Chapter Thirty-one - Natalia
Chapter Thirty-one
Natalia
L u looked Natalia square in the eyes. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am . . . I mean, it’s my fault that Nic left. I’m so glad he’s home now.”
Natalia sighed heavily. “That night was so . . . explosive, and incredibly painful. And you’re not the reason Nic left.” She bit her bottom lip, shut her eyes for a moment. The thought of saying the words aloud again caused a sharp pain in her chest. But she had to bring Lu up to speed. It was necessary to forgive her and release her. “So much has gone on since we were last together.”
“That’s an understatement.” Kenya’s eyes glanced at Lu and then landed on Natalia.
“You were not the cause of Nic leaving. He wanted a reason to leave.” She swallowed, relived the vision of Angelina’s swollen belly. Her heart fluttered. “It seems he’s impregnated the mother of his child, Angelina. They’re going to be parents again.”
“What?” Lu frowned, trying to make sense of what Natalia said, as if she’d spoken in French.
“Yes, he’s been a very bad boy. It seems he was doing more than visiting family while in Sicily.” Natalia sipped her wine.
“Are you kidding me? What in the entire fuck!” Lu became furious.
“My sentiments, too. He made me think I was overreacting, being insecure for no reason. He played the victim.”
“How did you find out?”
“We were really connecting on a level that we’d never done before, at least I thought we were. It felt like . . . you know, like the beginning. Then, suddenly, the late hours started again. He’d call and tell me to keep his dinner warm. Well, I decided to pay him a visit, take dinner to him at his workplace. Thought I would surprise him. I drove all the way to the city, a batch of my arroz de marisco in tow. Needless to say, I was the one who was surprised.”
“She was there,” Lu shook her head
“Yes, big belly and all,” Kenya added.
“Bastard!” Natalia exclaimed.
“What did he say? Did he have an explanation?” Lu’s eyes bulged, her body stiffened.
“No explanation. Just behaved like a kid whose hand was caught in the cookie jar.”
“Did you curse them both out? Tear his office apart? I would have,” Kenya said.
“I ran away. I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. I could barely breathe.”
“Did he at least run after you?” Lu relaxed a bit.
“More of a jog. A very slow jog. I told him I was going to throw his things into the Cape May Canal.” Natalia chuckled nervously, although inside she was dying. The pain of reliving it was slowly killing her.
“Um . . . yes. When I turned into the neighborhood after arriving home this morning, his clothes and belongings were all over the front lawn.” Kenya laughed. “And she was stuffing the rest of them into the car. She was indeed headed to the canal.”
“Good thing you pulled up in time.” Lu laughed, too. “Or she’d be in jail right now.”
“I thank God for Kenya. I was in a bad place.”
“Yeah, we spent the day getting some things in order.” Kenya gave Natalia a warm smile and touched her hand, then turned to Lu. “His things are now boxed up and in the garage. And when he comes to retrieve them, he’d better bring the sheriff!”
Natalia sighed. She was tired of discussing Nic. “So, enough about my dreadful life, how was your trip to Sacramento? I’m so sorry about John Samuels. Just when the two of you started to connect, this happens.” Natalia shook her head. “Life sure does have a terrible sense of humor.”
“Yeah, it kind of sucks, but I’m grateful for the time we spent together. The conversations we had.” Lu took a sip of her wine. “I had a father for every bit of two seconds, but it was great while it lasted.”
“I’m glad you were able to go and get your questions answered.”
Lu solemnly took a bite of her food. “Me, too.”
“Tell her what he left for you . . . in his will,” Kenya urged.
“Do tell.” Natalia squeezed her hands together.
“A beautiful piece of property in Napa Valley. A six-bedroom Victorian home that’s currently being rented as a vacation home.”
“Lu’s Seaside Inn number two?” Natalia asked.
“Quite possibly.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m excited to see it in person. Maybe a girls’ trip,” Lu said.
“I’m in!” Kenya exclaimed.
Lorenzo emerged from the kitchen again. “If you’re done with the salads, I’m ready to bring the entrées.”
“We’re ready, Lorenzo.” Lu held her empty salad plate in the air.
Lorenzo collected their empty plates.
“So, Kenya, what’s going on with you? Tell me about this fellow, Gideon,” Natalia said after Lorenzo was gone.
“Nothing to tell, Nat Pack. He’s ancient history.”
“Not ancient history,” Lu interjected. “He was just here a few weeks ago, rocking your world. He had you smiling and running up and down the beach. Then you gave him the boot. Although I’m not clear why exactly.”
“Things were moving way too fast and I wasn’t ready. Simple as that.”
“You do realize that you sabotage every single potential relationship that comes your way, right?” Natalia asked.
“I admit, I have baggage.”
Natalia understood Kenya’s reservations and her thoughts about Glen. Though she hated that it existed, she understood. All she could do was give her friend some grace. “You will know when it’s right. You won’t be able to fight it any longer when it’s right.”
“And if it doesn’t happen, I’m okay with that scenario, too.” Kenya shrugged. “The last thing I need is someone else’s baggage when I have my own.”
Lu looked away toward the ocean while sipping her wine.
Natalia changed the subject. “How’s your big case with the great deacon?”
Kenya rolled her eyes. “He’s a thorn in my side. But we’re in the home stretch now. Jury selection is next week and then we go to trial. Hopefully it’s not a long-drawn-out trial and we can wrap it up quickly.”
“Hopefully so. I don’t even know him and I want to shake the living daylights out of him,” Natalia teased.
Kenya laughed. “I think he’s innocent. I just need to highlight some of the awesome things that he does in the community, and at the church. As annoying as he is, he does a lot of good. He’s my father’s very good friend, like family almost. I don’t think he’s a murderer.”
“Well, I hope all goes well and that it wraps up quickly.” Natalia clasped her hands together. “And then we can get back to the wedding plans.”
Kenya and Lu looked at each other and then dropped their heads.
“What?” Natalia asked.
“The wedding’s off, Nat Pack,” Kenya spoke for Lu.
“What? Why?” Natalia reflected on the night that everything went wrong, the night of the explosion, and remembered that Kenya mentioned something about Zach seeing a divorce attorney. “Was Zach cheating?”
“Zach is married, Natalia. Married! To an Ethiopian woman who he married years ago so that she could remain in this country. He never divorced her.”
“Wow. So, that’s why he was seeing the divorce attorney.” Natalia’s head was spinning from all this new information. “So, the woman won’t give him a divorce? Is that why the wedding is off?”
“The wedding is off because he lied. He wasn’t forthright with me. Didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth,” Lu interjected.
“Maybe he was just afraid,” Natalia offered.
“Afraid or not, that’s a terrible way to begin a new marriage, with lies and secrets,” said Lu.
“I agree with that statement,” Kenya chimed in. “Although I do believe wholeheartedly that Zach loves you and is completely devoted to you. He just messed up.”
“He messed up big-time,” Lu said.
“Such a shame that the wedding of the summer won’t take place. I was so looking forward to it. Have you canceled the vendors? The musicians? Have you told your guests?”
“Not yet.”
Natalia exhaled. “Good, then there’s still hope. I mean, in case you change your mind.”
Lorenzo emerged from the kitchen with three plates filled with something fragrant and beautiful.
“Looks and smells wonderful, Lorenzo. What is it?” Kenya asked.
“It’s Mediterranean garlic shrimp, cooked in a white wine and olive oil sauce, served over a bed of rice. I hope you enjoy. Bon appétit.”
“Thank you, Lorenzo.” Lu gave her chef a warm glance and then turned to Natalia. “Even if I did change my mind, it wouldn’t matter. I can’t wed a married man.”
“She has a point there,” Kenya added.
“Then we have to get him divorced! Kenya?”
“Don’t look at me. I’m in criminal law, not family law.”
“But you have lawyer friends who can help, right?”
“Zach already has an attorney. Her name is Danielle Curry, and as much as it pains me to say it, she’s the best there is,” said Kenya.
“That’s if I were to change my mind. That hasn’t been decided yet.”
“Well, I certainly hope you do. This circle of friends, this island of Cape May, this world needs some goodness. So much bad has gone on, I need to know that real happiness and love and goodness really does exist.”
Kenya grabbed Natalia’s hands and held them tight. “It does exist, honey. It does.”
Natalia hoped that someone could prove it because, at the moment, she wasn’t the least bit convinced.