Carmeli'ta': Simone' Tuscany, the Saga Begins and Continues Book Two - Second Edition

By Carlotta Maria Shinn Russell

Mystery and tragedy dangles on the horizon as Carmeli'ta' hangs onto life. Roberto' and Simone's love is tested as they walk through the fires of the doubts and mysteries haunting them as they watch Carmeli'ta' fight for her life. Roberto's in pain and uncertainty, of Simone' and his future, followed her to Tuscany to discover her long held secr

• Language: English
• Publisher: GoldTouch Press, LLC
• Release date: Jun 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781952155482

Carlotta Maria Shinn Russell

Carlotta, mother, is a resident of the State of Alabama; she makes her home in the City of Mobile. Holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Art: Communication. She is presently a Business and Communication Instructor at Faulkner University for 22 years. A lecturer, speaker, storyteller, debate trainer, and author of ten plus books. A Southern Regional Literary competition winner in Civil Rights Category in Dahlonega, Georgia with: I Lived On the Other Side of the Line: The 1960's Civil Rights Era through the Eyes of a Ten-Year-Old. In 2017 the Book and book Trailer Simone' Tuscany: The Saga Begins was chosen and presented at Frankfurt International Festival and AJC National Book Festival. Member of Toastmasters: ACB; American Association of Women; Mobile Branch President; Stanford Who's who Among Business Professionals, recipient of an Educational Leadership Award; and a member of and worships at the University Church of Christ.

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Carmeli’ta’

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Simone’ Tuscany the Saga Begin and Continues

Book Two

Second Edition

Carlotta Maria Shinn Russell

Copyright © 2020 by Carlotta Maria Shinn Russell.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2020905228

Paperback:    978-1-952155-47-5

eBook:            978-1-952155-48-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Prologue

Chapter    One

Chapter    Two

Chapter    Three

Chapter    Four

Chapter    Five

Chapter    Six

Chapter    Seven

Chapter    Eight

Chapter    Nine

Chapter    Ten

Chapter    Eleven

Chapter    Twelve

Chapter    Thirteen

Chapter    Fourteen

Chapter    Fifteen

Chapter    Sixteen

Chapter    Seventeen

Chapter    Eighteen

Chapter    Nineteen

Chapter    Twenty

Chapter    Twenty-One

Chapter    Twenty-Two

Chapter    Twenty-Three

Chapter    Twenty-Four

Chapter    Twenty-Five

Chapter    Twenty-Six

Bibliography

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Prologue

In the Novel Trilogy, part 2, the structure of the love relationships is associée to a poetic chiasm. Love is the main theme of this kinship. So fittingly written, the author clearly conveyed the heart of two people in love or the one person in love though unrequited, love is the central theme which is liken here unto a rhythmical crossover of emotions. The author describes and places emphasis on the most important element: the love Roberto’ and Simone’ has for each other. Regardless of the outliers of heartbreak, this novel pictures the strong bond of love between them, as well as, their liaison with those around them; they too are actors on that stage of life and direct extension of their love is reverberated throughout the n ovel.

Heartache sits on the horizon of our lives. It can come in all forms from unexpected distances with shades that are not in our vision of what life is and how it should be. One never expects sadness to come, even though we know in the smallest concepts of our emotions and mental awareness with any love union, it lingers there.

Developing a Herculean toughness to those feelings and surrounding our hearts with that resilience when the unexpected comes from close or afar, we can manage the despair in a reasonable manner keeping this concept within the borders of our dream. Did Roberto’, Simone’ Amelio’, Bibi ‘Ana, Vincenzo’, Charles, Carmeli’ta’, Antonia, or Jason do so? Not within the paradigm of principles, the writer describes! They, like many, created in their minds an idyllic way they wanted their lives and love relationships to be, unique to the wants of their hearts. Therefore, as not to forget Heartache has four cruel companions. Their names are agony, misery, torture, and suffering.

The consequences of dejection take on different forms when it becomes Heartbreak. It becomes an emotional feeling of desolation, a heavy heartiness, which induces heartsickness and regret. It is a mournful rue of sorrow causing immense impassioned suffering and woe. A cataclysm of the heart is hard to overcome and if peradventure, one does, it leaves deep scars of passionate cravings and melancholy triggering a cataract on the heart that bleeds uncontrollable remorse and disappointment are express results of that pain.

There is no way to compare Romance and Heartbreak; however, it is possible to contrast the two views. There are worlds of dissimilarity in meaning; nevertheless, both can operate so close within the same embodiment of our contemplations. In reality, in a nexus, one does not exist without the other, especially where love lives. Amorousness is a juxtaposing of the heart, a fixed or definite way of visioning it. Differently so, heartbreak is a regret or bereavement. It brings with it pain and sorrow. In this light, romance can bring wounds of sorrowfulness, but mostly it is delightful, a banquet of delicious sensations desired and sought after by all. Quite the opposite, heartbreak is neither wanted nor desired. One will, if possible flee from the bite of it. On the other hand, with romance, one will wait patiently for the sense of adventure to catch them or rather they will chase after that romantic castle in the clouds, not flee from it.

Like a companion, heartbreak brings heartache, a pain that hurts and deeply wounds the outlook of that individual. It is liken unto a toothache, but it is a toothache of the soul. It can and does have a domino effect to it as it did in the Bandaci, Giovanni, Moretti, and Meriwether families. It hung over these families like a jailer. Vincenzo’ caused unintentional distress and adversity on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, as did Simone’. This type of devastation in a family is a trap door; it has nowhere to go except down. Like that trap door, the heart can feel it has nowhere to go, trapped in time unable to move in any direction except down. Unhappiness is shattering especially of the heart. Living day-to-day in wedlock, especially when you love that person with all your being will break a heart when it feels it is not getting that love in return or in the smallest universes of the heart’s mind thinks the one it adores so much do not hold it as dear.

Continuing from Book one, the author reminds the reader of the mental position of romance and how its two first cousins, Heartbreak and Heartache, blood lines are deeply rooted and cannot be so easily dismissed.

In Book 2, the epic saga continues, in this engrossing three-part novel, highlighting the way we live our lives has long reaching repercussions on the people we care for the most. As well, the people our lives touch on a daily basis, regardless of the continent they live. The author makes several emotionally compelling and undeniable points. There are times in our lives, not just Simone’s, but all human lives, when they encounter situations, as she did, in this moving and tenderly expressive novel, leftovers from our yesterday’s past, like the flow of a stream, follows us into adulthood or throughout our lives. It is not so much the situations or events, which needs no names, oddly so, it is how we choose to handle them.

As it is poignantly stated, life’s currents sweep us along with the early stages of growth and development in our lives with no lifeline on which to take hold. However, we can rise above those events and situations and swim against that tide. In addition, accepting the indisputable fact that we are all humans and subject to lapses in wisdom. Then again, though the paths we take may be unwise, realize those hiatuses, like a pattern, when purchased, the dotted lines are pre-drawn. Mentally concluding, inexperience of youth are the pre-drawn dotted lines on the pattern of one’s life; hence, choices made at a young age are the best we can do at the time. The same principle applies to adulthood. The dotted lines on the design of our lives are unchangeable, once we determine what we think is sensible. We must live with all stages of our lives even though we labor with the stress and pressure, half-truths, secrecy, and indulges in concealing facts of our past, causes in the long and short of life, heartbreak.

Simone’s actions touched people on both the European and North America Continents. Love for her family was so strong, she went to whatever extents deemed necessary and did whatever it took to protect them. These magnitudes of love included living in two worlds of mendacity, being secretive, telling half-truths, veiling the facts, and letting hypothesis of false statements mixed with deception stand without amendment. With the demeanor of these strategies, the mystery surrounding her grew.

It was never her intention to be enigmatic to her family. The characteristics that defined Simone’ persona developed partly due to the soft intenseness of her nature, without consent, built the unfathomable shadow that followed her over time.

Simone’ could not leave the mystery surrounding her as a child behind; moreover, that opaque silhouette followed her into adulthood. She baffled her father, confused her mother, mystified her daughter, and increased her husband’s thirst for the intense and alluring woman he married. She was thought by her daughter Carmeli’ta’ to be a perfect mother, and was hungered after by Vincenzo’ Alessandro Moretti, who could not tear her from his mind and heart. She is in Vincenzo’s mind as Juanita Madison is in Charles Meriwether’s mind, there walking constantly through the pathways of that hunger, and the yearnings tearing at him, injuring his heart, as thorns does the flesh. The lack of love, the author personifies, at one point, as a major paradox like death that grips, binds, and holds the person unrelentingly, as it did Vincenzo’.

Spiked with mystery, intrigue, heartache, despairs, and fears; this beautiful story is inspiring written with tact, finesse, morbid love, and sacrifices; the reader can draw several senses of the aspect of the human being from this enchanting novel emotional, psychological, and physical. It was, really at that time, a certain acute mentality of society towards these people, and the parents towards their children; But then again, it was a kind of love, life, respect, interest, and reciprocity among all parties. This novel is delicious it has a real sensuality. The imagination has been at the top of the event; it can overwhelm the reader within the scene, and place them in the situations.

Therefore, Simone’ the Epic Saga of Simone’ began and now continues...

Chapter

One

Minutes before the doctors arrived with the test results, Vincenzo’ stood looking out the window of the Hospital Surgical Waiting Room at the north side of the Moretti Vineyard. The environment one of intensity and uncertainty; the thickness of the air made breathing difficult for the fami lies.

Vincenzo’ wondered if he was on the verge of suffering complete defeat in love and fatherhood. The loss of Simone’ long years pass physically and emotionally when she married in 1905 and moved to America in 1911 was devastating to him. Watching her with her husband, he compared to standing outside and looking through a wide window at scenes of the life that could have been his. Nevertheless, a system of thought built a social barrier with no door between the community, leaving him with no option or chance of getting in.

Peradventure there was a way around the social barrier, but yet no doorway leading to the inside of Simone’s heart for him. He loved her and Carmeli’ta’; however, knew the loss of one meant the loss of the other. This was the one fact he could not face gaining a reputation in the valley with his actions over the years of a wounded bear. He could not heal the wounds his love for Simone’ and Carmeli’ta’ caused him no matter how much time, distance, mental, or emotional effort he stuffed in the deep injury in his heart losing them caused. Then again, there is a beautiful woman who wants to love him, his wife Antonia he intentionally keeps at arm’s length with his tongue shooting arrows of sadistic, arrogant, frosty, and condescending sarcasms as a result of his losing Simone’ and now possibly Carmeli’ta’ not only in life but maybe to death. In his mind, Carmeli’ta’ is his daughter, hated his self for not being in her life only in moments he snatched over the years when he went to America to see her. Over the years, these moments snatched, he desperately tried holding onto but felt they too were slipping away, as his precious Carmeli’ta’ lying between life and death waiting for blood from him or Roberto’ the man who was also certain she was his daughter.

Antonia, observing her husband, saw anxiety and stress on his face like a puzzle, she could not see where the few pieces of the puzzle she was able to snatch fit as the drama unfolding before her. Antonia was at a lost to know the reason he stayed so faithfully with the Bandaci and Giovanni families; but did not give his time as faithful to their life, their family, and least of all her.

Drs. Panniche, mystified over the blood test results walked in the waiting room Tuesday evening December 12, 1927 at 2:30 p.m. to where Roberto’, Franco, Catarina, and Simone’ were standing in anticipation of their coming with the long awaited results. Likewise, Vincenzo’ was standing next to Antonia a few feet away, felt on edge while waiting to know the findings and results of the tests.

Dr. Panniche, Jr. said, Mr. Bandaci, the results of your and Mr. Moretti’s blood test shows that both of you have Rh Negative Factors in your blood.

Looking at Roberto’s charts, he continued, Mr. Bandaci your blood RH factors are AB-. The factors are the same as your daughter’s and that is a blessing. We can get started with the transfusion right away. In the same degree, Mr. Moretti the Rh factors in your blood are B-. You both can give blood to Ms. Bandaci. However, there is an issue with the result in your blood test Mr. Moretti requiring discussion.

Vincenzo’ felt green around the gills and panicky at this comment said, What is wrong with my blood Christian? Am I sick and is not aware of it?

No, Vincenzo’, I would not say that, but we need to discuss it replied Dr. Panniche, Jr.

Doctor is my husband okay? asked Antonia.

Francisco, silent, felt the blood drain from his face replied, I lost one child, I cannot face losing another one.

We will discuss it; it is a private matter, said the junior Dr. Panniche. Stressing his point, Right now that child lying down the hall is most important. Her life is at stake. We can discuss your results in a few weeks when my patient is back on her feet medically-wise and showing definite improvement.

Dr. Panniche, Sr. noticed the look of fear on Vincenzo’ and Antonia faces from hearing the results explained, Vincenzo’, when you last had a five year physical, as I recall, you did not return for the results. A few weeks later, I decided to retire from my patient practice and concentrate on perfecting my surgical skills and use of the new x-Ray Machine the hospital acquired thanks to the futuristic faresightness, of Franco Giovanni. Therefore, Dr. Panniche Jr. did not give you the results when he took my patients. He thought, as is the policy here at Valley Memorial, the doctor takes care of his patients and all prior appointments before he yields them to another doctor. As I recall, you had an appointment, according to your medical chart, October 13, 1905, and did not keep it then either. We had followed your health very closely since you were 1 years old up to that point. You came back three times more since 1911, twice during the war, and the last time I saw you were five years ago. It seems, as I remember, you were always out of the country during your appointments times or busy with the vineyard in some way.

In fact, five years or more had lapsed since Vincenzo’ had gone to the doctor for a check-up. His health had been generally good and with his obsession and the desire to have Simone’ and Carmeli’ta’ in his life, neglected to attend to the necessary yearly details of his health. He remembered, mentally reaching back to October 13, 1905, it was the day that Simone’ married. Vincenzo’ crying tears of devastating mental and emotional anguish, stood unnoticed at the back of the church where Simone’ was married. She was the bride that should have been his, watched her walk down the aisle on her Father’s arm, and take her marriage vows with another. To avoid being noticed by any of the guests, but especially Simone’, he left once she had taken her Vows.

The guests were so in awe of the beauty of the bride no one saw him. He recalled going to the Cabin by the Lake afterward and crying out his broken heart with tears of regret for not having the woman for whom his heard longed. His thoughts took him completely away from the conversation for a while, hearing the voices in the room he became focused again exclaimed, Why are you being so mysterious and vague? I still do not understand all of this, am I ill?

I would not say that. I am not intentionally being vague or mysterious. It is necessary that we attend to the patient that is the most critical, replied Dr. Panniche, Jr.

Simone’ stood pale as a ghost asked, Doctor, may I see my daughter? No, Simone’ not now, she is being prepared for the transfusion by the nurse, replied Dr. Panniche, Jr.

At that moment, the Head Nurse, Dominique, walked into the Waiting Room and over to Dr. Panniche, Sr., The patient is ready doctor and she has become delirious calling for her mother.

Silent tears flowed down Simone’s cheeks, when the nurse said, Carmeli’ta’ was calling for her, did not comment.

Roberto’ becoming annoyed, What does his test have to do with my daughter? This discussion is taking away minutes from her life! Can we get started Christian?

Although only seconds had passed, the junior Dr. Panniche replied, Yes we can. It is vital that we do. We must hurry.

Roberto’ feeling the urgency of the situation replied, Yes, please let’s hurry.

Dr. Panniche, Jr. continued, we do need to get to the Blood Transfusion for Carmeli’ta’ Bandaci. If you will excuse us we will get started.

Roberto’ and Dr. Panniche, Jr. left to draw the blood that would start the transfusion.

In the meantime, Carmeli’ta’ was growing weaker and had become increasingly delirious and fretful. Whimpering for her mother, Mother, mother, help me. I cannot see you; where are you? Mother, please help me, don’t leave me.

Francisco not satisfied with the nebulous answer the Junior Panniche gave in reference to his son’s health and test results, looked at the senior Doctor Panniche, and said, Christian, what I do not understand is what taking place here. My son is not healthy or what? Dr. Panniche, Sr. replied, We can discuss them in a few weeks; is it something that can wait that long?

He continued, Francisco the results of your son’s tests are not life-threatening, but there is something that changed in his blood test results he needs to be aware of, just not today. I suggest you calm down my old friend. I would not want you as a patient behind all of this.

Francisco did not comment, just nodded his head, in an, I agree manner. With the knowledge both Roberto’ and Vincenzo’ tests revealed their blood types were AB or B with negative RH factors, Simone’ stood as a statuette gripping her Diary tighter to her chest. She knew either of them could be Carmeli’ta’s father. At that moment in time, regretting having ever met Vincenzo’ Alessandro Moretti, wished she could go back twenty-seven years and change the events that took place in her life. If she could only have known how life would turnout, her judgment would have been different. She knew the old adage she heard all her life had a ring of truth to it, ‘Hindsight is 20/20’.

Heartbreak and injury blurs our vision leading us down a path that runs two ways, causing the sufferer difficulty in choosing the path presenting the least challenge and put them on the road to the much desired and needed healing. It preys upon the emotions, draining all hope, leaving the individual thirsting, and unsure exactly where to go to quench the thirst, unable to identify the type of thirst besetting them, or the drink necessary to quarantine the weepy dehydration.

Languish causes one to lose self to say nothing of inviting the darkest parts of our human nature to come to the forefront of their world of longing created within the shadowy houses of space in our minds. When we worry for the safety or the health of the ones that we love the deepest, we ourselves do not realize we have these characteristics hidden deeply within us until they appear. Simone’s darkest-self appeared just another distinguishing factor adding to the mystery of her, as a result, of the uneasiness she felt thinking her daughter might not survive. When a love one’s life depends on a pint of blood, it does not matter who gives that blood, as long as it saves their life. We have all been where Simone’ and Roberto’ are at this point, whether it is a question of a pint of blood or…? Heartbreak and Heartache because we love so deeply and so fervently, feels the same, painful!

Simone’ rationally examined fragments of her past life, considered the realities that, We are all women and men of time. Like my Diary, our individual history book holds the events of our lives. Time is an element in every action we take or decision we make. Time closes the door when that part of our lives becomes history; going back is not an option. We more often than not wish we could go back to modify our choices. However, can we? No! On the other hand, we can go back by looking down through those bygone seasons using the deep-rooted memories and see what we should have or could have done different. What can we change? We can amend how we move forward into each tomorrow. Futuristically speaking, Hindsight is a blessing; it is an asset that can be used as the tool, in which we: measure our steps, monitor our actions, quantify our decisions, and then come to an acceptable conclusion.

Continuing with her self-assessment realized, Time’s characteristics in this particular state of affairs, becomes a school master. We can garner from our past both good and bad points by listing them and then categorizing them, learn from them, and be the wiser for it. We cannot make wise choices without having lived some part of life and had some experiences in life with beneficial and abysmal results. Wishing is the only latitude I have. I long to go back and change the routes, I took beginning when I was 14 years of age. In this sense, at that age, I liken myself to a tender plant whose roots are not strong enough to stand on its own. Comparatively so, I did not have the experience needed to make wise acumens for my life. In order to grow, that tender plant, like me, needs water and fertilize. In my case, it is life and experience. Life lived is the water and experience gained is the fertilizer. Equally, both go hand-in-hand, plants, and humans need both to grow. Having incidents excerpts, of our past life to look back upon and extract from, are the only facets for growth we can pull from yesterday. Tomorrow is a mystery. We do not know what it holds; however, it is essential, that we be capable of the emotional and mental readiness required to face each day as it come. In addition, as we confront each epoch, continue to add pages to our book of knowledge noting another stage of life we mastered and the challenges we come through; keeping the pages of that manuscript open, using it to gain sagaciousness for tomorrow from all life’s yesterday’s past.

Moving closer to the window, Simone’ viewed the Moretti Vineyard and the open square thought, In the same light, time is a transient factor in our lives, it moves; therefore, we use the only alternative open to us, move with it. Proficiency fusions do not come without a price; sometimes that cost is higher than other times depending upon ones bent at that particular point-of-time in our lives. I learned this at the greatest price any living human can pay in love, as life seasons moves forward those choices becomes less palatable bringing heartache and then ultimately heartbreak with regret. Old regret is a man in-flight, always hanging around. My yearning to go back and change my past is not so much for myself as it is for my Roberto’, my sweet Carmeli’ta’, and lastly, my loving, understanding, and kind parents. I know eventually that complete forgiveness will be mine; however, more so than anything else, I will continue to suffer the consequences mentally and emotionally for the remainder of my life. I will grieve within myself because at that phase, in my naivety, I gave away two of the most precious possessions anyone can have their youth and innocence.

I have come to the realization, I cannot outrun my past. No matter how hard I tried, all of the preventive measures to keep it from surfacing, have come to naught. I am on a head on collision with the events that have plagued me for twenty-four years. Now, I have come full circle back to where the yesterdays of my life begin, Tuscany. Wishing is a fallacy. It remains just that a wish. Past has a definite sound to it…gone, I cannot return to it, and altering it is not possible. These realities are amazing to me; I cannot return to bygone days, but yesteryear has the ability to stay with me, though unwanted, the history is there. At this point, accepting what went before and moving forward into the present is what I need to accomplish. The only question I have is what path do I take to complete this journey? I know what my parents tell me is true. Truth has its advantages as well. It is cleansing, renewing, relieving; and finally ridding the individual of the heavy burdens and appendages concealment has to it.

Simone’ knows fear and doubt are prescriptions for emotional failure. It leaves the person in a state of mental aggravation, which renders them the inability to doubt themselves to the point they do not know, discern, or remember what were and are the truths or facts of the circumstances. Simone’ fell into a terrified state of mind; caused by the claim laid by Vincenzo’, at their last meeting December 1905, of being the father of her unborn child; rendering her unsure after that time. How easily doubt can slip in the smallest cracks in our mind and take up permanent residence especially, if the individual is petrified and in a continual state of running away from the inevitable instead of looking at the evidences. Some truths you cannot veil, especially if that truth is a living breathing human being. This type of closet item cannot remain cloaked no matter how one try to camouflage that reality.

At that juncture in her thoughts, Vincenzo’ walked up and called her name, Simone’. When she turned, he saw anger on her face and dread in her eyes, knew what she was feeling by her facial expressions said, I knew the tests would prove to you that Carmeli’ta’ is my daughter. The blood test results just confirmed it. I cannot let her go. I love her too much for that. I lost you, I won’t, and I can’t lose her Simone’. She is the only child that I will ever have and the only grandchild my parents will have that comes from my body.

The entire time they spoke, Antonia observed the interaction between Simone’ and her husband.

Simone’ word matching her facial miens, replied angrily, She is not your daughter Vincenzo’ she is Roberto’ and my daughter! I do not care what the test shows; the results are not an absolute. What it does tell me is this, my daughter, has two people who can give her blood to save her life, and that is what I care about in reference to the entire situation. I do not care about what you think! I do not care about what you want! I do not care whether you feel hurt or pain! I do not care about what you know; especially at this moment; and here and now, I do not care for your opinion about the parentage of my daughter! Please get away from me and leave me alone!

Simone’s savage attitude and cheekiness surprised Vincenzo’. He never knew she had this level of scathing viciousness in her. When hit against a lower millstone, a foot will break, the words she spit out, when they hit, like the foot against the millstone, they broke his heart and spirit. Vincenzo’ saw in Simone’ what Carmeli’ta’ knew about her mother, she could be terrible! When the words she hurled at him collided with his heart, Simone’, at that moment, was unmoved by the pain she saw in Vincenzo’s eyes, stood looking at him with an appearance of jadedness and the same rigid and clandestine posture of indifference that has frustrated and baffled her husband many times over the years. Franco’s anger level grew while looking at what he saw manifested on his daughter’s face, walked over to where she and Vincenzo’ stood and asked, Are you okay Daughter?

Yes, I am okay Father, she replied.

Turning to Vincenzo’ Franco reiterated, Evidently, I need to make myself a little clearer to you; I warned you to stay away from my daughter.

Franco stood towering over Vincenzo’. Although he felt a presence of threat more than before replied, I cannot let my only child go Mr. Giovanni. I know she is mine and so does Simone’.

What we know, Mr. Moretti, is that two people have negative RH factors in their blood that can be matched with my granddaughter’s her father’s and yours, is all that is important right now and no other points you make are of any value to us. Carmeli’ta’ is not out of danger yet. Please, for the last time, leave my family at peace. It would be better for you and everyone concerned if you were not here in the hospital period.

Catarina silent, but in support of her daughter, came and held her close to her praying the Blood Transfusion would be in time and Carmeli’ta’ would be okay.

Chapter

Two

Antonia and Francisco watched from across the room as the scene unfolded. They felt as they were in a theatre viewing an arena of life played out by actors on a stage. Neither Francisco nor Antonia could fathom the cause of the interactive scenes developing before them. Francisco saw anger in Simone’s face; pain and hurt in Vincenzo’s face; and in contrast, the same moments, fear and alarm in his son’s face the minute Franco walked up to where he stood talking with his daughter. He had a mental flash back now a month ago during Franco Giovanni’s visit to their home when Vincenzo’ and he spoke. There was anger between them then as well. He surmised it was a societal disagreement or an argument over the fact that Carmeli’ta’ Bandaci was injured on their property. On the other hand, how could that be? This level of indignation was the same he saw in Franco weeks earlier; moreover, the levels were elevated even more at this point. He knew it had to be concerning another matter, but what!

Francisco was determined to have an answer to the mystery surrounding his son’s involvement with this family. Francisco hoped Vincenzo’ had not done anything in their business involving the Giovanni family that would be financially burdensome. He knows Franco Giovanni is an influential, wealthy, and powerful man in the Valley. Francisco Moretti, like Charles Bienville Meriwether, in this respect, thoughts always tended toward business first. In this similarity, there were no disparities in their business mentality. The differences in these two men were their hearts. Francisco had a tender loving heart and was not calculative minded. Unarguably so, Charles Meriwether was all business, selfish, a charlatan, and dangerously scheming at all times. His heart was only tender toward Juanita Madison. She had become to him, a Manifest Destiny of Love. One he has pursued all of his adult life with no regard to the cost or the consequences.

Years before, at a younger age, Charles Meriwether was loving, giving, and kind, the manner in which his mother and father, with the characteristics of a true southern born Charlestonian Gentleman, raised him. In spite of this, the loss of Juanita Madison turned his heart and personality cold and obstinate. The more Juanita Madison walked through the pathways of his mind, on the streets of his emotions, and the highways of his desires, the stronger and more fixed his love remained for her, turned his cold deliberate lust for revenge becoming an eternal thirst. Francisco would discover this about their friend and business partner when it is almost too late. Charles Meriwether, in his quest to destroy Jason Madison, Sr. could hurt his business and as well, his connection with the Moretti Wine and Textile Industries in his quest for revenge put them on a path that would threaten to cripple them financially.

Also, Vincenzo’ wounds of unrequited love, getting rawer, with the loss of Simone’ and possible loss of the beautiful young woman he thought was his daughter dimmed his business sense for a while to Charles Meriwether’s plans. Meriwether feeling the pain of Jason Madison Jr. not being his son, when discovering the reason behind Vincenzo’s hurt and pain, would use that hurt and pain as a tool and a key thereby creating the Segway of Revenge in his plans to destroy Jason Madison, Sr. and his Steel Empire.

Francisco thought of every scenario, saw the interactions of his son and Simone’, strangely so, did not see the obvious. With the atmosphere of chaos and worry existing in the Hospital Waiting Room, the entire time he was there, Tuesday, December 12, failed to notice the likeness in Simone’ and Antonia’s faces.

In the meantime, on the other side of the hospital, Roberto’ and Dr. Panniche, Jr. reached the lab within minutes. The Lab Technician was waiting to draw the pint of blood needed to try to force Carmeli’ta’s body to make its own Red Blood Cells. Her White Blood count had risen causing a fever elevating her temperature to 102 degrees. Dr. Panniche, Jr. knew he was working against time; it was the eleventh hour for Carmeli’ta’ Noelle Angelu’ Cia Bandaci. The next hours would be critical; he had to get the Blood Transfusion started, which would take three hours to run. The moment the transfusion started would be the moment hope for Carmeli’ta’s recovery would begin.

Dr. Panniche, Sr. had tested and retested Roberto’s blood, but before they came to the Hospital Waiting Room to give them the results of both tests, he decided one more test would not hurt to eliminate any possibility of error in the results. Dr. Panniche, Jr. took and tested another sample of blood before he started the thirty-minute process to draw the pint of blood. Looking at the samples of blood taken from Carmeli’ta’ earlier that morning and Roberto’, he saw the RH factors in his blood matched the RH factors in her blood; both their blood types were AB or B negative. Satisfied with the results, asked Roberto’ to lie on his back on the lab table.

While he lay there, as spikes of anxiety and dread for his daughter’s condition took over his mind closed his eyes when he felt the first prick of the needle. Giving blood was a strange territory to him, as strange as the culture in Charleston, South Carolina was after they immigrated to America in June 1911. He prayed for the success of the transfusion. He would give his life if it would save his sweet Carmeli’ta’s. Dr. Panniche, Jr. monitored his vital signs while the Lab Technician drew the pint of blood.

Thirty-minutes later, the pint of blood successfully taken, Dr. Panniche, Jr. sent the Head Charge Nurse to get his father to start the procedure. Dr. Panniche, Sr. was an expert at transfusions. They tried to eliminate per chance any mistake. While waiting for his father to appear, he escorted Roberto’ to the hospital suite where they were staying and asked Nurse Dominique to bring him two glasses of cool water to drink and a Chicken Sandwich. He needed fluid, protein, and rest for several hours. He instructed the nurse to let Roberto’s family know he was back in their suite; they could join him there.

By the time Dr. Panniche, Jr. got Roberto’ settled with water and a sandwich, Dr. Panniche, Sr. had arrived at the lab, retrieved the pint of blood and went to Carmeli’ta’s room to start the drip. Her delirium had calmed a bit with nurse Dominique applying cold compresses to her head and continuing to sponge her chest as instructed by the Doctors Panniche. Her fever finally came down to 99 degrees. Her body seemed to be struggling to make Red Blood Cells but it was not enough.

Dominique arrived at the Waiting Room to let Simone’ and her parents know they could join Roberto’ in their suite and lunch and