(Renata Pellegrini)
“Is there a problem, miss?” Mr. Lucas Parmanel suddenly asks as he enters the elevator. Since I became Filippo's secretary and personal assistant, I never needed to speak directly with the vice-president, the information exchange was always between me and Sofia.
“N-no, sir,” I answered, finding her question strange.
“You were lost because Filippo didn't show up today. Did I get it right?”
“Well, yes.”
“Take my advice, get used to it, it has happened that he has not shown up for more than a week.”
“Why is that?” I ask puzzled.
“It is none of our business, Filippo is not the kind of man who likes to explain himself.”
“I understand," I say, picking up my cell phone and checking once more that there are no messages.
I am upset, he didn't show up and didn't even send a message. I leave the elevator dialing the driver's number, but the new message notification makes me stop and open the message application:
Filippo, mio amato: I'll meet you at the movies, let's go to the six o'clock session.
Renata: Where are you?
Filippo, mio amato: I am leaving New Orleans.
Renata: It is more than a 15-hour drive from there to Washington. You won't make it in time for six o'clock.
Filippo, mio amato: I am in a helicopter.
Renata: See you at the cinema then. Did you manage to solve the problems in security?
Filippo, mio amato: We'll talk later, bye!
Renata: Bye!
“Idiot!” I mutter when I see your visa last.
“What is your name again?” Lucas asks, reminding me of his presence in the elevator.
“Renta Pellegrini, sir,” I hold out my hand and he shakes it.
“I won't forget, Renata, a pleasure to meet you,” he says, smiling gallantly.
“Likewise,” I reply with a small smile, pure courtesy.
I dial the driver's number again and ask him to come and get me, the elevator doors open, Lucas goes to one side and I go to the other. As I pass through the exit doors of the company, Xavier is already waiting for me with the car door open.
*****
I pick up my cell phone and check the time once more, it is already past six thirty in the afternoon. The movie must have already started. I walk from side to side restlessly, I thought I would see many people here, but so far I have only seen the cinema staff.
Tired of standing, I sit down on one of the seats, minutes pass and turn into an hour, my patience has run out.
I won't wait any longer. I pick up my cell phone and open the app in conversation with him:
Renata: You don't have to show up anymore, I'm coming home.
I sent the message and put the cell phone in my purse. I didn't need to call Xavier, he had already been ordered to wait outside, to take Filippo and me, but only I will return home.
“Home, please," I say as I get into the car, this time he was not waiting for me with the door open.
“And Mr. Valentini, ma'am?” He asks, surprised at my order.
“He is busy doing something more important," I reply bitterly.
I turn my face to the window and I am seething with rage, how I hate him! He gave me a cake, I've been waiting all day and he does this to me.
******
As I get out of the car in the garage I see that the front door of the house is open, a sign that he is home, but that he has not made any effort to come to our meeting and has not even had the slightest consideration to send a message saying that he has given up going.
I enter the house with my eyes on fire from so much hate, throw my purse on the sofa and start to chase after him. I found him in the first room, lying face down on the bed in the bedroom, dressed only from the waist down.
"He remembered to take off his blouse, but forgot his shoes" - I imply in my thoughts and roll my eyes watching his image annoyed.
I find it tremendously impolite to stand with my shoes on the bed. I take long, hard steps towards him, nudge his shoulder, but no reaction comes, I take a deep breath and count to three, no more patience, grab his shoulders and turn him over on the bed.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!" He groans in pain.
I can feel the air escaping from my lungs, there is a huge bandage on his shoulder, and it is bleeding! His face is covered with sweat.
Oh, shit! What should I do? How the hell did he get this wound?
Feeling my hands trembling, I take steps backwards going straight to the bathroom, when I came here in the morning I noticed a little white box inside the cupboard built into the sink, I take the box that contains several kinds of medicines, I throw several cartridges on the floor looking for one that serves for inflammation pain, muscles and fever. I found it! I also take a disposable cup from inside the box and fill it at the sink faucet, take the two pills, one red and yellow, the other white, and go back to where Filippo is.
I put the glass on top of the nightstand and hold his head, he grumbles and tries to move away, but I don't allow it. With the thumb of my other hand I pull his lip down a little and introduce the pills into his mouth, take the glass with water and place it in his mouth, carefully pouring the liquid into his mouth so that he doesn't choke, and tilt his head back a little more so that he swallows. After making sure that he has swallowed, I lay him down on the bed again.
I go back to the bathroom and get the materials needed to make a new dressing. I return to his side of the bed, even though I pull gently, he stirs as I pull on his dressing. I wipe away the blood and pour some iodine over his wound.
“He screams in pain, opens his eyes and tries to stand up. I put my weight on his chest, forcing him to remain lying down, after a few seconds he calms down and closes his eyes again.”
I finish putting the bandage on, it doesn't look as nice as before, but at least it's not covered in blood.
I leave the room and go to the kitchen, get a deep bowl and fill it with natural water, take a flannel and go back to the room.
I leave the bowl on top of the nightstand and open the bedroom windows, sit down next to him on the bed and soak the flannel in the water, feeling my heart squeeze, I begin to clean him.
After I remove all the sweat from his face and torso, his pained face eases, the medication must have started to take effect.
“You can't die,” I whisper, lying exhausted beside him on the bed.