AGAINST THE TIDE Book #2

Chapter Sixteen: Si Signor

Vittoria's POV
"How are you?"

"I'm not okay. Did you tell Marcelle about what Juan did?"

The last few days have been strange. I caught Juan Carlos with a girl while I was shopping. They were about to kiss. I interrupted and I told him to tell Sherry but he didn't so I had to tell my best friend.

"The other woman?"

"Yes. Did you tell him?"

"Si." Marcelle told me to stay out of it but I couldn't. I had to tell Sherry.

"And what did he say?"

"He was confident it's nothing."

"So says the man who divorced his wife for a girl half his age." I narrowed my eyes at her. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Marcelle didn't divorce his wife for me. He was already divorced when we met. I didn't even know that it would turn out like this,that we would be together. It hurts that someone like Sherry, someone I feel close to would say something like this. I want to cry but I won't. I'll do what Vienna advised. I'll tell her what I think of her negative words.

"It hurts when people call me a social climber. Yes, I'm half his age but I did not end their marriage. When I met him he was divorced already. He showers me with attention, affection and material things. I genuinely love Marcelle. I'm not with him for his money. Let that be clear signorina if you want my friendship."

I left her in the car and slammed the door shut.

"I'm sorry Vee."

"Let's just look at the prisoners of this zoo." I led the way not paying attention to anything. I have a lot on my mind. I left Marcelle without even telling him I'm gone. It's becoming a bad habit.

"Do you want to do something exciting?" Sherry asked me.

"Like what?"

"Come." She took my hand and led me to a place where little black and white bears are kept. They are cute. "Climb over."

"I'm not climbing over. I'm wearing a dress." I refused.

"Fine. I'll grab one and you take it."

"Grab what signorina?" I asked her.

"We are saving a panda!" She climbed over and began luring one with some leaves. I looked around hoping that we will not be caught.

"There you go buddy. Almost there." She led it to the fence. "Vee, get ready."

"No! That is stealing!"

"Don't you want to save this poor thing from captivity?"

I looked at the cute animal. I cannot say no to that cute face. "Ay signorina! Why do you drag me into these things?" She passed the panda over. I received it and waited for Sherry to come over the fence. She covered it with the scarf around my neck.

"Carry it like you're carrying a baby! They will believe you." She instructed me.

"Why?"

"Because you look like a saint. Let's go. Next week we will steal another one!"

"It's a crime signorina!"

"No it's not." .

She is very casual about this. I sat with it in the car like a mother holding a fat baby. When we drove out of the zoo, I let go and it just sat on my lap eating the leaves. My heart is racing. We stole an animal from the zoo.

"Did you tell signor?"

I touched her neck. She's looking at my neck. "No. That's why I was wearing the scarf. I don't want trouble."