In mid January '74 there were two new elements.
Giovanni told Max that he had succeeded in putting his hands on the folder containing the monthly reports that the bank sent our father. He also said that he had noticed three monthly transfers to an account in the name of doctor Vallauri; one in November, one in December and one in January, each for 4.879.700 liras, stating the reason "medical research donation". Giovanni noticed that it was really odd that the donations were not round figures...
The second element was a new telephone call from the parson, who hadn't yet surrendered, to the duchess. He told that he made up his mind to ask the cook how it came to be that there were 18 trays for 17 patients. The woman replied that she had possibly made a mistake and continued to count the trays. Raising her eyebrows and chuckling, she laughed and pulled one away. The parson got the feeling that she was rather nervous. The following occasions he passed in the kitchen, he counted only 17 trays. But that 'mistake', he said, did oddly happen too many times without anybody noticing it before him, the parson said, therefore there must be a mysterious 'secret' patient. That, the old priest concluded, meant that the cook had to know something about 'the secret'! Something that was not to be known. At this point the duchess took the plunge and decided it was time to intervene - in her opinion they had enough proof that I was being kept there.
As the lawyer advised, she called a detective agency. She explained the situation in the presence of the lawyer and Max and they drew up a plan of action.
Two private detectives, passing themselves off as policemen, went to the cookhouse in the nearby village late at night and subjected the cook to intense interrogation. The woman didn't at all suspect that they were not really policemen, and told them that a certain nurse whose name was Carlo Spina, one of my two 'jailers', always took the famous 18th tray. She didn't know any more about it, but the owner, doctor Vallauri, knew about the parson asking about the surplus tray, which he had ordered her to prepare. He told her to keep her mouth shut and to prepare that tray separately. The two men threatened that she risked being involved as an accomplice in a kidnapping and that, if she wanted to avoid prison, she would have to sign a statement in their presence and disappear from the village until all was over. She could make up some excuse as to why she was not showing up at the clinic so as not to raise any suspicion. She signed at once. They told her to tell absolutely no one about their inquiry for any reason, and ordered her to give them the address where she could be contacted, as for sure her testimony at the tribunal would be needed.
The poor woman was really frightened. She phoned a relative who lived about eighty kilometres away in the presence of the two 'detectives'. She told the relative that she would be visiting, then handed over the address. Finally, in spite of the lateness of the hour, she phoned the doctor Vallauri's home, and told him that her mother was dying and she had to go immediately to see her and that she didn't know when she would return. She prepared her luggage and the two 'policemen' transported her the eighty-kilometres or so to her relatives house.
Now the detectives had the name of one of the accomplice of the doctor. Within a couple of days of intense inquiries, they got to know where he lived and what his shift timings were. At 6 a.m. one of his days off, they went to his home, again passing themselves off as policemen. I don't know if they had forged documents, uniforms or what, but it seems that it was enough to qualify themselves as police to scare everybody. They interrogated the nurse, showing him the picture Lucia gave them.
Carlo, upon realising that they knew dates and facts, broke down immediately. In order to get out of trouble, he signed a detailed confession. To be sure he wouldn't talk with the Vallauri, one of the two detectives phoned the clinic and informed them that Carlo had had a car accident. He told them that he had been taken to a clinic in Turin in a serious condition. The detective remained at the nurse's home and watched his every move. The other detective went that same early morning to see the lawyer, who at once called the duchess and Max. They set the wheels of justice in motion without delay. Thanks also to the intervention of the duchess, a judge signed all the necessary warrants immediately and within a few hours the police moved into action.
The operation was perfectly synchronized. A patrol was dispatched to hold my father at his factory and ordered to seize all his personal documents, including cheque stubs, and seal the office. Another patrol, exactly at the same time, searched the De Turris house and found Vallauri's letters to my father. Moreover Giovanni and Lucia were taken from their schools and they told the police all they knew. A third patrol went at the doctor Vallauri's home and a fourth to the clinic, where they found me!
I still didn't know about all that. Days were elapsing all the same and I couldn't find a single glimmer of hope in my situation. I passed about two or three moments of downheartedness, but still the certainty that Max would not be twiddling his thumbs, sustained me. I filled my long hours of solitude by taking refuge in my own fantasy world, where Max was, and where we could stay together carefree and happy... In fact, during my incarceration at the clinic they never once gave me something to read or anything to write with. Washing, eating, going to the toilet and sleeping... this was my life!
Until, one day, I heard a commotion coming from the hallway. Several paces noises in the corridor. Too many. Voices. There were many people. My heart jumped in my mouth - was it possible they were coming... for me? To free me? Or to take me elsewhere? I waited those few seconds. They seemed eternal. I heard the key turning in the lock, and the nurse who was in my room stood up, looked in amazement at his watch. The door opened. The first person I saw was a carabiniere in uniform, a young man of about twenty-five or so, and he was beautiful (rather he seemed me wonderful, he was my liberating angel!).
He asked: "Are you De Turris Edoardo?"
"Yes, I am." I answered standing still. My legs trembled. More carabinieri entered, then people in mufti, the room was crowded, my legs surrendered and I glided to the floor whilst my eyes were filling with tears.
The handsome carabiniere bent down to me, held me up and with a worried voice asked me: "Are you all right?"
"Yes... I'm OK. Would you take me away from here?"
"Are you here against your will?" another asked me, a non-commissioned officer, I think he was a sergeant, though I cannot be sure.
"Y...y...yes...against my will. Where is Max?"
"Can you walk?"
"Yes..."
"Come with us. Some formalities, then you can go back home."
I followed them in a trance, held upright by the handsome carabiniere.
They sat me on the back seat of a "gazzella", a high-speed police car, then raced away with all sirens blaring. At the barracks, the first thing that happened was that I was examined by a military doctor who took samples of my blood and urine. Then they encouraged me tell my full story and wrote a report. In the end they asked me if I intended to draw up a charges against my father and doctor Vallauri. I signed. I asked them if they could take me home, that is to our attic.
As we were about to leave a phone call came through. A lance-corporal answered the call and nodded several times, answered some questions and replaced the receiver. He told me: "Head Quarters communicates that your lawyer and your friends are coming here to take you home. Please wait here for them."
"Yes, thank you." I answered - I knew without that any doubt that it would be my Max.
They offered me a coffee. I waited. I noticed that I was trembling and tried to control myself. Less than an hour passed, then I heard a voice in the corridor saying: "He is here, please, come in."
The door opened and I was face-to-face with Max. He stood at the door, looked at me with emotion, and soon we were in each other's arms. We held each other tightly and kissed, unconcerned by the rather amazed look of the carabiniere who accompanied him.
"Come, Love, come..."
"Oh, Max, Max... oh Max..." I was just able to murmur.
"Yes, I'm here, Love. Did you doubt it?"
"No, never."
"Come. Grandma, Margherita and our lawyer are waiting outside. Come. We will have time to talk. Our house is waiting for us."
We went out. The duchess embraced me, tightly, in silence. I could see her eyes were wet. Margherita held my hands tight and smiled. The lawyer told me that he needed to talk with me, as soon as I felt I was able. I made an appointment for the following day. Also Filippo, the duchess' driver, greeted me with a warm smile. Then they all left in the duchess's car, I went with Max in his 500 to our attic. At last I was home, with my Max.
"Love! I felt I was becoming crazy, but you are here now." he told me.
"Not me! I was sure you would find me." I answered.
"It was a nightmare, Edoardo."
"Let's make love, Max, I badly need it. Undress me, now. We will have all the time in the world to talk later."
We pulled out each other all our clothes, rapidly, and lowered ourselves onto the mattresses. How beautiful it was being in his arms again! We looked at each other for some moments, filled with love, then Max kissed me and we intertwined our limbs pressing against the other almost in the attempt to melt, as to better feel the concreteness of the beloved one's body. How long I had waited to feel Max's hands on my body, how long I had dreamed of his intoxicating smell, savour the taste of his skin, his mouth, his member quivering for me... and now I could at last satiate myself with him.
"I want you in me, Love. Take me, Max!"
"I too want you in me, my little one."
"I asked first..." I said him with a cunning smile.
He took me for a long time, with passion, ardour, complete dedication. How beautiful it was looking at him towering over me, all his muscles tense, taking me, powerful and gentle at once, strong and tender, waving on me making me feel I was his, all his, only his. I was finally happy. Then, before cumming, he stopped, slowly slipped out of me, and in a silent request, he offered himself to me. I sank into him moaning with pleasure, and made him mine. He was vibrating between my arms, he was welcoming me inside him, quivering, he accompanied my movements with rhythmic answers. His face, his eyes, radiated love.
"Are you happy, Max?"
"Yes, Love, now that you are here, I'm happy. I love feeling you in me..."
"Me too, my love. Take me again, now..."
We exchanged positions several times, each of us trying to give to the other the utmost pleasure and enjoyment, the utmost joy and happiness. We both had three months to recover, three months of desolation, loneliness, grief. We continued to make love for hours. We ejaculated several times, and seemed never satisfied. At last we fell asleep, tightly embraced. Max woke me up mid-morning the following day, kissing me, and soon we started to make love again with all the tenderness and sweetness we could muster.
"My little one, at last we are again united."
"Yes, Max. And no one will ever part us, right?"
"No, Love. I would die without you. These eternal three months have made me understand more than ever how much I love you, how much I need you."
"And me, you. It is so beautiful making love with you, you know? You are so beautiful, so strong. You are my man."
"And you my splendid boy. Do you know that I'm mad for you?"
"Yes, I know. And I also know that I want to make love with you again."
"The lawyer is waiting for us. But as soon as we come back home, we will make love again, all right? Then from tomorrow, we will buy the furniture and all we need to make our nest decent."
"Yes, we can really start to live!"
We went to see the lawyer. I told him all that happened to me and we agreed on a course of action against my father and the Vallauri. Then, when we went back home, Max told me all they did to trace me, and that I wrote before.
I felt grateful to him that he left the attic as it was, waiting for me so that we could furnish it together. Little by little, we fixed it up. It was small, but it was or love nest, therefore it was wonderful.
Thanks to the law's declaration, I had been physically impeached doing it before, the Dean and Academic Senate of the Technology University deliberated to accept my late enrolment, and also two of the five tests I did at the Business Administration faculty were certified. So I started at once on a course in Architecture. I also found a job as a hotel waiter. Max had already found employment in an insurance agency. Months passed.
My father and Vallauri were in prison awaiting trial. Agreeing with Giovanni and Lucia, and with the help of the lawyer, we managed to keep our mother out of the indictment, not for any other reason than because my brothers would be able to remain at home until their coming of age.
A few weeks after my liberation, I had a meeting with the duchess. I thanked her for all she did for me. She answered she was happy she did it. She also told me she wished me all my happiness with her grandson, but apologized if she preferred not to receive us together. She told me with many more words than I use here, but she said that with such a pain, and such a sweetness, that I could not avoid feeling sympathy for her and love her even more.
Months elapsed, one after the other, and my physical intercourse with Max became a little less frequent and probably also less passionate, but not less beautiful and not less full of love. Now we were getting to know each other better and better, and the fact of sharing our lives fulfilled us. It was really beautiful to be able to make love calmly, without looking at the time, without hiding, when and each time we wanted to, be it day or night. With my job and my university studies, I was quite busy, but just the fact of living together granted us the need intimacy moments.
At times, while I was studying at home, I used to linger, looking at Max busying himself with some chores. The housework was almost completely on his shoulders as this arrangement allowed me the time to study. Each time he seemed me so seductive, so attractive that often I stood up, went near him and started to touch him, to tease him until I was able to arouse him making him feel my hands, my lips, my erection that I brushed against him through our clothes. He could not resist me and almost always, where we were, our clothes fell one by one like autumn leaves, until we reached each the other's nudity. Then we imprisoned each other between our arms and we lay down, at times on the carpet, at times on our bed, also on the kitchen table, in a tangle of limbs until one of us took the other with feverish energy, sinking in him knowing how the other's welcoming hotness would have made his blood boil!
At times, instead, it was he who would approach me from behind while I was studying, and caress me in so pleasurable a way that I felt like melting at his touch. We would slowly undress each other, caress and kiss, then vie to be the first to sink his face amongst the soft and perfumed hairs of the lover's groin and catch with our lips the glorious erection of each other. A real competition to give joy to each other.
Once, Eugenio, you asked me if Max and I ever quarrelled. As I told you, the answer is 'no'. We had had some tense moments, of course, but as you well know, it is impossible to have a row with Max because he has such an attention, such a respect, such an availability and patience, that it is impossible to be angry with him. He says that it is also thanks to my character - it could be, but the fact is that I never saw him quarrel with somebody. Not just with me. And then, nowadays you too know him very well. Another of Max' aspects I love very much, is his ability to be the first to make a pace to overcome problems or tensions that can rise in the relationship with the other.
You see, Max always loved me and extraordinary, great, total love for a simple reason - he is able to love everybody. At times this loving attitude make one think he is a weakling, but in reality it is exactly his ability to love that makes of him one of the strongest people I have ever known, and at the same time one of the most gentle.
Finally, in 1975 the case against my father and Vallauri started. They were both found guilty. Max remained at my side for the whole period of the trial and helped me to surpass those difficult days with his love. Difficult because, notwithstanding that I didn't have esteem or love towards my father, it caused me great pain and suffering having to testify against him whilst seeing my mother's indifference, together with Lucia's grief and the bursts of hate from Giovanni. But really thanks to Max I was able to give my evidence simply by stating all the truth, without neither attenuating the facts nor being pitiless.
My father's lawyers appealed to the Superior Court. The case dragged on for five long years. Meanwhile Lucia married, Giovanni, as soon as he was of age, went to live by himself. At last they too were free, and this was really the only one thing I cared very much about in all this sad story. My father was definitively condemned. My mother divorced from him. I don't even know where she is now.
In 1976 Max associated himself with an antique dealer. My Max really was an expert in antique furniture, he had a kind of peculiar sensibility and was able to make very good business even if he never cheated the counterpart. That year, and as a result of this success, we moved out of our attic to a real apartment. At last we had our own bathroom, a bedroom, a study, a living room and a real kitchen. But what I mainly loved about the new apartment, was that there was a wide terrace spanning over the length of three garages. We put in it two rows of big pots and grew a lilac pergola. During the summer, at times and under the cover of darkness, we would even make love out there. Nobody could see us from the neighbouring houses, though it was enough to make ourselves not heard...
I continued to study architecture and to work in the hotel. That year in summer we visited Sweden and this was our like our second honeymoon. You, Eugenio, saw the pictures of that trip. It had been really wonderful.
Another important stage in our lives together happened in 1976. We started to meet and get to know other gay couples. With some of them we are still friends and you too know them. For instance, Sergio and Ernesto, Tony and Franco, Marco and Renzo... For us it has been important to meet other gay couples, as this helped us to feel a little less 'different'. Others lived our same reality, we could confront with them, confide in them, partake in our joys and problems.
We met Sergio as he too was studying architecture. At first to me he was just one of my many fellow students, perhaps some more likeable that others, but nothing more. But at a certain point I had the sharp impression that Sergio started to court me. When I was fully aware that I was not wrong, at first I simply tried to discourage him. But he seemed not to give in and I felt more and more ill at ease. Until one day, he asked if he could prepare for a test with me, at my place. I said yes and, back home, explained the problem to Max.
He, leaving me dumbfounded, quietly said: "If you like him, you can make love with him. I will not be at home, so you do not have to worry."
"Are you crazy? I like him, all right, but I will never have an affair with him! I want only you! What are you doing, instead of being jealous, are you pushing me between another men's arms? But, do you love me or not?"
"Certainly I love you. And this is the reason I cannot be jealous. The fact that I love you, anyway, doesn't take away your freedom. And it will not be an adventure you can have that can result in me losing your love, I am more than sure of that!"
We discussed. I could understand his point of view, but I couldn't accept it.
"I will feel very badly, knowing that you are, or were between the arms of another man. I'll ask me what I made you miss, I'll enter a crisis..."
"Not me, Edoardo."
"All right, I understood that. But I think I could never cheat on you."
"As you wish, to me it is all right. I just want you to know that, if it happens, you do not to feel guilty towards me about it, that for me nothing changes, that I would love you exactly as before. And anyway, I think it would be better if I'm not at home, not to push you in his arms, but simply so you can talk more serenely and you behave with him as you feel best."
So, when Sergio arrived, I was alone. I offered him a drink, then prepared to study.
He stopped me: "Edoardo, to be sincere, I didn't come here to study, but just to be able to spend some time near you..."
"To stay near me?" I asked like a stupid, mainly because I didn't expect a so straight verbal approach.
"Yes, I like you Edoardo. I... would like making love with you."
I stared at him, agape, trying to find the right words to say.
"I know you like me. And I think you too are gay, I really don't think to be wrong..." he said, but now seemed a little less confident about the pace he took.
"Yes, I am gay. And yes, I like you. But here I live with my man and, no offence, I have not the slightest intention of cheating on him, not at all."
"Ah, I see. But you like me, right?"
"Yes, I told you, but..."
"If you weren't with your man, would you make love with me, or not?"
"I don't know... possibly yes. But see, it just hadn't crossed my mind. I love Max, and that's all."
"He is lucky having a faithful lover like you. It is a rare thing... and a beautiful one."
"No, it's me who is lucky to have him."
"Do you have his picture? Will you show me?"
We just chatted. I talked to him about Max. When at last he said goodbye, he apologized and assured me that he would never again try it with me. Then he asked me if he could come back when Max was at home, because he would like to get to know him. Eventually, they met and we all became friends. Then one day he introduced us Ernesto, with whom he was planning to live, and with whom he still lives.
Tony, instead, was a former high school friend of Max's, But at that time, neither one of them suspected the other to be gay, and after the final exam, they lost contact. One day Max met Franco, and afterwards he discovered that Franco was coupled with Tony. I'll tell you how it happened.
Max met Franco at an international antiques show that was held in Pinerolo. Franco went there just out of curiosity. Max was admiring a liberty statue of an athlete, a really sensual nude. Franco approached him and he too started to admire that beautiful male nude. He noticed how Max was looking at the little statue, he buttonholed him, having guessed Max could be gay. They continued to roam the show together, chatting about art, then Franco offered to buy Max lunch.
During lunch, at a certain point, Franco said to Max: "Excuse me, I don't wish to appear nosey or impolite, but... are you gay?"
Max looked at him somewhat astounded, then smiled and asked: "Is it so visible?"
"No, or I would not have asked you. Possibly I was more hopeful, an intuition than anything else. You see, I am gay."
So Max told him about his relationship with me, and Franco told about himself and Tony. Max didn't understand at once that Tony was his old classmate. When they parted, Max invited Franco and his lover to come to our place and to stay for supper.
When they rang the bell, I went to open the door: "Franco and Tony?" I asked with a smile.
"Is, I am Franco. And you are Edoardo, right?"
"Yes, come in. Max is in the bathroom, he'll be out soon."
I beckoned them into the living room where they sat down and after a while Max appeared. As soon as they saw each other, they immediately recognized each other. You had to see their faces - surprise, amazement, and then laughter and slaps on each others shoulders and started to chat and chat, remembering their school days... and Franco and I just listened to them in amusement. About a year or so after Franco and Tony met, they split for a bad crisis, but then just four months later, they were again together as they still are.
It was I who first met Marco and Renzo, together. I was returning home after visiting Lucia. It was night. I took the train and was looking for a free seat, but the no smoking compartments seemed all full. There was a closed compartment without light, and with the curtain closed. I opened it and with the light leaking in from the corridor saw that on one side were sitting two boys, sleeping half embraced, but the three sits on the other side were empty. So I entered, closed the door without making any noise and without switching on the light, I sat opposite them. They didn't hear me enter and continued to peacefully sleep. The way they embraced, didn't leave me in any doubt about why they were sleeping in that position, and possibly also for that reason I decided to stop there. After some minutes, I was almost falling asleep, when I heard a moan and the voice of one of them.
"Renzo... where are we now?"
"Eh? I don't know. Sleep now, there is time."
"What time is it?"
"I don't know, still night. Sleep."
"Then, kiss me, Love..."
I heard them kiss, I could barely see them but I guessed they would have started, if not making love, at least some petting, so I thought it would be wiser to make them aware of my presence with a cough. I saw their shadows part suddenly. Then one of them stood up and switched on the light. They looked at me, evidently embarrassed.
So I smiled and said: "Don't worry about me. It pleases me seeing two boys in love..." I saw that they were even more embarrassed, tense, so I added: "My name is Edoardo. I'm going back to join my boyfriend..."
They both relaxed and introduced themselves.
Then Marco said: "If it doesn't bother you, then, I'll turn off the light..."
In a while, they were making love. I must say I was aroused. I closed my eyes, I was trying to sleep, but their noises, light but unmistakable, didn't give me any peace. I would have liked to have Max near me. I heard them ejaculate. Then for a while they were still, silent. They were whispering something, I could see their shadows bustling for a while. One of them stood up and switched on the light. He looked at me, saw that I opened my eyes.
With a sly smile he asked me: "Did we bother you?"
"No... I just desired to have my own lover here... I envied you..."
"You could join us... we hope you will. We are a really open couple, you know?" Marco said smiling to me.
"No... I'm a monogamous animal..." I joked.
"We would have liked..." Renzo said, then added "you are just the type we like."
I reaffirmed my declination and agreeably chatted. I felt they were both really likeable. At the end of our journey, we exchanged addresses and telephone numbers. As soon as I got back home, I literally jumped on Max and made love with him, feeling more aroused than usual. What I could remember of them was just their faces and the voluminous basket between Renzo's legs. But I was really excited. Later, I told Max what happened in the train.
"You are a hero. I could not have resisted, I would have joined these two boys!"
"You are a little pig!" I said to him jokingly, then added "And you would have come back home knackered and would have left me empty handed."
"No, never that, I would have made love with you as always, I swear."
"And without telling me about it..." I accused him with a smile.
He looked at me, becoming serious: "Absolutely not. You know that I wouldn't be able to hide anything from you, don't you? And anyway I don't want to have secrets from you."
"Yes, I know, Love. I was just joking."
I didn't think any more about those two boys until a few days later, Max told me that they had phoned and invited us to go out with them. So our friendship began. You know them rather well, as at times you also made love with them. They tried some times with Max and me, but you know how we to think about that.