THE SHADOW AND THE AURORA

“... You can't divide the life of us

I beg you to wait for my love

But I can’t fool myself

The loneliness between us

This silence inside me

It's the fear of living life without you

I'm begging you to wait

I can't live without you...”

I have already had so many names during my uncertain life that I sometimes forget, but surprisingly, when I was rescued almost dead at the door of this convent, the first thing that came to mind was to reveal my true name when that Angel with greenish-brown eyes took care of my wounds with such attention.

I am Ken Matsumi, but everyone on the black resells arts objectsmarket knows me only as "The Shadow" because no-one has never seen me face to face and I never leave traces. A few months have passed, but I clearly remember that as soon as I recovered from the lair of Luiggi Fiorentino’s men, the art collector whose I stole, Mother Filipa reported through Sister Beatrice that she wanted to talk to me in her office.

I knocked on the door and she let me in, as soon as I sat down, Mother Filipa made me get right to the point.

"This morning three men came to the convent to ask for you, I realized that they were dangerous people, because one of them was very incisive in saying that you have something that belongs to their boss and that if I saw you, I must tell them,but I gave my word and promised by the name of God that you have never been in this convent, so I ask you who you are and who these men are.”

I was tired of living surrounded by lies; I took a deep breath and told the whole truth to Mother Filipa, preparing myself inwardly to escape, once she knew the truth about my life.

"I am in fact Ken Matsumi, but I'm not a carpenter as I said. Today I am not proud of what I did, but maybe being rescued at the door of this convent, be a sign of God that I can change the trajectory of my life and follow a new course. I steal art objects, masterpieces from renowned artists, from stratospheric values and resell it in the black market for a lot of money. I stole two art objects from Luiggi Fiorentino’s house, a wealthy collector who discovered later that I was involved with Mafia, he found out where I was hid and sent two henchmen to kill me, they stabbed me that night and left me in the convent front door, they thought that I was dead, sothey ran away without confirming if I was dead in fact because they were afraid, since a woman saw the whole scene and ran away as well. I'll leave here, I just beg you not to turn me in.”

“Do you realize what are you asking me? If you stay here, you can put all of us at risk. For God’s sake. Why did I allow you to be rescued?” – said the Mothergesturing with her hands, visibly tense.

"I understand it and would never forgive myself if something happens to any of the ladies, I only ask you to help me to get out of the convent without being seen, I need to take an amount of money and prepare myself to leave.

"When you say, ‘stratospheric values’, I suppose it should be a considerable amount, right?”

She is silent, thoughtful, and then signed for me to get closer and speak softly:

"You've spent so much time here, one more day, one day less will not make a difference, I'll help you disguise yourself and get out of here to solve your problems, but I ask you to contribute to the God’s work, we need to make the convent chapel over.

“Yes, of course, for all intents and purposes the money came through an anonymous donor; I thank you for your support and your discretion, Mother Filipa.”

"In the meantime, you can work here as a gardener, you would not arouse suspicion and it gives you time to get organized to leave."

In the next night, Mother Filipa called me into her room and handed me a black frock, ordering me to dress, she handed me the car key, so that I could do what I needed and return to the convent faster, without being seen.

I bowed my head and went down the hall, bumping into someone as I turned left, and when I raised my head, I faced Aurora, my God, why I had to find Aurora here, how will I explain these clothes without raising her suspicions?

That night I stayed overnight at a friend's house and the next day I got two million in my safe, I looked for a contact who gives me false documents when I need to, so thatI could get back to the convent.

Mother Superior is a short lady, with gray hairrigidly brushed, intimidating and very calculating, for behind her round glasses and her fake smile of docile lady, I know who she is, I know very well thehuman soul and that woman, in spite of her frock and the crucifix she carries on her breast, has a dirty soul.

I know what she really wants:the money.So, I stuff a brown envelope with five hundred thousand dollars and go into her office to negotiate her silence.

I sit down in front of her, she offers me a cup of tea, which I thank and deny, and once again, as soon as she notices the brown envelope in my hands, she goes straight to the point:

“Despite your mistakes, you are a good and generous man, Ken.Thank you. I will help you to stay here until you need it, today I even received a call from Mr. Luiggi Fiorentino, and he remains thirsty for revenge. But I kept telling him that you have never been here; I would never betray your trust, I know that you are a God-fearing man, you can still help us a lot with our works here.”

“Thank you, Mother, I hope to continue having your fidelity, Fiorentino is an extremely cold and dangerous man, to be involved with him would be a really dangerous attitude, he has no pain to exterminate anyone who surpasses his front. Here is my donation the works of the convent, take it.”

The door is suddenly open, and Aurora enters the room at the exact moment that Mother Filipa reaches out and picks up the envelope from my hands, she asks Aurora sharply:

"Who let you get into my room without knocking on the door, where are your good manners, Sister Aurora?"

"Then get out of here now, come back later, but next time, knock onthe door before entering."

"I think it was not her intention, Mother. Aurora must have knocked on the door, but we were distracted while talking." I say, raising my voice.Who does this old owl think she is to mistreat my princess?"

“Aurora? Sister Aurora, you mean? I know you became friends, but I cannot tolerate intimacies between a man and a woman here in my convent.”

"Shhh, shut up Aurora, we'll talk later.And you, Mr. Matsumi, can go back work.Have a good day. I have to call the company to make it over, we have a lot of work to do here in the convent."

The night falls and I cannot sleep again, Aurora’s image leaning on my bed, taking care of me, so beautiful, angelic, it takes away the sleep. I leave my room and go to the garden.Walking among the flowers clears my thoughts, but apparently, in this starry and cold night, I am not the only one who cannot sleep. Aurora sits on a bench, in a long white sweater covering her delicate forms, thoughtful, looking at the roses. I approach and she covertly tightens the knot of the robe and says ashamed:

"I thought you were asleep earlier today, the day was agitated. Mother informed us that she received a donation of an anonymous donor and that she will make the convent chapel over."

"I notice that almost every night you take a long time before getting to sleep.You always come here in the garden, is there something that's bothering you? I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but I consider you a friend and I do not know anything about you.”

I breathe deeply and the smell of Aurora's alabaster skin reaches my nostrils, sweeter and softer than the scent of these flowers, I try to maintain my decency and continue to keep me aloof but it is stronger than I, I’ve never wanted it, I’ve never fell in love with a woman as intensely as I do for Aurora. I pull a tuft of hair that stubbornly falls on his cheek and I say chasing his fleshy pink lips:

"All you need to know about me is that I am Ken Matsumi, a man filled with shadows and sins. And you rescued me, Aurora, not only rescued and healed my body, but also my heart.”

Without thinking whether it was right or wrong, I hold her soft and warm body next to mine and kissed her... Our lips merged as if we were one, the taste of his mouth mingling in mine was too good for not to taste. My hands run down her face, the side of her body, close to her breasts and our kiss becomes deeper, Aurora is scared with a noise and runs through the flowers, getting rid of me.

Three weeks have passed and every night Aurora and I meet in the garden, it is difficult to hide, to endure it during the day, the desire I have to take her in my arms, to kiss her mouth, to make her mine.

This morning while I was watering the flowers at the back of the garden, I saw some Fiorentino’s henchmen at the convent gate. I cannot stay here anymore; it is dangerous for me and for everyone who lives here. At night, I sneak through the corridors and knock on Aurora's bedroom, as she opens the door, I grab her waist and take her body to the wall, kissing her mouth, just the way I need it.

“Shhh, just listen to me.It's not safe for me to stay here, in the convent. Actually, this place is no longer safe for anyone, I'm gonna go. Please do not ask me to go without you, I will not be able to go ahead and leave you here.Come with me, let's start a new life, I have some money, we can live wherever you want.”

“Do not ask me questions now, I just ask you to trust me and come with me, I love you Aurora, so much, as much as I’ve never thought I could feel, do not leave me, come with me, be mine.”