The Italian's proposal

Chapter Twenty-four

Timothy

Timothy saw her standing in the entrance and his heart began to try to escape from his chest and embrace her. She was simply beautiful in her wedding dress. She was without doubt the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and at that moment he was sure, that he chose the best person to be his wife.

Even if it was all a sham.

His parents had freaked out when they found out that she was pregnant by another man, for him, that was not relevant: even knowing that their union was nothing more than a means to an end, he did not feel uncomfortable because Melody was carrying another man’s child in her womb, the fruit of another relationship.

Jealous? Of course, he was. But after she confessed to him that she had never felt that way with anyone. He couldn’t blame her, he himself had been surprised when they made love, it was new, different, transcendental, and magical. He had no idea that he was so in tune with Melody, until that moment.

“You must be crazy!” his mother yelled at him that same night they came home from dinner at his parents’ house.

“Mom, please don’t overreact,” he grabbed the bridge of his nose and wanted to disappear as long as he didn’t talk to his mother that night.

“She’s pregnant! Pregnant!”

“I know mom, you’re not talking about a stranger. I know her. I...” saying anything else was still complicated for him. But he made love to Melody, it stirred something inside him, something in his heart, and he wasn’t yet capable of interpreting it.

“She’s a pregnant woman with another man’s child. I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish with this Timothy, I don’t know what you’re getting at.”

“Me? Am I getting at something? Mother!” once again he was raising his voice at his mother again. “I resent you talking that way about her. She’s not damaged by being pregnant.”

“I’m not saying that son,” she lowered the intensity with which she spoke to him a little, “I just don’t understand what the hell you’re looking for. This is not what your father and I want for you. You don’t understand what goes with marrying a woman who carries someone else’s child in her womb.”

He hadn’t thought about it, maybe he had, but he didn’t want to give it any second thought. To do so would mean, that he intended to be in the future with Melody, that he intended to bond with her and her child, that he would actually watch over her and be there.

Which was precisely what he promised her.

“Let’s not talk about the future, it’s still many months before the baby is born,” he also couldn’t tell them that the wedding was a complete sham.

They wouldn’t accept her son faking a marriage.

Giving Melody whatever she wanted was easier than eating a red apple at Christmas.

For her he would do anything, and after a month of living with her, of seeing her smile every day, even though her parents and her sister were not part of her life as she was used to, Melody was still looking for a way to smile at the world, at life, to be happy with her son and with what she had at that moment.

That’s why when he saw her looking at veterinary brochures, he thought of helping her to start her own, even if she didn’t graduate, she could start with the premises and then, without hurry, prepare it and get it ready to receive all kinds of clients.

That would help her for a long time, give her a job where she could spend all her time with her son and a better quality of life.

“Timothy,” Hamlet tapped him on the shoulder, causing his thoughts to focus on the now “What’s going on? Something’s going on with your fiancée,” his cousin prompted, looking toward Melody.

He watched her exchange a couple of words with her father, she looked at the chapel, but didn’t see him, it frightened him for a moment.

Then he watched as she turned around and walked out again.

He couldn’t believe his eyes, even what his instincts were screaming, shouting at high pitched voices.

She was getting cold feet.

She was leaving.

mother, who was sitting next to his father in the front row of chairs, stood up to face the door, as did all the

had with his mother, they would not show

started to play, as she turned

about how many reporters and gossips were there, people who only came to see what the mysterious woman he was going to marry looked like. No one knew Melody, and that made him happy, because in a way, all that month they

he never touched her or

every day of his existence, thirty days of uncertainty of getting under the cold stream of the shower, of doing hours and hours of exercise, as long as he did not arrive at the penthouse and see her there, with her t-shirts without bra, with her loose hair reaching her waist, moving

He really wanted her.

position. To become more involved, to make love again, would be to dig his own grave, and what he least wanted, was for her to believe that he was taking advantage of her hospitality, that he wanted to cash in with her body, or that he simply wanted to take advantage of her involvement, without thinking of what

That was all the marriage

a house of her own, money in the bank to support herself and her

the door of the limousine, she had arrived in.

away from the

as Melody called out to his driver. It

the door where Melody

are you doing?” there

wanted to scream out a million questions, they held

leaving,” she told him without looking at him, though he, despite her turning her face away, could see her

farfalla. che dici?” he didn’t understand. Fear? That would be normal, she had

She slapped Devina when she thought Devina was setting her up. She defied her entire family by leaving with him, by choosing to leave

many things,

that? You can’t leave.

she was broken, he could tell it in her voice. She has been this defeated, when she returned from his parents’

Gabriel García Márquez, he knew that dinner

he agreed

causing her

blame her for wanting to forget everything and go. Even he, with all the money and comforts he had at times wanted to just disappear off the map, to get away to a

end of the day, that was what he was doing

be going

on Melody;

he grabbed the door handle and slammed the limo shut. Then he pulled out his cell phone and dialed

Not my cousin,” he immediately thought of Hamlet, who always had worried about him, even when he didn’t even want his help, “let alone my sister-in-law,” he knew Devina was capable

redhead was something to watch

on Melody,

have a worm over her eyes; when she was happy, her gray eyes sparkled with the same light that her smile cast. When she was anxious as she was at this moment, she would wring her hands and bite her lower lip until it went from a rich

out. Was it too soon to marry?” he didn’t want to rush her, he couldn’t. Melody was the kind of person, who, if he badgered her

just as he imagined, were full of tears to be shed, and others furrowing her

you. I honestly thought I could, but I just can’t. I saw myself standing there in the

Melody? Where do you

have with you, I don’t care if I have to beg Doyle

ran his hands over his face in despair. This was not how he pictured his wedding to

mother...I don’t know if she came,” she said wiping away tears, “I ruined

Nothing was ruined. Everything is all right. My mother is there, in the chapel. She

white shirt; he wore his suit handkerchief in his pocket and a bow tie

outside, he should feel cold, but there was only a terrible