With apologies and useless instructions
Ella caught me in a terrible state. I was dressed in a white shirt and black-and-white houndstooth leggings, my hair clumsily piled up in a bun, a blanket hanging from my shoulders, and a nose swollen from a cold made quite an impression.
— What’s wrong with you? — the girl demanded explanations in a panic.
— Come in, — I replied weakly.
— I’m waiting for details, immediately! — she threw off the pink coat she had on. Louis mewed pitifully, then climbed onto Ella's lap. I settled back into my armchair.
— Only if you tell everything too, — I wanted to listen, not talk. I felt so sad and somehow uncomfortable that I didn't even want to open my mouth.
— Of course, but first you! — my friend insisted. Louis indignantly jumped off her and crawled over to me.
I recounted everything from the beginning. Ella took a few moments to collect herself, processing the flood of information.
— With the ex? You’re kidding? — then she added, — we need to find her account and write to her, or better yet, find her address and sort it all out in person, — the blonde said it so aggressively that even I felt scared.
— Don’t lead me into sin, — I threatened her and quickly changed the subject. — At least I got nervous again and voilà… — I made a gesture as if holding a magic wand.
— And the classes? — it seemed she was more worried about my studies than I was.
— I wrote that I wouldn’t be there. I barely opened the door for you, and you want me to go to the university and listen to lectures?
— Of course not! Someone will have to take care of you, I’ll come as soon as our classes are over. Write to Dam, he’s supposed to cover for someone today, and that shouldn't be a problem.
— Your turn to talk, — and I was bombarded with details of my friend's recent dates with Nicolas.
Ella left, promising to return as soon as she could. She left me coffee on the table, which I happily sipped while curling up in the armchair under the blanket. I could hardly step outside, even though it was so sunny and warm out.
Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door. It was unlikely that Dam had escaped from work. Mia didn’t know anything yet, and Sara was at rehearsals. So who was it? I covered my open mouth with my palm, hoping I was mistaken.
Almost a year ago, I spent money on a modern doorbell with a camera and other perks. Now I finally understood what I had splurged on. I didn’t have to bother about opening the door. An unfamiliar man, obviously a courier, appeared on the small screen. Thank goodness I was wrong. But he was holding something unusual. Holy heavens! Those are red tulips! I opened the door for the man.
— Buongiorno, delivery in your name.
— But I didn’t order anything, from whom are the flowers?
— Sender’s data — confidential information, sign here, — said the courier, and I had to sign.
I stepped back into the apartment. How? In autumn, they are almost impossible to find here, and only Ella and Dam know that I adore red tulips. Could Damiano have been so moved that he sent me flowers? Deep in the bouquet with a wonderful scent, I found a note.
Everything is not as it seems.
We need to talk.
Leo
Pff. So much for that. Of course, it’s all Ella’s fault. A long conversation awaits us when my friend comes. If these had just been other flowers, I would have unhesitatingly given them to the first person I met, but these were tulips, red ones at that. And I couldn’t do that.
By evening, I felt even worse, with a rising temperature and weakness. I hardly ever get sick, so when I do, it tends to hit harder. On such days, someone often looked after me. Ella, Damiano… and earlier, my mom. Lemon tea was her favorite remedy against all viruses. And my older brother always bought me sweets to accompany mom’s effective “medications.” Yes, I have an older brother. After my move to Milan, he’s the only one who remained on good terms with me; he’s the only one in the family who supported my dream and believed in me. Mark. I realized I was reading that name. Yes, he called me!
— God, sis! Did you fall asleep or something? — how nice it was to hear my native language.
— Mark! I can’t believe it’s you, — my hoarse voice took on new colors.
— I’m good, you? Ella called me, said you were sick. I wanted to come to Milan for a few weeks. To visit you and relax a bit, so you don't mind my presence?
— God, of course I don’t mind! I’m so glad you’re coming. How long has it been since we saw each other? A year?
— Something like that... But for the last week of September, I fell into a depression and thought, why not visit my dear sister? So I immediately booked a room, — I knew he was teasing me, but I was so happy that I didn’t pay it any mind.
— Mark, why do you come up with brilliant ideas when you’re already in despair?
— All my ideas are brilliant, even when I’m as clear-headed as a sunny day.
— Oh, but you really are my sunshine.
Scorching, but I was used to it.
— Oh, Della! You’re like a storm cloud throwing lightning; there has to be balance in the world, — he laughed. — So how are you feeling?
— Terrible, but when you come, it’ll be better!
— I have a flight from Lviv tomorrow at noon, — I called Mark a nomad — every month he lived in a new city. As far back as I can remember, he always dreamed of this.
— So lie down to rest and don’t worry about me. I’ll pop by the hotel first, then come to you, just send me the address because I can’t remember it.
— I’m at your service, boss — I assured him.
He grunted and hung up. A message from Ella appeared on the screen:
“Sorry, unplanned meeting. Can you manage without me today?”
“Yes, of course,” I replied.
“Sorry again.”
I sent her a sticker with a heart and wrote:
“Have a nice evening with Nick)))”
Now she sent a heart back.
Dam could only come late in the evening after work, but I was still glad for his company.
— So, did he just go to the event without you or dump you and take up with her? — he asked, busy preparing carbonara. “Her” — was clearly the girl in the photo.
— I don’t think he wanted anyone to see that, — I pouted.
— Mr. De Ville, are you by any chance the last jerk changing girls like gloves? — he said in a high-pitched voice, which turned deeper as he answered his own question. — No, I’m just a fool obsessed with a girl who ignores me, so I go to various events with my ex.
— We’ve talked about this, I just don’t want a relationship right now, — but even that was no longer an excuse for me. Too much had happened between us recently. I didn’t know how heartless I had to be to be indifferent to what he did. And it had been bothering me since the moment in the rain. Back then, I felt such lightness dancing in the downpour and could not figure out what had left such an impression on me.
— Miss Ignorer, are you going to wander in your thoughts or will you share with me? — I really was staring at one point, as if hypnotized.
— I’m worried that I think about him too much, — Dam was the only one who could listen and give advice because Ella would start talking about how right she was or something similar.
— It’s normal if you feel something for him, — he sat down next to me, placing his hands on the table.
— But you know my story. I can’t trust people anymore, — I reminded him.
— Do you really want to be a lonely girl, or are you just running away from problems again? — that question threw me off balance. — I knew it! Maybe you should think about these feelings and figure out what they really are?
— It’s complicated, you don’t understand, — I began.
— Della, I understand everything because I faced it once, — I hadn’t expected such honesty from him, and I just looked at him with questioning eyes for him to continue. — A long time ago, I…
— O-o-oh no! — I interrupted him. — Let’s skip to the point. — Ha, I was waiting for you to say that, — I nudged him with my elbow. — Della, I also had a relationship after which I didn’t trust anyone. That’s why I moved from Rome to here. But look at me now!
— You’re the most naive person I know, apart from maybe Ella, — Damiano laughed and hugged me.
— Just promise me you’ll be happy, — he asked, but I remained silent.
I had no plans to go to bed yet, so I decided to read. Books… Well, you already know that I was taught to read a lot from a young age; at first, my mom approved of my activity, and then regretted it since she had to forcibly pull me away from books. In childhood, I read a lot of fantasy, and now I enjoy classics and romance novels.
My brother always read me detective stories. Though I must admit, I still can’t get enough of the adventures of Sherlock and Poirot.
A jar of peanut butter and candles with caramel scent completed this cozy home atmosphere. Later, to sleep better, I enjoyed the cool evening on the balcony with a cup of warm tea, wrapped in a soft blanket. Such moments are just unforgettable and comfortable. Sometimes I want to capture this with my own eyes to convey the entire atmosphere of this moment. Around midnight, I finally pulled myself away from the beautiful evening in Milan.