Episode 18

MARCELE

After Miguel said that this would be my new life, he remained silent for a good while. I was almost dozing off when he turned on some very lively music.

MARCELE - I didn't know you liked music?

MIGUEL - It's not one of my favorite things, but I listen from time to time. Do you like music?

MARCELE - Yes, I do. I listen to a lot of Shakira, I also really like Miley Cyrus, but my favorite is Sia.

MIGUEL - It's not quite my style, but feel free to put it on if you want.

MARCELE - Miguel, do you think I'll be able to live up to everyone's expectations of me to carry on the Bonanno name?

MIGUEL - That will depend solely and exclusively on you. First, you have to know how to work your mind; it's your mind that will give the coordinates to your body. By controlling your mind, you will be able to control each step and action. The rest you will learn over time.

MARCELE - Can you control your mind?

MIGUEL - Yes, I was trained for it.

MARCELE - Wow, that's incredible! I want to learn to control my mind too, maybe that way I'll become a less anxious person.

MIGUEL - I'll teach you an exercise for when you're feeling anxious.

MARCELE - What's it like?

MIGUEL - You're going to breathe in for five seconds, hold it for two seconds, and breathe out slowly for six. This will help oxygenate your brain and relieve anxiety attacks.

MARCELE - Wow, that's fantastic! Where did you learn that? In training too?

MIGUEL - I learned it at training camp, but it's not something that's necessarily part of the training. One of the monks taught me; it was just this one time, and I learned it.

MARCELE - Will I be training at the camp too?

MIGUEL - No, you can't go to and from this camp every day. You have to stay there until you complete it. If by any chance, you're a week away from completing your training and something happens, and you need to leave for a while, when you return your training will start all over again with new techniques where you'll have to learn everything from scratch.

MARCELE - How long were you there?

MIGUEL - I spent twelve years at the training camp, from age 12 to 24.

MARCELE - You didn't study, you just trained?

MIGUEL - I studied too, there's a school and even a college there, we have trained teachers who are also part of the Mafia.

MARCELE - Wow, this is crazy! I'm loving discovering this world, it's all so new to me. And where am I going to train, at home?

MIGUEL - You're going to train at the Calabria's exclusive gym; I'll be your trainer, along with Nazidi.

MARCELE - Who's Nazidi?

MIGUEL - The second best self-defense instructor we have; she knows a lot of techniques and applies them very well.

MARCELE - And who's the first?

MIGUEL - Bianca, no woman in Calabria knows as much as she does. Besides knowing how to apply techniques, she's also very agile. She can even give you some pointers, she just won't be able to train you since she takes care of our business and doesn't have much time.

MARCELE - I see. What does your company sell on the market?

MIGUEL - You've never heard of Martinez Logistics?

MARCELE - My father has mentioned Martinez a few times, but the memories aren't that clear.

MIGUEL - We work with exports. The company mainly serves as a money laundering front for the casinos and the mafia. Exports are just a façade; we're not the kind of company that chases after clients, we wait for them to come to us, just to maintain a certain image in front of the public.

MARCELE - I know, I've seen lots of movies about Las Vegas, those are the only casinos I've ever seen. I didn't even know they still existed.

MIGUEL - They do, and I own five. One day I'll take you to see them.

We're actually getting along pretty well, talking a lot about the mafia, shady business, and training. We didn't get into anything personal about each other's lives, but I know he's curious to know more about me, just like I'm very curious to know about him.

It was almost a two-hour drive on the highway and another 40 minutes on a dirt road, but it was all worth the wait. As soon as we arrived, I was greeted by the sight of the vegetation, the jasmine trees, and the scent they exuded in the air. Before we even reached the wooden bridge to enter the Martinez Farm, there was a lake with water as blue as Miguel's eyes.

From the gate to the farm's main house, we walked almost a kilometer. The farm is huge and everything is beautiful. Dona Beatriz was right, this place is truly made for relaxing. We were greeted by an older couple.

ROSA - Little Miguel? Look how much you've grown, my boy, you're such a handsome man.

JOSE LUIS - Welcome, boss.

MIGUEL - It's good to see you, Dona Rosa, Sr. Luis. This is my wife, Marcele Bonanno Martinez. We're going to be spending a few days here. Rosa, send two maids to get my room ready.

Wait, he only asked them to get his room ready? No one is going to dust mine? I waited for the employees to move a bit further away and asked,

MARCELE - You asked them to get your room ready, but no one is going to dust mine?

MIGUEL - And which one is yours?

MARCELE - I don't know; I've never been here, remember? You're the one who has to tell me.

MIGUEL - You don't have your own room here. You'll be sleeping with me. We're not at our house, and I don't want the staff gossiping. What will they think if we sleep in separate rooms? You didn't understand why my mother insisted on this trip, did you?

MARCELE - It was to rest, wasn't it?

MIGUEL - You're so naive, Marcele. Reading between the lines, she could have meant anything but rest. We're having a little honeymoon, my dear wife.

A honeymoon? Now we're really in trouble.

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