Angel's Trumpets - 9. Epilogue

It was Autumn in South-Tyrol. The figs on the large trees with the finger-shaped leaves were ripe to pluck. Leandro had known figs before but he had never tasted that ripeness fresh from a tree before, standing in Daniel's garden. It went well together with the white, creamy cheese Daniel had prepared for them.

Lazily he stroked the young male shepherd dog between his legs, then he groped for the postcards lying on the oak wood table next to the window.

His look fell upon the grassy mountains in the far distance. The light was sharp and cut the air like a knife. Each contour was clearly to be seen, like a cut-out. The river Passer twinkled with tiny waves where it broke at a mighty tree branch that had fallen into the water or where it whirled over light gray stones. He heard Daniel rummaging in the kitchen.

He stared at the postcards from Berlin. It was Nicholas tiny handwriting and the other was filled with Simon's generous writing. Leandro smiled and took another card. It was a photo of the Pope posing in front of the Vatican, embracing the whole world. Only Kay could have had this idea. He turned it and read:

Hey sweetie, how's it going? Have you worn out Danny already? Everything's fine here. I've got an offer to pose for another underwear collection, would you believe that! George has left Italy and returned to London. His memory isn't fully regained but he has to come back to Rome to give his testimony for Cardinal Borghese's trial. It will start very soon and is all over the place in the newspapers. Well, he isn't cardinal anymore for the curia has expelled him.

Andrea and Roberto are living together now, they have opened a shop where they are selling Tasso's underwear. From what they have told us, they are making a million 😉 I ask myself if I shouldn't ask for a job there!

Tasso and Luigi have moved to Capri. Sebastian is receiving a card occasionally. He says that he feels like old Emperor Tiberius, standing at his villa, looking over to the Blue Grottos.... I wonder what he means. Perhaps we will visit them soon. And you both, of course.

Well, hear you soon, give my love to Danny,

Love, Kay

The photos, Nando had shot, had given the proof that Gianluca was the killer for they show that moment when he had tried to pull the plastic bag over Leandro's head. Added with the testimonies of the strippers he was found guilty. Gianluca didn't deny it anyway. He was broken. His mind had turned into something that wasn't exactly human anymore. The prison's doctors thought it was the effect of the Angel's Trumpets. Leandro found it a matching name: Now Heaven's Trumpets had blown to the final punishment.

There was one letter left. It was from Vincenzo. Leandro had read it before so he pensively waved with it in front of his face.

Vincenzo had returned to Volterra and his wife was pregnant. Good for him, he thought. Then he shook his head. "You are what your are. Nothing more and nothing less." He remembered Daniel's words clearly. And Vincenzo was one of those men who couldn't change his spots. He was a damn coward, choosing always the easy way.

Daniel appeared with a tray full of fresh roasted maronis. He placed a glass with cooled wine in front of him and patted the dog, who still hadn't a name. Daniel started to peel one of the maronis and shoved it into Leandro's mouth. It was sweet and like a potato with a nutlike aroma. "What does Kay write?" he asked. Leandro handed him the card.

"Good old Kay. He's still the cheerful lad we have known." Then he looked seriously into Leandro's eyes. "I don't want to start our relationship with a secret." He lifted his glass and drank. "We've spent a night together. That was when Sebastian and Kay had their quarrel and we both had felt very alone."

Leandro wanted to say something but stopped himself. After a while he said "He saw you naked." He put his face close to Daniel's. "I'm pretty jealous." He started to smile.

"Nothing more?"

"Nothing more. Thanks for telling me." Leandro tried to picture this in his mind. Flashes of dancing bodies occurred. But then he put them aside. There was time enough to talk about it later.

"Uncle Emilio was pretty surprised about my decision."

"So? Did he say that it was stupid to give up such a good job?"

"No. Well, sort of. But then he said he was happy for me."

"Would you mind to visit your parents?"

"My parents? I'm not ready to face them. Vincenzo wrote that his wife is pregnant."

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Congratulations. I hope he knows what he's doing." He peeled the rest of the maronis and ate a fig with some white cheese.

The last sunbeams died outside the windows. Rapidly it was getting darker and cooler. Leandro shivered. He took up the puppy and pressed him onto his chest where he started to lick at Leandro's neck. He giggled. "He still hasn't a name."

"What about Goodluckcharm?"

"Sorry?"

"Well... it's our choice." Daniel sat beside Leandro and patted the soft dog's hair. "You make me happy", he whispered.

"I hope you mean me and not the dog", Leandro teased him and Daniel chuckled. "You don't want an answer, do you." He took Goodluckcharm and sat him down onto the floor. "It's like I've known you my whole life", he said then. His green eyes sparkled with desire and something more behind that only Leandro could read. He smiled at him and raked his fingers through Daniel's thick, auburn hair. "I still haven't managed to count all your little freckles upon your nose", he whispered.

"Why don't you start right now?"

Down in Meran the lights went on.