Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 08:53:56 -0500
From: SSch191950@aol.com
Subject: The Lizard (Part 1) Chapter 7/19

THE LIZARD  - Primavera
by Stefan

Comments and suggestions are welcome

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7
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   "Those present may take their seats." The stern, old fashioned looking
notary took his glasses and placed them upon his nose. His watery eyes,
over the heavy lachrymal sacs, examined the row of people sitting in front
of him, while he took the sheets of paper. Valentina di Gondi-Lucertola,
the widow, clothed in black silk. The lace from her black Florentine hat
covered her face. Arrigo di Gondi-Lucertola, brother of the dead Matteo,
was sitting next to her. A heavy, stout figure with mahogany hair, like his
nephew Alessandro, sat indifferently, with arms folded across his
chest. Florentine's mayor and his wife, another brother of Matteo,
self-restrained as ever, just his sharp bent nose, the family trait,
twitched nervously from time to time. Anastasia, family jewel for more than
twenty years, occasionally wiped her eyes.

   "We come together to witness the testament of the late Matteo di
Gondi-Lucertola. Let us start." He cleared his throat and began to read
out.

   "I, Matteo di Ser Federico di Gondi-Lucertola, in possession of all my
mental and physical powers, declare my last will. The palazzo
Gondi-Lucertola, Firenze, goes into the sole possession of my beloved wife,
Valentina di Gondi-Lucertola, as well as our house at Fiesole. In addition
I bequeath to her 100,000 Euro each year as steady income.

   "Anastasia Foggi will be bequeathed 100,000 Euros for her long time
service in the favour of our house."

The notary stopped to dart a glance at the audience. He met only unmoving
faces, except for Anastasia, who looked at him with wide, disbelieving
eyes, filled with tears. He continued.

   "My son Alessandro di Ser Matteo di Gondi-Lucertola gets the lifelong
right to live in our Palazzo. The monthly income of 2,000 Euros are still
to be provided for his livelihood. Further my money as it is held in shares
and cash are bequeathed to him, but is held on one condition."

Alessandro turned his eyes surprised. He hadn't expected a cent of
money. He was curious to hear the condition.

   "Before my son gains the year of twenty-one he has to be married, and
delivered of a male heir for our estate. Since he is the last offspring of
our old, honourable family, the line must be continued. If he does not
succeed, all money goes to the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella,
Florence, to care for the poor."

The notary took off his glasses and stared at Alessandro who stared stunned
back. He hadn't expected money, and under these circumstances he didn't
want any of it. The church could do what they wanted with that. He felt
everyone's eyes on him. Waiting. Lurking.

   "Alessandro, your father's wealth is about twenty million Euros. I am
sure you'd like to keep that in your family."

Alessandro slid on his chair. Twenty million Euros? He had never been
interested in the family's wealth, but this sum was exorbitant. He had
known that there was money, but not in this extreme abundance. What could
he do with that? Ten lives wouldn't be enough to spend it. And the church?
What could, what would they do with it? Care for the poor? Build hospitals?
Spend it for research? For the fight of diseases? Or decorate their order?
The prior of Santa Maria Novella would be ordered to Rome when he could
bring such a fat piece of prey...

Then he swallowed hard. That would mean... he had to father a kid? How? And
why? How ridiculous. His thoughts raced while everyone was still staring at
him from all sides. Ideas of artificial insemination crossed his mind. He
could do this. He could... yes, that was the only thing he could do. There
was no way he would marry and fuck a girl.

At the same moment Luca's face appeared. How much fun they had. Have. Could
have.

   "Will you accept?" the notary was asking him. Alessandro heard it behind
a thick cloud of thoughts. "You do not have to decide now. But if you
accept, you are bound to all conditions."

Alessandro nodded slowly. "I need time to think it over, please."

   "Good. Within a week we will meet here again to hear Alessandro's
decision."

The notary rose from his chair and shook the hands of all. Then he took
Alessandro aside and handed him an envelope. "This is for you. Your father
handed it personally to me, shortly before his death."

Awkward silence. The rest of his family had gathered on the floor,
whispering and glancing occasionally at Alessandro, leaning against the
wall beside the group, reading his father's letter.

"Alessandro,

when you read this you will have heard my last will. You will find it very
odd. But what did you think will happen? I decided to add this stipulation
concerning you, when I felt my time was coming. My heart is weak and you
did not do anything to help me improve my state of health.

You are the last one carrying our name. Our family is weak to the final
shoot. Washed-out by centuries. And perverted. You know what I mean by
this. But our family has not survived to perish in shame and disgrace. It
must be carried on.

If you go and search for a woman that breeds children, be careful. Arrigo
will watch you. It is YOU and only you who will carry on the family's
name. It might be, that you will gain pleasure in this.

Matteo di Gondi-Lucertola"

Alessandro gave a helpless snort of disapproval. His father couldn't even
bring himself to sign himself 'father'.

He folded the letter and fanned himself with it. He knew he was being
watched. Everybody was waiting for his decision. And if he going to throw
it into the wind, he would have the scorn of his family for all time. His
uncles would end up with nothing. No doubt it was on him to save the Gondi-
fortune. He wouldn't have a single silent minute again. "You must not give
away twenty millions of the hard-earned money of the family. Gained over
centuries. Lost very little of it." He could imagine his uncles now.

He had a life-long right to live at the palazzo, but that was all. His
father had left no further money for him; everything was bound to the
condition to marry and become the father of a son. A son - mind you. How
many tries would it need to become the father of a son when it could be
always girls? That thought amused him somewhat and he turned to his family.

He met the compassionate, old eyes of Anastasia, a little, fragile woman
with a little, black hat. The eyes of his uncles were empty. And his
mother? The once beautiful Valentina, the princess of Firenze, now
destroyed by alcohol whose signs she could hardly cover. Not even with her
black veil.

   "What is there to grin about, son?" Arrigo snapped.

   "I'm not your son, zio. Your nephew, as you might remember. And its up
to me to keep the money rolling in, isn't that so", Alessandro
sneered. "What would you do if I refuse to produce the heir and the money
goes to the church? To decorate our family chapel for instance? Or to
reserve the Dominican parish of Firenze the biggest part in the heart of
Rome's Pope? He would certainly be pleased."

   "Alessandro!" Emilio, the mayor, made a step forward. "You honestly
can't do that. For heaven's sake, is it so complicated or beneath your
dignity to marry to give us a heir?"

Alessandro shook his head. It wouldn't be complicated, but it would be
against Alessandro's concept of his life. He wanted to study. He wanted to
become a historian. He wanted to be free.

   "And why isn't the money you have enough? You can live from your own
income. What if I decided to decree explicitly for what my money should be
used?"

   "Because it is OURS!" Arrigo roared. "Nobody will take it away."

Alessandro closed his eyes. "I have one week to think it over. I'll let you
know my decision."



He couldn't be alone right now. His mind would go round and round without
finding a way out. But he didn't want to talk about his sorrow either. He
was the strong one who never ever needed anyone to help him out.

On the other hand, there was someone who could help him. Not with his
decision, but by his presence. He knocked at the front door of Luca's home,
a palazzo like his own, though comparatively much smaller, and not with the
same rich abundance of masterly worked stone masonry. He faced Luca's
brother, thankfully it wasn't Dante. He didn't want to see that angry
face. Heaven knew how that could be Luca's brother.

Marcello looked him up and down, chewing at a tramezzino. Of course, it was
the lunch break. Apparently the family gathered at home then. "What do you
want?" Marcello asked. "You have the biggest talent for showing up at the
wrong time."

   "Why? Isn't he here?"

   "Of course he's here." Marcello made somewhat of a bow and opened the
door invitingly. "Come on in." Alessandro sailed along, directly into the
kitchen. Each family member was gathered around the wooden table, eating
cooked rabbit. Alessandro's mouth watered.

Luca's fork fell onto his plate and he rose. "Sit down, son", Niccolò
growled. "What do you want this time?"

   "I'm really sorry. I'll come back later." Alessandro looked suddenly so
boyish, that Clarissa's heart was touched. "Sit down, Alessandro. Are you
hungry?" She started to pull out another plate, knife and fork and moved
another chair to the table next to her. She waved to it invitingly and
Alessandro followed, though he didn't know what was happening to him.

He felt Dante's glaring stare. He felt Marcello's curious eyes, and Giano's
almost embarrassed look. Just Luca's face was glowing with
excitement. Alessandro avoided looking at Niccolò. Silently he let Clarissa
put him a piece of rabbit on his plate, a sauce with the scent of wild
rosemary, decorated it with glazed carrots and a break off a large piece of
bread for him. "There you have it, now enjoy your meal." She looked
friendly and motherly. Alessandro's heart tugged, but bravely he took his
fork and tried a piece. It melted on his tongue. "You're an excellent cook,
signora."

Clarissa was pleased. It seemed as if the chatter had died when Alessandro
had joined the table. Everyone was eating in silence, passing an
occasionally stare over the table to the unwelcome intruder. Luca winked at
him from time to time, and Alessandro loosened up somewhat. With his bread
he took the last remainder of the sauce and sighed. "That was the best
rabbit I've ever eaten, thank you", he said as polite as he could. Niccolò
eyed him. "And why have we the pleasure of your company?" he asked,
reaching for his pipe, stuffing tobacco in it.

   "Well... I didn't want to disturb you. I forgot the time. I wanted to
pick up Luca actually."

Clarissa wondered about Alessandro. He had lost his cocky behaviour and
appeared to be an actually charming boy.

   "Can I go with him?" Luca asked, already standing beside his
chair. Dante left the kitchen.

   "If that's all...." Niccolò waved with his puffing pipe.

   "Wait for me, I'll be back in a minute", Luca said and rushed out of the
kitchen. Alessandro followed him, but not without thanking the family for
the meal. In the hall Dante was waiting for him.

   "What do you want from my brother?" he growled. He was a half a head
bigger than Alessandro and looked somewhat menacing.

   "What do you want from me? Are you your brother's guard? Luca can go
wherever he want."

   "He can't. He isn't of age. He still lives at our home. So, I ask you
again, what do you want, you little queer?"

Blood shot into Alessandro's face. "Nobody's going to call me a queer," he
hissed dangerously. "I'm warning you."

Dante just laughed. Luca came down the staircase, wondering about the scene
in front of him. But Alessandro took his arm and shoved him out the door.

   "What was that? Did you have an argument?" he asked, watching
Alessandro's angry face.

   "Nothing important."

Luca stopped in his tracks. "Geez, I forgot to tell you. Dante found a
drawing of mine. I mean of you. All naked..." he blushed and shuffled his
feet.

   "Naked? Of me? Madonna, how could you leave it lying around?"

   "I didn't. Dante must have brought my gifts up to my room, snooped
around and found it."

   "Next time you'll hide it better. I need a drink, what about you?"
Without waiting he entered the next bar, sat at a table in a corner and
ordered two grappas. Luca sat in front of him.

   "Do you still have the drawing?"

Luca nodded. "Dante called me names. I don't know what's gotten into
him. He has never act this way before."

   "He has never assumed that you're queer before", Alessandro stated,
while the waiter placed two glasses of grappa on the table. Alessandro
drank it down in one gulp. "Another please."

Luca sniffed at the glass. He didn't like grappa but nonetheless he sipped
a bit of it. Then he shivered. Alessandro grinned. "And what now?" he
asked. "Will he tell your parents?"

   "So far he hasn't. But what will happen when he does?"

   "Your mother's a nice woman, about your father I can't tell. They surely
won't hate you. You have enough brothers who can breed grandchildren."

  "Is that the only aspect of life?" Luca asked. "To breed children?"

Alessandro swallowed the second grappa. "For some people it is. That's the
concept of life. To survive. To carry on the family's name. To hand over
your possessions." He shrugged. "To me it's not important. I didn't ask to
come into this world. It's my life now. I don't feel a responsibility to
society."

  "We don't live on an island."

Alessandro looked up surprised. "I told you, you're much too serious for
your age, amore." He leaned over. "That was a philosophical opinion. Tell
me more."

   "What more? It's giving and receiving." For a moment Luca searched for
words. "It's like a symbiosis of nature. We take fortunes from others. And
the other can expect to receive something from us. That's all."

Alessandro shook his head. "It isn't so easy. What if nature stops us from
giving?"

   "How do you mean?"

   "Look. We both are men. We can't have children on our own. We need the
female part as it is written in the book of nature. And what will you do
when you want to have children?"

   "Adopt one."

   "Nobody will give it to you because you're a queer and will spoil the
kid's soul. They think it's infectious. Homosexuality I mean. And after
all, it isn't the same. It's not your own flesh and blood. I was talking
about handing over your genes."

   "I know. But what's all this talk about?" he asked warily.

Alessandro looked out of the window. Over the expanse in front of the
church of Santa Croce strolled the usual groups of tourists, gathering in
front of the monument of Dante Alighieri.

   "I've been to Will reading of my father."

   "You didn't tell me!"

   "No. It was this morning. You see the heir of to almost twenty million
sitting in front of you."

Luca was shocked. "No, you're kidding me." But Alessandro's eyes told him
that he wasn't. Luca emptied his grappa in one go and coughed. "What will
you do with it?" he managed to say.

   "Give it to the church."

   "What?" Luca laughed harshly. "The church? You?"

   "Will you marry me now that you know that I'm a good match?" Alessandro
winked invitingly.

   "Right away, let's go", Luca said dryly.

They stared at each other, not knowing what to say.

   "There's just one problem. I really have to marry."

   "Marry." Luca repeated. "Marry? Who said that?"

   "A clause in the Will. I'll get the money when I marry and have a son."

   "But, come on, that's ludicrous. Are we living in the middle ages where
the father can extort his son?"

   "You don't know the noble families, amore."

Luca shook his head. This was impossible to believe. "And who will get the
money if you turn it down?"

   "The church."

   "The church? Was your father so religious?"

   "Of course he wasn't. It's a trick he plays on me. Even after he's
dead. Take revenge for my heinous life. I bet he jerks off right now from
pure pleasure at having me in a pickle."

   "And otherwise you'll have no money? But your mother?"

   "She'll have the houses and a bit of money each year income as well as
I'll have. 2,000 each month."

   "So she certainly could provide you with some of it until you can stand
on your own feet."

   "I'm sure my uncles will find a way to hinder that."

They fell silent.

   "I have two and a half years to fulfil my father's wish, Alessandro said
finally, throwing some Euros upon the table cloth. "Let's not think about
it. I'll start my study soon anyway."

   "But..." Luca rose and followed Alessandro out. "You have to decide. You
can turn down the bequest. I don't have much money either, and I can life
off that."

   "Yeah. You. Next week my decision has to be made."

Luca stood on the pavement. His head swirled. "What will it mean to us when
you marry?" he shouted after Alessandro's back, not caring about the people
passing by.

Alessandro waited for him to come closer. "Probably nothing. I'll continue
my life. But", he hesitated, "that's not what I want, you see? I don't want
to live a life of hiding, of lies. It soils our relationship. It puts it
into a corner where it doesn't belong. I don't want to become one of those
cowards, living their real life in a fantasy world. Or in gay bars,
carefully hidden in the darkest corner. I am out. I am gay. Everybody shall
know."

Luca said nothing, but he understood. "You've slept with girls before", he
mumbled.

Alessandro turned furiously. "And so what? Haven't we all before we realize
what we really want? It wasn't a mistake. I won't say it wasn't worth
it. It's not that different."

   "So..."

   "What so?" Alessandro snapped. "You say I should fuck the girl, get a
son and live happily ever after with my twenty millions, right? That's the
price for losing my soul?"

   "You could divorce after a while, pay the mother, take your son and live
with the twenty millions happily ever after."

Alessandro looked at him surprised. "I hadn't expected such corrupt ideas
residing in your mind, gioia", he said calmly. But the idea had fallen on
fertile ground. Could he find a girl to make an agreement with? Perhaps it
wouldn't be that difficult when he could promise a generous compensation.

   "But the kid?" Luca asked. "Wouldn't you be interested? Having a son?
Wouldn't you care for him?"

   "I'm a kid myself still!"

Luca couldn't object. More than anything he wanted to comfort
Alessandro. The ridiculous clause couldn't be the end of the world. "May I
come to your place?" Luca rubbed Alessandro's back.

   "Sure you can", he responded softly. Alessandro didn't feel like
himself. Nothing, absolutely nothing had been able to throw him off track
like this. It concerned his future life, that was true.

He sat with Luca on the loggia in the wicker chairs. After yesterday's rain
the air was fresh and clean, and a mild breeze was getting up. He didn't
want to end their days together this way. Their days before he started his
study at Pisa. On the other hand, they hadn't made a pact. They were
sharing the bed, that was true. But how much of his time was Luca allowed
to give him? He, being the protected chicken of the family. Not of age,
jealously watched by his big brothers. Admittedly, Luca was intelligent,
and he had good talks with him he didn't dream of having with his
buddies. Just the opposite. But was this the start of a real relationship?
It couldn't be. Both of them were much too young.

   "I'm much too young to bind myself for all of my life", he said aloud.

   "Of course you are. That's why I suggested you marry and divorce. If you
find a girl that agrees to it for money it should certainly be this way."
Luca was agitated. "I mean, the facts are clear: she gets what she wants
and you get what you want."

Alessandro sighed. "If only it was that easy. You remember the kids of
Michael Jackson? I guess he made a similar agreement. You don't believe in
the slightest that his kids were sired in a natural way, do you."

   "You mean, he bought his kids?"

Alessandro flinched. Could you play with humans? What if his son found out
that he was fathered without love? Just to fulfil a monstrous last will?
Because money was more important than the birth of a new human? Even if
that new born would have the best conditions in which to start his life?
Wealth, care, perhaps love in the circle of a family? And who would that
be, eh? His drunken mother, who didn't care the least about other people?
His uncles and their wives, who weren't able to breed kids themselves?
Another idea crossed his mind.

   "What if I'd find a doc that proves I am infertile?"

   "What?"

Alessandro leaned forward. "Yes. I can't father children, imagine that. And
what then? Would the money be mine or the church's?"

   "You'll never find a doc to prove that. And how will you pay him? Your
family will drag you in front of every doc they know of."

Alessandro leaned back again. Luca was right. There was no way out.

   "But what will happen when you indeed turn it down? The money would be
lost to the family. They would be cross with you, right. But they won't
kill you."

   "I wouldn't be so sure about that", Alessandro said gloomily, and Luca
laughed unkindly.

   "Now, where's that pearly laughter of yours, hm? Come, let's forget
about this. My mother's gone to Fiesole and we have the house to
ourselves. You haven't seen the rest of it."

He pulled Luca along with him, giving him the grand tour. But it wasn't
showing off, Luca sensed that. He just should learn more about Alessandro's
household. He felt as if he was visiting a museum and he was glad when he
could return to Sandro's room under the roof. Nothing of what he had seen
was cosy enough to live in.

   "Come here", Alessandro said, taking Luca into his arms. Oddly enough he
felt weak and Luca was the only person he would allow to sense it. He
wondered why. Stroking Luca's back up and down, his face buried into the
blond hair, he felt for the first time how good it was to have a
friend. Even more, when the friend and lover were the same.

Luca had so many questions still to ask on his behalf. He was very confused
about the events. He couldn't grasp the wealth this family had gathered
over the centuries. He couldn't even comprehend the change Alessandro was
going through. It was as if he would turn into another under his hands. He
pulled him to the bed, pulled away the curtain, and fell with him between
the soft pillows. This at least was something he understood. A place for
withdrawal. A comfort. A place of their own with no stares, no nasty names
called, and reality could wait outside.

It wasn't long before their sex drive gained the upper hand. It wasn't to
see if Luca had learnt to hold out; it was a play, nothing more. And he
could repeat it as often as he wanted. "That's the good fortune of being so
young," Alessandro said indistinctly, sucking at Luca's cock, dangling in
front of him, while Luca did the same for him. "That's called 69."

Luca moaned. "No more of that education, please", before both burst out
into a heartfelt laughter.


To be continued...