Chapter-39🌜Sizzle and steam
William's POV
Our food is served on the table along with the regular buffet. People are slowly approaching the table exchanging formal pleasantries with me.
The sizzle and steam coming out of the vessels slowly fade in between sliding of chairs and subtle good mornings. Deep copper vessels and handis with intricate patterns catch and reflect every ray of light coming out of the chandelier.
Zane still hasn't come back and I'm not waiting either.
This table is huge, like the biggest I have ever seen. At first I thought these people would dine separately, but to my surprise, the head chef told me that our food and their continental breakfast will be served together on La Piazza Aroma.
There would be maybe separate dining tables like a restaurant would have, maybe like the one where Zane asked me to come.
This was how I imagined it. It came out to be a royal setup with two comparatively big and gold lined chairs on each end of the table.
As if celebrating the alliance of two kings.
Most of the chairs are already occupied and despite being on the same table, people are talking in small groups.
Some people that I can remember from last night approach me, some are casual and some are completely formal. Though there were some who were actually polite and warm.
Shocking, right?
One of the guys introduced himself as Enzo. And I recall Zane mentioning his youngest brother. The one whose sweater Bianca gave me. "Hmph, I heard you took my sweater, hmm?"
"Yeah... Sorry, urm, I can return it. I haven't even worn—" I blurt out. I know how important a mother's present can be. And especially if that is stolen by someone else.
"Hey, I was just messing with you." He finally laughs, and fuck.
He looks just like Zane. If Vance is his second copy, then he will be his third copy.
Though his build is not buff like him. Not lanky, just leaner.
Definitely bigger than me, no doubt. And after seeing the men of his family, I would say it's a family thing.
Because not just paternal, even his maternal family has gigantic men.
Sharp features, high cheekbones, tall stature and thick Italian accents. Even the women here look like they train bears in the evenings.
"Not gonna lie, you had me there."
He smirks just like his brother would, "you are easy, bruh. By the way, where's my dude?" Okay, that Italian accent thing? Yeah, minus him from that, because talking to him I just hear a Texas cowboy. Or hmm, a LA jock.
I know he's asking for Zane. Irritation floods my blood, because I don't want to think about him. "I don't know."
Enzo tilts his head as he looks over my shoulder. "I think I do." I pivot on my heels and see the two people I don't want to see right now. They are coming closer to us, with that parasite's arm hooked with his. My eyes waver to the wine red carpet below.
"And look who finally came to honour the peasants—Capo Zanuccio."
She finally lets Zane go as Enzo comes forward for a rough bro-hug.
Zane thumps his back as Enzo continues, "Where the hell were you, fra?
I heard my guy is finally putting on his big guy pants and getting married, and like this," he snaps his fingers.
"I crossed oceans to attend it, and you can't even find five minutes for me?
." Enzo wipes a fake tear, his voice dripping with dramatic Sicilian grief. "I'm heartbroken, Zane. Truly."
"You know there are no cameras here right? Give that audition to those directors, Enzo." Zane pulls one of his ears as he twists them. Harsh enough that Enzo grunts out a chain of "Frahhh!"s
Zane leaves his ear as he smirks, "Because as much as I remember, you arrived today only."
"You are mistaken." Enzo massages his ear lobe and then starts again, "Okay, you're right! Happy?"
Their back-and-forth goes on, as Zane asks him how he has been and Enzo quips him about how the wedding was, why this sudden wedding.
And I want to know how Zane will handle this, how Zane will tell his brother that he himself plotted it. But that clever fox redirects the conversation to food instead. "Let's sit down and have some breakfast first."
"Oh yeah, I wanna try it. Heard you made it yourself, and you know how much I love it when you cook those delicious meals. Especially your pasta...like I literally missed it in the hostel. Actually, I missed it the most."
"And here I thought you missed me more..." Zane shakes his head.
"Hmm, you too."
"Well today there's no pasta. Instead me and William made some Indian dishes, wanna try them?" I see from the corner of my eyes how Veronica rolls her eyes on the exchange as she makes her way to sit down.
"Why not? Food is food. And I am always hungry." He rubs his tummy as he goes to sit down on a chair close to Matteo.
Not Malvolio. Matteo.
Now just me and Zane are left standing with a swordfight of eyes going on between us. If he doesn't give a fuck then my children are not crying either.
I swivel back to sit down on the closest chair possible. I can feel him coming closer and he puts his hand on the chair beside mine to push it back before that horn starts frying my ears. "Zee, come here," she pleads.
I just stare at the empty plate shining in front of me. "Okay." I hear hesitancy in his voice, but he still walks to sit close to her. On the chair, right in front of mine.
A tiny, lopsided pull at the corner of her mouth—not a full smile, but a leak of satisfaction she didn't care enough to plug, occurs on her face.
As if saying, "checkmate."
"Fra don't you want to sit with your husband today?" Enzo asks him and the whole room goes silent. Even I am shocked at this question.
But at least he knows what's right, which apparently his fratello doesn't.
Zane swallows hard as his head turns slowly toward me and stays there. He stays there as he tries to read my face—for what? I don't know. In the end, I give him a slow blink and the corner of his lips twitches into a smile. He turns back to Enzo and says, "I do."
"Then go. What are you waiting for? Oh don't tell me you are worried about Veronica." Enzo makes a face as he looks at someone. "Here he comes... see now you can sit with him. Vance can accompany Ver, I am sure she wouldn't mind."
She definitely does, as her face looks like an orange spoiled for years. If she was allowed to, she would pounce right on Enzo and rend him to pieces.
A chameleon can't shift faster than her transforming into the most victim-looking face ever when Zane just glances once at her to make sure. There's also this one thing poking inside me.
Zane isn't bothered the way he was when he saw Vance with me. He stands up with no tension between his shoulders or clenched fists and stops just beside me, before sitting down.
There Vance sits beside that cheapo, staring at me and Zane with deep-set eyes. "See. Now it's perfect. The newly-wed couple should sit together. Right, mom?" Enzo looks at Bianca sitting on his left.
Bianca wags her head, a small smile making her skin glow. "Yes, mimmo."
"I know right!" He's looking proud of himself. "Where's dad anyway?" That one question sucks out the life out of the room, everyone looks either scared or on alert.
All the glow and that smile leaves her face from just the mention of her husband and here I feel Zane's hand brushing mine under the table, as his fist clenches. And my pinkie involuntarily nudges his a little and I immediately pull my hand back.
Before I feel his finger locking around mine just for a fraction of a second. But enough for the goosebumps to arise on my whole arm. Every grudge on him seems to melt under the warmth of his skin on mine.
I can't pull my hand away from his and I let his keep contact with mine. We are somehow busy finding ourselves under the shadow of an olive plant on brown earth. Not even blinking once, just looking at the eyes.
It only breaks when there's a soft sound of a waiter excusing himself as he asks about what we would like to have. We both go for the food we made ourselves instead of the buffet and he serves us.
Just right at that moment, Ryan arrives and wishes everyone good morning. His clothes are just like the usual, hair same. But there's something different with him. He is looking a little ruffled. He takes a seat and then gives me a subtle nod.
Something is definitely going on with him. I make a mental note to ask him later as another guy approaches the table, dressed in all black along with a black overcoat on top. He has a dark and untouchable aura around him which definitely stops every sound of spoons flicking the plate.
Well except Enzo, of course.
Zane greets this guy in jet black shades contrasting his pale skin, "Good morning, Mr. Morozov." Completely unaffected. I can see who Enzo takes after.
This guy reflects his professionalism, "Good morning, Mr. Belladonna." I hear the inevitable Russian accent screaming his origin. His covered eyes land on me sitting just behind Zane, sizing me up.
"This is my husband, William. William, this is our business partner and really close family friend, Mr. Kazimir Morozov." He introduces us.
I notice the way Kazimir's nose scrunches on the word "husband."
For a brief moment, before he auto-corrects himself with a nod directed at me.
He and Zane start talking in what sounds to be Russian. I didn't even know Zane could speak Russian.
Sometimes I forget how we are literally just strangers...
Finally, they both sit down on their respective seats and people start eating again. Bianca, Enzo, ma, Ryan and us have our plates filled with our food, while the others have chosen to take varieties of multiple cuisines.
Combining aloo gobhi and raita with sushi and pasta is the wildest thing I have ever seen.
I almost scream out a "eat aloo gobhi with chapati, you dumpfuck." But then I control and say, "It is supposed to be eaten like a side dish, ma'am." I tell that old woman, dipping her sushi in Raita, like it's some sort of ethnic dip.
"Oh?" That woman stops her crime midway and I continue, "You can just eat it with a spoon." I smile.
Almost like I could feel it, I face my mom and I can see that proud mumma look on her face as she tastes our kheer.
This validation will always have that chilling effect on me. Like suddenly, it all feels worth it.
Enzo burps out loud, but at least covers it up as Matteo elbows him, "Chiudi la bocca, mascalzone!"
"Fuck off, Matteo and don't poke my stomach! It's currently filled to the brim. I might puke on you, if you continue." He hiccups. "Damn, bruh... What a meal it was... I fucking missed this."
Bianca warns him, "don't cuss on the dining table, hun."
"Okay." He leans back as he rests his face on his crossed shoulders. "What about this Mt. Etna thing, hmm? Are we stuck inside forever?"
"No we are not. And now put your hands down." Matteo tickles him on his armpit, making him do it.
"Ugh, I wanna go out—"
Before his sentence could even complete, she denies, "No."
"Mom pleassssse."
"No, Enzo. It's so dangerous. End of discussion."
"What if I take Capo with me?" He requests harder.
"Me? Where are you even planning to go?"
"I don't know right now. I was thinking of going for maybe a hike or something. You know how fun it would be to hike or do camping when the whole city is under a red alert..."
"Damn, that does sound fun, I'm going too." Matteo says. "So am I." Malvolio says.
"Where are we going?" A group of girls around our age enters the room. One of them comes forward and picks up an apple.
"We are going camping!" Enzo tells them.
"I haven't even said yes." Bianca reminds him.
"Mom, pretty pleassseeeee." He gives her puppy dog eyes.
"Only if Zane agrees." She looks at Zane who in turn looks at me. He raises his eyebrow as if asking me something and in reply I bob my head a little.
"We all are going mom."
A/N??
Oh my godddddd. This is one of my most favourite chapters of mine.
Did you like it?
They are intermingling fingers, constantly having eye contact and then William says he hates him...
Bruh wrap it up...
Also, Enzo and Kazimir were introduced, hmm...
Thoughts on them?
Sushi with raita...JAIL!
How I imagine Enzo:
Thoughts? ??
Comments? ??
Votes? ??