Page 39 of Beguiled and Broken

“You boys enjoy breakfast. I’m taking the girls to get donuts.” She walked over to where Carter was sitting and kissed him, then she yelled for the girls.

They closed the door and left. I couldn’t eat, but that didn’t stop Carter and Cole from stuffing their bacon greased lips. They just sat there, staring at me, waiting for me to say something while they chewed. This stupid shit went on for a minute.

Carter finally blurted out, “Well, fuck, I’ll start. That chick is fucking nuts, Vin.”

Cole shook his head. “Two tacos short of a large combo, my man. We all knew it too. What did Bianca say yesterday?”

I ran my hand through my hair, gripping the back of my head, and stared at the table. “Man…she thinks I cheated on her with Catarina. She was holdingthis.”I grabbed the diary, held it in the air and shook it. I hadn’t even realized I’d brought it down with me. “It detailsintimatemomentsbetween me and Cat that NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED.”

“For fucking serious? Let me see that!” Cole leaned onto the table and reached for the book. He was thumbing through the book, with each facial expression getting worse than the one before. “Brooo…this is fucked!”

“I fucked up you guys. I should’ve told Bianca about walking in on Cat...and Cat yelling my name while she banged that guy in the basement. I just fucking should’ve told her. Cat said that I called her my ‘Queen’ and told her she was mine. I would never fucking do that!” I slammed my hand down on the table.

Carter hunched forward, leaning on his elbows and said, “We know that man. I’m sorry you’re going through this.”

“Cole, can you start looking into Catarina? Pull all your smart teacher research shit out of your back pocket and find out who the fuck she is.”

“I gotchu, bro. I’m on it. You look too, though.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Carter, keep checking up on Bianca and the kids for me, please.”

“You don’t even have to ask. Was already thinking it.” Carter gave me a sympathetic smile.

I stood up and paced back and forth. “There’s something else.”

I told them about the prearranged marriage and how I had never told Bianca or anyone about it, and then what Damiano and my grandfather told me about watching my back.

After I went through the lengthy explanation, Cole said, “Listen, my first thought is…you’re a dumbass...”

Carter chimed in with, “I second that.”

I confessed, “I know, I’m an idiot.”

Cole looked at Carter, then back at me and said, “...and we’re not going to beat you up about that too much because Bianca already has your balls in a vice and she’s terrifying enough. Second, what if Catarina is Sophia?”

“No fucking way! I would know. Wouldn’t I? Don’t you think I’d fucking know if some psychopath was livin’ in my own fucking house.Ifucking hired her, Cole! She worked at the restaurant foryears.” I was freaking the fuck out.

Carter raised his voice and said, “Calm down, Vinny. Cole is onto something. First of all, Catarinaisa psychopath living in your house. Think about all thelittle momentsyou told us about. Her being extra clingy. Her leaving Bianca out. And I’m sorry, man butonlya crazy person writes shit in her diary that isn’t real.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. This shit has me so amped up.”

Cole stood up, waved it off and said, “Think about it. Why does she look so familiar, Vin?” He pointed a finger at me and said, “You said it yourself. You always said you thought she looked familiar. Damiano thinks he knows her. Your Ma doesn’t have a good feeling about her. That’s no coincidence. You gotta know her from somewhere.” Cole slowly took a seat as I continued paced.

“Ok, ok, you’re right. Uhhh, Lemme think...” I paced a few more times before stopping in my tracks. Suddenly, it hit me, and I remembered. My face felt numb and tingled. I turned to them and said, “Fuck! You guys, it’s her!” I said to them.

“Who?” They said in unison.

“Catarina…is the weird girl at our wedding.”

Cole and Carter were lost, so I went on. “Bianca and I were standing in the back of the church greeting everyone after our wedding when a woman came up and introduced herself asCaty. She was creepy, and talkin’ to us like she knew us for years, but neither one of us knew who the hell she was. She said she was a friend of the family, so we brushed it off. We didn’t recognize her because it’s been years since the wedding. She looks a little different now, but I remember her!”

It all came back to me...

*

It was our wedding day. We’d almost reached the last few people in line to greet us as newlyweds when a brunette walked up. I didn’t know her but thought maybe she was a friend of B’s.

“Congratulations you two. I’m so happy for you.” She talked to us with such familiarity, but I didn’t know her.

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