Patricia ran as fast as she could.
She knew she had to as soon as Angelo called her. She didn't care how far she had to run or how much her legs hurt. Getting to Angelo was all that mattered.

"Angelo!" She yelled as soon as she ran into the almost empty pub. She watched everyone turn to look at her. She had no idea she had yelled so loud and asked for all their attention. She looked away. She could care less about embarrassing herself. Patricia was breathing hard and looking around, trying to find Angelo.

There he was. At the far end of the pub. He looked so down. So miserable. So drunk. She sighed and then walked briskly to the table.

She sat down on the chair right across his and pulled his jacket from the dirty table.

How many bottles?

She could count six bottles of beer already.

"Angelo?" She tried to wake him. "Angelo."

He rose his head slightly and opened an eye slowly. He groaned when he saw her.

"Trisha." He rubbed his forehead.

"Angelo what has come over you?" She asked trying to pull down his sleeves.
"Why are you drinking in a place like this? What if someone recognizes you?"

"Ha. Ha." Angelo laughed in sarcasm. "Very funny Trisha ." he scoffed.
She covered her nose quickly.

"God you reek of alcohol." She got up quickly and then moved to him. "Come on, let's get you to your hotel room." She tried to grab his arm. He pulled it back.

"Don't." he told her reaching for another bottle of beer. She watched him flip the cork open. "Drink with me."
Patricia took the bottle from him.

"No more drinks Gelo. Stop this. What is wrong with you?" She pushed it aside. "Since when did you start getting drunk especially at local bars?"

"No Trisha. Don't nag me too please. Not you." He rubbed his temples.

"Then stop making me worry about you. You're not a child. You can't just get drunk whenever. You're supposed to talk to me. That's how this works."

"I'm not drunk." He looked at her. She scoffed. "I'm not drunk." he repeated.

"Yeah right. Come on." She grabbed his arm. "Let's just go."

She opened her wallet and got out some money. She dropped it on the table. They could keep the change.

"Come on." She helped him up.

**********************************************
"I can't get married to her Trisha."

An hour had gone fast and neither Angelo nor Patricia were ready to leave the garden. What was it with them and gardens anyway?
She just looked at him, listening attentively as he confided in her even though he was still half drunk.

"I can't get married to someone I barely know. Someone I don't love." He rubbed his hands. "But mum says I have to for our family. How can I get married to one of them Trisha ?" He looked at her. "After what they did to me, what they took from me. I'd never forgive myself."

Patricia sighed.

"There is nothing to forgive Gelo. You're not that same kid from twenty years ago. You're a man now. You have the right to say what you want and what you don't. Why do you care what happens to any of them? They never cared about you. And your mum, isn't she the same person that always hated you? The reason you left? Why do you have to give up your life a second time for any of them? "

He scoffed and then let on a tiny smile.

"That's what you do for family isn't it? You love them no matter how much they've hurt you. "

"But this, a forced marriage, this is just too much and too low even for your family. How could they ask that of you even after they know how you feel about it? I'm sure if they thought hard, there has to be another way to prevent this." Trisha said.

Angelo inhaled.

"Mum had a heart attack earlier Trisha. I'm scared something worse might happen to her if this continues; If I don't listen. "

"So what? You're just going to let them use you? Control you?"

"It's not like I have a choice. I owe them my life. "

"No tough guy. You owe 'you' your life. A better life. A life where you don't have to get married because you're asked to. You deserve to be with someone you love. Someone that gets you."

"Yeah well it doesn't look like that's ever going to happen."

She slowly reached for his hands. He looked at her.

"I don't want you to get married Gelo." She squeezed them. "I don't want you to get married because I love you."

She turned to look at him. He was staring at her. Patricia closed her eyes. She was sure she wasn't going to regret this later but this was her moment.

'You've got this Patricia...'
She told herself. She exhaled and slowly opened her eyes.

"I'm in love with you Angelo Trusk. Always have and always will be." She said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I know it's crazy and we are just friends but I also know it kills me every time I see you like this. I just wish there was something I could do to make you feel better." She cleaned her eyes.

"God, I'm embarrassing myself." She tried to clean them again before Angelo stopped her.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about." He placed his hand on her face to wipe her tears.

Patricia just looked at him. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. She couldn't believe it. None of them could. He slowly let her go. She was crying hard. Angelo exhaled.

"Come here." He pulled her closer and then hugged her.