Taste of Italy

C H A P T E R s i x

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   "Where have you been?" shrieked Jane. Both her and Kelly sat on the couch, staring at Iris with disappointed expressions. Iris didn't know why they were like that. It wasn't like she had to tell them where she was going twenty-four and seven. I am an adult, aren't I?

"Didn't Kelly tell you? I was out with Dante," Iris stated, putting her purse on the kitchen counter and walking slowly to the living room area of the hotel suite.

"I know that, but—"

"Jane's just worried because we thought you were getting kidnapped or something," Kelly said. She took a deep breath and relaxed. Kidnapped?

Iris shook her head. How could they think such a thing? She thought that maybe it was due to her being out so late, as it was nearly three in the morning. But could it be because of that? "I'm an adult . . . I can make my own decisions, thank you very much."

Jane gave her the "stop being a stubborn bitch" stare that Iris couldn't stand. Do you always have to make that face that didn't "agree" with me? It showed how annoyed Jane was, but if only Jane knew how annoying she was to Iris. "And we're thankful for that," Jane began in an irritated voice, "but really, Is, he's much older than you and because you adore him, he could easily deceive you." What? What does age have to do with the situation?

"Hold up," said Iris, feeling like a victim. How could Jane be so insensitive? So ignorant? Such a hypocrite?

She held out a finger and paused, staring at the wall beside her, then closing her eyes to think. Opening them, she looked at Kelly to see if she would give any response, but of course, Kelly waited for the bombs to go off before she would intervene.

And like always, Iris didn't agree with those methods of "help."

Instead, she moved her eyes over to Jane. "You think that because he's much older than I am, that I can't be with him for any reason? That he's suddenly a kidnapping serial killer?"

"I never said—"

"But you were thinking it, Jane." Iris couldn't believe this—no, wait—she could. Typical Jane. But she had enough of the bickering and the ignorance Jane had. "It's so typical of you! This comes from a woman who has a husband that is fifteen years older than you are and has four children, plus one extra that you two created, and you have four other children from your ex-husband and your ex-fiance; two kids a pop!" Iris stood, squinting her eyes at Jane. "When are you going to finally wake up and see how horrible you really are?" How much of a hypocrite, self-centered bitch are you?

Those words would have slipped through her teeth, but she knew her place was best to stay quiet. To walk away.

With that, Iris stormed off into her and Kelly's bedroom, slamming the door on her way in.

                                                                                        . . . . .

Kelly turned on the light in the room. Because of Iris's sensitive body, she wondered why the light turned on. Couldn't Kelly go to sleep? Why did she need the light? Iris's heavy eyelids slowly lifted, seeing in a blurry vision, of Kelly sitting on her bed.

In a groggy voice, with saliva drooling out of her mouth and onto her pillow, Iris said, "Why'd you turn on the light?"

Kelly's head snapped to Iris's gaze. As she woke up a little better, Iris noticed Kelly's leg shaking underneath her covers and her hand placed on a book. Was she nervous or something?  "Why do you and Jane have to fight?"