"Fedeltà" drabbles by Neville Hunt

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Greedy

Fedeltà #768

Livia wasn’t so much needy as greedy. Her plans were quite simple... Tony would be removed, permanently, and she would take over the running of the business. Whilst the two other women might present complications, Livia had no doubt that ultimately they could be ‘managed’ or sacrificed. Sofia would seem to be the bigger threat, but Livia’s next lunch engagement with Marcia should provide more information... and information is power.

Paolo’s role was errand boy with knife. He was extremely useful right now and could be scapegoated at any time. His apparent love for Livia was to be exploited mercilessly.

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Needy

Fedeltà #767

The lunch ended when Sofia checked her watch and announced that she was late and had to race back to the office. Whoosh! She was away, but Livia was pleased with what she’d discovered. Next it would be Marcia’s turn.

Sofia, slightly the worse for drink as she sped back to her office, wondered why Livia had wanted to meet. She had the feeling she’d just been probed, but wasn’t sure why. She put that question onto the back burner as she successfully made the excuse to colleagues about having had to be a sympathetic ear for a needy friend.

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Who’s using whom?

Fedeltà #766

Livia decided she’d probed Sofia enough... and she’d found out things... not definite things, but she now had strong hunches. Firstly, Livia was certain there was a romantic involvement, as yet unresolved - the ring thing. Secondly, Sofia had almost certainly slept... and might still be sleeping with Tony. Livia was pretty certain he wasn’t the romantic interest... so Sofia was probably attending to Tony’s needs... for her ultimate gain.

That might mean she had ambitions to take over the business if anything happened to Tony.

If true, Sofia herself might be trying to use Livia and Marcia.

That wouldn’t do!

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Sofistry

Fedeltà #765

Livia wasn't convinced. She knew Tony of old. Sure, he was a bully and had beaten her viciously back when she was playing him and Terry. But she also knew that when it came to women and sex, Tony was a shy guy and most unlikely to make the running.

She was pretty certain Sofia and Tony had been doing it, regularly... as a weekend activity of which Marcia was unaware... or knew about and didn't care. Livia was pretty sure Sofia would have initiated it, probably just for the hell of it.

So maybe the sisters weren't so close.

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Probe

Fedeltà #764

"Is that why you don't go there so often now maybe?" Livia was on the case. "Has he ever...?"

Another nod from Sofia.

"More than once?" Livia probed further.

"More than more than!" Sofia was adding fuel to the fire... and she was on a roll. Livia seemed to be getting really wound up. "Why are you bringing all this up Livia?"

"Because I don't like that bullying creature getting away with it! Did you tell Marcia?"

"I couldn't. He said he would beat me up if she got wind of it!"

"So why go back?"

"She's my only sister."

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A nod’s as good as a wink

Fedeltà #763

Livia was hard-wired to pick up on things, particularly drink-fuelled off the cuff remarks.

“But you’re there at weekends, aren’t you?.... If you’re saying what I think you might be saying, Sofia, you either like to live dangerously or have, let’s say, a very interesting taste in men. Or maybe you’re playing a game of your own that requires considerable skill! Are you sleeping with Tony yourself?” Livia was very direct.

Sofia realised her slip. “Absolutely not! Perish the thought! How could you think that of me Livia?”

“But Tony’s tried it on with you though?”

Sofia nodded.

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Weekly giveaway?

Fedeltà #762

“You’re not suggesting your sister’s a slapper are you?”

“Well, Let me put it this way, Marcia's taste in men is quite catholic.” Sofia had barely recovered from laughing.

“But Tony’s a Catholic isn’t he?” Livia giggled.

“There’s Catholic and catholic... and then there’s Tony!”

“What’s he then?” tittered Livia.

“A belief system all of his own. A complete madman... dangerous too!”

“Why does Marcia stick with him?” asked Livia.

“He’s her meal ticket, she spends how she likes... and shags who she likes too!”

“And Tony gets none?”

“Not during the week!” drink and bravado had loosened Sofia’s tongue.

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Hammers

Fedeltà #761

Livia’s fictitious appointment had been simply an excuse for why she was up in London, but it could also indicate that she might be preoccupied right now.

“Enough about me,” she said, “I wonder how poor Marcia is coping with Mr Grouch?”

“Mr Grouch?” asked Sofia more naively than might be expected. “Is that her bit on the side?”

“Haha!” laughed Livia. “I meant Tony... how fascinating... Marcia’s got another man eh?”

“Wouldn’t put it past her. Wouldn’t blame her either. There’s nothing going on with Tony!”

“I wonder who he is.”

“West Ham United maybe?”

Lunch erupted into laughter.

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Frightening

Fedeltà #760

When the laughter died, there was a pause at the end of which Livia gave Sofia a look which might have said ‘Well if you want to, then go right ahead.’ Neither woman would be volunteering, but both women knew the other’s views of Tony.

Sofia moved the subject on. “So Livia, what brought you to Town today?”

“Appointment with a specialist.” Livia saw an opportunity for some research.

“Anything serious?” asked Sofia.

“Not sure yet... the kind of thing that’s frightening to think and talk about, so I don’t talk about it.”

“When will you know?”

“Soon!”

“Good luck!”

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Really cut up

Fedeltà #759

Apart from the ring thing, Livia’s lunch with Sofia was the kind of small talk two women not close to each other might engage in. Sofia was sympathetic to Livia’s loss, but quickly moved on when Livia talked about Tony.

“Do you still go over to Marcia’s on the weekends?” asked Livia, “or is your love life keeping you here?” she added mischievously.

“Not as often,” replied Sofia, “why do you ask?”

“Wondering if you’d noticed how strange Tony’s behaving lately. Terry’s death really cut him up.”

“Cut him up? What a brilliant idea! When?” suggested Sofia, prompting a laugh.

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Paolo’s angst

Fedeltà #758

Despite noticing that Sofia was fiddling with her finger and deducing that it might be missing a ring, Livia had no suspicions that she might be hiding what Mary Flaherty claimed was her diamond. Why should she? However, if Sofia had been flashing a brand new diamond ring, Livia might well have twigged.

Fortunately for Paolo, Sofia was smart enough not to trust Livia and certainly not to show anything off that might draw attention or envy. Unfortunately Paolo didn’t get to know this.

He called Sofia, found out she’d just met Livia, and from then on, was bricking it.

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A fine ring thing

Fedeltà #757

"Looks like that finger of yours is missing a ring!" Livia couldn't resist probing. "Getting one resized, or waiting for some fella to be generous?"

Sofia was easily able to handle searching questions, but as unconsciously as she had fiddled with the finger, she immediately whipped her left hand away. For someone as skilled in observation as Livia, that was a real giveaway... and indicated secrecy and embarrassment. Nonetheless, the reply was cool, as you might expect from one cool customer such as Sofia.

"Chance would be a fine thing!" she sighed, "and it's the wrong finger too, damn it!"

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Why? or Who?

Fedeltà #756

Livia noticed things. It was an excellent characteristic. What many might think as some almost psychic power was in reality just observation and making connections.

Sofia fiddling with a ring finger lacking a ring said to Livia that either there'd been one there and Sofia had temporarily removed it.... why? Or it was wishful thinking, probably about some romantic involvement... who?

Sofia wasn't stupid. When Paolo entreated her not to wear the diamond ring out and about, she knew it could be dangerous. She wouldn't back down with Paolo, but maybe it wasn't smart to wear it out... not yet.

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Finger exercise

Fedeltà #755

Sofia met Livia in a little eatery in Beauchamp Place, close to her Knightsbridge office. Over a glass of wine and simple salad, Sofia started with sympathetic comments surrounding Terry's death. She hadn't forgotten though how she, Livia and Marcia had met to plot the demise of the twins not long back a few streets away. But Sofia was treading carefully, always unsure of Livia's motives.

Livia broke the tone by asking brightly, "How are you Sofe? How's the love life?" When asked this, Sofia unconsciously fiddled with her right-hand 'ring finger' which was missing its ring. Livia noticed.

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No change

Fedeltà #754

"Hi Marcia... Livia. Haven't seen you for ages. Fancy meeting for lunch this week to catch up? Somewhere local maybe. I've heard there's a new Moroccan in Chigwell doing a brilliant plate of mixed Meze at lunchtimes."

"I know it: it's very good. How about tomorrow?" Marcia seemed very keen.

"Can't do tomorrow; got to see my consultant I'm afraid. Thursday maybe?"

"OK... Your consultant?... Is it serious?"

"Hope not! Shouldn't be... fingers crossed. But I must say Marcia I'm rather worried about Tony. How does he seem to you?"

"A miserable bastard... so no change there!"

Both women laughed.

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Coming up for air

Fedeltà #753

Livia was decisive, she didn't delay. She called Sofia's mobile.

Sofia answered, surprised but friendly.

"Hi Sofia" began Livia "sorry I've not been in contact since... y'know. It's all been a bit... difficult, what happened and Luca being around and whatever. I feel I'm coming up for air now."

"Must've been difficult for you and Luca... oh and Tony too" Sofia was sympathetic.

"Oh Tony... well he seems to be completely off the scale!" supplied Livia, continuing, "look... I'm up in town for an appointment tomorrow. Can I buy you lunch and we can catch up?"

"Sounds a terrific idea!"

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Ambition

Fedeltà #752

Of one thing Livia was certain, neither Marcia or Sofia were to be trusted fully. She was suspicious that either one of them or both, individually or together, could have ambitions of taking over the business, and thus had every reason to plot Tony's downfall. Livia knew this because of her own ambitions for power and control.

As potential opponents, she somehow had to get under their defences, to build a strong personal relationship with each, despite their distance over the years. Her new best friendships would be threefold, discrete and discreet, would include Mary Flaherty... while she needed them.

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Testing the currents

Fedeltà #751

Whilst the three women had met as a trio before, Livia decided that she wanted to meet them each alone. She felt she needed to find out what level of allegiance, or enmity either of them had towards Tony. On the face of it, from what they had said earlier, both of them wanted to see Tony out of the way, dead and buried.

Or so they had said... but with Tony gone, what would that mean for Marcia and her lifestyle?

And Sofia, seemingly a bit more hard-nosed than Marcia, why should she be interested in Tony's demise?

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Danger women

Fedeltà #750

This was the second time in a single afternoon that Paolo had got his marching orders. Had he thought he was going to get some time together alone with her, he was very wrong. He was off for an evening alone, going over in his own head the arrangements for Terry's funeral.

Livia had arrangements of her own to make. She wanted to arrange a meeting with the other two women in the Monelli clan, Marcia and Sofia. She had always seen them as potentially dangerous, individually a partial match to her own skills, ruthlessness and ambitions. But if combined...

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Thrown

Fedeltà #749

‘That Flaherty woman is something else!’ thought Paolo, ‘she’s scary!’ He shuddered, thinking about the diamond issue again. With Livia described as “me friend’ and getting such a discount, he was most concerned that Livia and Sofia should not meet, lest that wretched diamond ring be on display.

But right now he needed to get these brochures back to Livia and put the decision making in her court. When he arrived back at Livia’s he was rather thrown when she pleasantly dismissed him, saying.

“I’ll leave all the arrangements to you, Paolo. You know what I want. I trust you.”