Chapter 5: France

Narrated by Alex

I walk into the bar and she waves her hand at me, shit, she looks so much like her, blonde, green eyes, pretty, but not as pretty as her, no way.

Alex: - Hello Joanne - greetings to her.

Joanne: - I thought you weren't coming - she says with a predatory look. If she could, she would eat me right here, on the table lol.

Alex: - Yeah, I was a little late, but now I'm here - I say winking at her.

She laughs and puts her hand in mine, and makes circular motions with her fingernail on top.

Joanne: -I was thinking, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea for us to leave and... you know - she's really cheeky.

I get up, and just as she gets up and is reaching for her bag, someone comes over to our table.

- Already leaving??

Simone.

Simone lately has become very unstable, insistent and starts to annoy me.

I look at her impatiently.

Alex: -Yes, we are already leaving.

Joanne looks at us suspiciously.

Joanne: Didn't you tell me you were engaged?

Alex: - And I'm not, Simone is… how to say, like you, someone who has a good time every now and then.

Simone turns red with anger.

Simone: - So that's what I am for you! After so many years I'm still your whore, just that and nothing else.

Alex: - We've said this a million times, I won't and I don't want to talk about it here and now.

I make a move to start walking, and she grabs my hand.

Simone: - So that's how it is, you're going to leave me here and you're going to go out and fuck that one, when you can have me, only me.

I look at her with hurt in my eyes.

Alex: - Who I want just for myself is very far away Simone.

Having said that, I leave the bar with Joanne, the blonde with green eyes, similar to the one who is very far away.

gifts…

Narrated by Amy

I slept so badly last night that when the alarm clock goes off at 7:30 I just want to punch him, how angry.

The night before can't get out of my head, I feel so ashamed, so dirty, so down, I just want to stay here in bed and forget there's a world out there. I undress and get up with a hell of a headache. I go to the bathroom and take a pill out of the drawer, drink it with water and look at my reflection in the mirror.

-Where are you looking, silly shit - I say annoyed and go to turn on the water to take a shower.

I arrive at the office around 8:45.

The good mornings they're saying to me along the way from the elevator to my office sound like shrill screams in my ears, fuck it, I'm way too sensitive for this fucking headache.

Finally I enter my room, close the door and the silence that invades me seems like paradise.

When I get close to my table, I see another pretty package, with the red bow and that sweet scent that I always inhale from it.

Even without realizing it, I smile.

I sit up and look at the little package, I hold it and smell its sweet aroma which I adore.

Once again, no card or return address, just like the other three packages.

-What will it be this time? - I say to myself.

Curious, I pull the end of the red bow, inside there is a black box, I open it and I see a beautiful watch with light green diamonds around it.

I open my mouth in wonder, what a beautiful and delicate piece. I look around to see if there's any writing that might help me find out who the person is who sends me these magnificent gifts, but there's nothing.

I take off the watch I have on my wrist, and I put this jewelry on. It suits me well, the green diamonds are similar to my eye color.

I wanted so much to know who sent me these gifts, I have to be in very good account with the person who sent them.

I'm still going to find out, I don't know how or when.

Alarming proximity…

Narrated by Amy

I decide to go visit my father at lunchtime, I usually go only at the end of the day, but as I have a little more today, I'm going to surprise him, he'll like it.

I knock on the bedroom door and go straight in, and what I see leaves me a little intrigued.

I see my Nani very close to my father, leaning over him, who is half lying on the bed, it looked like he had his hands on her arms, and they were smiling at each other.

Nani jumps back when she hears the door, and my dad is wide-eyed looking at me in amazement.

Yeah, I knew he'd be surprised to see me here at this hour, but I think I'm the one who's been surprised here.

I narrow my eyes and ask.

Amy: - What's going on here?

He shifts in the bed, clearly uncomfortable.

George: - Nothing, daughter, Nani just came to visit me, after all, I've been here for so long, right? It's normal.

I turn my gaze to Nani, who is red as a tomato.

I get close to her and give her a kiss on the cheek, I love her so much, but I feel something strange in the air, Nani is too quiet, too quiet.

Amy: - Are you okay, Nani?

Nani: - Yes Amy, you're not upset that I'm here, are you?

Amy: - What an idea Nani, I was surprised when I walked in, sorry if I got the wrong idea.

hug her, Hey, something was going on here, but I won't press the point, at least not for now.

Nani: - Well, Mr. George, I'll be going, Amy is here, I don't need to stay here to keep her company.

George: - Of course Nani, thank you very much for everything.

She gives me a kiss, says goodbye and leaves.

I sit there chatting with my dad for about thirty minutes, I don't bring it up, and he seems pretty relieved about it.

But don't think that I'm going to forget this matter, I really won't.