ELENORA

Is this a joke?" Anger courses through my veins as I stand. "Are you seriously saying you were planning to marry-off Jackie but now me?"

The loud clapping sound from the backhand slap my nonno gives me is overshadowed by the gasps of my mother and sister. I touch my throbbing lip with the back of my hand, swallowing the coppery flavor of blood in my mouth. (grandfather)

"Abbassa la voce," Anger flashes in my nonno's eyes as he looks back at me, his voice low, in warning of how I'm walking a thin line of freedom; who knows what kind of punishment he has in mind. (lower your voice)

It's not the first time or uncommon for my nonno to be violent, especially towards me. Being the oldest, he wanted to set a standard with my younger sisters on what is acceptable and what isn't.

"I will not tolerate your insolence and disrespectful behavior, Elenora!" He glares at me, breathing heavy.

I can't control the half laugh, half scream, I let out in frustration. "It's the twenty-first century, you know? Women have rights!"

"I do not understand," Paolo says in Italian and looks around the room confused. "Is there a problem?"

I stare at him in disbelief before I turn my angry gaze on my parents. Why are they doing this?

"Papà, you can't make me do this. I don't even live here anymore. I lived on my own for over three years."

"And look how that turned out for you, piccola." I suck in a sharp breath, feeling betrayed by his words. (little one)

My father sighs, standing. "Look, your mamma and I are not getting any younger and one of the things we constantly worry about is making sure you girls are taken care of. You know the kind of work I do and the dangers that come with it. We had hoped Leo would ask you to marry him, but obviously that didn't work out and then with what happened to you...you cannot blame us for wanting to make sure you are taken care of."

"And yes, while you have a job, it is not as consistent or as regular as Jackie's nursing career. There's too much uncertainty with Photography and it would give me peace of mind if you were married and had the stability to fall back on, such as a husband can provide," My father tells me.

I'm living my own timepiece period drama, that somehow turned out to be my sorry and pathetic real life.

"Nothing is certain yet, Nora, the negotiations are early. This is more of a getting to know you dinner, but it would be good to give it a try, dolcezza. It's been months. It's time to move on," Mamma says softly, as if she's afraid I'll have another outburst. (sweetheart)

"Scusi, ma c'è un problema?" Paolo questions again, as he slurps his coffee. (excuse me, but is there a problem?)

"No, no problem, Paolo, just going over the semantics of the arrangement," My mother reassures him politely in Italian.

"There is no arrangement, Ma," I say through my clenched jaw. My nonno starts walking towards me, but my father stands in his way.

"Enough, Elenora," My father scolds. "Your Mamma is right. Nothing has been decided yet. Let's head to the dining room to eat." 

Paolo stands, setting his cup down on the tray and wipes off the cookie crumbs off of his charcoal corduroy suit. He steps out first followed by my ma and my nonno, who scowls at me before he walks out.

My father stands before me. "I'm only looking out for you, amore. And regardless of this and what's happened," He lifts my chin. "Non dimenticare mai che sei forte e sei abbastanza." (never forget you are strong and you are enough)

"Not enough to survive without a man, apparently," I mutter. He sighs and walks out of his study. I stand there, still not believing the unexpected and drastic turn my life has taken so quickly.

"Come on, Nora," Jackie rubs my arm. "Let's go before dad's vein starts bulging on his temple. You're going back to the apartment this weekend anyway."

"I'm leaving tonight. I won't have my life dictated like this."

"Don't make any rash decisions, let's just try to find out more about Paolo. Maybe he's a nice guy? You're the one always telling us not to judge a book by its cover," She tries to joke, but I look back at her spitefully.

"You do realize if I hadn't been dumped, it would be you they'd be pressuring into this, right?"

"I guess it's a good thing I have a date later tonight, right?" She taps my nose before she runs out of the study laughing. I grasp my head, squeezing it and groan, trying to keep the migraine that's building from erupting and my lip is still pulsing.

I take in a deep breath. Nora, you've gotten through worse. It's just dinner.

_______________

"Hurry up, Nora! You're going to make us late!"

"Then go without me! It's not like I wanted to go to this stupid thing in the first place!" I shout in response, annoyed.

It's been a week since I've learned of my impending life sentence to be married to a man I barely know. That night over dinner, courtesy of Paolo, I learned that he's considered to be quite a catch in Italy. He comes from old money because of his family's oil enterprise.

To my surprise and horror, my sisters found Paolo a fascinating dinner guest and asked question after question about his home town in Italy, prolonging my torture. But I followed through with my resolution and left that night after dinner and haven't spoken to my parents since.

They have left several voicemails and sent as many texts the first few days, expressing their disappointment in my leaving and continual disrespect not only for them, but for Paolo. There's only been a couple of calls and texts today; they are finally getting the hint.

My sisters also called to check on me and somehow managed to convince me to go out tonight. And now I'm wondering what the hell I'm doing.

I could be curled up on the couch in my favorite pajamas with a pint of ice cream and a face mask on; imagining myself as the love interest of the show I'm currently addicted to and binge watching, Outlander.

Instead, I'm staring back at my reflection in the mirror, dressed in a black lace dress. My long, dark chestnut curly hair is down, cascading against the middle of my back.

I sigh, my shoulders slumping as I pick up my clutch bag on the vanity. I brace myself on the dresser when I lean over and slip my feet into my high heels. An invention no doubt made by a man, clueless to the cruel and unusual punishment we women are willing to endure for the sake of 'completing' a look.

My sisters debating over the possibilities of tonight's event, in the living room of my apartment, has me rolling my eyes. I know they think they're doing this for me, but I'm perfectly content to spend my weekends in solitude.

Just me, Netflix with Ben & Jerry.

"Elenora, you look beautiful!" Jackie smiles.

I thank her as I look through the clutch, making sure I have my phone and the small knife I usually carry now.

"Yes, but try to smile. We're going to a speed dating event not a funeral," Luna comments, looking at the mirror near the door as she wipes the corners of her mouth to clean up her lipstick and then runs her acrylic nails through her shoulder length dirty blonde hair.

"Do you guys realize we could be on our way to meet our future husbands?" she says while I fight the urge to scoff. "I mean, I know you're already engaged, Nora, but you could still get lucky." She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"We made a deal not to bring up the engagement, Luna," Jackie admonishes her. "And we're going out to have fun, and socialize not to get laid or married."

"Speak for yourself; if I see something I like I plan on taking him home with me," Luna states as she adjusts the top of her dress to put her well endowed form on display.

Jackie snorts. "Yeah, right. And risk them getting killed by papà?"

"Fine, he can take me home then!" Luna laughs. They are eleven months apart, and like to say they are twins, since they resemble each other a lot in looks, but they are polar opposites in personalities. Jackie's more serious and studious. Luna is loud, wild, and easily gets lovestruck by the male species.

Luna spent the first few years after high school traveling, and will be starting her second year at NYU soon. She's living up the summer as a cliché college age woman; partying almost every weekend, living her best life before school begins.

Jackie shakes her head at her. Her shoulder length darker brown hair sways with the movement, but she also smiles while she tucks in Luna's dress tag at the top of her dress.

Jackie went on to college right after high school and graduated with a bachelor's degree in nursing a few months ago. She normally works nights as a registered nurse, but has the next week off from her usual seven days on seven days off schedule and arranged this night out for us.

"Well, you of all people should be looking forward to tonight." Luna winks at me.

"Whoopie," I deadpan, waving a finger in the air.

Luna laughs as she turns to face me. "It's been what? Three months since that douchebag, dumped you like you were a piece of trash after two years. And instead of going out and showing Leo what he's missing, you're sitting at home every weekend, wallowing in self pity, living vicariously through your romance dramas and romcoms."

I fight through the sharp twinge of pain in my chest at the mention of his name. It's actually been four months, two weeks and three days, but who's counting?

I channel the pain to anger. Anger I should direct at him, but right now, the only person who's making me feel bad is my sister.

"I'm sorry, I don't feel like going out spreading my legs every weekend for every stranger I meet like you. I mean, it's every man's dream to meet someone who has more mileage in between their legs than the car they own, right?"

Luna's hands clench into fists as she starts storming towards me, but Jackie holds her back. "Your vagina's probably all dried up with leaves and twigs, you bitch! If you knew how to keep a man happy, Leo wouldn't have left you!"

Jackie gasps at her words.

My hand stings from the impact it made with Luna's face. My vision blurs with unshed tears but I will them to stay, walking back to my room, slamming the door behind me.

I wrap my arms around myself, sitting on my bed. Don't cry. You've done enough of that for days, weeks and months. You're not going to cry anymore.

All the emotions and insecurities I struggle to avoid on a daily basis come crashing down on me all at once. The feelings of being inadequate, and the never ending questions of what if things didn't happen the way they did, plague my mind.

Jackie walks in and sits down next to me. She wraps an arm around me and doesn't say anything for a few moments; she simply strokes my hair and rubs my back.

"He didn't deserve you, Nora. I know you're still hurting, but don't let him have power over you like this. He shut you out when you needed him most." She tucks my hair behind my ear.

Jackie continues with a sigh, "Luna is young and naive. You know she's never been in love or had her heartbroken. But despite her stupidity she loves you and feels awful." She rubs her hand down my arm as she holds me. "We've both experienced that right hook of yours at one time or another so we know how bad this could have gone."

"Good," I mumble and Jackie chuckles before she kisses my head.

"We don't have to go out tonight, we can just stay in and hang out and watch that deliciously handsome Jamie Fraser." She nudges me. "I never thought I'd fall in love with a fictional man and a redhead, too!"

I laugh as I lean my head on her shoulder. "I know, right?" We laugh again as we hug each other. "But don't tempt me, because I would rather stay home and go through the ever growing mail that I've been putting off." But I realize how pathetic I sound as soon as I said it.

"Nora?"

I wipe my face and stand, as Luna peaks her head in through the doorway. Jackie moves off to the side watching us.

Luna approaches me, tentatively, her eyes shining with tears. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said what I did. I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry, please forgive me!" She engulfs me in a tight hug.

I sigh as I bring my arms around her. "Apology accepted. And I'm sorry for what I said to you and for slapping you. I should have a better attitude about going out tonight considering how my life is going."

"We don't have to go."

"I want to."

Luna looks back at me with a skeptical look on her face. "Okay, fine. I don't really. But maybe you're right and I'll meet someone, so I can get out of this damn arrangement and there's no one else I'd want to hang out with than my sisters, anyway."

"We're also picking up Clara, remember?" Jackie chimes in grinning. I smile thinking of my best friend.

Jackie's phone rings and her eyes widen when she looks at the screen. "It's papà."

"So?" Luna scrunches her eyebrows.

"He's going to ask where we are going and I've never been good at lying on the spot." Jackie bites on her thumbnail. "He'll blow up if he finds out Elenora is going out to a dating event."

"Just answer it," I tell her. But then Luna's phone starts ringing; she doesn't hesitate to answer it.

"Hey, Pop." She smiles as she hits the speaker phone.

"You're mamma tells me you girls are going out tonight. Where are my beautiful girls headed to?"

"Just a small social gathering in the city," Luna responds, giving him the partial truth.

"Look out for each other and do not be out too late, Amori miei ." (My loves)

"We won't papà. Love you!" She hangs up. "See how easy that was, and I didn't even lie."

"But you didn't tell him the whole truth," Jackie points out.

"Tomato, tomàto," Luna responds. Jackie and I roll our eyes at each other.

"Come on, we still have to get Clara." I lead the way out and as I open the door, George, the night door man is standing there with a long box.

"Good evening, Miss Nora, this came for you."

"Thanks, George."

I take the box and open it, revealing a single red rose. "Who's it from?"

"Don't know, it was outside the building and then I saw the envelope with your name on it." George hands me the envelope.

"Maybe it's from Paolo," Luna suggests. I fight the urge to throw up at the thought as Jackie hurries to put the rose in water. I open the card:

"It's good to have you back."

"Hm, that doesn't sound like something Paolo would say." Luna takes the card from my hands.

"It's probably one of the neighbors." I shrug and take the card back, throwing it on top of the rest of the untouched mail before we leave.

____________________

After we pick up Clara, there's excited chatter about the speed dating event and what it'll be like. But I'm more anxious than anything.

"So, how was Paris?" I ask Clara. She recently returned from a summer vacation with her parents for three weeks.

"It was great and let me tell you, it's true what they say about French men." She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"What do they say about French men?" Jackie asks, completely intrigued.

"They just know what the hell they're doing!" Clara laughs and we join in. I notice the Lyft driver shakes his head at us. 

As we pull up to the entrance of the hotel where the event is being held, I fight through the last minute sense of panic and remind myself this is a step in moving forward. And more than anything, I need to prove to my parents that I can move on without needing to be married off to some stranger.

The lobby of the fancy hotel is bright and filled with both men and women who are chatting in small groups. We are guided into a large open room with even more people.

Bursts of laughter go off here and there. The men steal glances at the women who seem to catch their attention while the women smile flirtatiously back at them, talking quietly with their girlfriends.

As I look around I recognize several acquaintances we've grown up with throughout the years, in the room.

"What is this, 'crime families' speed dating night?" I try to joke but my sisters are not amused as they mutter back at me to keep my voice down.

"Nora, don't joke, you know several of the families feel like we don't belong among them as it is. Papà only works for a few of them as their main lawyer," Luna says through the smile plastered on her face as she looks around the room.

I scoff, "Then they should treat us better knowing papà is the one who keeps their dirty money making, drug dealing fathers, uncles and whoever else out of prison." I look around the room glaring back at whoever dares to stare at us like we are beneath them.

Luna hisses. "Let's not give them a reason to add to their dislike of us—"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the lovely Borelli sisters." Vanessa Russo gives us a fake smile as do her two friends who stand on either side of her; their eyes travel down and then back up at our outfits.

She's been our frenemy for as long as I can remember. She and Jackie were really close when they were little, but as they grew older, my sister told our parents that they also grew apart.

But Jackie told me the real reason is because Vanessa's parents fed their daughter gossip—rumors of my mom and lies about her being unfaithful to my dad.

"Jacqueline, it's been too long." Vanessa gives her a tight smile.

"Hello, Vanessa. It's good to see you." Jackie lets her kindness, and sense of propriety, to politely greet her traditionally shine and kisses both sides of her face.

Vanessa returns the gesture albeit out of social obligation rather than to be polite.

"Did you ladies hear who will be coming tonight?" Vanessa asks, but the undertone of know it all smugness comes through.

"Is someone famous coming? A celebrity?" Luna bounces on her toes, but Jackie elbows her and she scowls back at her.

Vanessa scoffs as she flips her red hair over her shoulder looking down her nose at Luna. "No, better. Luca Barone."

"Who?" I question, not having a clue as to who he is and why we should care.

Vanessa and her friends laugh. "Oh, sweet Elenora, it must be nice to be as clueless as you. Barone the hotel heir?" She gestures her arms wide and looks back at me with her eyebrows raised like I'm the dumbest person she's ever encountered. I shrug my shoulders in response.

"Yeah, I heard he's a real bore, though," Jackie shrugs, but I can tell she's lying. "Are you looking to hook up with him tonight? You two will hit it off right away." She smiles at Vanessa who gives her a death stare in return.

"Well, as always, it was good to see you Vanessa and company, have fun. Let's go get a drink, girls." Luna pulls Jackie by the arm, who pulls me and I grab onto Clara.

"Ugh, I hate her so much!" Luna mutters as we walk towards the bar. "I can't believe you were friends with her for as long as you were, Jackie."

"Don't remind me," Jackie replies.

We order our drinks and then observe the ever growing crowd. I find myself looking for someone I know will not be here. I scold myself at even entertaining the ridiculous thought that Leo would be here.

"How are you doing, Nora?" Clara squeezes my hand.

"Super." I give her a cheesy smile and she laughs.

"Just try to have an open mind and you might be surprised. There's some good looking guys here, Nora." Her eyes roam around the room.

"I'm pretty sure most, if not all the men here, only have one thing on their mind." I scan over the faces of the men in the room, too.

"Not all men are jerks. One day, hopefully soon, someone will come in and sweep you off your feet and love you the way you deserve, Nora." Jackie smiles.

"Right, if only men like that exist in real life, and if they do, they'll take one look at you and fall in love with you first."

She erupts in laughter. "That's why I'm single, too and haven't had a relationship since Stefano. No, Nora, I will be the one dying as an old maid with ten cats and Luna living in my basement."

This time I burst out laughing, but I notice a sudden hush spreads throughout the room as I try to control my laughter. I look toward where most of the crowd has focused their attention near the entrance of the vast room.

Two tall, well dressed men, in Italian custom suits look over the crowd. They are followed by a few other men. A name I can't quite make out is being whispered throughout the mass of people.

"Why is everyone staring?" I mutter. 

"That's Luca Barone," Clara informs us.

"Which one?" I observe the two men, realizing that's not the name people are saying.

"The one on the left, with the short, brown hair and gorgeous smile," Clara tells us.

"So, who's the one on the right, who clearly doesn't want to be here?" Jackie asks.

Clara lifts up on her toes trying to look over the heads of the people, but still can't see and moves to the side peeking around the group of men in front of us.

She steps back and whispers, "I don't know. A bodyguard, I think?"

"No way," Luna says as she tries to get a better look over the tall people too. "He walks with that shoulder swag like he owns the place."

"Maybe he's one of the Don's?" Clara says next to me.

I snort, and they all look at me as well as some of the people near us. "Sorry, it's just, can you imagine a Don here, of all places? At a speed dating event, really?" I can't help the bubble of laughter that comes out and my sisters roll their eyes at me.

"Of course, now she has to think something is funny," Luna says annoyed.

I notice the chatter begins again throughout the room as well as people moving out of the way for Luca and his friend as they walk through the crowd.

As they approach us, Luca gives us a handsome smile and then I meet the cold, unemotional dark eyes of his friend. His black hair is brushed back in a wave and held back by hair products, yet the style looks effortless.

To my horror I find myself bowing, nearly curtsying. I try to make it look like I was picking up something imaginary from the floor; hopefully they didn't notice. But Luna sniggers at me while Jackie and Clara pull me up hastily.

"Please tell me I did not just bow!" I grip Clara and Jackie's arms. They do a poor job of hiding their laughter, shaking their heads at me.

"You've been watching too many time-piece drama's, girl!" Clara laughs next to me.

Okay, Nora. No big deal. You just have to avoid them for the rest of the night. Better yet, the rest of your life!

Shouldn't be too hard, there's a crap ton of people here tonight, at least. I steel myself to glance over at them again and see Luca is talking with a few men while his friends' eyes are on me; a slight smirk on his face.

My face burns with embarrassment as I look away.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The event host dings a bell in his hand. "We are ready to begin, please step into the next room where we have tables and chairs set up to start off tonight's speed dating. There will be some light refreshments and entertainment provided throughout the evening."

My stomach is queasy, and my palms are starting to sweat. I don't want to be here anymore—well, less than I did before.

"Come on, Nora. It'll be fine," Clara tells me, sensing my uneasiness.

I nod my head and force myself to move forward, hoping the night does not end in complete disaster.