CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 33

ENRICO CASANOSSA

ENRICO CASANOSSA WAS in a wonderful garden — a magnificent, radiant sun — he had never been in such a peaceful and beautiful place in his entire life. Enrico was too amazed to be in that almost heavenly garden — that was the word he would use if he could describe that wonderful place — full of beautiful flowers — and totally unknown to him.

Enrico started to walk aimlessly — whichever way he went, everything was exactly the same — and he felt the gentle breeze on his face. Enrico felt fifteen years old again — he felt as if he were floating, his body was light, his thoughts had a peace he had never felt in his entire life, after all, where there was trouble, there was Enrico Casanossa, without a shadow of doubts.

Enrico saw from a distance a man with a white outfit — similar to a dress, or a priest's robe — and his hair was long to his waist and kind of messy, looking like a heavy metal rocker.

Suddenly, that man turned to him and gave him an attractively captivating smile and said to him:

— I love you, Enrico... I hope you will join us soon... I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time, you always were and always will be very special to each of us, never forget that.

Enrico burst out laughing at the same moment — as if he had heard the joke of the century — he was always too prejudiced to believe in true love — without sexual apology — between two men, after all, he never had the present love of a father in his life, he never had brothers present and not even a true friend.

Why would I love any man? Every crazy guy that appears to me, see!!!

His thing was women, at least if they didn't love him, he would give them some pleasure — even if he had to pay for it — and that was what Enrico Casanossa desperately wanted, to date all the women he could — The more the better —, he had no limits in his thoughts for such sins...

He would be like his older brother Juanes Casanossa, he would date all the women he could...

Enrico saw his mother waving goodbye with tears in her eyes — his mother was everything in his life, especially after his father and brother fled to the States — and his terribly ugly wife — walking away without looking back, in fact, Enrico was even happy not to see her ugly face again:

She really is a terror... — Enrico thought to himself at that moment.

— Who are you?

Enrico asked suddenly with the happiest smile in the world to see his wife leaving, he just wanted it to be true in his life instead of a beautiful and extraordinary dream.

— I am Yeshua, Enrico Casanossa… — said the hairy man with a humble voice, but overflowing with love — but you know me by my Roman name… Jesus.

Enrico burst out laughing again — this time, tears fell from his eyes, and his belly hurt from laughing so much — this time it was something more hysterical, Enrico even fell to the ground laughing so hard at the man who claimed to be Jesus.

That guy could be anything but Jesus... — he thought, chuckling even in his thoughts.

More like a movie star... — he thought.

Since if he wasn't male — as they said in Puerto Rico, his homeland — without a doubt he would fall in love with that crazy man, even if that was just a dream, he was having too much fun with it...

He had no doubts about that...

— Now this... Jesus talking to me? — It looks like... — he said in a sarcastic tone to himself, turning his back on the man in white — this could only be a dream really... how much nonsense you saw... — he looked as if he would never believe it.

And what a dream... mi Dios...

Enrico sat on the lawn laughing desperately happy at that joke.

Enrico looked again at that handsome man. Something inside him really wanted to believe in it all, really, Enrico really liked the beautiful crazy man who claimed to be Jesus, he radiated something very good, he had a light that made his heart calm down, but with his double life, Jesus would be the last who would seek him, he was expecting something more for satan, devil, everything but Jesus.

— Soon, soon you will understand that this is not a simple dream, Enrico,— said the handsome man, smiling at Enrico, — and you will learn that the greatest lesson I left you when I came to Earth two thousand years ago, to turn the other cheek to be beaten, this you will learn...

And the handsome man gave him one more affectionate smile.

Enrico understood — by the kind tone of voice he used — that this was the farewell and waved goodbye to the so — called Jesus.

The man turned his back on him — he hugged Enrico's mother affectionately — and they continued walking towards the light that illuminated that beautiful place.

Enrico lay down on that lawn and admired the beauty of that place. The sky was of an incredible blue, and the green of the woods reached the point of hurting the eyes, Enrico realized that in that place everything was much more natural than in the real world.

Not even Puerto Rico was that beautiful... — he thought, trying to remember his homeland without success.

Even though it was all a dream, it was all too real for Enrico, the grass was real, the trees, the sky, the sun, the mountains, the man who claimed to be Jesus was real too.

What would that be like if Jesus didn't look anything like the Jesus in the history books? With the Jesus that I grew up seeing in the masses I went to?

But inside him, Enrico knew that if he could be someone else, he wanted to be the man who had fascinated him so much in such a short time.

Enrico remembered his entire life of misery, poverty, and submission to a bunch of sociopathic madmen.

My life was rubbish and the handsome man still says I have to enjoy being spanked? It could only be a dream for someone to say such a barbarity to him...

When the light dazzled his eyes, Enrico woke up...

***

ENRICO CASANOSSA Woke up alone in his bed for the first time after a few years of marriage to Gwen Dunhill, who had been disfigured due to an accident, but was always affectionate, faithful and above all, a friend — that Enrico could not deny.

Enrico married Gwen to have a good life without having to work, as Gwen was an extremely wealthy woman because of her father — Donald Dunhill — one of the richest and most powerful men on the entire planet.

— Enrico Casanossa... — Enrico muttered softly to himself, and tried to remember when he had last heard his given name. Enrico remembered that it had been when he'd arrived in the United States illegally — fleeing his home country — following on the trail of his father and older brother after a botched robbery.

***

ENRICO WAS ONLY FIFTEEN at the time and his father was cowardly murdered by American soldiers as soon as they entered American soil illegally.

Nobody knew that Enrico was on the fishing boat.

Enrico managed to hide from the soldiers, but his father was so drunk — as usual — that instead of running away, he kept showing his private parts and ended up being shot by three soldiers at the same time — even though he was in a quiet position at the moment.

At the autopsy, Antônio Casanossa — father of Enrico and Juanes — received thirty-eight shots, but as the case had to be hushed up for abuse of authority — since two of the five soldiers were also drunk and had sexually abused three girls who were in the boat — it was all for themselves. That made his hatred for the Americans grow even more, and Enrico knew he would somehow repay that reception committee.

Enrico was nicknamed — Enrico Fuerte — because of his skeletal physiognomy — he was called that until he was eighteen, but the nickname stuck.

After a while, Enrico even came to like the nickname since behind his rich wife's back he worked with the mafia — led by his father-in-law, the powerful Donald Dunhill — , doing some errands, not for the money, but for the simple pleasure of doing business. kill — or ruin — some Americans for having cowardly murdered their father.

After Enrico married Gwen — when he was seventeen, but he had tampered with his documents, his wife never knew about it — he brought his mother — Maria Olvera Casanossa — to America and accompanied her to church every Sunday — even hating God for making him eat the bread that the devil had kneaded in America, but for the love he felt for his mother, he accompanied her without complaining about anything.

His wife eventually converted to her religion, but Enrico never liked religion, especially after the death of his father — and a part of him that was also buried that day.

ENRICO WALKED THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE and with each room he went through in his luxury apartment, his smile was still apparent for not finding his wife.

I've seen wonderful days, but today has been a day apart... — he thought — I wish that every day was like this...

Enrico looked out the window and thought he was in the middle of a war, he remembered 9/11 — when there were several terrorist attacks against the United States, Enrico was close to the Twin Towers when the fact happened — and once again escaped death by a close call within American territory.

He still didn't know Gwen, but he was already doing some small jobs for her future father-in-law, Donald Dunhill.

Enrico was a bad marksman — bad at everything, in fact, marksman, boss, team leader, he had one of the most difficult tempers Donald knew — but Enrico was the best getaway driver on the face of the earth. Everyone laughed at him when Enrico killed his first man. It took Enrico nearly ten minutes to pull the trigger — staggering with the gun in his hand, shaking like a green stick — and when he did, he closed his eyes.

As soon as he opened his eyes — almost five minutes later — he vomited all over the corpse — which made everyone in the room laugh at him, especially Donald and his personal doormat — Carlos Ortiega.

AS MUCH AS DONALD HID HIS DAUGHTER from the world — because of his total lack of beauty — the more his men's interest grew for an opportunity to marry the chief's daughter, but they all gave up the golden opportunity when they saw her. — except Enrico.

Enrico realized that it was his golden chance to enter the top of the North American mafia, being Donald Dunhill's son— in— law, no one would ever make fun of him again, anyway, he would be someone in life. Unfortunately, his plan went more wrong than he'd dreamed of — as he didn't enter as the head of the mafia, let alone was respected by his peers — the only thing they respected in him was the courage to sleep with the ugliest woman in New York. — perhaps from all over the world.

Enrico met Gwen at a round of golf, where Donald Dunhill was playing with some businessmen. She got out of the car bringing the phone to him, saying it was very important — Enrico felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of her, but he said to himself:

Every success has its share of sacrifice...

His sacrifice was to marry the daughter of one of the most powerful men on the planet — whatever the cost — luckily her lack of beauty made up for it in his bank account.

They started to sneak out of Donald and, when he found out, Enrico didn't die only because of his daughter's desperate request, begging him not to kill him that she loved him more than life itself, and if he died, she would too. would kill.

Donald sent Enrico a lesson — which he never forgot, nor could he — they put a knife — the one Donald used to hunt — on the burning fireplace, and when the knife was already glowing, they made two "Ds" (in the same style as the hero Daredevil) on Enrico's chest to remind him that if he did anything to his daughter's life, he would never escape — and Enrico knew it.

By the looks of it, I will always be branded with fire, first on your hand and then on your chest...

IN A WAY, IN THOSE YEARS WITH GWEN, Enrico couldn't complain about his life, he ate like a king — which he gained 15 kg and got an athletic body — , he had sex with her practically every day:

In the dark every woman is Cicciolina for me... — he said to his friends as he bragged about being married to the boss's wife, enjoying a life he never dreamed of.

Enrico was crazy about Cicciolina.

When Enrico watched the movie — Cicciolina's World Cup — — when he was thirteen years old — he masturbated more than three times a day — or more.

Enrico was irritated with Gwen at times — he liked her so much — they never quarreled — one argument or another would happen — but Gwen's temper was always too docile for Enrico to be angry with her.

Because of Donald's constant threats, Enrico never cheated on Gwen, he knew that his boss — and father-in-law — owned almost every nightclub in New York, and any slip of his would be gone, his head would roll like a football in the World Cup.

This time it wouldn't be the Cicciolina World Cup... — he thought.

Even Enrico was aware of all the dark steps of his father-in-law — since he was married and had more than twenty lovers — Enrico was quiet, did not dare to stand up against his father-in-law, respected him more than life itself.

ONCE GWEN TOLD HER STORY to Enrico, he was very moved to learn that she could never have friends, she was locked in the house all day, with thousands of dolls, clothes, movies, employees to please her.

She had everything anyone could dream of but a shoulder to lean on.

Gwen told Enrico that she wasn't born ugly — quite the opposite — she was the most beautiful child in all of Manhattan, only that a terrible accident had disfigured her entire face, even after so many plastic surgeries — fifty— three as far as she counted — , she never but she returned to normal, ended up with a deformed face, fat and without any pleasure in life — until Enrico appeared in her life like a beautiful summer morning.

Enrico was moved to learn that his dying wish was gone when she met him, and that he got a wonderful gift when his mother-in-law moved in with them. Even though Enrico loved his mother very much, he wanted to rent an apartment for her to live alone and leave them alone, but Gwen never accepted that hypothesis — since she would be the one who would pay the rent, not that money was the problem, but — as they had so many guest rooms, she wouldn't mind giving one up to her mother-in-law who conquered her every day — who was going to be the friend she could never have.

***

THE SCENE ENRICO WATCHED from his window woke him from his trance mixed with sleep.

— What's going on this time? — He said to himself trying to get his thoughts right with the facts — after all, Enrico was so used to waking up at noon that waking up at six in the morning was a novelty, not to mention a terrible giant for Enrico.

At that moment the phone rings, bringing Enrico's thoughts to reality — waking him up for good.

Enrico took the phone off the hook and answered it.

— Hello — he said.

His father-in-law was completely altered on the other end of the line.

— Have you seen the news, you worthless bastard? — The world is in chaos, is my daughter there? I need to make sure she's okay.

Enrico's happiness lasted less than he thought.

— I'm looking for her too — he lied — but I'm not finding her anywhere in the house... maybe she's gone... — lied Enrico, he knew that Gwen never left the house unannounced, let alone by herself.

Donald's voice rose even more.

— You've got five minutes to find her, otherwise I'll kill you myself, you understand your Puerto Rican in a flash... five minutes...

Donald hung up the phone on Enrico's face.

Enrico's happiness matched his despair.

What was his fault if his wife was gone?

Enrico realized that those thirteen years of marriage had come to nothing...

Had it all been a grand illusion?

His dream of being a big — time mobster was going down the drain — like Niagara Falls.

ENRICO CALLED his wife's ATTORNEY AND FRIEND — Alicia C. Becker –, unfortunately she didn't have any news from his wife — which created an even greater despair in Enrico's heart.

Enrico looked out of his apartment window again and saw his father— in— law's henchmen sneaking into the building. He realized he needed to take drastic action — and quickly.

How Enrico had been playing extreme sports almost every weekend since he'd married Gwen — except when he was doing some extra errands for his father-in-law—wasn't that hard to think about.

His favorite sport was skydiving.

Enrico took his parachute backpack — and a few thousand dollars he had saved — up to the top floor of the building where he lived and waited for the right moment to act.

When his father-in-law's henchmen stuck their heads out the window of his apartment — looking for traces of him — Enrico passed them in the middle of freefall, saying goodbye and kissing the crisp, cold Manhattan air.

They didn't even have time to draw their weapons and shoot Enrico, and even if they did, they knew it was risky to hit a citizen, and that was all Donald Dunhill didn't want — to draw unnecessary attention.

As soon as Enrico reached the ground — safe and sound — he got into the first taxi he could and disappeared from the map.

***

DONALD DUNHILL WAS IN his car admiring the scene — while smoking his favorite Cuban cigar.

— He's as smooth as okra — Donald Dunhill said in a whisper to himself — I like this boy very much, I'll have a wonderful job hunting him.

Donald Dunhill's favorite assassin — Carlos Ortiega — was in the car and gave a smile, rejoicing at the news he had long expected to receive.

— I hope you like the joke, Carlos, I'm counting on your marriage to death to get him.

Carlos Ortiega opened his mischievous smile even more, took off his BL model glasses and showed his blood red eyes and said:

— I was counting the minutes for you to give me that order, I never understood why you always defended this guy, but finally he is mine...

Donald returned the sly smile.

— He was the only one who dared to marry my daughter... Carlos, he risked himself to the point of having the worst of all deaths, and another, I've never seen my daughter so happy...

As if I care about happiness... — he thought...

— In a way, he deserves my respect, but now that she was dead along with the vast majority of the planet's population — this he discovered because of one of his employees, who was in charge of watching her twenty-four hours a day. — day, and three hours ago she reported that after her partner's attack, a car driver who was dying from the Plaga ended up running over her and her mother-in-law — I have no reason to spare him. After all, I won't spare many people from now on, since now my plan to conquer this stupid world will start to come true...

Carlos Ortiega put on his glasses again and got out of the car, straightening his black overcoat and headed in the direction Enrico had gone...