Modern Romance July 2015 Books 5-8. Louise Fuller

angry at him she knew she was the only person that he had so she called out to him, ‘I’ll be there for you...’

      She would be.

      There were cheers in the streets as Malvolio left the court a free man, though Sophie didn’t hear them and neither did she wait to speak with Luka; instead, she went to Bella’s to start packing.

      ‘I’m going to Rome to be near him and you need to leave too,’ Sophie urged Bella. ‘Malvolio is back, all his yes-men are still here.’

      ‘I cannot leave my mother,’ Bella said.

      ‘She will understand...’

      ‘I can’t, Sophie, she is so sick.’

      There was a knock on the door and Bella went to answer it as Sophie continued to pack.

      ‘No,’ Sophie said as Bella returned. ‘I don’t want to see him.’

      ‘It wasn’t Luka,’ Bella said, and Sophie looked up when she heard the strain in her friend’s voice. ‘It was Pino with a message for me. There is to be a big celebration tonight at the hotel, everyone is to be there. I am to work in the bar.’

      ‘No!’ Sophie was adamant. ‘You are to come with me to Roma.’

      ‘I can’t leave her now,’ Bella said. ‘I know that you have to leave and not just to take care of Paulo—you are the scapegoat now. Everyone knows it is Malvolio but that is not what that will say to his face.’ Bella started to cry. ‘I don’t want my first to be Malvolio. I know you think I should just say no to him.’

      ‘I know that it is not that simple.’ Sophie put her arm around her friend, who took a cleansing breath.

      ‘When my mother has gone, and it won’t be long, I will come to Rome and be with you. But not now. I need to be here for her in the same way you need to be there for your father.’

      There was a knock at the door and Bella went to answer it and after a moment came back and this time, Bella told Sophie, it was Luka here to see her.

      ‘I have nothing to say to him.’

      ‘He says he’s not leaving till he has spoken with you.’

      He wouldn’t leave, Sophie knew it.

      Her shame and hurt from the words he had said in court the other day was still there inside her. Her fear, her panic about her father seemed to be swirling into a concentrated storm as finally, for the first time in six months, they would speak.

      She stepped out of the small bedroom and there Luka stood in the hall. ‘Congratulations,’ she hurled at him. ‘You and your father walk free, while mine is to be imprisoned on the mainland. Where is the justice?’

      ‘There is no justice,’ Luka said. ‘Can we go for a walk?’

      ‘Just say what you have to.’

      ‘Not here,’ Luka said, and looked over to the bedroom that Bella was in.

      ‘I trust Bella,’ Sophie said, ‘And, given all that was said, I trust her far more than I trust you.’

      ‘You know why I had to say what I did.’

      Somewhere deep down Sophie did. Right there, in the midst of her turmoil, she did know that so she nodded and called to Bella that she was heading out for a short while.

      They walked from Bella’s home down the street and past the hotel Brezza Oceana, not talking at first. Cars were starting to arrive, there were flowers being brought in through the foyer. Clearly the hotel was preparing for a large celebration.

      And, Sophie knew, Bella would be working there tonight and every other night that Malvolio dictated.

      Yes, her heart hurt right now.

      ‘Will you be going to the celebration tonight?’ Sophie broke the strained silence.

      ‘No,’ Luka answered. ‘I am having nothing more to do with my father.’ They walked further on and they came to the small path that only the locals knew about and they walked down to the cove.

      It felt strange being here with Luka when usually she came with Bella, and she told him that. ‘We always called it our secret cove. I guess everyone does that, though.’ She tried to make small talk but found it impossible, the hurt was too great.

      Luka didn’t even try.

      ‘Sophie, tomorrow I am leaving for London. I want you to come with me and Bella too. Matteo is also leaving, though no one knows that yet. He will go along with things tonight and make out that he is pleased to see my father released but tomorrow he’s getting out.’

      ‘Bella can’t leave her mother,’

      ‘Bella has to,’ Luka said.

      ‘She won’t. I just spoke to her and she says that she can’t leave and I understand why. Her mother needs Bella to be working to pay the rent. She used to own her own home till your father took it from them to help cover the medical bills.’

      Luka knew that, he knew it all now, but hearing the slight acid in Sophie’s words that inferred his father’s dealing were somehow anything to do with him had anger building within him, yet he fought to stay calm.

      ‘I have to support her choice,’ Sophie said.

      They kept on walking and it was strange that a place could be so picture perfect and yet so sordid.

      ‘Sophie, will you come with me to London?’

      ‘No,’ Sophie said. ‘I need to be close to my father. I’m going to go Rome and live there.’

      ‘If you come to London with me then I can pay for you to visit him frequently.’

      ‘I don’t want you paying for me,’ Sophie said. ‘God, you’re as arrogant as your father. Well, let me tell you—I would rather work as a poutana in the bar with Bella than go to London with you. Have you any idea of the shame, to stand the court and hear that?’

      ‘Sophie.’ He grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. ‘You know why I said what I did. I did all I could so that what you said to me would have no bearing on your father’s verdict.’

      But she didn’t want to hear it.

      ‘Go and live in London, Luka, and party with your models, who only want you for looks and money. You’ll suit each other. Take the head start your father’s filthy dealings gave you.’

      ‘He gave me nothing.’

      ‘Please,’ Sophie scoffed. ‘I’ll do better on my own that I ever could with you.’

      ‘Are you sure about that?’ Luka checked.

      ‘More than sure.’

      ‘Some welcome,’ Luka sneered, and then shook his head. ‘I’ve been in prison for six months, two of them spent in solitary, where the thought of seeing you was the only thing that kept me sane.’

      Luka had had a lot of time to think and in that time the only thing that had kept him going had been her and the memory of that afternoon—sheets that had smelt like the sun and the future they had dared to glimpse. He had walked out of court and straight to the jeweller’s. It had been closed, of course, but he had gone around to Giovanni’s home and asked him to open up, and his first purchase had been the thing he craved most.

      A future with the person he loved by his side.

      ‘What exactly did you say to your father?’ Sophie demanded. ‘I want to hear it.’

      Now, instead of looking to the future, Sophie wanted to examine the past.

      ‘I’ve just been found not guilty, Sophie. I’ve just had my past and my all my dealings examined. I never thought I’d have to come out to be to be retried by you. I lied under oath for you.’

      ‘I