Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2021 06:55:46 +1000 From: Max Dowling Subject: Impossible Love 30 Impossible Love 30 By Maxieplus I will do some investigating with that caretaker's shed maybe a trip to the council will be in order. The boys washed their clothes and hung them out to dry it was mainly underwear and work shirts they asked me if gran might iron them for them, I told them to ring and ask her. The third bottle was opened and Lukas was put down for a nap, he was tired. Sabine turned up and was disappointed she missed him walking around. She sat with us and had a glass of wine. "What have you been up to today lady?" I asked. "I had business in the city Antonio, I have interests in a fashion shop there and wanted to see how it was all going." "Antonio is on the lookout for a nice wedding dress mama, do you have any in your little shop?" Sweet Carlos asked her. "No, it's not that kind of shop baby, but if it's a wedding dress he wants I can get him one made." She smiled. "Okay enough, I will get married in a suit and we will be married by the village priest with a reception at mama's house, not the manor house it's too big to fill." "Antonio, that is great news we would love to do you and Gianni's wedding, but it must be at the manor house." Sabine gushed out. "Why?" "Because the village has to be invited they are all Gianni's friends." "Told you so, but you never believe me, Antonio, I have many friends," Gianni said. "You didn't say you were inviting the whole village, then yes if they are coming we will need the manor house then." He smirked at me, smart ass. "Oh, Carlos I have something for you." I had picked up the local paper on the way home because I can look at property in it but I wasn't prepared for the headlines on the front page. I handed it to him and he read it, his chest puffed up and he had a great smile on his face. The Lonely Shepherd, who is he or she? The write-up was about the many calls they had received about Carlos's small evening concert he had done for Gianni and me. People wanting to know who he was and where he lived, is he going to play again, or has he moved on. All sorts of questions were asked and the reporter was urging people to let him know if they knew him or her. "You are famous my beloved, and you had better learn another tune because you can't go on playing the same one all the time," Leon said. "I only play it to heal people, not entertain." Carlos was deep in thought all of a sudden and I knew what he was thinking, he was thinking of Luca. My hand rested on his and I willed him to start healing from that dreadful time in our lives, of all the family I think it hit him the worst. He flipped through the paper like he was reading it and didn't want to be embarrassed by any compliments, what he did with that song was to learn it for Luca only. He stopped at a page and seemed to focus on one thing I think he was reading, he then folded the paper up and asked me if he could keep it or borrow it, I said yes he can keep it. Whatever it said he was quite upset about it because he immediately got up and left to go into his apartment. This is all very mysterious and I had to know what has gotten into him, so I excused myself and grabbed a bottle to go downstairs. "Well, you can't sit here all day we have friends to visit." I grabbed Lukas and we all traipsed downstairs. I went into Gino's place and put Lukas on the bed then I asked Anna if she had picked up the local paper, luck was on my side it was sitting on their kitchen table so I set about reading every article. "What are you looking for Antonio?" She asked. "I don't know but I will when I see it, just an article Carlos was talking about." "Okay, then I will see you outside then?" "Yes, I won't be a moment." I got to the fourth page and then I knew this is what he had seen. Homeless man's body found in Yarra river, there are no suspicious circumstances a substantial amount of drugs were found in his system. The police seem to think he was on drugs and waded into the river and drowned. There were no eyewitnesses and no records as to who the man was. My god they killed him, they drowned him in the local river. I don't know these people at all, how do I survive this? What if they find out it was Gianni, the boys, and Sabine that did this, what If they arrest them for murder? I put the paper down and willed my brain to shut up. I didn't want to know about it, no wonder Carlos played that night he was playing for Basilio's soul. I splashed my face just as Gianni came in, he was wanting to know why I was taking so long. I grabbed the towel and wiped my face then I looked him in his beautiful eyes and crashed. I have never cried so much as I did in that bathroom, he held me close and held him like he was the last thing I would touch on this earth. I only had one thing on my mind, that I would never see him again. That Impossible love is becoming into fruition and I didn't want it to happen, not now, not after all we have been through he doesn't deserve it and neither do I. "What's the matter, Antonio?" "Nothing." "Well when you decide that what's upset you isn't just nothing, will you tell me?" I nodded yes but I still held him as tight as I could. "Would you like a vino Antonio?" I nodded yes, so he went to get me one as I moved to sit on the bed to watch Lukas, he was so peaceful and had no idea that his father was a murderer. When he came back I skulled the drink then went to splash my red face once again. I took his hand and kissed it. "Whatever has happened whatever anyone's done I will always love you forever. Impossible loves are not meant to break they are called that because they are rock solid and impossible to break." "Yes Antonio, I understand what you're saying, but will you tell me what is wrong?" "No, I will tell you but I have to leave it for now because we have some drinking to do." I led him out to the others and everyone's eyes were on me. I sat and poured another drink and saluted them. That broke the ice but I was still full of bricks inside and didn't know which way to turn. I got through the evening without a hiccup and when I was putting Lukas to bed Gianni was still staring at me. I looked up and smiled at him. "That's better, now mama wants to talk to you on the walkway, will you join us?" They probably want to throw me off it because I am a witness but I went with glass in hand. I sat in between Carlos and Sabine she was smiling at me and so was Carlos. "Antonio, I have a few photos to show you." She pushed her phone into my face and I saw a photo of a departure gate TV with a few flights on them scheduled to leave in thirty minutes. "What am I looking for?" "The flight to Italy note the date and time baby." I looked and it was a midnight flight to Rome I deemed the important one it was dated the night Basilio disappeared. "The next one please Antonio." This photo was of Basilio boarding that flight and he didn't look too bloody happy. "The third one please." The third one was his arrival in Rome someone had photographed him coming through the arrivals hall. "So you didn't murder him?" "No Antonio, why would you think that?" "You tell me all sorts of false stories, one more isn't going to help the way I feel." I passed the phone back to her. "We like to play games baby, we have done that since the boys saw their first James Bond movie. Basilio is well and back in Italy he is with his family and by all reports they have him working his ass off at the Coliseum to pay off the big debt he ran up here with his lawyer fees, and bail, which he forfeited." "Then why was Carlos so upset?" "Did you read the column under the poor man's drowning?' Carlos said. "No why?" "The continuation of my story Antonio. The reporter said I wasn't very good they thought I was a little boy or girl practicing my pan flute." He looked down. I was furious so I skulled my wine and poured another one. "Sometimes I could break all of your necks, why would you do that to me?' "We were just playing mafia Antonio," Gianni said. "Well you can all fucking play it somewhere else, I am fed up with it do you hear me Gianni Cartasso, I am fed up." He looked me in the eyes and started laughing, he laughed so loud I think he woke the neighborhood up. "You are so funny Antonio why would you think we were murderers? Do you want to join our gang we have a lot of fun?" "Fun, fun? you call this fun, nearly giving me a heart attack, what sort of people are you anyway?" "People that want to laugh all the time Antonio, we are happy people." "Do I look happy? well, do I?' I couldn't help myself the relief I felt was enormous and it left me as swiftly as it had arrived. I smiled then laughed because I felt so foolish and big arms hugged me and I got several sorry mumbles into the bargain. "Well?" Gianni asked. "Well, what?" "Do you want to join in on our gang?" "Join your gang? no thank you, the lot of you are all amateurs just wait until I get mine together again they are more powerful than any of the Cartasso family ones." He looked upset that I had a gang and hadn't invited him along for the ride. "Carlos if you play that tune again I will hit you with the flute, please find another one to play, that one's too bloody mournful." "I will Antonio I promise you I will." He's the nice one and has a great ass. We didn't go on all night as I had expected, Sabine was tucked into a taxi around midnight and I was tucked up with Carlos's bum in my face again, I can live with that it beats it being played within jail by a stranger. I licked it and said my goodnights Gianni placed his dick between my legs and sniggered. "Don't even think about it Gianni, I have a gang bang to attend tomorrow." There was silence then he said. "What is a gang bang Antonio?" I pulled the blanket over my head and felt loved as he giggled his way into the land of nod, but before I went off I heard Carlos say. "I'm up for a gang bang." Bloody liar. It was all go go go the next morning the washing was taken down and folded, gran and grandpa arrived and she immediately had Lukas on one hip and the iron in her other hand. They had caught the boys in their underwear again so they scrambled to find their clothes. "I will set this up first Antonio then make you boys some breakfast, I watched as she pulled out two dozen eggs and a big pack of bacon, the tomatoes were next and two loaves of bread. So that's where it all comes from I knew I didn't shop much. "Gran take it easy today Gianni and I will do the beds and the boys will clean up the kitchen." She looked at me and laughed. "Have it your way then." I went to shower. Breakfast was wonderful and the men in my life ate it all up, Gran smiled because she knows how to charm them. Lukas walked again from the kitchen bench to grandad's chair he was kissed many times and giggled a lot. A few tears and a sad goodbye saw him go to grans lap she soothed him as I closed the balcony door behind us. "Just a minute Gianni I want to have a look at the roof." We opened the gate that led to the roof and stepped out to a vast space, the big shed was falling apart but when I looked in the window I could see an old sofa and a kitchen sink I couldn't get into it and had closely looked for an owner's name but there was none. I will ring the body corporate people when I get into work they will be able to tell me who has the title. "This is a great spot Antonio, we could do things up here and the view is so much better." Gianni was surprised because it looked over the rooftop towards the bay which was shimmering in the morning sunlight. "It sure is Gianni, I would love to build up here, our little hideaway in the sky." I took his arm and pulled him close. We looked around at the roof it was solid concrete and I thought it maybe have been deliberately been done like that to hold a penthouse. He drove us to work and parked in our regular spot, we opened the café and started making coffees. I was standing there minding my own business when Angelo arrived with a total hunk by his side, he looked like Angelo but was a foot taller and wider in the chest department. His legs were thick and a testament to the many hours he has spent in the gym. "Antonio, this is my cousin Tommaso, Tommaso this is Angelo." I got a big grin and a wink off him. "Pleased to meet you Tommaso," I held my hand out and wanted to fuck him on the spot, goodbye Gianni goodbye Carlos, I have a new man in my life. "Antonio? Antonio are you still with us." "Sorry boys, what do I call you Tommaso or Tom?" "Tommaso will be fine Antonio." That deep voice reminded me of my ex-husband-to-be. "Welcome to our humble café and I'm sure we will get along just fine. Angelo will show you the ropes and I think I had better go away before I embarrass myself." Angelo laughed his head off and Gianni was livid standing behind his counter. I walked over to him and smiled. "He's not staying Antonio, you will have to sack him." "I can't do that he's just arrived." "Well I don't like the way he looked at you, he has to go away." "No he stays, he's only here to learn Gianni." "I will make him go." "You and your Mafia friends I presume." "Yes." He started laughing. "Don't worry Gianni I had a good look at his crotch he has nothing on you at all, he's tiny." "Antonio, get out the back." He pulled me out to the back room and I could hear them both laughing. He kissed me so much my lips were sore but if I'm going to get a beating this is the type I want. He said he didn't mind if Tommaso stayed but I had better be on my best behavior and professional, I promised I would be. I made a phone call to the body corporate and an appointment to go see them about the rooftop then I asked Stavros if he knew anyone that hired crystal glasses. He said Gabriel who I get my pots off should have them and he also asked if I liked his other grandchild, I blushed as I nodded my head, yes. "He's nice Stavros and he will do well." "I want you to take him under your wing Antonio, he's not like Angelo he is shy but he does love the boys a lot." He laughed and now I am for it. I went for a walk around the market and talked to Gino and Pat for a while, they were busy but managed a coffee with me, Cal was watching as he always does and I waved to be polite. He got brave and came across the aisle when Gino had left to fill something up, he apologized and said he was sorry for tormenting me at the club. If he had known it had upset me he would have put a stop to it immediately, I forgave him because it was history and won't be repeated because I won't be going to the club anymore. "Come over to the café and have a coffee later Cal, we have a new man that's started today." I winked. "Really?" "Yes, and I believe he's a horny devil too." "Who Antonio?" Pat asked. "Angelo's cousin he's a gym junkie I think, he's training to run a café because Angelo is hiring him for his new restaurant." "Wow, this I have to see," Pat said. "Frank Pat, Frank your husband, remember him?" "He's not here I will bring Cal over at lunchtime." She laughed. Gianni was on the lookout for me today I had wanted to go see the handyman stall owner about wheelbarrows I thought I would give him the business, he was a nice old Italian guy that toils away all day selling his homemade wooden wares. He suggested I get the wood ones to make it look more authentic, his friend makes them and he will get me a price, I told him I needed six of them he nearly fainted. "They won't be cheap Antonio but I will do my best for you." "Good I don't want cheap and add a finder's fee for yourself too." He nearly fainted again. Back at the café, I nodded to Tommaso and Angelo they were both standing behind the coffee machine still smiling. Ignoring them I checked the cakes out and picked a very nice one for myself then ordered coffee. "Do you think you will be doing any work today Antonio?" Mr deep voice was behind me. "Yes, baby just getting things done for the event." "Okay can I have a coffee with you and can I share that big cream cake?" "Of course you can and order your coffee yourself then you can see for yourself there's no competition." I grinned, he blushed. I could hear Angelo in the background talking his cousin up to Gianni and he wanted him to teach him about his wines when he has the time, Gianni's chest puffed out and he grabbed me and we went to have our cake. "What did you do for the event?" "I think I have ordered six wheelbarrows to put your lovely wines in, the guy will give us a price but they won't come cheap." "I don't want cheap Antonio, I want quality." "You get what you pay for Gianni and these will be handmade and expensive, but I think they will be well worth it." "It all sounds nice Antonio, are you going to paint them?" "Yes baby, I will get the kids at the Italian club to do it, they will look more family-like then." He thought about it and nodded his head, I think he's imagining it all in his head and approves. Alice came over and she wanted me to help her and Bianca she's got an order for six big ones to be picked up in two hours. I finished my coffee and cake and left Gianni to it. He has customers in the shop so he grabbed Tommaso and started teaching him about his lovely wines. I looked out the shop window and saw him helping a guy carry out four cartons of good Cartasso wine, it must be some party at three-fifty a bottle. We did the arrangements and the shop and backroom were loaded up with blooms, the delivery guy arrived and he told us it was for a big do at Government house they had also bought the wine from Gianni's, so that explains it then, public money being spent very wisely I mused. Back at the café he wanted to sit out the back, well that was his excuse to get a quick blow job from me, he was all horned up and wanted a mouth, well a mouth that he loves that is. I opened a wine and asked him how big his sale was, and he said it was awesome they want to get their wines from him in the future and are willing to pick them up. I did the math in my head and I recon they dropped over ten grand into his coffers today. "Antonio, did you say you bought the Combi van?' "Yes baby it was a steal and we need it." "Why? we only want it for the event at the Casino what do we do with it after that?" "We run a pop-up wine bar baby, park it anywhere, and sell drinks." "Can you do that here in Australia?' "Not really, but I intend to find out if we can park it on the opposing side of the market and make a pop-up bar there, Stavros will see about the permits." I smiled, he shook his head. "They are very popular in Thailand I believe, maybe we will get a few of them and dot them around the city." "You think too big Antonio." "If you don't think big you get nowhere baby, anyway the front of your warehouse is close to the gay club, maybe it can be parked out front when it's not here." I winked. "You can't do everything Antonio, can I help?" "Yes I want you to serve the cocktails and I also want you in smaller shorts and no top, that will bring in more big dollars." I smiled. "Are you prostituting me out, Antonio?" I waited for a second and said. "Yes." He nearly dropped his drink laughing, he doesn't know that I am not joking but I will let him off the hook. "Seriously Gianni, it's a beautiful mobile bar we can get someone in it to wear the tiny shorts and hire it out to weddings and parties it can be parked anywhere." "Good idea, and are you sure you don't want me to do it I could pick up some very nice twinkies at the teenage parties Antonio." That backfired there's no way he will be doing that. "Do you want to try a twinkie Gianni because if you do I can organize one for you?" "Antonio?" His shocked face was back, so he will shut up now. "Gianni customers." Tommaso poked his head in the doorway. "Coming twinkie." He smiled at me and left to do his thing. Moan moan moan was all I got from the boys when they walked in. I poured them a drink and they were telling me that it was so boring at the Cartasso shop they didn't do any business today. I know they did do business because Alice had told me that Federico rang her and told her he was flat out. "You had better come here tomorrow boys we could do with some extra hands." "Okay Antonio, if you insist we be here then we will come." "I do insist boys, we miss having you around here." "Antonio, we were wondering who was that guy at the coffee machine, Leon wants to shaft him." Poor Carlos. "That's Angelo's cousin Tommaso he will be working here for a month or two." "Oh, and does he do it?" "I believe so boys so do you want me to set it up for you?" "We can do it, Antonio. Carlos can show him his bottom." "No, you can." Carlos was quick to reply. 'No, you have the best one." "Not me Leon that's keeping for Antonio, you can do it and you can go it on your own I am no longer interested because I love Antonio now." "Carlos?" Shocked face from Leon as Carlos leaned over and kissed me passionately. "Antonio?" Gianni poked his head in. "Just sampling my new lover baby no harm done." I laughed and got a slap. "Cakes Antonio, we need cakes." I got up and opened my fridge then started taking trays out to the shop. They sat out the back and I counted three bottles and at one stage Tommaso was having a drink with them. It didn't last long because Gianni told him to get back to work, he said he was on lunch so Gianni sat with them while I toiled away in the shop. Sabine arrived and looked a million today, she had been working in her shop in the city and by the look on her face, she did well today. "Where is my grandson?" "With his other nana today." "Okay, I will see him tonight then." The boys passed a wine to her and she stared at them. "What trouble did you get into today, your uncle isn't happy?" "He wasn't busy so we came here." "He was busy as you both know it, and you left him with orders coming out of his backside why didn't you at least put them in the computer?' "It was broken mama, we don't know computers." "Antonio do you have a big spoon around here somewhere?" "I could go and buy one." "Don't say that mama, we are good boys and the wine was entered into the system we are just joking." Carlos's eyes lit up. "I know, I checked." She laughed. Bloody Italians always laughing at each other. They are enough to wear me out sometimes, I couldn't stop laughing and not much work was being done today I am hoping Gianni hires someone else to help the girls out. I Looked around the madhouse then started cleaning up the rubbish to put in the bins out the back grandad rang and we were to pick Lukas up from their place gran needed her air conditioner today she has worked her butt off. I never installed one because we get a nice southerly breeze through the apartment but I suppose she wouldn't think about opening the balcony doors in case Lukas decides to go out there. Grandad knows it's safe he helped Gianni kid-safe it a while back. Anyway, we had to pick him up and Leon Carlos and Sabine had to come with us. At grans she had the table loaded with an early supper so everyone dived in, Sabine was complimenting her on her food, and Nona was blushing then trying to tell her it was simple fare for her to make. It wasn't simple it was amazing Italian food. Some wine was produced and the party started, Lukas was showing us he can do more than three steps, and once again he went to his daddy. Leon and Carlos argued over Tommaso and gran was trying to tell them they were being really silly. I didn't know whether she knew what they were talking about or not but they sure did laugh at her helpful comments. When it was time to go we were loaded up with food, and gran said to the boys she changed their bed and ran the vacuum cleaner over their apartment, she had also ironed their shirts and hung them away. She got many hugs and kisses from them and one from Gianni and me. Sabine hugged her and thanked her for the dinner so gran was in her element and tried to tell us all it was nothing, where she's concerned it is nothing, but to us she's an angel, she's a bloody godsend. Back at home Lukas wanted to sit with Alice Gino Federico and Anna they looked so lonely without our crowd and I'm sure Gino is sick to death of baby talk. The boys ran upstairs and dumped the food and grabbed some bottles and glasses, they served their mama first then us, such nice boys. I leaned over and said to Federico. "I am sorry the boys pissed off on you I believe you were busy all day." He gave me a strange look and then he stared at the boys. "My nephews left at the right time their work was done and I coped perfectly well Antonio, what have they been telling you?" I looked at two blushing boys and said. "Have you ever heard the boy who cried wolf story?" "No Antonio," Carlos said. "Then let me tell you." I sneered. When I finished I said. "Be careful what you wish for boys, and yes we will see you in the shop tomorrow and the next day and the next if you wouldn't mind." "But Antonio, we only want to work out the back," Leon said. "No you want to drink all day but no more, shops shut and the fridges will be locked." I didn't listen to the rest of their demands because my son wanted me, I think he's going to tell them off too. Sabine couldn't stop laughing and when she finally got Lukas off me she said. "You are very good for my family Antonio, you place big smiles on their faces when there was nothing but blankness before." "Well, they are all on notice no more lying to me right boys, and Gianni." "Antonio? Not me I don't lie to you." "Yes you do, you know Tommaso is large size but you pretended he was small to me that's lying." "Oh okay, sorry." He blushed. We once again placed Sabine into a cab and I went with her because she might not make it home and up her stairs without doing any damage. At her front door, she leaned on it and said. "My sons got me drunk again Antonio, and thank you I love you so much for being there for them. You don't know how upset they were when Luca passed away and you single handily put some smiles back on their faces, and mine." She kissed my cheek. Nina was home and sitting at her kitchen table having a wine, Sabine sang out. "Honey I'm home." Then she fell on the luxurious sofa and I looked at Nina who was smiling. "Sorry honey the boys laced her drinks." "That's okay Antonio, it's good that she is having a wonderful time here, would you like a wine?" "Just one I have to get back to the kids." She laughed. "You know Antonio, I half expected a lot of crying on this trip but she seemed to have pulled herself out of it okay." "She has kept herself busy Nina that's all she knows and this trip she's having some fun, did she tell you she may retire from the business?" "Yes Antonio, she and I have had long talks about it, I think it's a good idea she and Ramone go their separate ways it's not good for him to be trapped and I know she would like some freedom to be with her boys more." I looked around the apartment it was three times the size of mine and beautifully furnished I suppose Sabine did all of that. "It's not what you think Antonio, we are not ladies of the lily." She laughed. "I wasn't thinking that at all Nina." I was. "We are best friends Antonio, just that, we have a connection which is lasting a lifetime and the furnishings I bought, Sabine bought the apartment for us both to live in." "Well that's wonderful Nina, you sure have good taste." "I will help you stage your new apartment Antonio, we must not distract from the view." "What?" "Your new penthouse, everyone is talking about it." "I will kill those boys I didn't want everyone to know, now someone will buy it from under me." "No Antonio, they won't." "How do you know?" "Because I own it and I am going to sell it to you, it won't come cheap." "You own it how come you got to own a property like that?" "I had to put my money somewhere, and old mister Ferrari needed some cash so he sold the title to me, did you notice all those clotheslines?" "I did actually." "I used to dry my laundry up there, we had a big basket that was hauled up and down twice a day." "That's awesome Nina, can I buy it please, pretty please." I was begging now. "Five hundred Antonio and it's yours, the more cash you give me the less government tax you pay, please keep that in mind, my friend." I held my hand out and she shook it. "Now don't sell it to Stavros or Gianni please." "You have my handshake and word Antonio, and yes it was the boys that told me you ought to thank them." She laughed. "I will get as much cash as I can to you in a few days then I will probably have to borrow the rest." "There are plans you can have too, they were approved by the council years ago so you will have to go and talk to them." She went into her bedroom and bought out a roll of plans. "I was going to build a big apartment up there but in the end, Sabine bought this place, cheap rent for me Antonio." She winked. I laughed as I walked down to the street level and then I ran home with my plans under my arm.