Chapter 26

The next morning I wake up and hear Bruno's in the shower already. Normally I wake up first. He also tossed and turned a lot in the night. I sit up at the edge of the bed with my face in my palms and remain like that for a while. I hope he forgot about the little discussion we had yesterday but knowing his curiosity probably not. I sigh what should I tell him? I can't tell him the truth, I'm afraid he gonna do something stupid. When I hear him coming back I quickly get up and go into the bathroom only mumbling morning when I pass him. He says it back before I close the door. I hate to act that way, it only makes me more suspicious. But I need time alone to think about what I tell him. After about 40 minutes I leave the bathroom and find him on the couch strumming on his guitar.

"Oh hey that was fast..." He jokes but his face stays serious.

I glance at him. "You hungry? PJ or scrambled eggs?"

"No, I'm not hungry, the BBQ later will be enough for the next days." Again he stays serious. 

I worry a bit. Not hungry? Bruno? And he didn't sleep well. Fuck. It really bothered him that I don't tell him the truth. But if I ask him what's wrong, maybe he refers to yesterday and I still don't know what I gonna tell him what Peter and I talked about. He knows when I'm lying so it's better to just be silent, I think to myself. I go to the kitchen and make me a toast with Nutella. Then I go back to the living room with the plate and sit next to him on the couch. I eat my toast in pure silence, his guitar makes the only sound in the room. This is really getting awkward. I grab the remote and turn on the TV. I flip through the channels and one airs a concert of Linkin Park. Of course I leave it on there. Bruno puts the guitar away and watches it as well. 

"The last time they played here I was there." I throw in trying to ease the atmosphere. "They were pretty good."

"Hm hm..." 

God I can't take this. I stand up when I finished eating and take the plate into the kitchen rinsing it. 

"You wanna drink something?" I yell into the other room but Bruno doesn't answer. I step out and repeat my question loud enough so he has to hear it. But he doesn't even move or say anything. I sigh pour me a glass of water and go back to the couch. As most as I wanna talk to him I can't. I sip from my glass and keep it in my hand. We continue sitting there and watching the concert in silence. It kills me.

After a while Bruno inhales deeply and shakes his head when he breaths out sighing. "I can't wait any longer. Can you please now tell me about yesterday?"

I turn my head and look at him. "Why do you just make such a big deal about it?"

"Not I make a big deal about it, it's you when you lied to me..."

"Oh Bruno, it's nothing important... can we just leave it there?"

"No we can't! And it IS important..."

"Please, your dad was hugging me, so what? Why you make that so big?"

"It's not about that he hugged you. It's about that you looked upset before and he hugged you long to calm you. And I just wanna know why..."

I sigh and stand up. "I can't tell you!"

"Why?" He stands up too and steps towards me.

"I just can't! Please... it's nothing!"

"So you don't trust me? You rather tell my dad you know for 3 days than me when something bothers you?" He looks so disappointed and I feel so bad. I hate argueing with him especially when none of us caused it. I hate Kalman, he shouldn't have such an impact on our relationship. I let my head hang down. I can't look at him anymore. He's right I should tell him but when he knows Kalman tried to hook me up he gonna get mad. I press my lips and turn around.

"God Caro, talk to me! Please!" He steps behind me and puts his arms around me laying his head on my shoulder. Calmer he says. "You can trust me!"

I sigh again and rub over my face. "I trust you. But you have to trust me too. This is just something it's better you don't know..." I turn around facing him. I so hope he understands me.

He looks into my eyes half angry and half sad. "Okay..." Slowly he walks back to the couch and sits down watching the concert. I follow him and sit next to him. After some seconds he lays down and puts his head into my lap. I look down and smile at him. Then I start stroking his hair softly ruffling it. He looks up and forms his mouth like he wants to kiss me while closing his eyes. I lean down and give him a kiss. Satisfied he opens his eyes again and we smile at each other. Then he turns his head towards the TV and we do nothing more than watching TV and talking about what we're seeing the next 2 hours until we leave to Eric's.

--- 

"Shit I totally forgot about to buy tomatoes and cucumbers for the salad." Cindia suddenly says when we're about to prepare the side dishes. She turns to me. "Can you please get some? I have to stay here and finish this."

"Of course." I put down my knife and wash my hands. The guys sit outside and I just wanna tell Bruno that I leave so I step out and throw in their convo. "Hey guys, I gotta buy something for the salad. Do you want anything else?" 

They all shake their heads except Eric. "I don't know if we have enough beer. If you want you can buy a crate."

I nod. "Pale Ale?"

He nods back. 

"You can't carry all that alone, guys I'm shocked!" Peter says when I'm about to go back inside. "I'm coming wth you." He stands up and walks towards me.

"You really don't have to, but I don't mind either." We smile at each other.

"Wait!" Bruno suddenly jumps up too and steps beside us. "I'm coming with you too."

We both look at him. 

"Okay." I say knowing that he does that for a reason. 

We all walk inside and when I pass Cindia I ask her how many I should buy. She answers me and we get out and into my car. I drive because the guys already drank beer, Bruno sits in the back and Peter in the front. I turn on the radio and ask Peter about the job he came to LA for. He starts to talk about it explaining any random detail. Then after a while Bruno leans forward and puts his hands on our shoulders.

"Okay stop that shit now. I wanna know about yesterday!"

I tense up. I knew he would do that.  

"Bruno we talked about that already." I say calmly glancing quickly to him.

"What's the matter?" Peter asks a bit confused.

"Com'on dad. I saw you both hugging tight and long after she looked so upset. She didn't tell me why. Can you please do it now?!"

"Oh that..." He looks at me and then back at Bruno. "I told her that I'm happy that you got such a beautiful woman. That's all." He turns around again and leans into his seat.

"Hm okay, but why was she so upset before?"

"I wasn't Bruno. Now leave that alone, please?!"

"You were! Don't act like I'm dumb. I know you both hide something from me and I wanna know!"

I sigh.

"Son, you're too stubborn. You got that from your mom." Peter says flatly.

"Gosh leave mom out there. Tell me! Now!"

"Bruno, I told you you should trust me. It's better you don't know this!"

"Fuck that! I wanna know!"

Silence.

Peter looks at me and says after a while. "Maybe you should tell him. He really shouldn't cause any problems between you."

I press my lips. Great! Now I have to tell him.

"Wait. He? Who you talkin about?" Bruno yells rushing forward again after he leaned back when we didn't answer him in the first place. 

"God...okay. I tell you!" I yell back and take some deep breaths. "You know that I knew Kalman from Tony right?" 

"Yeah and...?" He asks me demandingly.

"Don't rush her!" Peter says strongly.

"Okay. Sorry, babe. Take your time." Bruno says calmer.

"Well he came to me when you were on stage and we talked."

"Yeah I saw that... What did he say?"

I look over to Peter and he nods to assure me. "He kinda said when I sleep with him he gonna give you more jobs..." 

"What?" He screams with anger.

I flinch. "Baby, don't get upset. It's ok."

"Ok? Are you fuckin kiddin me?? This dude is DEAD!" 

I try my best to concentrate on the road while his screaming goes through my whole body making me shiver but in a bad way.

"Bruno! It's enough!" Peter says loud in a way only dads can talk. I'm so thankful he's here right now. When I just think about that I told him earlier at home it would have been much more difficult to calm him down.

Bruno shuts up and throws himself back in the seat breathing heavy. "I can't believe he did that. He's such an asshole. Not one more day I'm gonna work with him!"

"No! That's why I didn't wanna tell you. You can't afford quittin with him. He has too much power!"

"Fuck him and his power! He can be happy if I don't beat him up."

"Bruno, she's right! You only harm yourself when you break with him." 

"Duh... you fuckin want me to let him get through with that?"

"If you wanna make it in that business..."

I let Peter do the talking. He knows the best how to deal with Bruno when he's so angry and with this whole situation. 

"I don't understand you. Just think someone said that to mom. What will you do?

Is he really comparing me with his mom? Wow... if the matter isn't so serious now I would smile big.

"Oh you think that never happened to us? Let me tell you something. In this business this happens every day. And you know believe it or not I broke 2 or 3 noses because some asses tryin to get on your mom. But I learned that this doesn't solve anything. It only creates more problems..."

"But I can't act like nothin happened! What if he tries again?"

"Oh no doubt he most probably will."

"And what should I do then?"

I love to witness that all. It makes me miss my dad so much. I always could ask him at any time when I didn't know what do to.

"You just stay cool and continue workin. There's nothin you have to worry about. You got here a pretty amazing woman." He pats my shoulder and I smile a bit. "You can trust her 100%, most girls would have gone with him thinkin that will bring more money. And I saw she can defend herself, plus she thinks before she talks or acts. She took an arguement instead of tellin you and maybe causin you to play with your career. You know in that way she's like your mom." He smirks a bit. "I know a lot of girls who'd run to you right after and stir you up to whoop his ass. But she didn't, she kept it to herself to protect you. You know what, that's not even smart, that's love!"

I blush when he says the last words. I didn't know it was so 'right' what I did. I just behaved like I felt it was the best. But he was right! I rather would Kalman or any other man talk to me like that than Bruno losing his chance to make it big.

Bruno listens all the while to his father and when he finished, I glance at him through the rear view mirror. I can tell he's thinking hard wrinkling his forehead and rubbing his neck.

"I don't like that. Not at all!" He says after some seconds.

"I know. But that's the best way to deal with it."

"Bruno it's really ok. I don't care about that. Noone will ever get the chance to touch me, I promise."

He leans forward and rubs my shoulder. "I know, baby. I trust you! But please if that ever happens again tell me, ok?! I don't wanna face anyone who tried on you and not knowin about it. I promise I stay calm, but I just wanna know..."

"I understand you and I promise that."

"Good! I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Children, I'm proud of you." Peter says with a big smile. "You are a good couple. Really good..."

We all smile like fools.

"Ok, now I'm in the right mood to celebrate and tomorrow babe..." Bruno says and plays with a strand of my hair. "we gonna go to the park like I promised you. It's your last day here and I wanna just spend time with you. Sorry dad..."

"That's fine with me. I can get on your nerves the next 10 days..." Peter replies laughing.

I breath in and out deeply. I'm so happy that all turned out that way. Peter was really sent from heaven at the right time we needed him. I love Bruno so much and he loves me and his dad likes me and this relationship gets more and more serious and... just everything is perfect. I could embrace the entire world!