Monday, November 14, 2011

End Chapter 8

     Aphina, Felina's worried mother, had a terrible headache and no appetite after the day she had, so she retired early up to the master suite around 6 o'clock in the evening that warm summer day. Carlo, Felina's father, went upstairs to check on his grief stricken wife, he too had his heart broken with the news their son Xation had shared earlier in the day. However, when the newspaper came with the the horrid story, all this was just too much to take, then the evening news came on, detailing more of the graphic crime, informing the shocked audience watching the telecast at home.., 'A waitress, working alone, was savagely raped in a bar last night around 10:00 p.m., in the wealthy Recoleta District of Buenos Aires, only to be saved by a patron who came in and slit the rapist throat, saving the woman's life. Her attacker died from his injuries at the scene. Authorities believe the attacker could be linked to several rapes and murders in the recent past. When the Police tried to question the 'Unknown Hero' they found he had left immediately after the incident, telling the woman he did not wish to be identified.'
     Carlo found Aphina sitting in a chair next to the window staring out at the sun which was just begining to set far off on the horizon. He went over standing behind Aphina, rubbing her shoulders; which were stiff like cement from the tension. Aphina began weeping saying through her tears "Donde podie ser? Por que el lupus eriematoso sistemico no volver mi llamadas?" Aphina stared up at her dear husband longing to see her eldest daughter's face. "Desdo que ella llegeba a casa?"
     Carlo did his best trying to comfort his wife, telling her Felina probably just needed some time to herself,  now that the strange graphic incident had been picked up by the Cable News Network, the incident a bizarre tale people would be talking about for months. Aphina prayed her daughter would return or call, then as she turned her head to look out the window she saw a familiar black convertible coming down the long gravel drive way towards the main house. "Carlo! Mira! Que es de Felina's coche! Ella ha vuelto a casa!"
     Elated, their aching hearts lifted, with the knowledge their daughter was now safe at home. Carlo threw open the bedroom door, running after his wife who went down the stairs in a flash, rushing to the front door of the great house as she heard Felina pull up in front of the house. Aphina pulled open the heavy door a smile on her face as big as the love in her heart. "Felina! Felina!" she shouted tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Felina knew instantly this reaction could only mean that her parents had seen the newspaper article and spoken to her brother.
     "Madre! Padre!" Felina said happy to see her parents again as she jumped out of the drivers seat, running into their arms, her mother and father embracing her tightly to them, who gave her kisses on her face, wiping away each other's tears, Michael was touched by this true, honest display of emotion exchanged between them, and Michael's poor heart filled with grief and he was sad, missing his parents terribly. Michael, going unnoticed, stood by the Maserati as Felina spoke softly, in words he did not understand. Michael felt a little out of place until Felina turned to him and said "Well, they already know what happened, may I tell them your first name?"
     "Please." Michael gave a sweet smile, this is when Aphina and Carlo turned to look at her companion. They saw a tall, pale faced ,handsome, blond, blue-eyed man, who looked strong and healthy, with a look about him that said 'I am afraid of no one, and I am above doing a mean action'
     "English..?" Aphina spoke asking the good looking man "Are you an Americano?"
     "Si." Michael answered her question in Spanish.
     "Mother, Father, I am proud to introduce you to the man who saved my life last night, this is Michael." Felina said proudly as Michael shook her father's hand. Michael towered over both her parents, Carlo was about 5ft 6in and Aphina was small and petite like her daughter, a good looking couple who reminded Michael of Latin sensation Charo, and Carlo looked almost exactly like Armand Assante, the actor in 'I the Jury'. They appeared to be in their late fifties,and Aphina had gone one too many times to the plastic surgeon, but Michael knew plastic surgery was extremely common in South America. Her father, Carlo, had a warm smile and a firm handshake, Felina's mother, Aphina, instead of shaking Michael's hand, she reached out hugging Michael tightly telling him "Thank God for you Michael! Thank the Lord you were there! For were it not for you, my daughter might well be dead!" here Aphina began crying once more at the terrible thought of the loss of her dearest daughter.
     "Thank you for everything you have done to help her! You are a very brave man!" Carlo said rubbing Michael's back in a loving gesture, as his wife embraced their hero. Carlo had many questions for Michael and for his daughter Felina as well, so he ushered everyone back into the house. Overwhelmed by the display of thanks and emotion Michael was made to feel like a long lost son and he marveled at the palatial home, the biggest he had ever been in his life, a beautiful, two story, 20,000 sq ft, Spanish style palace, looking more like museum than a home. The grand house was built in the configuration of an H, with the foyer and double staircase in the center of the structure, Michael gazed up at the forty foot ceiling to the balcony upstairs and the Waterford Crystal Chandelier suspended high above the marble tiled floor.
     "Now Felina we need to phone Xation and Bengiman, they have flown back to the city and could not find you, so we must let them know you have returned home so they can come and see you." her mother said as they passed through the foyer over to the west wing of the house, back into a spacious living room furnished with expensive antiques, original works of art, tapestries, and an enormous marble mantle carved with lion heads and laurel wreaths.
     "No mother! Please, wait until morning." Felina protested as she sat down next to Michael who stared at an exquisite golden sculpture of a naked woman on a pedestal next to the fireplace.
     "Por que?" both her parents said in unison.
     "Do you not understand what I have been through? I do not wish to relive the trauma of the situation tonight." Felina let out a sigh "Anytime I have to tell what happened.., it is like going through the trauma all over again. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to show Michael to a guest room, then I want to take my dear friend on a tour of the property, show him the stables." Felina informed her parents, who agreed this was a good idea so they let her be, not prying for any details of the rape scene.
   

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