Chapter 16: She's a Rainbow.
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Tammy gets up to answer her door and finds Glenda wrapped up in her robe. She looks her over from head to toe before allowing her into the room.
"What's with the robe?", Tammy asks as the door closes.
"I could not let the others see in just my t-shirt and panties heading to your room.", Glenda answers.
"So you let them see you come in with the robe...", Tammy almost complains.
"Its not as bad as you think.", Glenda states, "Everyone's still down stairs studying and only Lucinda saw me enter the bathroom, not your room."
"So what are you doing in a bathrobe?", Tammy asks.
"This...", Glenda says before untying its belt, and let it open for Tammy to see. Underneath the robe was Glenda wearing a see-through bright yellow camisole set: panties, bra, short skirt and top. Tammy didn't whether to laugh, or yell at Glenda.
"You don't like?", Glenda asks.
"I don't know what to say?", Tammy asks.
"Then you like?", Glenda asks again.
"What is on your mind?!", Tammy holds back from yelling at her.
"I was just thinking that since this is our last night, maybe we could...", Glenda tries to explain but stops.
"Maybe we could what?", Tammy asks.
"Just sleep a little closer to you.", Glenda answers meekly.
"Is that the truth? Seems to me that you might be enticing me with sex.", Tammy asks.
"For you, it's the truth.", Glenda answers.
"For me...?", Tammy asks.
"I meant, it may look like I might be trying to entice you by showing you what I got, and that is what this is for and I have used it as such with past lovers, but not for you. I want to be as close to you as possible without being naked since I doubt you would want that.", Glenda ask then puts her hand to her temple and winces.
"You OK?", Tammy asks.
"I'm sorry Tammy.", Glenda says.
"Sorry for what?", Tammy asks.
"I inadvertently upped my stress levels by accident.", Glenda says as she sits down on the end of the bed. She sits there looking at the floor.
"You know I can see your nipples, your hoochie and your pad through what you're wearing.", Tammy tells her.
"I know.", Glenda replies, "Its not its intention. I just wanted the thinnest possible thing to wear when I'm against you tonight."
"Can I ask a question?", Tammy asks.
"You can.", Glenda answers.
"Are you in love with me?", Tammy asks.
"I might be.", Glenda answers.
"You know I'm not returning it.", Tammy says to her.
"I know.", Glenda replies, "I don't mind. What little you do give means a lot to me."
Tammy walks about the tiny space of the room, and then takes a look out the window. As she looks out, she thinks. She starts to unbutton her blouse and let it fall to the floor. Her pants were next as she steps out of them. Turning around she sees that Glenda has not moved from her spot, still looking at the ground from where she sat. She adjusts her t-shirt and panties' waistband.
Though it was three short steps to the bed, it seemed like an eternity. She gets on the bed and crawls to Glenda. Glenda turns around and was about to say something, but Tammy puts her extended index finger to her lips and shushes her. Glenda nods slightly, and then goes to behind Glenda and sits behind her against the wall. She taps Glenda on her back and signals for her to get closer. She opens her legs to allow Glenda sit up against her. Glenda sits and leans back against Tammy.
"Thank you.", Glenda whispers to Tammy.
"Shhhh...", Tammy shushes her again.
For the rest of the hour they sit holding each other in silence.
Eventually Tammy gives Glenda a slight shove. Glenda turns around to see what was going on.
"Huh?", Glenda replies to the shove as she turns to face Tammy.
"Time to go to sleep.", Tammy tells her.
"Alright.", Glenda replies.
"I need you to move forward so I can get my legs back.", Tammy says to her.
"Oh. I'm sorry.", Glenda says before moving forward.
Tammy folds up her legs to her chest and then leans over to her side. She stretches her legs for a moment before crawling under the blankets. Glenda gets up and turns off the light before following her and crawls under the blanket as well. In moment they were both sleeping.
At 5:30AM Glenda wakes up and looks at Tammy still sleeping. She carefully gets up out of the bed and picks up her robe from the floor, putting it on. For a moment she looks about the room and then at Tammy who is still sleeping. She leans over to her and plants her lips against her for a second and slowly draws away from her.
"Thank you.", Glenda says in a whisper before leaving the room. She checks the hallway by cracking the door and listening to the hallway. She then opens the door and looks outside before heading out, closing the door to Tammy's room as silently as possible. She makes it to her room without being caught by anyone. She spends the next 90 minutes in her bed staring at the walls and ceiling until it was time to wash up and get dressed to go to school. Mrs. Marino was already starting breakfast for those going to school in the morning.
Tammy wakes up three hours later and gets prepared for the day. After collecting her clothes to wash later, she gets a fresh set of underwear, t-shirt, shirt and jeans to put on later, putting on her robe before taking them, her towel and soap to the bathroom to shower up. Once dressed she goes to her room and drops off the robe, towel and soap before heading downstairs. Mrs. Marino was in the kitchen cleaning up, Marisa and Lucinda were in the living room studying.
"Where is everyone?", Tammy asks.
"Most of them are out taking their morning classes today, including Glenda. Those two have classes in the afternoon. You want anything to eat?", Mrs. Marino says then asks.
"Yes please. And thank you.", Tammy tells her.
"Think nothing of it.", Mrs. Marino replies, and adds, "Everyone had either eggs and sausage or French toast with sausage. Which one would you like?"
"I'll take the eggs and sausage.", Tammy answers.
"How would you like your eggs?", Mrs. Marino asks.
"Scrambled this time, please.", Tammy answers.
"Then it shall be.", Mrs. Marino says as she starts on Tammy's breakfast. Once she gets the scrambled eggs to the hot frying pan with a couple of sausages, Mrs. Marino asks, "So you leaving Friday?"
"Huh?", Tammy replies.
"Are you leaving Friday? Glenda told us that you might be leaving on Friday.", Mrs. Marino asks and explains.
"Oh. That. I'm not leaving permanently. I'm just checking a possible lead on an orphanage that might have had my sister. Then I'll be back.", Tammy answers.
"Oh. Then you better explain it to Glenda. She thinks you're not coming back.", Mrs. Marino tells her.
"I will.", Tammy replies.
In another minute Mrs. Marino puts a plate of breakfast on the table in front of the Tammy. "Eat up. You need your strength to find your family.", Mrs. Marino tells her, putting a glass of juice next to her, leaving the pitcher behind.
Tammy eats her breakfast, making plans for the day in her head. For now she will leave her electronics behind and continue as she did before with nothing. Once done with breakfast, she cleans her plate, glass and utensils, putting them away where they belong. The pitcher of juice gets put back in the refrigerator. She looks at the clock on the wall, which says 9:20AM. She thinks, knowing that the library opens at 10AM. By the time she walks there, it should be open.
Tammy goes upstairs and gets prepared in going to the library, deciding on traveling light with just a note pad and her carryall purse in her pocket. She goes downstairs and out the door, enjoying the walk she has to take, as there was still too much snow and ice on the streets to ride on her bicycle. She makes it to the library ten minutes after it opens.
She takes to her usual rented computer and accesses the Internet. The newspapers and tabloids have a story of a murder in a park in Rome, of a male mouse and his adopted daughter, a rabbit. Tammy reads over the story and sees that something was not making sense. The story was over 2 weeks old but its getting printed now also did not make sense. In her mind, how the couple fit reminds her of the earlier pictures of those other men at the Milan Arts Center with their girls.
She finds nothing else about Bink, the men or the other girls. Her email account at hotmail seemed empty. The email account at the Rescue Ranger server was filled with Spam from her so-called stepbrother. She lets out a sigh, wondering if he would ever give up. She does not know that a remote server is doing it automatically.
She prints out the article and puts it in her note pad. With little to do, she leaves the library and walks around the tourist and shopping districts. The only thing she buys is a couple of 4GB USB Drives. At a nearby café she buys a small lunch and eats it there. After lunch she walks by the expensive stores in tourist area.
More than half a block away there is a commotion that catches Tammy's ear, making her look around as to what it was. A rat runs in her direction with a small purse that he has just snatched. People around him get out of his way to let him run pass them and make his escape. Seeing the crime unfold, Tammy lets him get close enough for her to step out of his way but still have her leg out which he trips on. Landing face first on the cold sidewalk, the rat gets knocked out, making it east for Tammy to hold down and retrieve the stolen purse. A couple of rats in suits arrive to the scene, followed by a female squirrel in a business suit herself and the police. The local paparazzi record everything on their cameras.
"Thank you for stopping him and getting back my purse, I have never seen such bravery in my life! What is your name?", the female squirrel says and then asks.
"Its Tammy.", Tammy says as she returns the purse. "And yours?"
"Why, I'm Julietta Polancco.", the female squirrel says. Tammy could only stare at her. The men in the suits help her up, getting her notepad for her while the police gather the rat to arrest. "You have to be rewarded for your bravery and recovering my purse...", Julietta tells her.
"Uhm... no. A rescuer never asks for a reward...", Tammy says before stepping into the crowd and running away as fast as she could.
As she runs, Julietta tells her bodyguards, "You assholes fucked up big time. Now you two are going to find her and bring her to me before this week ends."
Tammy makes the mistake of running straight for home once she was out of the tourist area but she was not followed except by a series of security cams along the way. Once in her room, she locks herself in. Unfortunately for her the 4o'clock news would have her on TV for her heroics.
"Her Italian was awful, she had to have been a tourist, an American Tourist. Those bastards are always looking for some action.", one witness says.
"Who ever she was, she was either brave or stupid.", another witness says.
"Now lets roll back on the video tape from the security cam.", the reporter says, "There, she comes into view and as the crowd steps away to not get involved, she looks around and sees what's going on, and there. When the would-be-thief comes into view, she sticks her leg out and trips him. And there, she pounces on him and holds him down while getting back the stolen purse. Now going over paparazzi cam, there we have a close up of this hero before she runs away. Now why she ran away, who knows? Maybe she's a wanted criminal? A fugitive? Or maybe she's hiding from her job or family? Who knows, right? But this station is willing to give ten-thousand euros to anyone who knows who she is and is able to bring her to our studios." Tammy's face remains on the screen before fading to a commercial.
It is not for another half hour before there was a knock on her door. At first she does not want to answer but she opens the door anyway. Mrs. Marino was there holding onto a set of keys.
"It is good that you opened the door. I was about to let myself in.", Mrs. Marino says as she steps into the room. "Now what is this I heard on the news about you stopping purse snatching in the tourist district?"
"That's just it. I saw it happen and I tried to stop it. And in that I was successful in doing. That all.", Tammy explains.
"You know who's purse you returned?", Mrs. Marino asks.
"No, who?", Tammy asks though she already knows who it was.
"The actress Julietta Polancco. Part of the billionaire Polancco clan, she has her own TV Show and studio", Mrs. Marino explains.
"Yeah, I figured.", Tammy says to herself.
"You know the news station has put out a ten-thousand euro reward so they can interview you. Now I'm not saying that anyone here is going to collect, but you need to lay low for a while. No going out for at least a week.", Mrs. Marino tells her.
"But I have to go to the orphanage tomorrow.", Tammy complains.
"You are going to delay that trip until next week when everyone's forgotten about you.", Mrs. Marino tells her then adds, "You don't want half of Milan chasing you down the street for a stupid reward. And it's not even by the police, but by a stupid news agency wanting an interview with you."
Tammy just sighs.
"You are not to leave this house for one week for your own safety. When people see and hear reward money, they become crazy and do stupid things to get that reward, including hurt you and kill you to get the reward.", Mrs. Marino tells her.
"Alright. I'll stay.", Tammy says to agree with her though frustrated in saying so.
"Good. Now do what you got to do here. I will serve dinner at the usual time.", Mrs. Marino says to her before getting up and leaving the room. Tammy could do nothing, as there was nothing to do with nothing she had.
Tammy's little rescue of Julietta Polancco's personal items did not go unnoticed. Far away in a private home overhanging on a cliff, Johan Polancco watches the news feed on his 96in TV screen, replaying the scene over and over again. In Rome a group of men and women watches the news video as well. They all scoff at the ten thousand euros reward for an interview with one of them saying, "If she was really someone of interest, a reward of one hundred thousand euros would get better results."
But in her room there was nothing for her to do. Without Internet access, she could not continue her search for Bink. All she can do is lay on her bed and stare at the ceiling for the next two hours.
A knock on the door wakes her from her trance. She gets up off the bed and opens the door. Mrs. Marino was at the door.
"Dinner will be served in half an hour.", Mrs. Marino tells her.
"But why are you tell me when dinner will be served. You never tell me, we ate when it was ready.", Tammy replies.
"Dinner will be served at 5:30 instead of 6o'clock. I'm just informing you of this change.
"5:30? Alright then. I'll be there.", Tammy says, after a pause, "Thank you."
Mrs. Marino nods before realizing she had something to say, "I have spoken with the others. They will not bother you about what happened or call the TV News and turn you in. I will not have such embarrassment brought into my house."
"Thank you Mrs. Marino.", Tammy replies.
"I will see you downstairs for dinner in half an hour.", Mrs. Marino tells her before walking away.
Tammy lets the door close as she walks back in her room and looks out the window. After a moment she goes out and leaves the room and head for dinner.
Mrs. Marino just started to set the table as Tammy enters the dining area. The others seeing Tammy go into the dining area go in after her. They look around seeing the table not ready, the girls except for Tammy head out and help Mrs. Marino set up. With their help the dining table is set up quickly. Dinner is served just as quickly.
Lasagna with steam vegetables and salad is served as the meal, with the usual beverages are served with the meal. It was so good that there were no leftovers as in the in some past meals. At the end of the meal the girls stay behind to clean up, but when the table was cleaned and most of the dishes were put away Mrs. Marino tells the girls to let Tammy finish the rest of the clean up. They were sent to their rooms.
Tammy was putting away lasagna pan when Mrs. Marino arrives at the doorway to watch Tammy finish her job. As she gets up from closing a lower cabinet, she looks at Mrs. Marino.
"Sit down Tammy.", Mrs. Marino tells her before walking in. Two tall hefty built rats in suits follow her in and block the doorway. "Now Tammy. No one here turned you in.", Mrs. Marino tells her as a female squirrel in a business suit walks in. Tammy immediately recognizes her as Julietta Polancco.
"No. You turned your self in by passing by so many business security camera, we were able to trace you to here.", Julietta explains. Tammy could not say a word, just start to breathe heavy. "Now clam yourself down, sister. I'm not here for Johan's credit card. As far as I care, he accidentally gave to some cheap whore.", Julietta continues.
"Then why are you here?", Tammy asks.
"Simple. You did a job these two idiots could not do. I just want to know how and why.", Julietta explains.
"I was doing what I do best.", Tammy tells her.
"Like you're a damn professional body guard.", Julietta scoffs at her.
"Look. I stopped a purse-snatcher by tripping him and kneeled on him until help arrived. I do not want a reward or award or a bobby prize. I just want to be left alone.", Tammy tells her.
"Alone to find your sister.", Julietta tells her. She continues, "Yes, Tammy Squirrel Polancco, or so says the records here in Italy thanks to your mother marrying our father. But you decided to stay in America to be a Rescue Ranger as Tammy Squirrel. That's how you managed to subdue a running thief. You are a rainbow, coming at the end of the storm and tell us things are going to be fine."
"You're a Polancco?", Mrs. Marino asks.
"She is a Polancco without the money.", Julietta starts her answer, "However there are a series of insurance checks for her in the hundreds of millions she has not received yet."
"I told Johan I do not care for the money, I want my sister Bink back!", Tammy holds back from yelling.
"I will tell you that Bink is no longer here in Milan. She was here. She went through a series of hospitals and orphanages where she attempted suicide several times and then disappeared. You could go to the hospitals and orphanages to try to find her, but I doubt you will.", Julietta explains.
"I will find Bink if it means that I have to turn Italy on its boot.", Tammy tells her.
"Well, it does look hopeless.", Julietta tells her, then takes a folder out and puts several pages in front of Tammy, "But that is not why I'm here. Now you said you don't want a reward or an award, but I do need you to sign some papers for the courts, saying that you took action as seen on the video tape to stop a crime in progress." She then puts a fancy pen next to the papers, "Sign on the dotted line at the bottom of each page."
"I'm not signing anything. How do I know I'm not signing away in my rights to money owed to me? You want me in court, you find me, give me a subpoena the day before the appearance and I will be there to testify. Until then, I will be searching for my sister because you idiots would not take her in when she was presented to you all! If you did then my search for her would have been easy!", Tammy tells her loudly and pushes the papers and pens at her. She gets up from her seat and walks around the table.
"Tammy, sit down.", Mrs. Marino tells her.
"No disrespect to you, Mrs. Marino but it is these people who deliberately decided not to take in my sister, their sister by marriage and now I have to look for her. They have not helped me in any way and keep throwing up roadblocks. It is because of them I am here. It could have taken one phone and I would have come for her but they did not do that, Mrs. Marino. They are the reason why my sister, a little girl of 10 years old is lost in Italy. So if you don't mind, or do, I'm going to my room.", Tammy tells them.
She walks to the doorway where the two rat bodyguards step in to block it. Tammy looks at them both before turning to Julietta.
"Tell these idiots to get out of my way.", Tammy tells her.
"Why should I?", Julietta taunts at her.
Without saying a word, Tammy turns around and stomp on both their foot and then knee them in the groin one after another before stepping over them and out the dining room. All Julietta could do was stare at what happened.
Tammy makes it to her room in about a minute. She props up the room's chair against the doorknob and turn off the lights. After more than a minute of knocking, it stops and a folded paper slipped under the door. After taking off her clothes, she finds it difficult to sleep with all the turmoil in her brain. Even though she does, it was not a restful sleep.