Chapter 5

• What a day! I sighed audibly as I washed the dishes. I would have to meet Don as soon as I had my bath and ring Mathias about the arrangements that he has made for me to travel to Milan. I am really glad he took the initiative as it would save my time.
• Don, as I had expected was not happy about my decision to go to Milan, “Are you
• sure you haven't the smallest feeling for Marc anymore? I hope you don't want to get back together with him again?” He grabbed my shoulders his eyes searching my face for some hint of my thoughts.
• “Don't be an idiot sweetheart, I hate that men, can you honestly think that I have any reason to want him back again, he deserted me one year after our marriage and left me to bring up my son entirely on my own.’
• “Are you forgetting something?” Don said gently. “ your husband does not know about Tio's situation and I feel quite sure from what you have told me about him
• that he would never have left you had he realized the true situation. Don't you think you are being hasty in your decision about going to Milan.”
• “No, you are right there.” I agreed with a slight bitterness. “At least he wouldn't have left me until after the birth and then he would no doubt have taken the
• baby too."
• “Don't go Carmen.” He said quietly moving away from me to stare out of the window.
• “I don't want to go Don, but Cathy insisted on me to come. This is the last favor I am doing for her and only for her and I can always get the divorce papers signed directly and come back and then we can get married without any problem. He can't eat me after all.” I said with an uncertain thought.
• “I don't suppose he will succeed in bullying you or do something you don't want to as he has already lost his memory but what if this visit makes the divorce more difficult? You've been separated for seven long years surely you want to be free as quickly as possible now that we've decided to marry, I want
• us to get married as soon as possible.” He said in a Husky tone leaving his place by the window and crossing the room to my side. Taking me into his arm and kissed me tenderly.
• I looked into his eyes and said carefully, “If only I had to consider myself I wouldn't think about going to Milan but when I saw Cathy's sad eyes and her desperation. I couldn't say no. This is the last time let me go I will bury my past and then come back afresh to you with no more bondage.” I hugged him tightly.
• “Carmen always remember this. “Don’s said lovingly, “I love Tio and I love you and I will always be there for both of you no matter what happens.
• “Thank you Don, for understanding after this visit there won't ever be any reason to contact him again and we can forget him completely. I told him determinedly.
• But secretly I was praying that he would be okay. As I did not want him to die. After all he is my first love with whom I shared my first kiss and lost my innocence to him. Even if we have separated I had good as well as unpleasant memories of him.
• I felt very weary. I had left home at 6:00 in the morning and was very restless the whole night because of the uncertain thoughts coming into my mind. I reached the airport on time thankfully and realized that Mathias had booked my ticket in the business class. After I separated from Marc I had never traveled by flight overseas and this is the second time I will be traveling alone. So, I was feeling a little bit nervous but the air hostess gave me instructions smilingly and I felt comfortable when the flight took off.
• I closed my eyes and relaxed. My mind drifted back to the time when I had been together with Marc. Tall and good-looking Marc was the prodigal Italian American boy. Fine white teeth often exposed in a ready smile, warm brown eyes, and black hair slightly curled. He must be over thirty now. He was always smartly dressed in the latest trends and he could be even mistaken for an Italian actor.
• He lived in an Italian-style villa, on the outskirts of Milan he was the CEO of a company called Garcia International, and his business dealt with agriculture and vineyards. It was a very famous company and he had a great name. His name was often flashed in headlines. He would always be surrounded by women throwing themselves at him. He was a Casanova when I had met him but gradually he let go of his habits and was betrothed to me.
• His father was a very powerful man in Milan and wanted Marc to take over and so naturally, the business was passed on to Marc but before joining his father’s business he had already established himself successfully in the business world.
• I met him at a nightclub where I had gone to celebrate my birthday with my college friends and had caught him staring at me.
• I had bumped into him while going to the washroom and immediately felt the attraction between us. I was very naïve as I had never been in a serious relationship with anyone. I went with the flow with Marc and gave myself to him. He finally proposed to me and we got married secretly as his father did not agree to our marriage. Even my parents had doubts about it initially but seeing the way Marc loved me unconditionally, they gave their blessings.
• No one in his family had accepted our marriage, except Cathy my mother-in-law. Marc had bought a flat in an upscale locality in Milan where we stayed together.
• We would often visit his Villa in the outskirts of the town but never stayed back.
• I tried as much as I could to adjust with his family because I loved Marc.