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Chapter Twenty-five
Isotta leaving gave Valentina a purpose and focus that she could not quench alone. The ultimate getback, the ultimate repositioning, is what Valentina desired. She wanted to hurt her family because they had hurt her so profoundly and so unforgettably. Valentina would never forget what they did to her. The family had treated her as disposable before, but if she played her things right, Valentina would not ever be disposable again. She needed to employ the assistance of someone she tangled with before. He would be willing because Valentina knew he felt like a second-class citizen in his only family. With the opportunity to elevate his station, Valentina knew he would cooperate. What Valentina hadn’t considered was that Giuseppe had thought about it, too. If there were a way he could rise out of his birth order and assert himself as head of the family by way of producing an heir, Giuseppe would gladly step into the seat that sat at the head of the family. He had given that very thought much consideration in the past, but the idea seemed to press on him more significantly now.
Giuseppe loved his brother. He loved him. Giuseppe would do anything for his brother, including laying down his life for him. That’s how he truly felt. Their parents had always bred closeness between them as long as they both respected their rightful places. That was the only thing Giuseppe had a problem with – his rightful place. It determined so much of everything for so long. There was no way to get out of it. First was first, and everyone else came after.
Giuseppe had gone along with it for as long as he could without effecting some kind of change. It felt right to change the status quo, to shake things up and reallocate familial resources. Would it hurt his brother? Giuseppe was sure that it was. Massimo wasn’t taught to come from behind because he was always in the lead. It would be a struggle for his brother, but Giuseppe felt like Massimo would learn to take it in stride like he had. At least, he hoped he would. Giuseppe prayed he would because, ultimately, he wanted his brother to be okay.
The feeling he had in even rising up against his brother put a horrible knot in the pit of Giuseppe’s stomach. He tried to forget about it, put the thought of his head to the back of his mind, but doing so proved more problematic than he had ever expected. Even when moving past his brother was not a conscientious thought, it still lingered in the back of his thoughts, quiet but ever-present.
Valentina didn’t have a lot to occupy her time other than her thoughts. She didn’t have a day job that she had to attend to, no housework, no nothing but planful thoughts to occupy her. Valentina considered getting in touch with Giuseppe. She thought about leaning on their prior relationship as a way to rekindle it once again. She could just call the house and ask to speak to him. That would be simple. There was a part of Valentina who was willing to take the risk. The part of her that wasn’t was overruled.
“May I speak with Giuseppe?” Valentina asked.
“Hold, please,” the person on the other end replied.
Valentina was willing to wait in the hopes of speaking to Giuseppe.
“This is Giuseppe.”
Valentina’s brow lifted, and she smiled as she spoke. “Hello, Giuseppe.”
“Hello. May I ask who this is?”
“You don’t have any idea?” She quizzed.
“No, not really,” he replied, trying to think where he knew her voice from. “Hold on a minute. Just give me a minute.”
Giuseppe combed the rolodex of his mind, trying to place the voice. It sounded familiar, but he struggled to put a name on it. There had been so many women he’d interacted with, and Giuseppe struggled.
“Oh, my goodness,” Giuseppe thought and then smiled. “Valentina.”
“It’s me,” she breathed, her smile widening.
“How have you been? Where have you been? Are you somewhere I can put my hands on you?? He asked, one question running into the other.
“Slow it down and good, close, home,” she answered laughingly.
Giuseppe had to think about his questions again before he was able to laugh at her answers.
The laughter died down after a while.
“So, how are you doing for real?” Giuseppe asked.
“I’m doing as well as can be expected, I guess,” Valentina admitted.
Giuseppe took her answer for what it was worth. He hoped she’d share more, but Valentina didn’t.
“And you’re back at home?” Giuseppe inquired.
“I am.”
“For how long?” Giuseppe paused and then thought better of the question.
“I’m sorry.” He genuinely meant it.
“No worries,” Valentina replied. “Truth is, I don’t know how long I’ll be here whether I leave or they kick me out again.”
“Well, change of subject. Is that okay?”
