CHARLOTTEIt felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and the drive back to the estate was the best I’d had in a long time. I rolled down the windows, and the evening breeze blew through my hair. Surprisingly, my headache had stopped throbbing.The sweet taste of the bun still lingered on my tongue, and I craved more. I contemplated the distance I would have to drive to get them and forced myself to move in the direction I had chosen. However, as I drove past the gates, I had a grand idea.Maria and I would eat out. Why not? It made sense; we were two women in that gigantic house and equally big estate. We needed to get out for a bit. She’d pick the restaurant, and we’d have a great time. I drove the car to a halt, and when I alighted, she was walking through the door holding a piece of paper and a pencil in her other hand.“Whatever that is, I don’t want to hear it,” I announced. She looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Don’t look at me like that; we’re going out.”“G
CHARLOTTEThe following weeks were a whirlwind of activities, mainly focused on renovating the house and interviewing new staff. Initially, I had decided not to be involved in the selection process, but Maria insisted on consulting me about everything. So, this morning, we found ourselves sitting in the study with a group of applicants waiting in the hallway.Setting up seating arrangements for the fifteen candidates who had applied for the position was a challenge, but we managed to get it done. Amidst the chaos, the handymen Maria had hired to fix the wall called to reschedule, and she was visibly miffed about it."Think about it like this," I whispered as I rocked our chairs gently. "It would've been terrible to interview in such a noisy environment."“But still, we needed to get it done today.” Her face morphed into a frown. “I could find a different firm to handle it.”“Didn’t you say they were the best you knew?”“Yes, but I’m sure there are others equally capable,” she answere
CHARLOTTEThe morning I left Milan had been unusually cold, and the air smelled a little different. I asked Maria if she noticed it, but she answered by saying that she didn't feel anything unusual. I sneezed as we got into the car, and she suggested that we go back and reschedule if I wasn't feeling well."It's alright, Maria," I said with a thin smile.The drive to the airport was filled with conversations between her and the driver, Luigi. I could tell they had a rapport from prior conversations as they discussed a place I wasn't familiar with. I listened to their exchange, grateful for the distraction from the thought of leaving Maria all alone.I tried to dismiss her, but as I boarded the plane, I couldn't deny that I felt a little different. Maria had accompanied me to the airport, and the new driver had made a good impression by getting us there in record time. We had some time to talk while we waited, enjoying breakfast together in a restaurant. When it was time to board, we s
ROGERIOIt had been a few weeks since I had seen Charlotte. I wasn’t necessarily keeping count, but the conversation with Maria replayed in my mind occasionally. This morning, it was louder than ever, making me feel uneasy. Elena hadn’t mentioned anything about going to the estate. I couldn’t decide if it was because of the wedding preparations, but we have had conversations about a lot of things since she returned. She spent most of the time at her family’s estate and came over when she needed to.I had no problems with the arrangement; it meant I had my space to myself. I needed time alone these days; everything left me feeling irked or annoyed, like something was missing. I tried to shake off the feeling and considered the possibility of Maria lying, but shook my head slowly.“What would she stand to gain from that?” I muttered and stared at the clock on the wall. I had come to the office to complete some work for a potential investor, but they had rescheduled, thankfully. I was in
CharlotteI was in Newark, at least that’s what the brochure in my hands indicated. It felt great to be somewhere new. The uneasy feeling that enveloped me earlier in the day and throughout the ride had dissipated, and I felt a little more like myself again.I looked around the airport, watching as people rushed to their destinations. Others, not in a hurry, huddled in small groups, discussing in hushed tones, or passed the time reading a book or sipping coffee. In the corner, a child was throwing a tantrum, and I felt a twinge of sympathy for their visibly distressed parent.Only a little, because well, I don’t know much about parenting, but I’m sure having to deal with different emotions from your ward comes with the job description. I moved my gaze from the scene and scanned the room with my eyes.A few moments later, I found my target: an empty seat. After the uncomfortable flight I just had, I was in no mood to put myself in a position that required a conversation with another pe
CHARLOTTEI opened my eyes the next morning, a few minutes before the alarm went off and the memories of the previous night danced through my mind. I smiled wistfully, content with the decision I had made, but still feeling like I had lost something.I tried to shake it off and focus on the fact that I had given myself quite the experience. I turned off the alarm and got out of bed. I looked around the hotel room and realized that I had forgotten to check for cameras or get an extra lock for the door.“Need to make better decisions,” I muttered, eyeing the room’s disarray, a reflection of my current state of life.It wasn’t terrible, but I had a flair for the dramatic. Clothes were strewn about, my notepad upside down—it all amplified my self-criticism. I had to remind myself that this wasn’t Milan; littering didn’t mean I was stressing the person cleaning up after me. This time, I had to take care of my mess. It felt good and terrifying at the same time.I clicked my tongue against t
In the Halls of RemembranceCHARLOTTEThe scene shifted abruptly. One moment I was on a plane, anticipating my destination, and the next, I found myself standing in the old apartment I had lived in with my parents as a child. My mouth felt dry, and a metallic taste lingered on my tongue, preluding an overwhelming sense of dread.This was a different dream—a very unfamiliar one. I had been plagued with dreams about Rogerio and me a few weeks before our divorce and a few weeks after we had concluded the separation, so I knew this had nothing to do with him.I looked around for signs of any other person, but it was eerily silent. The walls were painted pale pink and adorned with a rainbow on one side. I searched my mind for hints regarding the direction of this entire experience, but for the first time in a very long time, my mind was silent. I was used to thoughts bouncing all over the place as I struggled to keep them in check, so I wasn’t sure how to respond to a quiet mind.The feeli
CHARLOTTE“I’m sorry, you were crying in your sleep,” he uttered as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Are you alright?”My eyes darted to and fro as I tried to remember where I was. The sound of the plane’s engine hummed in the distance as I realized what had happened. While I was having what seemed to be one of the worst times of my life, he was watching it happen in real time. I looked around, wondering if anyone else was watching this, but thankfully, they were lost in their worlds.I turned my attention back to the man on his knees. “Please stand up,” I said, but he ignored me and watched me curiously.“Do I need to get the medic?” he asked.“Oh, no. I’m fine; I just need to catch a minute,” I replied, closing my eyes for a moment.“You’re sure?” he asked, and I opened them and turned to look at him. I nodded in response and wiped the tears off my face. I looked around for the tote bag I had carried with me and found it on the floor. Some of the contents had spilled out in fron