Facing Redemption (7 page)

             
David and Terri observed the fireworks from across the patio, while sitting back at their table. 

             
“It’s about time they made up.”  Terri said.  “I was about to go slap her silly.  She doesn’t know a good thing when she sees it.”

             
“Honey, she knows.  She’s just female, and you all have to make us work for it.  It’s how you’re made, and we love you for it.”  He leaned over and kissed her before she could smart something back to him.

             
David waved Frederico over to pay for their meal.  Now that Chastity was smiling and finally having fun…it was time for David and Terri to slip away.  They thanked Frederico for boxing up their food, and asked that he give Chastity their good byes.

             
Frederico nodded and wished them well.  On his way back inside to his kitchen, he passed by his favorite lovebirds.

             
“I see you got what I sent over...it was ah - how do you say in America?  Just the ticket?”  Frederico inquired of Timothy.

             
“Yes, the wine was wonderful Frederico, thank you.  And I’m sure our food will be too.”

             
“Oh gratzi, but it is not the wine I was referring to.  You met my wife, Gabriella?”  Frederico nodded in the direction of the kitchen, where his little Italian goddess wife winked and waved with acknowledgement.

             
Chastity wanted to sink into a hole from embarrassment, but couldn’t help but giggle at the situation. Timothy laughed hard, and responded for them both.

             
“Yes, I did…thank you Frederico”

             
“Good.  Your food has also been delivered to your table bellisima.  Enjoy your night.”

             
Chastity blew Frederico a kiss, and turned to Timothy with a sultry smile.  She knew she’d been stupid to overreact, and pulled her man in for the rest of their dance.

             
Frederico watched the couple from America and smiled.  Living in Venice, he knew true love when he saw it.  Seeing their passion stirred his desire for his wife, so he wandered through the crowd to find his beloved Gabriella and dance under the stars.

Chapter 9

“Earth to Chastity…helloooo,” Anne called from across the room.  They’d been packing all afternoon, but her friend had checked out into la-la land for the last few minutes of it. 

             
“Sorry, I was just thinking about my trip this summer,” Chastity finally responded. 

             
“That good huh?”

             
Chastity smiled and nodded. “It was,” she paused.  “Most of it was great.”  She stopped to take a sip of her water.  “I made some wonderful friends, experienced a whole new culture, got to brush up on my Italian, and of course Timothy’s visit was pretty awesome,” she said wistfully.  “It was a turning point for both of us.  On our first night together, we had a huge fight … mostly all my fault.”  Chastity shrugged and gave Anne a sheepish smile.

             
Anne chuckled, “Lover’s quarrel so soon?”

             
“Not anything too serious…I was just being my normal self.  He got to see me in action.” 

             
Anne groaned from across the room.

             
Chastity gave her an evil eye and continued, “But from that - I learned a lot about him and what he can take.  He gets me.”  She smiled.  “He puts up with me and still wants me.  It blows me away Anne!  And it’s something I don’t take for granted.” 

             
“You’re very blessed Chaz,” Anne said quietly, wishing she were in the same boat.  Her relationship with Brent had cooled some over the summer months. If she weren’t so happy for Chastity, Anne might let herself feel a little envious.

             
Chastity nodded.  “Yeah but … I opened
the
letter just days before Timothy’s visit and you know me.  I’ve never been one to put on a poker pace or pretend very well.” 

             
“Whew, must have been some letter for it to screw up your romantic mood in the middle of Italy.”

             
“It was,” she said, but quickly diverted the focus back to Timothy, “but we obviously made up.  We danced most of the night away - till Timothy’s jet lag had him drooping.  He tried to fight it off, to stay out with me, but the poor guy couldn’t make it very long.  So, after we ate - we walked arm in arm back to my place, in the moonlight.  It was all pretty romantic.”

             
“Mmmmm?”  Anne cocked her head and smiled with a wink.

             
Chastity paused and pursed her lips.  “You know what they say … what happens in ...” Chastity’s voice softened and she looked up mischievously at her friend.

Anne threw a towel at Chastity.  “Shut up!  Give me the details!”

Chastity threw her head back and laughed wholeheartedly.  “You are such a sucker for gossip Anne!”

“And?” 

Chastity shook her head.  “If he were awake enough, I would have taken full
advantage.  Not to say we didn’t almost…but as it turns out he’s still a man of his word.  And I want his full attention the first time anything happens.”

“Ugh!” Anne grunted, disgusted.  “You’re such a tease!”

“I am not!  I just … well, this sounds lame but I’d had a rough couple of days prior to his visit and all we ended up doing was talking about my
stuff
.  It seems I always have stuff lately … ugh,” she sighed.  “But it helped having someone to talk about it with.  We grew so close through that experience.  The first night, before our fight we almost made love.  And I don’t know after all my emotional baggage was revealed, I think we both just wanted to wait until it was just us in the room and not the big elephant.”

             
Anne laughed, “How big?”

Chastity stood up and lightly punched Anne in the arm.  “Whatever!”

“I’m just saying … poor guy.  He must be in love to put up with holding out this long.”

             
“It was so sweet to have him hold me through the whole night after I divulged so much to him.”

             
“He’s your lobster sweetie,” Anne said paraphrasing one of their favorite episodes of
Friends
.

             
“I know.” She smiled.  “He is.  Plus any man that will willingly go to church with you because he’s truly interested - is a keeper.”

             
“Tell me about it,” Anne mumbled before changing the subject to keep her own mind from stewing over that issue.  “So you two are obviously taking it to the next level.  What about your art classes in Venice – did they help you take it to the next level too?”

             
“Oh Anne,” Chastity almost sang.  “I learned so much. We painted in so many different locations – The Rialto Bridge, the Island of Merino, Doge’s Palace.  I saw a part of the world that I never imagined.  Parts of it seem so surreal.  In some ways the only way I know it was truly
that
beautiful is by seeing what I painted.  While I was there I bought a camera too … to help remember for future work.”

             
“I know Julia is chomping at the bit to display it at your exhibit in her gallery next month.”

             
“I wish I’d done more that was exhibit worthy.”

             
“I’ve seen some of what you did and it is great work Chaz.
  Really.
”

             
Chastity exhaled before saying.  “Since I let my curiosity got the best of me with John’s letter, most of my work isn’t up to any standard of mine.  I’ve got a few good pieces but the rest just aren’t good enough.”  Chastity shook her head as she taped up her last box. 

“I just had to open it.  Anne, why did I let that letter get the best of me? And now … somehow now I’m still curious about it all…and angry!  Angry at myself for opening it and still thinking about it! After Timothy left, I crumpled it up and threw it away, but then it was still sitting in my trash can.  It was as if John was in the room with me and it didn’t do anything but drive me even crazier.”

             
“So what did you do?  Burn it? I would have.”

             
“No, I picked back up, smoothed it out, folded it, and mailed it right back to Uncle Jesse.”

             
“Seems like an awful amount of trouble when a match would have done the trick.”

             
“I know.  I know.  I just wanted Jesse to have it.  It is from his brother after all.  I stuck my own note in asking him not to send the rest on to me.  I appreciated him sending me the first.  After all they’re written to me, but Jesse gave me the choice to read it and accept the others or … not.”

             
“How many others?”

             
“I don’t know.  Jesse sent me a package right before I left for Venice, with a letter explaining he didn’t feel right holding anything back from me.  Since he’d been receiving letters for me at his address, he wanted me to have the option to read them.

He left it up to me to ask for any more if I wanted them, and at this point I don’t.”

             
“What did it say?”

             
“Um,” she sighed.  “Hello I’m your father.  I screwed up but am not a monster kind of letter so please forgive me.  It’s my dad’s fault I have no feelings but my mom’s fault for dying at birth so I could really be screwed up.”

             
“Excuses for why he attacked your mom then?”

             
“I don’t know.  I know I’m making him sound pretty pathetic in the letter,” Chastity shook her head in anger, “but he is pathetic!  But the letter … he was adamant that he wasn’t giving excuses but wanted to explain why he was the way he was…as
in the past
.  He claims he’s changed and sorry.  I don’t know.”  Chastity stacked another box in the corner of her soon to be empty kitchen.  “Now all I can think of is that he’s a person, not an animal … and I’m angry.  I liked it much better when I didn’t have to think about him at all.  When he was dead, or as far as I knew growing up, I idolized this image of him and yearned for a loving father.  Now that I know the truth of not only his existence, but that he raped my mom…that image of what I had of him growing up is shattered.  I can’t open my heart to someone who is such a monster.”

             
“Not that I think he’s a nice guy Chaz, because what kind of man would hurt a woman?  Not one that has a moral bone in his body … but what if he has changed?”

             
Chastity shot Anne one of her famous looks that could freeze water in a sauna.

             
Anne put her hand up in defense.  “I’m just playing devil’s advocate here.  What if he’s changed by some miracle and is truly sorry?  You have the chance to meet your father, real, imagined, or not.  You have the opportunity to forge a connection, even if it’s a small one.  How many people would kill for that?”

             
“How would I know if that’s a real viability or not?”

             
Anne looked at her and said, “I think you know the answer to that already … the rest of the letters.”

             
“Shut up and keep packing Anne.”

             
Chastity was instantly sorry for talking back to her friend, but Anne knew the voice of reason wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms.  And she knew Chastity didn’t mean to be cruel.  They both understood Chastity had a lot on her mind and was just venting. 

             
Anne winked at Chastity and saluted.  “Yes ma’am!”

             
Chastity laughed and threw a roll of packing tape at her.

             
“Tell me again why you’re the one moving?” Anne asked and continued
before Chastity could answer.

“Haven’t you done enough of this in your life?”

             
“He and I both have, Anne,” Chastity stressed, knowing how hard this must be for her friend, from whom she had been inseparable since college.  “But he’s sacrificed a lot to be with me…coming to Oklahoma City, flying to Venice.  He’s already got a practice established, and I don’t have anything really holding me here.”  Chastity grimaced before saying, “You know I love you though right?”