The Lanzi V

Giancarlo Gabbrielli

Description

Now that Roberto Lanzi’s family has finally reunited in Winnipeg, his ambition to succeed makes him long for a business of his own.
With his wife Silvia’s support, Roberto borrows money to build a large complex near the city center. He hurls himself into the project, working day and night to oversee the design and fill their new shop handcrafted items, luxury goods, and his own sculptures. Other galleries and shops quickly snap up space in the new complex, and Roberto’s rapidly profile in the community earns respect as well as jealousy.
The birth of a daughter propels Roberto take on more debt, and by 1969, Roberto has become a well-known figure in the community.
But change is on the horizon. When interest rates increase exponentially, the nervous local banks in Winnipeg demand their money back. Betrayals force Roberto into a corner, and he realizes he must sacrifice his dreams, repay his loans and go into exile once more.

Sujets

• Thrillers
• Suspenso
• Sequel
• Suite d'une ?uvre
• Suspense
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 03 mai 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665557689
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Lanzi V
Thirty Below Zero, Without Wind
 
 
 
 
 
Giancarlo Gabbrielli
 
 
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
 
 
© 2022 Giancarlo Gabbrielli. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse  05/03/2022
 
ISBN: 978-1-6655-5769-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6655-5768-9 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022907571
 
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
CONTENTS
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
Chapter XXII
Chapter XXIII
Chapter XXIV
Chapter XXV
Chapter XXVI
Chapter XXVII
Chapter XXVIII
Chapter XXIX
Chapter XXX
Chapter XXXI
Chapter XXXII
Chapter XXXIII
Chapter XXXIV
Chapter XXXV
Chapter XXXVI
Chapter XXXVII
Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter XXXIX
Chapter XL
Chapter XLI
Chapter XLII
Chapter XLIII
Chapter XLIV
Chapter XLV
Chapter XLVI
Chapter XLVII
Chapter XLVIII
Chapter XLIX
Chapter L
Chapter LI
Chapter LII
I
June, 1965 – The first day.
E ven before he was completely awake, Roberto experienced a vague sense of joy without understanding why, but, as he gained consciousness, the unfamiliar warmth beside him and the sweet scent of his child revealed the reason for it.
The night before his wife Silvia and his son, after so many months of waiting, had finally arrived from Italy. The long journey to Winnipeg had been very tiring, it was late and she had fallen asleep as soon as she touched the bed.
Moonlight shone on her face from a gap in the curtains and Roberto had looked at her for a long time before falling asleep. He thought of the long months spent away from her and now she was finally beside him.
When he woke up it wasn’t yet morning and he slowly turned on his side, to avoid disturbing her sleep. He thought of the banks of the Arno River where they had made love for the first time, with the music coming from the dance club “ Sirenetta – Little Mermaid”. What did the Orchestra play that night? He couldn’t remember.
Shortly after, Silvia opened her eyes. Where am I? she asked still half asleep.
“Here, next to me my love” he replied embracing her. “We’re finally together.”
They kissed and their passion caught fire.
In the crib next to the bed, the child was rubbing his eyes with his small fists and at his first feeble moans Silvia moved away from Roberto and sat on the side of the bed.
“I know dear, you are hungry” she said with a caressing voice, “but now your mommy will make you happy.”
Roberto tried to hold her back by stroking her neck and her shoulders. She turned around, quickly returning a kiss.
“Excuse me” she said, “but now I have to think about the baby.”
She pulled him up from the crib and placed him close to her turgid breast. Roberto understood that he had to give him priority, but Silvia’s hasty manner left him with bitter taste in his mouth.
“Darn it” he muttered disappointed, “How am I going to hold out until tonight?”
Then, immediately regretting his own words, he added: “It’s that I missed you so much.”
“So did I Roberto, but as you see...”
After the child was fed, Roberto took him in his arms. Suddenly he realized that together with tenderness, a slight resentment had also emerged for the creature that was already in competition with him for Silvia’s affection. But how could he consider his child a rival for Silvia’s exclusive love? He was a bit confused. When Silvia tried to put the child down, he began to cry and she had to take him back in her arms.
“There are seven hours difference from Italy” said Roberto. “He probably still feels the jet lag.”
“Me too I’m afraid” Silvia said. “But now I might as well get up.”
Roberto began to show her where everything was stored: pots, pans, the various electrical appliances and other things he knew were different from Italy, like the drip coffee maker, the blender, and the microwave oven. Then he took the baby in his arms hoping he wouldn’t start crying again. He didn’t seem scared at all, on the contrary, he began to laugh and pulled his nose and his ears.
“He’s drooling” said Roberto holding him away.
“Then clean his little mouth” Silvia laughed, “it won’t hurt you to get used to it.” He awkwardly cleaned it with a handkerchief, then he kept it with two fingers away from his face.
“You should see yourself” said Silvia laughing, “it’s not like a bomb, you know?” She laid her lips on her husband’s cheek, and he pulled her against his chest. Unfortunately it was time to go to work.
“How much I missed you” he told her. “Now I have to go but I’ll call you at noon. I’ll let the phone ring three times, then I’ll put it down and call again soon after. If it keeps on ringing don’t answer, it means it is someone else and you probably wouldn’t understand anyway.”
He kissed her tenderly, laid his lips on the baby’s forehead and left.
After so much anxiety and months of waiting, his family was now complete and he could start thinking about the future with renewed energy. It was the first day of a new life. He wondered how many he had already experienced; the school, the tannery, the Air Force, the store in Tirrenia, all abandoned in order to make a better one. Finally, disappointed by the situation in Italy, his departure for Canada.
After long months of sacrifices and vain hopes, he had found work at Bristol Aero Space. In the beginning, as a mechanic on the Voodoo Jets line, and then, as a buyer in the purchasing department where he soon acquired senior status.
At the office Mr. Keele, head of that department, asked him:
“Did your wife and baby arrive?” Roberto replied with a smile from ear to ear, “Yes sir, we’re finally all together.” Other colleagues asked him too, and they seemed sincerely happy for him.
At noon, he called home as established and Silvia answered at the first ring.
“I told you to let it ring three times.”
“Yes” Silvia replied, “but I was afraid the baby would wake up. He just fell asleep after the second feeding. Your child is a real eater.”
“Fortunately you have lot of milk.”
“Mom’s milk is the best thing there is,” Silvia said.
“Even wet nurses. I should know, I was fed by one.” Roberto joked.
“So I would have imagined,” she laughed.
He didn’t answer the joke.
“How are you doing? Are you all right?”
“Yes, but I’m still out of whack from the trip.”
“Try to get some rest. I’ll be home around five.”
“Bye my love. See you later.”
***
That day seemed like a thousand hours. Roberto consulted his watch and waited for the closing buzzer like never before. It finally sounded and he rushed out of the office, ran to the bus stop, cursed at the red lights, and at people too slow to get out or get into the bus. Then, he raced on foot the three long blocks that separated him from his house on Conway Street. He found Silvia sitting on the front steps with the baby on her lap. How long he had waited to see them there. He hugged them and kissed them.
“How did you spend the day? Have you settled a little bit? What do you think of the house? Did you find anything to cook?”
“One question at a time, sir.”
“I’m used to eating very early because three nights a week I have classes at the university.”
“Not tonight, I hope.”
“No, my love. Tonight I’m all yours. But now I’m going to change into a pair of jeans. Did you find anything in the house to invent for dinner?”
“I found a pack of spaghetti and some ripe tomatoes. I’ve already prepared the sauce and found some sliced cheese. It’s an orangey color, I’ve never seen it before, but I tasted it and it seems okay. A lot of things are missing, but we’ll go together to buy them.”
“Don’t worry, there is a nice little shop on Portage Avenue, not far from here. It’s called Tom Boy. It’s got everything, we’ll fill the fridge.”
That night, sitting at the table in front of Silvia with the little one in the crib kicking happily, Roberto felt he had achieved the most immediate goal he had promised himself.
However, as one who reaches the top of a mountain, and looks with longing to higher peaks to conquer, he already thought of his next goals: university, work, a solid financial position and independence.
That night they finally made love, and Roberto forgot his innate restlessness and found peace of spirit in Silvia’s tender embrace. Did anything else really matter, he thought, if he had his family by his side? Could he surrender the ambition that drove him onward, and simply enjoy what he did have: a loving wife, a healthy son? He sighed, and realized once more that no, he would probably always want more than he had. Although, he thought, as he pressed h