No Ordinary Love (46 page)

“Yes,” Tony said.

“Because we could get you a flawless six-and-a-half-carat diamond in no time at all,” Janine said. “You could have Trina’s ring in a matter of days.”

“I will wait for the chocolate diamond,” Tony said. “It will have a story to tell when it gets here.”

“You’re right,” Janine said. “I’ll only be a moment.” Janine went into a back office for a few minutes.

Tony stared at Magritte. “I see you.”

Magritte moved away.

He stared at Greta. “You are out of shape.”

Greta slinked away.

Janine returned with the receipt.

Tony signed it as carefully as he could.

“Now this is just the estimated cost, Tony,” Janine said. “If it costs more or less, we’ll let you know.”

“Okay.”

“When are you planning to pop the question?” Janine asked.

“What question?” Tony asked.

“Will you marry me?”

“No,” Tony said. “I am sure you are nice, Janine, but I am marrying Trina.”

Janine laughed. “When will you ask
Trina
to marry you?”

“I wanted to ask her today,” Tony said.

“You still can,” Janine said. “If you describe the special ring you’re getting her, I’m sure she’ll understand why you don’t have the ring yet.”

“No,” Tony said. “It will not be a surprise without the ring. Trina likes surprises.”

Janine gave him a copy of the receipt. “I promise I will call you the second it arrives.”

Tony blinked at the receipt. “I do not want Trina to see this.”

“Don’t show it to her,” Janine said.

“I am not good at hiding things,” Tony said. “If I hide it in my boots, it will get sweaty. If I hide it in a pocket, Trina will find it. She will find it when she puts her hands in my pockets. She likes to put her hands in my pockets.” He nodded. “I will put it in one of my notepads.” He stuck out his hand. “Thank you, Janine.”

Janine shook his hand. “Thank you, Mr. Santangelo. Remember to come back to Tiffany’s for Trina’s birthday, and Valentine’s Day, and your anniversary, oh, and Christmas, too.”

Tony pulled and twisted his fingers. “I do not think I will come back here. It is hard to buy jewelry here. Good-bye.”

Tony caught a cable car at the corner of Post Street and Powell, jumped off and caught another cable car at Powell and California, rode by the Mark Hopkins, thought briefly of Angelo and Aika, got off at Hyde Street, and walked two blocks to the main entrance of Saint Francis. He went directly to the information desk in the lobby.

“Hi, Tony,” Lily said.

“Hi, Lily,” Tony said. “I am looking for Trina.”

“I saw her an hour or so ago,” Lily said. “I am
so
glad you found her.”

“I have not found her,” Tony said. “That is why I am looking for her.”

“I meant,” Lily said, “I am so glad you came from Brooklyn to look for Trina. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met Tino. We’ve started dating. He’s a really nice guy.”

“Yes,” Tony said. “Tino is nice. You will make big brown babies.”

Lily laughed. “You’re probably right. Would you like me to page Trina for you?”

“I do not know,” Tony said. “She is visiting friends today. I will wait.”

“Should I at least let her know you’re here waiting?” Lily asked.

“Okay,” Tony said.

“Trina Woods, please call the information desk,” Lily said. “Trina Woods, please call the information desk.”

“You said it twice,” Tony said.

“Just in case she didn’t hear it the first time,” Lily said.

“Trina has excellent hearing,” Tony said. “She hears me when I whisper. I whisper to her after we have sex. I whisper a lot.”

Lily’s phone rang. “Trina? Tony’s here.” She handed the phone to Tony. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Are you okay?” Trina asked.

“Yes,” Tony said.

“Did you have a successful errand?” Trina asked.

“Yes and no,” Tony said. “But it is a secret, so do not ask anymore.”

“Okay, I won’t,” Trina said. “I’ll be down with Naini in a minute. She wants to treat us to Lahore Kahari for lunch to celebrate our new house.”

“What is Lahore Kahari?” Tony asked.

“Google it,” Trina said. “We’ll be right down.”

Tony handed the phone to Lily, Googled “Lahore Kahari” on his phone, and found it served Indian and Pakistani food. He did not know what “tandoori,” “masala,” or “vindaloo,” meant, but he was sure Naini would know.

“Do you have a cast-iron stomach, Tony?” Lily asked.

“No,” Tony said. “My stomach is not made of cast iron.”

“You’ll need one at Lahore Kahari,” Lily said. “Tino has one. He took me there for one of our dates. Stay away from anything that’s spicy and hot.”

“Why?” Tony asked.

“You’ve never eaten Indian food?” Lily asked.

“No,” Tony said.

“It can burn your tongue,” Lily said.

“I do not want to burn my tongue,” Tony said. “It is already tired.”

“Thai Thai Noodle is excellent,” Lily said.

“Thank you, Lily,” Tony said. He left the information desk and stood in front of the elevators as people swarmed around him. When the elevators opened, Trina and Naini smiled and ran to him, each taking one of his hands.

“I would like to eat at Thai Thai Noodle,” Tony said.

“Since when do you like Thai food?” Trina asked.

“Food made of ties,” Tony said.

“No,” Trina said. “Food from Thailand.”

“A land of ties,” Tony said.

Trina and Naini laughed. “Just come on,” Trina said.

“I am funny,” Tony said. “Ha ha.”

“He knew what you were talking about, Trina,” Naini said.

“Yes,” Tony said. “I wanted to make you laugh.”

Trina kissed his cheek. “I wish I could make you laugh.”

They left the hospital and walked toward California Street. “I laugh all the time. Ha ha.”

“I meant
really
laugh,” Trina said.

“I laugh inside,” Tony said. “I am always laughing in my head.” He looked at Naini’s hand holding his hand. “Trina, Naini is still holding my hand.”

“She wishes you had another brother for her,” Trina said.

“I do not,” Naini said. “I want some photographer to take my picture today. When I hugged you at Johnny Foley’s, they took a picture, and I have never received so many pokes on Facebook. If I hold your hand, they will take another picture. It will be good for my love life. Where are the photographers? My hair looks good today.”

“Did they follow you around on your errand, Tony?” Trina asked.

“No,” Tony said. He winced. “My stomach is laughing.”

“You mean it’s gurgling,” Trina said. “Maybe we shouldn’t eat Thai food today.”

“No,” Tony said. “It is laughing. It is saying rah rah rah rah.”

Trina and Naini laughed.

“That is the sound my stomach is making,” Tony said. “Rah rah rah rah.”

Trina and Naini continued to laugh.

“It would make a funny commercial,” Naini said. “I am hungry. Rah rah rah rah.”

“Stop!” Trina shouted. “Wait. My stomach’s rumbling now. Rah rah.”

“You must say it four times,” Naini said. “Rah rah rah rah.”

Tony smiled at their laughter. He smiled at the people around them laughing at Naini and Trina laughing. He smiled for several people taking pictures of them with their phones. He squeezed Trina’s hand.

Trina squeezed back.

He winked at Trina.

Trina winked back.

Tony decided that it was normal to laugh and hold the hands of two beautiful women.

He wished he could give Trina her ring at Thai Thai Noodle.

But he would wait.

We will laugh again like this,
Tony thought.
I will wait for more angels’ laughter like this before I give Trina her ring.

Yes.

I want the whole world to laugh when Trina gets her ring.

43

S
everal calm, blissful, busy days and busier nights later, Tony woke a little after 8:00 AM to watch the weather outside Trina’s front windows instead of watching the weather on television. He saw a long black car pull up in the street, and a tall black man in a black suit with shiny black shoes got out holding a bouquet of red roses.

That looks like romance,
he thought.
Roses and romance, poses and no pants.
Tony smiled.
My mind is funny today.

A few moments later, Tony heard footsteps on the stairs and then a knock.

Tony opened the door. “Hello.”

“I have come to see Trina,” the man said.

“Trina is asleep,” Tony said. “I am Tony.”

“I know who you are,” the man said, stepping past Tony toward the couch. “Trina!”

Tony moved around the man to stand in front of Trina’s bedroom door. “Trina is asleep. Do not wake her. She is tired. I kept her up all night. We were making a snowflake child.”

The man’s mouth opened wide. “Well, I am going to wake her up. In more ways than one.”

“You brought Trina roses,” Tony said.

“Obviously,” the man said, shoving the bouquet into Tony’s hands. “Make yourself useful and put these in a vase, will you?”

Tony laid the bouquet on the coffee table. “You are Robert.”

“You’re brilliant,” Robert said.

“Thank you,” Tony said. “You are an asshole and a turd.”

Robert frowned. “I’m sure she told you that.”

“No,” Tony said. “My brother thinks you are an asshole. My friend Aika thinks you are a turd. I think you are an asshole and a turd.”

“Trina!” Robert yelled.

“Do not yell,” Tony said. “Only Trina yells in this house.” Tony smiled. “I make her yell, Robert. Three times last night. She said, ‘Oh, Tony, thank you, oh yes.’” Tony smiled. “Sometimes she curses and growls. I like it when she does that. I have scratches on my back. Do you want to see them?”

Trina’s door opened, and Trina stuck out her head. “Robert, what are you doing here?”

“I am talking to Robert,” Tony said.

“I know that, Tony.” She edged out the door. “I’m asking Robert why he’s here.”

Tony winked at Trina. “I am talking to Robert. You go back to bed.” Tony’s eyes traveled from Robert’s shiny black shoes to his shiny, clean-shaven face. “Why are you here?”

“It does not concern you,” Robert said. “Trina, we need to—”

“It concerns me,” Tony interrupted. “Why are you here?”

“Tony, I’m going to talk to the only other adult in the room now,” Robert said. “You go watch your weather like a good boy, okay?”

“The television is not on,” Tony said. “I like watching the weather outside the window now.”

“Oh, that’s special,” Robert said.

“It is,” Tony said. “It is a beautiful morning. Now you will answer my question. Why are you here?”

I’ve found a man with a backbone at last,
Trina thought. “Answer him, Robert. I have nothing to say to you.”

“He won’t understand what I’m about to say,” Robert said.

“I am from Brooklyn,” Tony said. “I speak asshole. I speak turd. You are an asshole and a turd. I will understand what you have to say.”

Trina smiled.
Is this the Italian in him, the Brooklyn in him, or the real Tony in him? Go ahead, man! Kick Robert’s ass!

“I came to try to win you back, Trina,” Robert said.

“Trina is not a game to win,” Tony said.

“It’s just an expression,” Robert said. “Oh, but you have trouble thinking metaphorically, don’t you?”

Tony smiled. “Metaphorically speaking, I do not like the expression. Metaphorically speaking, love is not a game with winners and losers. Metaphorically speaking, true love is only for winners.”

Robert clapped his hands three times. “Bravo. Will that be another song, Art E.?”

“Yes,” Tony said. “And it will sell a million copies so I can buy Trina a house on the beach and a car so she can teach me how to drive.”

Where is this cockiness coming from?
Trina wondered.
This man, this man. He continues to amaze me!

Robert took a step to his left.

Tony stepped to his right to block him.

“I want another chance, Trina,” Robert said.

“I am her second chance,” Tony said. “Trina will not need a third chance.”

Robert sighed. “Do you really want to spend your life with this . . . this . . . chromosomal defect?”

“I am not a chromosomal defect,” Tony said. “I am a unique member of the human race. I belong here. You do not belong here.”

“Trina, think about what you’re doing,” Robert said. “Any children you may have with this . . . anomaly of the gene pool . . . may get Asperger’s. You are aware of that?”

Oh, that’s low.
“Robert, I would rather—”

“Trina,” Tony interrupted. “I am talking to Robert.”

“But he’s ignoring you, Tony,” Trina said.

“He cannot ignore me any longer.” He took a step toward Robert. “I am here to stay. You are going to leave. I do not want you to call Trina anymore. I do not want you to visit Trina anymore. I do not want to see your face anymore. Trina will not need your money anymore. She will not need those flowers. We will plant flowers at our new house.”

Robert took a step backward. “I’m not going to listen—”

“You are going to listen,” Tony interrupted.

“Do you really expect me to take you seriously?” Robert asked.

“Yes,” Tony said. “I am seriously standing in front of you. I am seriously not letting you speak to Trina. I am seriously thinking of punching you in the nose. I am seriously thinking of hurting you. I am seriously thinking of knocking you the hell out.”

Kick his ass!
Trina screamed in her mind.
Scuff his shoes! Get blood on his shirt!

“You’re out of your mind,” Robert said.

“I am never out of my mind,” Tony said. “You would not like me if I were really out of my mind.” He stared hard into Robert’s eyes.

Robert turned away.

“Trina is a good person,” Tony said. “You took advantage of her. She worked hard for you to become a doctor. You became a doctor. You left her for your mistress. You cheated. You had an affair. You slept with someone who is not your wife. You hurt Trina’s heart. You did not pay Trina enough alimony. You told Trina what to think. You ordered Trina around. You did not listen to Trina.”