ATONEMENT (46 page)

Crystalia
nodded. Lucia was right. They must get Kim-Sung for this betrayal. Tomorrow she planned to visit Selange, from what she
overheard,
the woman was in a state of shock. They had become friends and friends are there in troubled times.

                       
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

A funeral one day,
followed
by a wedding the next.
It was a
beautiful, glorious, solemn wedding on a remote Greek Island with hundreds in attendance.
There were
o
ld Don’s, young
sons
, politicians and two of Europe’s most famous celebrities
, Natalie
Luna and Nicolai
Kosev
. The only people absent were Selange, Nico and Vincent
. Two of the three
were confined to the hospital and the
third
in
a permanent state of rest in a cemetery beside his
adopted
parents.

Alfonzo stood silently in his tux, his eyes looking through the line of bridesmaids. He heard the words spoken by the priest and frowned. He’d uttered the same vows, so did Selange. Vows of fidelity meant nothing, they were easily broken and he
mocked it
, his foolishness that is.

The wedding finally ended. All he had to do was remain upright and try to smile whenever necessary. He managed okay. The children got him through it but when they asked
where mommy is, Alfonzo’s
face became
pain-
stricken and his mother kindly intervened
to give an
innocent explanation
for her absence and not the truth teetering on Alfonzo’s lips
.

‘
Your
mommy
’s
in
the hospital. She’s having twins sweethearts, you’ll have step-siblings,
whoo-hoo
!’

Certainly, he couldn’t say
it;
they wouldn’t understand the sarcasm, besides he did not want to speak out of spite. This was his problem and their mommy’s. Yep, and he was still trying to figure out what the hell to do about it!

                               
***

They removed the IV’s this morning. Selange was allowed to get out of bed and walk around. She
put on slippers, went to brush her teeth then decided to check on Nico. His condition was downgraded from critical to serious and the nurse gave her permission to make a brief visit.

S
elange
donned
the heavy wool
robe
and sought out her lover and friend.
She wondered if he knew about
Vincent.
Of course, she would not tell him, she didn’t have the strength to deliver the bad news.

She rode the elevator to the fifth floor and headed to the west wing. These were private hospital suites, often reserved for important or influential patients. In Brooklyn, when her dad caught a case of appendicitis and needed surgery, the closest he came to a private room was sharing his space with just one other patient in the room the size of a box.

Before she got to the door, she saw the guard there and immediately surmised it was Nico’s room. The guard spotted her and watched her approach void of expression. “I’d like to visit for a minute,” she said and he stepped aside without a word.

She opened the door
and entered the spacious room. There attached to machines and drips and staring straight at her was Nico. She closed the door then walked slowly over to
the mechanized bed. His dark eyes suddenly reflected light but they were tired. He was fighting an internal battle with death and she prayed Nico was winning. She touched his hand, “Hi.”

A weary grin, “Hi.”

“Good news.”

“Yeah,” he croaked, “tell me before I sleep.”

“They’re twins.”

His eyes grew bright. Understanding and elation sinking in, “Mine.”

“Ours.”

“Yes, ours.”

“
Hold on, for them and your boys.”

“My boys…” he whispered as his eyes drooped, “Aaron…Darren.”

“Hold on, your family needs you.” She said bravely. She meant every word
,
one day she might
need him,
also. Looking at his strong angular
features
and the tufts of shiny black hair brought a gentle smile
to her lips
. He was her gladiator, fighting for his life in the ancient coliseum of
Athens. He’d win, he had to.

She stroked his hand then went to get a cloth to wipe his face. This small gesture represented her eternal gratitude and love. They could not be together; the guilt wouldn’t allow it. She realized it now. Their destinies led elsewhere and each time they sought to change its course, tragedy ensued. No, her life was with Alfonzo and so too was her deep love. She’d simply forgotten but now she had to find her way back…that is…if he
would have her after this.

The cool cloth slid across his face until it flushed with color. Yes, he was fighting. The only unknown was
f
or
whom
?

Then the door opened, an attractive
woman with two tall boys
entered
. The
boys
resembled Nico, except their hair had hints of brown. Selange moved aside as the boys rushed to their father’s side, calling him dad, telling him they were there and weren’t leaving. The woman waited near the door, her eyes riveted on Selange, raking her up and down with distaste. Selange didn’t look away, she was no longer ashamed. What she shared with Nico she would not regret. It was over and she decided to move forward to repair the fragmented pieces of her life. It was time she fought, too, and she would for her family.

“Stay away from him, do you understand me bitch. You stay away from my husband or God help me I’ll claw your eyes out!” The woman sneered as Selange sought to pass.

The woman’s anger was understandable, her threat similar to those of many scorned women facing their spouse’s mistress. Selange took ownership of her role in
their affair and replied, “Save the drama
and go to him, he needs you.”

That said, Selange stepped around the woman and exited Nico’s life.

                
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Shanda sat across from her
best friend, shaking her head at the mess she’d gotten herself into. She couldn’t believe it, well she never expected Selange of all people to act the fool. That position was reserved for her. She’d dropped everything and flew out to Puerto Rico to lend moral support after Alfonzo packed his things and left. This happened two months ago and Selange was finally beginning to come to terms with the separation. Shanda didn’t want to be the one to say it but in the back of her mind she questioned her friend’s judgment. What the hell was she thinking? See, it’s bad enough she cheated, shit, Nico was tempting hunk-
booty
, but they hit it raw, no protection, now that’s
what
Shanda found interesting, especially because missus-high-and-mighty was always on her case about being responsible. Now look who’s got the big
stomach and
and
lost both men
!

Shanda didn’t mind being there, though. Free home cooked meals and a large house with all the amenities a girl could want were at her disposal. Not to mention, Selange gave her free usage of her black card and she sure did purchase a few items with it, mainly an expensive Hermes bag she always wanted. She figured it equaled the compensation she lost being on emergency family leave from work, because that’s what she saw this as…a true fucking emergency.

Sal came in the living-room and sat on the sofa, “Mom is it okay if I go to work with dad?”

Selange nodded, “
It’s
okay. Did he say he’s coming to get you?”

“Yeah, he’s outside.”

Selange tried not to show her
disappointment, “Go upstairs and brush your hair. Change your shirt, too while you’re at it,” then she looked at Shanda and got up, “Can you make sure he puts on a decent shirt. I need to speak to Alfonzo.”

Shanda’s lip twitched, “Okay girl but don’t beg his ass to come back. Let him come when he’s ready.”

“Can you just go and help
y
our godchild please.”

“Going…going…gone.” She laughed heading for the stairs.

After a deep breath, Selange stepped outside. Alfonzo was near the door, dressed impeccably as usual in a smart tailored suit.
He looked handsome.
Lou was waiting outside the car.

Alfonzo
put his hands in his pockets and faced her, “
Is Sal ready?”

“You could have asked me first, I am his mom.”

“And I’m his dad, remember?”

“Why won’t you talk to me…do you hate me that much, Alfonzo?”

His heart flipped up and down. Hate…no…he could never hate her, he just couldn’t deal with seeing her every day. It would
hurt watching her belly swell
and know she was giving life to another man’s seed. He loved her but his love was
n’t
that strong. He saw the sadness in her pretty eyes and it killed him. “I don’t hate you.”

“Then please…for the sake of our kids…for what you know in your heart…please forgive me…I love you.”

H
e closed his eyes
at the heartfelt plea. Shut them s
o damn tight blood vessels protruded. When he opened them she
’d
wiped a tear away. She didn’t want him to see how his response hurt her.
Yes, dammit, he was angry. It had gotten better, the anger and disappointment, did. It’s only when she said the word ‘love’ it kind of rung ironic she’d use it now. Where was the love for him when she was fucking Nico or when she lied over and over
again when he lay beside her and she pretended to be true
?
Where was it then, he queried in silence?

“Don’t do this
Selange,
don’t trivialize what you’ve done. I can forgive you…” he tilt his head back to look at the sky then to her again, “shit I can do that but I don’t know if I can …”