Chapter 5
Chapter Five
E lisabetta
Elisabetta in the City
There are days when I feel like I'm floating in the clouds. All I can do is smile and thank God for all my blessings. And then there are days when I look in the mirror and don't even recognize the reflection in the mirror. Some days, the sadness pervades my soul. I try not to feel sad for myself, but sometimes I can't help it. I know, to most people in the world, it looks like I'm living my best life, but there's always been a loneliness in me.
I remember when I was a child, I'd go to the playground and swing on the swings. And I would kick my little legs higher and higher, hoping I could reach the clouds so that I could see my mom in heaven. I just wanted to see her smile, hear her voice, and feel her hug. I wanted her to tell me she loved me. That she was looking over me. That she would always be with me. But I was never able to kick high enough.
Sometimes, I want to ask my dad about my mom. I want to find out what she was like. If she was excited to have me. If I'd been something she'd dreamed of her entire life. But he never talks about her. I suppose the hurt and pain is too much. Sometimes I wonder if he misses her. If he blames me. Maybe that's why he's never around. I love my dad. He's provided for me my entire life, but sometimes I wonder if he loves me.
I wonder if he wishes I didn't exist, but I mask the pain and live my life because I'm a glass-half-full kind of person. It’s scary to admit that sometimes I think I’m unloveable. I know my best friend, Skye, would wring my neck if she ever heard me say such a thing. I know she loves me. I know she will always have my back, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Who said family had to be blood-related, anyways?
Thanks for reading tonight, guys! I was feeling a little sad. I think it's that time of the month (TMI, I know)!
As always,
Elisabetta in the City
Comments:
StuckinDesmoines : I know you don't know me, but this had me in my feels. My dad abandoned my mom when I was four, and I’ve always wondered if he ever regretted that decision. Love you!
LisaFranklin1962: This was so heartfelt. I am your internet momma. Keep shining brightly!
Onceuponatime69: Love your profile pic. You single? DTF?
StuckinDesmoines : @Onceuponatime69 get a life, you pervert.
Hotdude1969: @Onceuponatime69 stop giving us dudes a bad name.
Hotdude1969: Elisabetta, you are allowed to miss your mom. I still miss mine every day.
Loveisntblind2025: Cheer up, buttercup. You'll be surprised at what the universe has in store for us.
I always love chatting with Romeo. He's my stepbrother by law, but he feels like my full-blood brother. I can’t really stand his mother, but I am grateful every single day for the moment my dad decided to marry her and bring Romeo into my life. He’s the ying to my yang, and he always makes me laugh. I giggle into the phone as I listen to him lecturing me. I grab my pillow as I turn onto my side and try not to fall asleep.
“Darling, I hate to say this, but I think you’re in over your head.” He pauses dramatically. "And when I say over your head, I mean, waaaay over your head."
“Romeo, it’s going to be fine. Trust me; I know what I’m doing.” I have no clue what I'm doing, but I'm not going to admit that. Especially because my feelings are so complex. I took the job to ensure Skye didn't have to work for him again, but even more than that, I was hypnotized by the man’s eyes and scent. I felt like a dog in heat. I couldn't resist being close to him, even though my brain told me he was bad news.
“I think you’re just doing this to avoid going to Italy this summer, but it’s not like your dad is going to be like, hey, you don’t have to get married because now you’re an assistant to an attorney.” He cackles. "He might die of a heart attack if he knew you were working at a law firm. Remember how he reacted when you told him Skye was working there?"
"I mean, he was surprised," I admit. "He was asking all about the firm."
"Because he was probably worried they were going to sue him or something. Your dad is not going to be happy you're working for an attorney."
“I’m not even going to be an assistant to an attorney, Romeo. My boss, Liam, is a businessman.” Saying Liam's name makes me feel giddy, like when I was fifteen and had schoolgirl crushes. Why does he have to be so handsome? I blame it on the twinkle in his eyes and the fact that I haven't been on any good dates in donkeys’ years.
“Oh, yeah, you’re not even going to be an assistant to an attorney. You’re going to be an assistant to some Joe Schmoe nobody.” Romeo is not impressed, but I know I could say I'm working for Bill Gates, and he'd be like Bill who. The only people Romeo cares about are in the fashion industry. If I'd said Christian Siriano wanted me to pick up his groceries, he'd be all over it.
“He’s not a Joe Schmoe nobody. He’s a client of the law firm, and he brings them a lot of money.”
“He’s a client that nobody has ever heard of. He's so not a big deal.”
“He is a big deal. He’s very rich. He?—”
“ You ’ re very rich.” Romeo cuts me off and laughs. “Sis, I love you, but what are you doing? Go to Italy, meet those hot-ass men your dad has picked out for you, and just live your life.” He pauses. "Maybe one of them will be drop-dead gorgeous and sweep you off your feet. I'd love to be hooked up."
“Really, Romeo? Do you want to take my place? I'm sure that..."
“He’s not my dad,” he says, cutting me off. "He doesn't care about me finding a stud muffin."
“He is your dad, Romeo.”
“He’s my stepdad .” He says stepdad as if it were a dirty word. "He doesn't care about my love life."
“Let’s be real. He provides for you just like he provides for me.”
“Yeah, but I never hear from him. It’s not like he’s emailing me and calling me and making sure I’m okay. Sure, he barely keeps in contact with my mom, who we both know is a gold digger and only with him because of the allowance she gets, but I wish he wouldn't judge me by her stick.” He sniffs. "I'm only 50 percent gold-digger."
“Romeo,” I say, laughing slightly. This is why I love Romeo. He may be my stepbrother and not blood-related to me at all, and he may be the only son of a gold-digging whore who literally only married my father for his money, but he’s honest about it.
“I’m just being honest. You know I love you, girl, like a real sister. And that has nothing to do with the fact that your dad is rolling in gold bullion somewhere in Italy.”
“You are my brother, my real brother.” My voice cracks slightly. I’m feeling emotional and wish that he was here with me.
“I mean, I know I am, but…” His voice trails off, and he lets out a deep sigh.
“But what?”
“But it would be legal for us to get married, and not just in Alabama or Kentucky.” He giggles. "Sorry to all the normal people in Alabama and Kentucky."
"That's horrible, Romeo. Everyone in the South isn't a hillbilly."
"I know." He groans. "I take it back...kinda. But the fact of the matter is we could be man and wife if we wanted to."
“We’re never going to get married.” I pretend to throw up. "Gross."
“That’s because I’m gay, darling, not because I have scruples.”
I burst out laughing then. “Romeo!”
“What? I’m just saying, if I was the sort of guy that didn’t care, I’d flirt with you and do whatever I had to to get you to fall in love me so I could get your millions.” He grunts. "You know there's a whole group of people who marry their stepbrother or sister."
"That's disgusting, and you know that I don’t have any millions.” I giggle. "In fact, I need to call my dad, my monthly deposit hasn't arrived yet, and I have bills to pay."
“He's probably so busy trying to find you the perfect match. And you know that one day, you'll be a millionaire, heiress.”
“Romeo!”
“What?”
“We don’t even know what my dad does for his money. I'm not an heiress. It's not like I'm related to the King of England or anything."
“I mean, we don’t know, but we have an idea,” he exclaims. “I don't want to get him in trouble with the FBI, but can we say mafia don?”
“He’s not a mafia don,” I say, to convince myself as well as him.
“Come on, we’ve both thought it.” His voice is solemn. "What if he's literally the real Godfather?"
“Romeo, you watch too much TV. My father is not The Godfather."
"Move over, Marlon Brando, there's a new Godfather in town."
"Romeo, get a grip."
"Marlon Brando was gorgeous in that movie, by the way." He makes a smacking sound with his lips, and I can't stop myself from giggling.
"My dad is not in the mafia."
“He’s literally having you fly over to Sicily. The birthplace of the mafia.”
“No, actually, I’m going to Florence.”
“Ooh, okay, Florence, Sicily, same difference.”
“I’m sure the people in Italy think there’s a huge difference.”
“Whatever. He’s literally having you fly over to Italy to have a ball, to meet a bunch of men who want to marry you, which, by the way, these men are from the right families. He literally said that to my mom. Like what is a right family?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t even want to go. I don’t want to marry one of these random men.”
“Since when?” He sounds surprised.
“Since I actually thought about it and since Skye fell in love with someone normal and real. I want to meet a regular man, not some rich dude at a ball.”
“You do not want a regular dude. I cannot see you dating Bob the Postman.”
“I didn’t say I want to date Bob the Postman, though I’ve never met a postman in real life and certainly not one named Bob.”
“Okay, would you rather date Jack the electrician?”
“I actually wouldn’t mind dating Jack the electrician if he was cute. That way, I know he could always change my light bulbs.”
“Sis, please, even I can change your light bulbs.”
“You scream and cry if you have to stand on one step of a stepladder,” I remind him. "You cannot change the recessed lights in my living room. The ceilings are fourteen feet high."
“Yeah, because I’m dainty and clumsy and could fall, but if I had to change a light bulb for $10,000, I would do it.”
“No one’s paying you $10,000 to change a light bulb.”
“Fine,” he says, laughing, “but seriously, you sure you want to take this job?”
“I’m sure.”
“Have you told your dad yet?”
“I emailed him this evening,” I say softly. “He hasn’t gotten back to me, so obviously, he doesn’t care.”
“Or maybe he hasn’t seen it yet, or maybe he’s flying over from Italy to tell you that there is no way you’re going to be working as an assistant to some nobody.”
“Would it make you feel better if I said I was working as assistant to the president of the United States of America?”
“Girl, if you had the job as the assistant to the president of the United States of America, I’d say we were in big trouble because you do not have the skills to do anything.”
I burst out laughing. “Thanks for nothing. I’m really glad to hear that you appreciate all the skills that I bring to this position.”
“Girl, you have no skills other than looking good.” He laughs and then stops. "I'm joking. You're perfect."
“Romeo.”
“Okay, I’m joking. You’re very educated. You know a lot about classical literature and reality TV, but oh, my gosh, you do not know much about typing, or PowerPoint, or Excel, or…”
“Enough. Liam is the one who hired me, so he can be the one to fire me. I don't need you trying to fire me before I even start.”
“You seriously did not take this job so he could fire you.”
“No, and I don’t think he hired me so he can fire me either.” I reveal more than I'd wanted to, but I am dying to tell Romeo about the chemistry that buzzes between Liam and me.
“Oh, so spill the tea. What’s actually going on here, sis?”
“I mean, if I’m real, there’s a little bit of flirtation and…”
“Wait, you have the hots for your new boss?”
“No, I wouldn’t say that.”
“What do you mean, you wouldn’t say that? What would you say?”
“I don’t have the hots for him.”
“Is he cute?”
“He’s all right.”
“Oh, my god, he’s actually drop-dead gorgeous, isn’t he?”
“What? All I said is he’s all right.”
“Yeah, he’s all right in Elisabetta Franco speak means he’s drop-dead gorgeous. Tell me; does he look like Brad Pitt?”
“Maybe from Fight Club .” I giggle.
“Holy shit, he’s hot-hot. Okay, you’re working tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. It’s my first day, and I have to be there at 7:00 a.m. I’m totally not looking forward to getting up that early.”
“What time can I come into the office to see him?”
“Romeo, you’re not coming into the office to see him, period.”
“What? You conveniently left your lunch at home.”
“I’m not a school kid.”
“You conveniently left your coffee at home?”
“No one brings someone coffee at work.”
“A caring stepbrother like me does.” He grins. “Seriously, what does he look like?”
“It’s hard to describe, but he’s fucking gorgeous.”
“I knew it. Am I going to have to fight you for him?”
“Romeo, you don’t even know what he looks like yet. You’re willing to fight me for him?”
He laughs. “Hey, you know me.”
“I do, and that’s why you’re never going to see him.”
He laughs again. “You’re literally taking a job as an assistant so you can get down and dirty with your boss? I like it. It’s very kinky.”
“I didn’t take the job to get down and dirty with him. I took the job because, apparently, he’s a big asshole. He really wanted Skye to work for him again, and I know Skye hates working for him. She won’t say anything because she doesn’t want Kingston to have to stick up for her because she doesn’t want Kingston to think she’s taking advantage of their relationship, even though he totally wouldn’t think that.”
“It sounds like there’s a lot of really poor communication going on here.” He lets out a sigh. “You took a job so Skye doesn’t have to work for him, even though you know you’re not going to be good?”
“It’s not the only reason I took the job. As I said, he’s hot, and I do think that there could be some fun to be had.”
“You are totally going to do him in that office, aren’t you? Shit, sis, really?”
“No, I’m not. I mean, if he looked at a desk full of folders and slid them off the table and then grabbed me and pushed me up and pulled my skirt up, am I going to say no? Maybe not, but…”
“Oh, my god, you’re such a dirty ho.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said what I said. You’re such a dirty ho.”
“I’m not a ho. Thank you very much.”
“Would you prefer a whore?”
“Romeo!”
“I know. I know. Sorry. You don’t call your sister a whore.”
I giggle. “Oh, my gosh, I miss you.”
“I miss you, too, bitch. When are you going to come to Paris to see me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe when I’m in Italy.”
“You are going to go to Italy?”
“I mean, I think my dad is going to make me. Doesn’t mean I’m going to marry anyone, though.”
“True. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, and you can always live with me.”
“You live off my dad’s money.”
“Yeah. And?”
“And if my dad cuts me off, he will likely cut you off, too. You know that, right?”
“Then you have to get married. I cannot live the life of a pauper.”
“Romeo.”
“What? I’m just saying. Who is going to keep me in the lifestyle I’ve been accustomed to?”
“Romeo.”
“Okay, fine. If you really don’t want to get married, I guess we’ll both live on the streets.”
“We won’t live on the streets. I still have a trust fund from my mom, you know.”
“Yeah.” He pauses. “That was your mom’s money, and I wouldn’t feel right taking any of it.” He’s being sincere now. As much as Romeo and I love to laugh and joke about money, he knows how much not having my mother in my life affected me and how much I’d always wished that she’d been around.
“Do you ever think about your dad?” I ask him.
“That jackass? No,” he says, but I know he’s not telling the truth. I know that Romeo is devasted by the fact that his father left when he was four years old and never came back again.
“I’m sorry. I’m always here to talk about it with you if…”
“What is there to talk about? The fact that my dad said he was going out to get me ice cream and never came back?” He lets out a deep sigh. “I mean, hey, maybe I was a brat of a kid. Who knows?”
“You weren’t a brat of a kid. I mean, maybe a little bit, but not so much of a brat that your dad should’ve left.”
“Yeah. I think it’s worse for you. Your mom died, and you can’t even remember her.”
“Yeah. I miss the memory of what things could’ve been, but you miss the memory of what things were.” There’s silence on the phone for a couple of seconds as we both just sit there in our feelings.
“We’re two hot messes, aren’t we?” he says.
“I like to think of us as very hot messes,” I giggle. “I’m beautiful, and you’re handsome. Who cares if we’re messes, right?”
He laughs. “Exactly.”
“What are you up to this weekend?” I ask him.
“I’m going to Versailles. There’s going to be a fashion show, and...”
“Don’t tell me you’re in it.”
“I’m in it,” he says. “You know it.”
“For what designer?”
“Oh, a small designer you’ve never heard of before in your life.”
“Tell me. Maybe I have.”
“Have you heard of Jacques Montegue?”
“No, I haven’t.” I laugh. “Are they famous?”
“Totally not famous, but he’s very attractive. I think he’s going to ask me out on a date, so I agreed to be part of this fashion show.”
“I have a question, Romeo.”
“Yeah?”
“If he’s so unfamous, how come the Palace of Versailles is letting him have a fashion show there?”
“There’s a little technical detail that hasn’t been ironed out.”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that the Palace of Versailles doesn’t know there’s going to be a fashion show there. We bought five tickets, and we’re going to put on an impromptu one.”
“Oh, my gosh, Romeo, am I going to have to bail you out of Parisian jail or something?”
“Versailles is not in Paris, so no.”
“French jail, then?”
“I don’t think so.” He laughs. “Hopefully not.”
“Oh, I wish I was there with you. I would love to see you strutting your stuff in the gardens.”
“I know. I would love for you to see me do it, too. By the way, bitch, send me a photograph of your hotty boss tomorrow.”
“I’m not a bitch, and I’m not sending you a photograph.”
“Please! I’ve got to see the man that has made you take a job for the first time in your life.”
“Fine, I’ll send you a photo.” I let out a deep sigh, “Anyway, I should probably get off the phone now because long-distance calls are still expensive, and we’re chatting on…”
“What’s that, bitch? This is free.”
“True.” I giggle. “But I need to get ready for tomorrow.”
“Okay. Good luck. Break a leg.”
“I’m not acting, you know. I don’t need to break a leg.”
“True,” he says. “Have fun and tell me all about it.”
“I will.”
“Please send me a photo tomorrow.”
“I’ll try.”
“Love you, sis.”
“Love you, bro,” I say and hang up. I look around the empty apartment and wonder what Skye’s doing. I miss having her here. I miss having dinners with her and talking about what movie we want to watch. I stare at my text messages to see if I’ve heard anything from her, but I haven’t. I frown when I see I have a missed call from Liam.
“Oh, my gosh, what does that jackass want now?” I say. I ponder whether or not to call him back. I’m about to turn my phone off when the phone starts ringing again. It’s Liam. “What do you want?” I snap into the phone.
“Nice to hear your voice, as well.”
“It’s not nice to hear your voice. I was just about to get to bed because I have to wake up so early to be in the office tomorrow.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he says, chuckling.
“Excuse me?”
“I like to hear that you’re going to bed because you’re thinking about me and…”
“That’s not what I said. I’m totally not thinking about you.”
“Sure you’re not. You’re not about to get into bed naked and…”
“Excuse me? That’s extremely unprofessional talk.”
“Did I say that…”
“Liam?”
“Yes, Elisabetta?”
“Why are you calling me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you calling me? It’s ten p.m. at night. I’m about to go to bed. I’m going to see you tomorrow morning for the first day at work, and…”
“I was actually calling to see if you really wanted this job.”
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t stutter, but I will repeat myself. I was calling to see if you really wanted this job.”
“What do you mean, if I really wanted this job?”
“I mean, we both know you don’t need it, and we both know that most people believe you won’t make a great assistant. I’m just really not sure why.”
“I think you are sure, Liam.”
“Excuse me?” he says.
“I think, when you called me tonight, you didn’t call me wanting to talk about the job. I think, when you called me tonight, you probably had a request.”
“A request?” he says.
“Did I stutter?” I say, and he bursts out laughing.
“I see you like to give as good as you get.”
“Mm, that’s not actually true,” I say softly.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I like to receive. I don’t really like to give that much.”
He pauses. “Did you insinuate what I think you were just insinuating?”
“I mean, if you didn’t understand, let me be very clear. I like for a man to go down on me,” I say softly, “but I don’t love going down on a man.”
“Was that you asking me to?”
“That’s not me asking you to anything,” I say quickly. “I just think you should know that. We both know that you’re going to continue with the sexual innuendo and try and frighten me or make me feel nervous or put me off balance, but that’s not who I am.”
“What do you mean, that’s not who you are?”
“I’m not some scared little girl. I’m a woman, and I’m very confident in my sexuality. I’m very confident in my body and what I want and who I want to be with, and if I want to be with you, you’ll know it. I don’t play games.”
“I see,” he says. There’s a pause. I can hear my own heart racing as I wait for him to speak next. “You’re saying that if you wanted me, you would just let me know.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Elisabetta Franco, do you want me?”
I pause for five seconds, and then I speak softly. “Maybe a little bit, but you see, the thrill of the chase isn’t there because I already know I could have you, Liam Gallagher. I already know that you probably woke up rock-hard this morning, thinking about me. You’re going to go to bed, and you’re going to have a shower tonight, and you’re going to jack off in the shower thinking about me because you want me way more than I want you. I want a guy that’s not that desperate. You know what I mean?”
He bursts out laughing then. “You’re cocky, eh?”
“I’m not cocky. I just speak the truth. I think we both know it’s the truth, don’t you?”
“One thing you don’t know is that I just got out of the shower. I just finished jacking off, and it was to you, so you got some of it right.”