Act of Necessity Ch. 05-06

Chapter 5 A Change in Plans

I was moving along fairly well with my correspondence studies. I had selected a number of courses that would help me gain a business degree. There was nothing that would advance my studies in psychology, so I gave up trying. I did take out some books on the subject on my weekly visit to the library. The topic still intrigued me.

It was nearing the end of November when I got a surprise visitor. It was a Wednesday evening and I was busy doing my studies when the doorbell rang. I assumed it was someone soliciting for charity or something similar when I got up to answer it. I opened the door to find my sister, Darlene, standing there. Beside her were two suitcases. This was something I had not expected.

"Darlene? This is a surprise. Come in," I managed, helping her with her luggage.

"Thank you, Dal. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need your help," she said in a strained voice.

I looked more carefully at her now that we were in the light and could see the dark shadows under her eyes and her gaunt appearance. This was not the same woman I remembered from just three years ago. She looked much older than her thirty years.

"What's wrong, Darlene? How can I help?"

"I need a place to stay. I've left Robert. He ... he was drinking ... and ... he started hitting me," she sobbed.

I moved to her and held her in my arms, hoping to calm her.

"Your room is still just as you left it. Why don't I put your things in there? You can stay as long as you want."

"Thank you, Dal. I was hoping I could count on you. I used just about every last dime I had to get out here. I don't think he'll follow me. I don't think he'd know where to look."

She dabbed at her eyes as the tears began to recede and gave me a wrinkled, tired smile.

"You must be exhausted. Come on, let's get you settled in your room. Have a bath or a shower. We can talk in the morning when you're rested."

She nodded and smiled her thanks. Despite the fact that we were never close, she was family, and I pushed the past away and thought about what I could do for her.

I went back to my studies while Darlene was in the bathroom. I heard the shower running, so I knew she had taken my advice. I leaned back in my chair and for the moment, I felt good. I was the nuisance younger brother who regularly messed up her social plans. Now, I was able to help her. Yeah, that did feel good.

I was up early the next morning and called the restaurant to let them know I would be a little late getting to work. That was unusual for me, so I got a couple of questions about whether I was feeling all right or if there was a problem. I gave the assistant manager a generic answer; I had an unexpected house guest.

By the time I'd put on a pot of coffee and pulled together my usual cereal and fruit breakfast, Darlene had put in an appearance. She looked a bit better, although the stress and dark areas under her eyes were still apparent.

"Did you sleep all right?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you Dal. It was the best sleep I've had in a long time."

She came to me and put her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you for taking me in, Dal. I don't know what I would have done otherwise."

"Why don't you get some breakfast and we can talk," I suggested.

She went about preparing her food without even thinking about were things were. I hadn't changed any of the layout in the kitchen since our parents were killed and she was right at home once again.

"The house looks good, Dal. It's clean and tidy and pretty much the same as it was a few years ago."

"I haven't had to change anything. I don't use the master bedroom. I gave away almost all their clothes to the Salvation Army and the thrift shop. I've left everything else as it was."

"You've been living here by yourself for almost three years. What have you been doing?"

"Uhhm, going to school, studying for a business degree by correspondence and working during the day." I decided not to tell her about my two stolen years at UBC.

"Where do you work?"

"I'm managing a restaurant in South Vancouver."

"You're the manager!" she said in surprise.

"Yeah ... I started out at another location as the night shift manager, then got promoted.

"Wow ... that's pretty young to be a manager. Is it a small restaurant?"

I shook my head. "No, we seat over one hundred when it's full. It's a twenty-four hour operation. The company owns four of them in the Lower Mainland."

She smiled. "My little brother has really grown up and is making his way in the world."

"I've been lucky. I met the right people at the right time. The company is even paying for my education."

"Oh, that's great, Dal. I'm so happy for you. I'll have to get busy and find a job myself. I don't want to sponge off you."

"Let's worry about that when you get settled. You don't look good, Darlene. You need to get yourself back to where you were the last time I saw you. You aren't ready to go to work yet."

"I don't want to be a burden to you, Dal. If I'm going to stay here, then I want to pay my way. I can't do that without a job."

"Aside from a bit of food, you aren't costing me anything to live here. There'll be time enough to decide what to do in the future when you have your health back ... both physical and mental."

I could see she was about to argue once more, but stopped and smiled her thanks.

"Tell me about Robert. What happened? The last time I saw you, everything was fine."

"No ... it wasn't. He's always had a problem with alcohol. He just hid it better than most. But when he lost his job, he went downhill in a hurry. I had to go to work to pay the rent. Even though we were struggling to make ends meet, he was still drinking. We sold my car to get some cash to pay the bills, but that didn't last long. He started blaming me for his problems.

"I could tolerate it for a while, but he became more verbally abusive, then one night, he was drunk as usual, and he hit me. Hard. In the face. I ended up with a black eye and a bruised cheek. He never even apologized. That's when I knew we weren't going to make. I started squirreling away money, hoping to get away. When I had enough for a discount ticket to Vancouver, I left. This was the only place I could think of to go."

"This is the right place for you," I assured her. "You're safe here. You can recover and get on with the rest of your life. You're still young. You have lots of time to find the right guy."

"What about you, Dal? Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes. And she's a beauty. You'll meet her. I think you'll really like her too."

"Are you serious about her?"

"Yes. I think ... when I've got my education and decide what I want to do for a career, that's she'll be the one."

"What's her name?"

"Francesca Mariani."

"How did you meet her?"

"At the restaurant. She recognized me from school. She gave me her number and I called her. We've been seeing each other since summer."

"That's nice. I'm glad for you, Dal. You've got your head on straight, unlike your idiot sister."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Darlene. I think getting away from Robert Shelton is the smartest thing you could do. He isn't going to change from what I hear you saying. You aren't going to reform him. It's best to make a clean break and go on with your own life."

"When did you become the old philosopher," she laughed. It was good to see her laugh. That alone made her look younger. As far as my response, I just shrugged.

~*~

I called Francesca and filled her in on the events of the past day. She was pleased that I had invited Darlene to stay in my home.

"You did exactly the right thing, Dal. She needs help and that's what family is for. I'm looking forward to meeting her on Friday."

"Yeah ... well ... that might interfere with our usual Friday fun," I suggested.

"Is that all you think about ... having sex?"

I could tell she was just jabbing me and not upset.

"When I'm around you or thinking about you, it's the first thing on my mind."

"And all this time I thought it was my sparkling personality," she mocked.

"You have no idea just how sparkling your personality is when we make love," I shot back.

"We'll figure something out, Dal. For now, let's just help your sister get back on her feet."

"Yeah. That's the plan for sure."

When I brought Francesca to my home, I could see the look of surprise when Darlene first saw her. I'm sure she was wondering how I got involved with a woman as beautiful as her. She hid it well, though.

"Hi, Darlene, I'm Francesca. Nice to meet you," my girlfriend said brightly.

"And it's nice to meet you too, Francesca. I think you are the first girlfriend of my brother that I've ever met."

"Hopefully, I'm the last one too," Francesca grinned, looking at me.

"Oh ... so it's serious then?" Darlene asked, looking back and forth at the two of us.

"Yes," we said in unison, before laughing about the quick answer.

"I think my brother is a very lucky man," my sister said with a wistful look.

I had given Francesca a brief idea of why Darlene was here and that she would be staying as long as she needed to. I knew that my lady completely supported my decision.

"Darlene, we have a family dinner each Sunday afternoon. Dal comes to them every week and we'd like you to join us this Sunday. Please say you will."

My sister looked to me for advice and I nodded and smiled. I think she was going to be in for a surprise at just how welcoming she would find the Marianis.

~*~

Darlene had pretty well settled by Sunday and I noticed her appearance had improved markedly. She had been sleeping well and eating properly, which I'm sure helped. A judicious application of makeup made her look much closer to her proper age. Some of the lines on her face had vanished. More importantly, she seemed more relaxed ... calmer. We'd had a number of opportunities to talk to each other and I could tell we were beginning to heal old wounds.

When I began to drive to the Marianis' residence on Sunday, I noticed the look of surprise on her face as we headed west.

"Where does Francesca live?" she asked.

"You'll see," I grinned, choosing to keep her in suspense.

When I pulled up in front of the gate and pushed a button on a remote that Pietro had given me, she was genuinely shocked.

"Is this her home?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes ... this is Casa Mariani. Kind of nice, don't you think?" I kidded.

"Oh my God, Dal. I had no idea. How did you get involved with this girl?"

"Actually, she was the one who encouraged it."

She looked at me with astonishment. This was definitely not what she expected.

"Am I dressed properly?" she asked in alarm.

"Yes," I chuckled. "You look fine. You'll discover these people are very down-to-earth. Why, I hardly ever have to wear a tuxedo when I come here."

That got me a slug on the arm, something familiar from years before. I didn't mind at all. I parked the car and we approached the entrance. I was about to push the door chime when little Mikey yanked the door open and welcomed us.

"Hi, Uncle Dal. Who's that?" he asked bluntly, pointing at Darlene.

"That's my sister, Darlene. She just came to town this week. Darlene, this is Michael Mariani."

"Come on in," Mikey said, standing out of the way.

"Did you know Uncle Dal was Aunt Francesca's boyfriend," the little guy asked my sister.

"Yes ... I met your Aunt Francesca on Friday. She's a really nice lady."

"Yeah," completed the conversation as far as Mikey was concerned. He headed into the great room, leaving the two of us on our own.

It didn't matter at all, since I was a regular visitor now and could find my own way. As usual the great room contained only children and everyone was in the adjacent room. Francesca appeared immediately and welcomed Darlene, taking her hand and introducing her to the family. I could see the stunned expression on my sister's face, wondering if it was due to the opulent surroundings or the gaggle of people she was about to meet.

Eduardo and Rosina were first to be introduced and as expected, they made Darlene feel very welcome. Mama Rosina rose from her chair and embraced my sister, telling how pleased they were to meet her. Pietro and Melanie were next, followed by Giovanni and Samantha. Alfredo's family hadn't arrived yet.

Melanie and Francesca took Darlene on a tour of the house. They were gone for several minutes. It was a big house and there was plenty to see. Six bedrooms, five baths, a billiard room, a formal dining room, kitchen, and assorted service rooms. When they returned, I could see my sister was in awe of the home. I could also see she was at ease with Mel and Francesca.

"I'll never remember all the kids' names, Dal," she confided in me a little later. "This home is amazing and so is this family. You are so lucky."

"I am, I know. I have always felt welcome here, even the first time I met them before my first date with Francesca. These are very classy people and yet, all this wealth and comfort doesn't change them from the warm and genuine people they are. This is about family, Darlene. Something you and I really never got a feel for. This is a completely different environment for us."

"And they accept you ... even though you aren't Italian?"

I nodded. "Yes. They have accepted me and welcomed me. Melanie and Fredo's wife, Carolyn, aren't Italian either. Sam is the sneaky one. Despite the red hair and freckles, her grandparents are from Turin."

The rest of the afternoon and evening was the usual happy uproar, with children and family all gathered around the giant dining room table. I think we were getting close to the maximum seating capacity of the room. When I mentioned it to Sam, she reminded me that she and Gio would be leaving for Italy early next year and that would open up a little more space.

I watched Darlene grow a little more comfortable and sociable as the day progressed. She liked these people and it appeared they liked her. I had no idea what Francesca might have told them about my sister's troubles, but it didn't seem to matter. At one point, after dinner, she was huddled with Francesca and I suspected she was trying to find out about us. I was sure Francesca would tell me at some point. I wasn't so sure that Darlene would be forthcoming.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" I asked her as we drove home.

"Oh, yes. They are delightful people. You are so lucky, Dal. I'm envious. And Francesca makes no secret of the fact she is in love with you. How do you feel about her?"

"The same. I didn't know what to think at first. I've never been in love before, so I couldn't tell just how I felt. I knew she was important to me and I knew I wanted to spend every moment I could with her. It took me a while to understand that was the secret. I want her to be in my future and she tells me she wants the same thing."

"I'm happy for you, Dal. She has something you and I never had ... a sense of family. They have accepted you as one of them, and that by itself is amazing. Mama Rosina thinks you are a very nice man and suitable for her only daughter. That's pretty high praise, don't you think?"

"Yeah. I mean, they've been good to me right from the start. I have no idea how I can repay them for their kindness."

"Just make sure you look after Francesca and keep doing what you are doing. That seems to be more than enough for them."

I nodded. It seemed like a simple set of tasks.

Chapter 6 Happy New Year

Darlene became a permanent house guest. At first, Francesca and I found it awkward because we felt it took away our privacy and our intimate moments. Darlene and Francesca had a conversation that I was not privy to and apparently they made some unilateral decisions. We were to feel free to be ourselves around the house and not worry about Darlene. She wouldn't be offended if once in a while she might become aware we were making love. It took a little getting used to, but we eventually stopped worrying about it and treated the situation as normal.

Darlene found a job early in December as holiday sales relief at a women's clothing store in Oakridge Center. She'd done this before and enjoyed it. She was grateful for the opportunity and was hoping that the experience might lead to a permanent position. At least she'd have something on her résumé to indicate experience and possibly even a letter of recommendation.

Her whole demeanor had changed since her arrival. She was more optimistic and upbeat. We had forgotten our combative past and had become friends. She was now a regular invited guest on Sunday at the Mariani home as well. She and Melanie and Carolyn were all of a similar age and got along very well.

She had taken her first cheque and consulted a lawyer that Eduardo recommended. She was intent on filing for divorce from Robert Shelton. Apparently, the lawyer thought it would be relatively straightforward since he had an encounter with the police when he struck and injured her. I don't think she was happy about the process, but knew it was necessary. It would be one more thing she could cease to worry about.

Darlene and I had never had a Christmas quite like the one we celebrated at the Mariani home. If the Sunday dinners were boisterous, then I was at a loss for words to describe Christmas day. It was more like a festival that lasted all day. Mama Rosina was up before anyone, getting the breakfast ready and preparing some of the food for later in the day.

Darlene and I arrived just before nine o'clock and, as usual, Mikey was first to the door. He looked so cute in his nice white dress shirt, gray vest, red and green bowtie, and black slacks. Each of the three older children was dressed in their "Sunday best," as apparently was the tradition. The women all wore dresses and the men, me included, had dress shirts and pressed slacks. Pietro was handing out holly shaped bowties to each of us. The little red berries in the middle gave us all a very Christmassy look.

I know this wasn't anything like a traditional Italian Christmas, but according to Eduardo, to mangle an old saying, "When in Canada, do as the Canadians do." It was fun and festive. I had a box of gifts with me, something for everyone. Darlene had some gifts as well. I had something special for Francesca, but that was for later.

By one o'clock in the afternoon, the children were almost worn out. They couldn't make up their minds which toy to play with and pretty soon, it was no trouble at all to get them into the TV room to watch some of their new video tapes. The two babies had long since been fed and put down in the one of the bedrooms. The rest of the adults had either moved to the kitchen to help Mama with the big dinner preparation or retired to the billiard room to relax and await the next gathering.

We were lucky as it was a Christmas day of watery sun and 50° temperature. I was feeling a bit sluggish, so I invited Francesca, Giovanni and Samantha to go for a walk in the neighbourhood. They agreed provided the ladies could be back in time to prepare some of the food for the main meal. Gio and Sam were the closest in age to Francesca and me. We seemed to have a lot in common and more than once had double dated.

"Not long now until you're off to Italy," I said to Samantha as we strolled down the tree-lined street.

"Yes. I'm really looking forward to it. I've seen pictures of the family home and vineyard. It's a very beautiful place and it's near a lovely lake, too. I'll miss the family, though. Did Papa tell you that you were invited too?"

"Yes," I said. "I was absolutely floored. I didn't expect that, but I will certainly be there."

"The whole family, including yours, will be there for your wedding in May," Francesca reminded Sam.

"It seems like a long way away, but it really isn't is it? Only five months."