Forbidden Love of the Ballet Dancer and the Hockey Player

Chapter 11

Basilio slams the phone on the table after Nuala informs him that she can’t get away and is going out of town. “Her damn parents are rubbing me the wrong damn way.” He looks at Francesca, "I thought you said you had control of her ass.”

She walks behind the sofa to put something between her and her cousin. “I warn you, how strict her parents were. You said you wanted her. I had her under control until that night when her father followed you and her. From that day, the girl couldn't breathe without one of them with her. "That's not my fault." Francesca stepped back slowly and closer to the door.

He sits down. “When it's all said and done, I’ll have her ass right here with me. Just wait and see.” Basilio points at her and looks at Monti, his older brother, walking into the room.

Monti looks at her, wondering why she looks as if someone is going to kill her. “What are you two up to?” He looks at his brother.

Francesca doesn’t say anything. She’s looking at Basilio.

Basilio rolls his eyes at her. “Nothing much, I was asking our dear cousin about one of her friends. Like I said, nothing much.”

“One of her friends. Why would you inquire about a child?" Monti narrows his eyes, looking at his brother.

Basilio ignores Monti and is about to walk out of the room when Monti grabs him by the shirt. Please don’t do anything stupid to cause the police to look our way. We don’t need the heat right now. We have too many deals in the works.”

“Okay, okay,” Basilio frowns, looking at him.

Monti tightens his hold on him. “I mean this shit.” He looks at Francesca, “What the hell have you turned into a teenage madam? “

She shakes her head. "No"

“Don’t let me hear another damn thing about this bullshit again. Leave that teenager alone. Monti releases his brother. “Go get ready for our meeting." He sits down, looking at his cousin and brother, walking out of the room. “Twenty-one years old dumbass f*****g around with a thirteen or fourteen-year-old is nothing but trouble.”

****

Charlbi is standing in front of a two-story building that she has leased for a year. She plans to teach ballet downstairs and live in the two-bedroom apartment upstairs. “This is just a stepping stone.” She takes a deep breath and is yanked.

A man grabbed her backpack and tried to snatch it from her. She hits the man in his throat. He gasps for air and releases the backpack. Charlbi kicks him in the face. The man falls on the sidewalk. She puts her foot against his neck and presses down. “What side of the bed did you get out of? Never mind whatever side it was, it was the wrong side.” She presses down harder.

People are walking around them as if this happens all the time.

The man was tapping her calf and looking up at her, mumbling something that Charlbi couldn’t understand. She removed her foot. “Why did you try to steal from me?” She looked at a handsome young blonde man with hazel eyes.

“I’m hungry," he whispers while rubbing his neck. "I haven’t eaten for three days now, and I was desperate. I didn’t know a small thing like you would be the female Bruce Lee.”

Charlbi looks at him. “Get up. That’s all you had to say. Come with me. I’m a little hungry myself. Grab those suitcases, follow me, and then we’ll eat."

He stands up, looking at her in disbelief, rolling two suitcases behind her into the building.

She’s looking around the building. “Don’t think you’re eating for free. You’ll work for your meals. I take it you don’t have a place to stay either.” Charlbi turns to look at him as she steps into the elevator.

“No. I lost my apartment a month ago.” The man walks into the elevator.

She looks him up and down. “I’m Charlbi Phan. It’s a spare bedroom. You can sleep there. There’s a lot of work to be done here. I want this place ready to open in a month. Don’t worry, I already have contractors for the major jobs. But there is some minor work that has to be done. For now, consider meals and a roof over your head as payment. When the school opens, then you'll get a regular check, and you'll be my assistant. What is your name?”

“Tyson Glass. Why are you being nice to me? Especially after I tried to rob you.” He’s looking around the furnished living room.

“Well, Tyson, everyone has bad luck sometimes. I can also see that you’re not a bad person. Besides, if you steal or try to harm me. I’ll kill you.” Charlbi looks into the master bedroom. “Your bedroom is over there. Put your things in there, and we’ll go next door to the deli and eat. Tomorrow we'll go shopping."

He's walking toward his room. "That is one strange woman. I tried to rob her. Now she's feeding me and letting me live here. I also have a job." Tyson looks at Charlbi's closed bedroom door. "One damn thing is for sure, she won't have to worry about me touching her scary but beautiful ass."

Charlbi sits on the bed and texts her father that she has arrived safe and sound. Then she texts Gareth the same, but adds," I love you. A few seconds later, he texts her back, saying he loves her and will call her when he lands in the morning. She walks to the door and laughs, “Don’t talk to strangers is out the window."

****

When Charlbi told Gareth about Tyson he was angry that she would pick a stranger on the street to work and live with her. It took him a few weeks to get used to a man being that close to his beautiful Asian doll. Charlbi had to reassure him that she and Tyson were only friends. Also, nothing has and will ever happen between them.

Gareth and Charbli talk and video chat every day. She tells him how many students she has now and needs to hire another teacher or two. She’s excited that her school is growing. She didn’t expect it to happen so fast but is grateful that it is. He tells her how things are going at practice and with the team.

She noticed last night when they talked, Gareth seemed to have something on his mind. When she asked him about it, he said it wasn’t anything important. He was just thinking about the future. Charlbi didn’t want to pressure him, so she changed the subject to when he would return in five months. They are planning to meet in Montecito so she can also visit her parents.

“I see someone is daydreaming again.” Tyson walks into her office with two brisket sandwiches and two cups of chicken noodle soup.

Charlbi chuckles, “I’m not daydreaming, just thinking about last night.” She opens the refrigerator and takes out two bottles of water.

Tyson tells her about the eight women she's interviewing tomorrow. Charbli is taking in everything he said until he says what tomorrow's date is. She reaches for the calendar. “No, oh no,” she looks at him, “I’m late.”

“Late? What the hell are you late for? Your next class isn’t until an hour.” He’s looking at her, taking his hand. “Where are we going?” They’re running out of the building.

Charbli locks the door and runs down the sidewalk. “The drug store on the corner.” She doesn’t stop running until they’re standing in front of the home pregnancy tests section.

“Oh, s**t that's kind of late.” Tyson mumbles and looks at her., “You have s*x?”

She grabs a test. “I’m not answering that."

Tyson looks at her confused because she hasn’t dated anyone. “Oh, snap, Gareth. It has to be him. He's the only man you talk about.” He is looking at the back of her head.

Charlbi nods, "This isn't good."

After paying for two pregnancy tests, she runs out of the store with Tyson running behind her. Charbli runs into the first bathroom she gets to. Tyson is outside the door, knocking on it, asking her if she’s okay. Charlbi has been there for almost thirty minutes now.

The door opens, and she looks at him holding both of the pregnancy tests up. “I’m pregnant.”