The Italian's proposal

Timothy Giannatto

Timothy watched the young mother-to-be with curiosity. She walked beside him, slowly, murmuring so softly that he could not understand what she was saying, at first, he thought she was talking to him, then he realized that young Melody was talking to herself. He was used to the frivolous women of movies and television, the ones who preferred to dress up than being comfortable, or the ones who preferred to keep up an appearance than live happily. He had a feeling Melody didn’t care at all how much money he had in his pocket.

“Have you cleared up your issues?” he didn’t know why she caught his attention. She was a fairly plain and simple girl. Petite size, big gray eyes, intelligent gaze, and Jet-Black hair that reached her waist. There were thousands of women like Melody from the coffee shop, but none, for some reason he couldn’t figure out, had ever captivated him as much.

“Who?” she asked, as she entered the clinic.

“You and your inner self. You seemed to be having a very heated and interesting discussion.”

“Don’t make fun of my little Italian.”

“You called me little Italian?” he couldn’t believe the coolness with which that woman expressed herself. He had a feeling that, if he spent a day alone with her, locked in a house, he was likely to end up gagging her.

“Would you rather Italianate? It’s really all the same to me. You think you’re funny and smart, you’re going to tell me you’ve never seen someone talking to themselves?”

“I’m not saying I haven’t seen anyone; I’m saying it’s crazy.”

She glared at him and grumbled something about poking his eyes out.

The woman had a wild spirit, and he should applaud her for that. But instead, he preferred to keep attacking her. That was more fun for him.

“I’d even go so far as to say it’s a basic principle for taking someone to the psychiatric ward,” he commented as if referring to the weather. “Good morning,” he approached the hospital reception desk and smiled at the receptionist.

“Good morning. How can I help you?” Timothy watched as the woman looked him up and down, he must have been quite a sight, soaked in coffee all over his shirt, quite different from how he normally looked, all neat and tidy.

“The young lady is pregnant, and we need to see Dr. Troy to confirm that everything is okay.” The woman looked at the computer for a moment and responded by informing him that the doctor was seeing another patient.

“It doesn’t matter. Just get me checked out in the ER I got it,” Melody placed a hand on his arm and Timothy froze for a moment as he felt a rush of electricity go through his entire chest.

“No,” he said after a few seconds. “Let Dr. Troy know that Timothy Giannato is here and that he expects to see him right away.”

“Sir...”

“No. Call him and tell him to come in,” he interrupted the russet-haired, brown-eyed woman who was watching him somewhere between shocked and uncomfortable.

He was one of the main shareholders of the maternity ward. His family had donated millions over the years so that no woman would have to go through any kind of need when it came time to have her child. He took his role as an important man, as his cousin Hamlet used to call him, quite seriously.

“I don’t want to cause you any trouble,” he heard Melody speak to him. She looked at the receptionist and him one at a time. She was uncomfortable too. It all showed on her face, in the way she wrung her hands and how she looked with her eyebrows crossed at the woman behind the counter.

“You don’t bother. I told you I was going to help you and I will. I brought you here, it’s only fair that you be seen by the person I trust, and I know will tell us if all is well with your son.”

“You don’t have to stay.”

her alone. He could feel her so helpless and inexperienced; it gave him indigestion just thinking about leaving

be no place better cared for and protected than a medical center, much more so if it was one that was being

receptionist called out to him, “Dr. Troy is on his way. You can wait for him in his office if you like. Do you know where it is?”

countless times. Not because he was pregnant, but because the two of them had practically grown up together and as adults they hung out

and he had to excuse himself

as he

voice he immediately recognized

you to stop calling

have made him hard up to his toes, but after seeing her be able to deny it, the only thing it caused him was disgust. “I think it’s about time you

going back.”

me?” she sounded almost sad. But he no longer believed

ending a relationship. Didn’t the guy you were going to cheat on me with teach you that? Ask him to see,

be like that my darling. That was nonsense. A little slip of the tongue. We women have needs too

went away for a

here so soon.” The cynicism with which she expressed herself was going to make Timothy’s anger vein burst, the one that throbbed and crescendo when

he shouted and

It had been a while, weeks since he had done anything but drink in the evenings, attend his

the entire center,” commented the woman who was in her late forties, with a brown bow tie and droopy eyes adorned with thick horn-rimmed glasses. “What do I say a lot of money! I’d say a lot, millions I’m talking about girl, did you really not know who you were

shook her shoulders and her head at the same time. Timothy told himself he shouldn’t have to listen this, it wasn’t in his nature to stop in hallways and listen to what others thought of him, but he was eager to see what the girl had to say about him. He was sure she had seen him; he and his family were one

stain on his shirt? That was me and me alone. Do you think I’d be the token acquaintance in his life? As clumsy and dumb as I am? That gentleman doesn’t

my girl,” the woman seemed to see herself as needing to lift Melody’s spirits, Timothy thought. But he didn’t think she needed it. The girl was beautiful, in a peculiar way, though

at the blouse she was wearing, and he found it

effect this girl had on him. It was freshness in his world of

them. Both women were speechless when they saw him approaching and he almost burst out laughing when he saw the guilty look on both of their

now? I promised Doyle I’d be

shouldn’t kill yourself that much,” he blurted out without thinking and scolded himself for such a statement. He was not a man to meddle where his presence and comments were not required. Melody seemed

myself. It’s a job. If I don’t work, I don’t generate

know, you die,” he completed, raising

was a real

with a smartass face. “I die. You know

be me. I’ll tell you

have the heart

over her chest. She was judging him? Without knowing him?

“I’m sorry.”

than you eat,” he told her feeling his momentary anger melt

I

say that. Are you going to find

what you meant. You don’t know what it’s like to be