying or something.”

She’d begun to exhale slowly but that last comment made her breath hitch. “Curled up crying? I thought you said it wasn’t bad.”

“No, no, it’s not! But if you see only parts of it I could see why you might think it is. It’s basically the same stuff I uncovered digging on the Internet about him and that Shelley girl. Now that they have photos of you and him they’re making this big thing over who is he really with. They have some really cute ones of the two of you on that horse and carriage ride you two went on, by the way.”

It was the strangest mixture of relief, excitement and guilt all rolled into one. For one she was incredibly relieved that it wasn’t as bad as she was expecting. However, the guilt all but consumed her. She wasn’t relieved that her boyfriend hadn’t cheated on her. She was excited that she wasn’t going to have to leave him and in doing so leave Gio as well. Felix was the one thing keeping them apart but at the same time, he was the only thing keeping her there with the possibility and hope of a few more stolen moments. This whole thing was crazy and not to mention incredibly selfish. But even now she could hardly wait to meet Gio in the hot tub.

Bianca had purposely called Amparo ahead to tell her she and Gio had picked up fast food on the way home and were already eating in the car so she could go ahead and close up the kitchen early and call it a night.

Even though they wouldn’t be engaging in anything incriminating for the security cameras to catch, just knowing that she’d soon be in the same room alone with him again did things to her—had parts of her body already reeling with anticipation. It was unreal.

Toni finished telling her about the photos and the stories the media were trying to twist into something. None of them had it straight, except they were all insinuating that it appeared Felix had two girls—one in Chicago and one in Big Bear. But none of the stories had any real facts other than some old photos of Felix with Shelley and the more recent ones of the day he’d been stranded in Chicago.

“I had my phone put away most of the day.” She closed her eyes before continuing hoping the rest would sound as innocent as possible. “I went to the show today with Gio and then we went to that meadow I like to go to. I forgot to turn my phone back on after the we left the show.”

Felix was quiet for what seemed too long and Bianca could only imagine what he was thinking. It was so unlike her not to check for his calls or texts and even more unlike her to not respond to them as soon as she got them. “Are you sure this is not about the stories they’ve been airing all day?”

She almost didn’t but then decided at the last second she would. “Maybe.” And so the lying began.

“Babe. You have to stop doing this. These stories are gonna continue. You have to let me explain before you go believing the worst. I don’t know how else to assure you that it’s all a bunch of bullshit.” There was noise in the background and she heard him tell someone he’d only be another minute. “I got a live radio interview to do right now. You can tune in to listen if you want. But we need to talk when I get back tomorrow. I hate that this shit keeps happening. More than anything I hate for you to be upset.”

“Okay, but we still have to talk.” He gave her the information on where she could tune in to listen to the interview and she pretended to write it down saying she would listen. Then just before he hung up he caught her completely off guard. “So what did you see today?”

“Huh?”

“At the show—with Gio?”

She shook her head, drawing a blank and panicked. “Oh, uh.” Bringing her hand to her forehead, she spun around in the room, desperately trying to remember what movie they’d purchased tickets for. Without exaggerating, she could honestly say she hadn’t watched even a minute of it. And at the moment couldn’t even think of
any
movie. She snapped her fingers annoyed that her mind had completely zoned out. She finally blurted out the last action flick she’d watched.

“Really? Isn’t that old?”

Shit!
She had no idea. It was just the first thing that came to mind. “Not the first one.” Was there even a second one? Not sure what else to do, she hit end and stared at her phone waiting for it to ring but it didn’t.

After a few minutes, she figured he’d been hauled off to do his interview and she relaxed. The anxiety of the nearly botched call hadn’t even worn off yet when the anticipation of being with Gio again began swirling inside her and she hurried to change into her bathing suit.

Out of habit, Gio had clicked the TV on in his room as he walked in. Halfway through rushing to change into his swim trunks, the words of the reporter on the television hit him like a bolt and he grabbed the remote clicking record like he had back home anytime something about this aired.

“Felicita Morales, the widow of Trinidad Morales gave birth today to a baby girl, Trini Morales, named after the father she’ll never get to meet. Trinidad, who lost his life just over a month ago in the ring after a blow to the head during a fight that burst an aneurism in his brain, was only twenty-two when the tragedy occurred.”

Gio went numb. He stared at the screen as they went into detail retelling the story of the fight, Trinidad’s death and the ongoing investigation of the physician who released him to fight. He picked up the remote turning up the volume as the cameras zeroed in on Trinidad’s father who was being interviewed at the hospital. He spoke solemnly about the birth of his granddaughter. “It’s bittersweet day for our family,” the reporter translated from Spanish. “Even though we are very happy that God blessed us today with a part of my son.” The man’s eyebrows pinched and he brought his hand to his mouth unable to hold back the emotion.

Gio felt the anguish in his own heart as the man tried to continue speaking and suddenly he felt himself struggling to hold back tears as well.

“My son was so happy when he found out he was going to be a father.” The man went on even as the tears ran down his face.

Gio immediately thought of Noah and how horrible it would be lose him. To leave Roni behind with a baby that would never know him would be even more devastating.

The reporter went on to say that mother and daughter were doing well and that they would most likely be released from the hospital tomorrow then moved on to the next story.

The knock at his open door came just as Gio rewound the story and he gulped hard not wanting Bianca to see the emotion he was feeling.

“Hey,” he said, unable to even look at her so he hit play and watched the TV instead.

“You okay?” She stood next to him and watched silently as the entire story replayed. As soon as it was over Gio rewound it again. Just like the other stories he watched over and over again back home, he thought maybe he’d grow immune to the fact that Trinidad’s entire family and now his fatherless daughter were still mourning the loss of the family member
he
had killed.

“Bianca, please!” His words were louder than he’d intended and he felt her flinch so he finally turned to her, lowering his voice. “I just need a minute.”

She nodded and without another word walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Gio watched the whole thing a few more times then finally threw the remote on the bed. The temptation to turn the lights off, sit in a corner and lock everyone out again like he had just after this first happened was overwhelming.

The knocking on the door again, made Gio frown. He didn’t want Bianca to see him like this. He could feel himself getting pulled back into that same darkness he’d been in for weeks after Trinidad’s death and he didn’t want her to know how fucking weak he could be.

Instead of telling her to come on in, he walked to the door ready to tell her he was calling it a night—say he wasn’t feeling well and he would just take a pill or something and go to bed. He opened the door and Bianca stood there holding a tray. On the tray—two bowls of ice cream with all the trimmings.

“I thought you might be in the mood.” She gave him the most adorable hopeful look as she waited for his response.

Gio smiled, wishing now that she wasn’t holding a tray between them because he was overcome with an incredible urge to hug her—hold her like he had all day and never let her go. She was his magic pill. The one thing that brought light into his darkness. Because of her, he’d barely even thought of Trinidad the whole time he’d been here until tonight.

“Yeah, ice cream actually sounds perfect right now. Thank you.” He leaned in a little closer. That same familiar warmth he felt when he was around her was already pushing away what he’d been feeling just before he opened the door. “I’d kiss you if I could,” he whispered and her eyes did that thing that drove him insane. “I swear to God, Bianca. If you lick your lips I
will
kiss you. I don’t care where we are.”

She giggled. “Don’t tempt me.” Gio dropped his head back with a groan and she laughed. “You wanna eat it here or in the kitchen?”

Having Bianca in his bedroom all to himself was way too dangerous. Reminding himself that he’d already come to the conclusion that he’d be willing to risk it all for her, he decided he didn’t trust himself. “I think the kitchen would be safer.”

She smiled, turning around and he walked after her. The tray was set on the counter and they each took a bowl and a spoon. Gio dug in immediately. Then watched and waited as she took her first spoonful making that face she did whenever anything was delicious. “Why do you do that?” he asked, exasperated.

He leaned his hip against the counter taking another spoonful of ice cream before responding in a hushed voice. “Make that expression whenever something feels or tastes really good.” He glanced around wondering just where the damn cameras were and placed the spoon strategically over his mouth on the off chance Felix could read lips. “Like you’re enjoying a hell of an orgasm.” He laughed at her shocked expression. “It’s scandalous.”