Chapter 2 #2
“Do you want to go try out the new weapons on the shooting range?” I hear Dad’s voice behind me, and I immediately smile.
I love to practice shooting; I learned it when I was only ten.
I remember that my grandad, who at the time was still in charge of the company, met me in the corridor, smiled, and waved at me to follow him.
I grabbed his hand, did what he asked, and let him guide the way.
He led me to the firm’s restricted area, where I saw the weapons being built, bombs being projected, and war tanks getting ready.
I recall looking around me in complete ecstasy.
Grandad looked at me and said, “ One day, all this will belong to you and your brothers. You’re still too young to understand, but this company has more power than you would ever imagine, and it’s also yours!
So, to be fair, I’m letting you know what you have.
I won’t force you to do anything, my dear, but I’ve already taught your brothers, and I want to give you the same opportunity. Do you want to learn how to shoot?”.
At that time, I had no idea what it all meant, but I immediately nodded; after all, if my brothers could do it, I could, too.
He took me to the shooting room, putting glasses on my face, and gave me ear plugs, which I quickly put on, handed me a small gun and taught me how to load and unlock it.
He crouched down behind me, helping me to aim at the target, and told me to pull the trigger; with my eyes closed and with the safety of his presence, I shot it.
I remember feeling light after doing so.
I immediately asked if I could do it again, making him laugh and agree; from that day on, the shooting room became consistent in my life.
I go to my dad and brothers, linking my arm with dad, walking through the same corridors that I once did with my grandfather years ago; I simper and greet some of the employees along the way.
Once in the shooting room, I go to the locker that has my name engraved on it, and I open it, taking a pair of pants and a t-shirt, getting rid of the dress and high heels, quickly change my clothes, and tie up my hair.
I leave and grab my protective equipment, heading toward the three men who were gathered around a table full of weapons.
I approach, taking a Tanfoglio T95 and loading it.
I smirk at my dad and aim at the target, unloading all the ammunition on it, having the same light feeling as when I was ten.
People applaud, and I make a small bow, smiling, thanking for the encouragement while side-eyeing my brothers as they shoot their weapons.
I look at my dad and signal to one of the exposed rifles on the table; in a silent request for authorization, he nods, and I pick up the weapon; admiring its lightness and composure, I load it and prepare myself to shoot.
I feel dad behind me, and he composes my posture, signaling me to shoot.
I hold the gun tightly and shoot, planting my feet steady on the ground to not slip.
I smile at the feeling a rush of freedom and power coursing through my veins; that’s the thing with guns: they make you feel powerful, invincible.
I look at the target and enjoy my perfect shot, smirking with a raised eyebrow toward my brothers, causing them to grab a rifle preparing to shoot.
“We have some new machine guns that I think you’ll like to try out!
” Dad said, signaling for one of the employees to go and get them, that my brothers join us and admire the guns in front of us.
Lorenzo was the first to try it out, throwing several compliments at my dad after firing, then Vincenzo fired, and as soon as he finished, he loaded it and fired again.
As soon as he passed the gun into my hands, I held it carefully, taking a closer look.
“Dad!” I call him, who rapidly joins me and hugs me from behind, helping me to hold and aim the gun. I shoot it under my dad’s safety net, smiling at him once I finish.
“Another check on the list accomplished!” Vincenzo says, smiling smugly.
“What list?” Asks dad, causing Lorenzo to nod for me to answer.
“It’s a list I made of things I want to do before I start college; shooting a machine gun was on it!” I say with a small smile on my face as I notice the interested look on my father’s face.
“All right then, just name the items, and let’s make it happen; after all, summer won’t last forever.
Do you have the checklist with you?” I nod affirmatively and go get it from my bag, taking out a pink sheet of paper sprayed with perfume, which contains all the things I want to do, quickly crossing off the activities I’ve already done.
I approach my dad and hand him the sheet, watching his reaction as he reads it.
Chiara’s adventures list:
· Go to Singapore with my best friends.
· Visit Russia with my brothers.
· Play with a baby tiger.
· To fly a hang glider.
· Sky diving in Dubai.
· Do kitesurfing.
· Swim with dolphins.
· Watch a ballet show in Russia.
· Dine on a platform in the air.
· Learn to scuba dive.
· Dive with sharks.
· Swim with whales.
· Take a trip to see orcas.
· Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa (from the outside).
· Stargazing in Antarctica and the Atacama Desert.
· See the Northern Lights.
· Camping in the Sahara Desert with my parents and siblings.
I look at Dad’s face and see him smiling or making disgruntled faces as he reads. That’s because he hasn’t read my other wish, a wish that is only written in my diary for no one else to see.
· To fall in love for the first time.
I feel my cheeks burn as I remember what I wrote in the diary on the morning of my birthday when no one was there to see it.
“It looks like this vacation is going to be a busy oneand a rather dangerous one, too, dear!” Dad says in a concerned tone, making me smile.
“I want to take risks and get out of my comfort zone, and I probably won’t be able to complete all this this summer.
In any case, I’m not going to put any pressure on myself; I’m taking it easy and enjoying the moment with qualified professionals by my side.
The points I don’t complete, I’ll do next summer!
” They all nod their heads in agreement while Vincenzo gives me a smile that could easily be compared to the Joker’s.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m very excited about the idea of doing all this. Yes, Chiara, Lorenzo, and I won’t leave your side; you can’t go on all these adventures alone!” I look at Lorenzo, smiling and shaking his head, gesturing that he would also be there. I smile back and nod.
“I didn’t expect anything else from my overprotective older brothers; it will be a pleasure to have you along on this journey!”
“I think we’d better start preparing everything then; how about starting with the family camping trip in the desert?
” asks Dad, raising an eyebrow. I glance at my brothers, and they accept.
Then I look at Dad again and do the same, watching him leave the shooting room while on the phone, talking to my mother.
It doesn’t take too long to convince her; despite the divorce, their relationship was always very good; perhaps that’s why I took it so badly.
The fact that she didn’t show her pain and anger toward him meant that I not only took on her pain but also my own, shaping an anger that, for a long time, didn’t seem to fit inside me.
Looking back now, that’s one of my favorite aspects about my mom, her ability to not explode.
Dad left, leaving her with three children to look after, and not a bad word ever left her lips about him.
She was always saying that life isn’t perfect, calmed me down when I got upset because he canceled on something, excused his actions, smiled when he showed, and continued to invite him to Christmas.
In reality, she always did everything for us and never stopped doing it.
Sometimes, I’m scared that she still loves him and suffers from his multiple heartbreaks.
She never dated after the divorce, or at least she never introduced anyone to the family, and above all, at certain times, she looks at him with so much love that I want to cry because, just like her, I know that love isn’t always enough.
Three days later, the family was gathered in Egypt, so we set off in jeeps with guides and the resort staff toward the desert, camping relatively close to the River Nile, one of Mom’s demands.
When we arrive at the site, the tents were already set up, with all the possible luxuries enough for a camping situation and camels laying on the riverside.
I step out of the jeep, hiding my face from the sandy wind with my scarf.
I look around, and all I see is sand, except for the riverbank in front of us, a van parking near the tents, and motorbikes being pulled out.
I look at my brothers swiftly, unable to contain the laughter stuck in my throat.
It was obvious that those two would never be satisfied with just camping in the desert.
I notice the smile on my dad’s face and the worried look on my mom’s.
One of the guides accompany us, warning that we have about three hours until sunset, so we can still ride our motorcycles through the dunes today.
I smile and involuntarily let out a thin shriek and bounce, making him laugh.