Chapter 4: Questions

Knock! Knock!

“Mr Micheal?” 

Laura’s voice startled them and this made Michael break the kiss. Luca became startled, biting his bottom lip softly. 

Michael put his hands in his pants pocket and shifted his gaze to the door. 

“Laura, can you come back? I'm pretty busy at the moment.” He called authoritatively. 

“But ... you asked me to submit these files.” She replied from behind the door. 

“I won't repeat myself, " he affirmed, hearing footsteps receding. He lowered his gaze to the shaken Luca, and a mischievous smile appeared on his lips. “Are you okay?” 

“Ye…yes.” Luca stuttered as he stood up immediately, shifting away from Michael and avoiding his gaze. “I should take my leave now sir.”

Michael walked back to his seat and sat down, pushing the bowl forward then took his jacket. “Thank you for the meal.”

“It is my pleasure, sir,” Luca answered back then took the bowls, placing them in the tray a carefully with his head bowed. His fingers trembled as he picked up the tray with both hands. “I will take my leave, sir.”

He left the office swiftly and realized that the lunchtime had ended as the employees returned to their various desks. He let out a heavy breath as he returned to the cafeteria with the tray. 

Meanwhile, Michael brushed his hair back with his fingers, his mind racing with different thoughts as he closed his eyes. He'd never been so careless kissing a man in his office, he had never done it before in his workplace, Why now? 

He exhaled sharply as he lowered his hands to his table, he felt a connection to Luca and could not explain it. They had just met and it was even his first day at work, so why did he allow him to deepen the kiss? He could have pushed him away or something but he did not do that? He knew he had to be careful, he had Maria to deal with, and any other issues wouldn't make sense. 

After arriving from the cafeteria, Luca went back and was unable to concentrate on his work. He tried hard to get what had happened earlier between both of them out of his mind but he couldn't. 

As the workday drew to a close, Luca was glad that he'd soon go home and leave behind the lingering thought. He heard the door open and raised his head to look at the intruder. His fingers stopped typing on the keyboard as he saw Michael standing in the doorway. 

“It is your first day, you should leave work early.” He let out nonchalantly as if nothing had happened between them earlier. 

Luca stood immediately. “Alright, sir.” 

“Good day.” 

“Take care, sir,” Luca answered back and watched as he left. He heaved a sigh as he sank back in his chair. 

After work hours, he left the company premises and took a taxi home, his mind still preoccupied with the incident earlier. His thoughts, overwhelming than the evening traffic. He replayed the past conversation, word and word as he had mixed emotions. 

“I should just have a hot shower.” He let out softly as he alighted from the taxi then watched as it drove off. He looked down at his hands and realized, he had not brought a bag since he was going for an interview, he only held his slim file. 

He strolled to his apartment quietly and opened the door. The aroma of grilled steak wafted through the air as he stepped in. He smiled broadly, changing his expression so his grandma wouldn’t be concerned.

“My, my, my! What is going on in this room?” He questioned loudly as he walked in, dropping the file on the table. 

“You are just in time for dinner.” She answered back as she placed a glass container on the table. 

“That smells good, it seems we are having grilled steak and roasted vegetables for dinner?” Luca retorted as he undid his tie and dropped it on the table. 

“You look exhausted, did that proud CEO make you work your ass out?” She asked as she arranged the plates on the dining table carefully. 

“Exhausted? Proud?” Luca sat on the sofa instantly, picking up the remote before him. “You must have done your research on Mr Beaufort and I did not work my ass off today, I was treated like a king.” 

Grandma scoffed as she dished out the food gently. “I saw his picture on the internet earlier, he looked like a perfect gentleman.” She paused then raised her head to look at Luca who glued his eyes to the TV “Your boss must love elderly people right?”

“Why the question?”

“Hook me up with him.” She replied casually.

Luca gasped as he turned his head to look at her. “Are you joking? You? Hook up with Mr Michael? Where did you get the audacity from?”

“What?” She sneered as she placed her hand on her hips. “Am I too old for him?” 

“He has a fiancée…

“Fuck that thin fianceé of his. He needs someone better.” She cut in as she continued arranging the plates. 

“I see. You should talk to him yourself, he won't dare reject a beautiful damsel like you.” Luca answered back wryly as he took off his shoes. 

“You should freshen up and come back for your meal. I want to listen to everything you did at work.” She let out, her eyes shining with anticipation. 

“Definitely.” Luca stood up, picked up his tie and his shoes then headed to his room. After taking a shower, he went back to the dining room and sat down while Grandma came out of the kitchen, untying her apron as she approached. 

“You have a better job now. Are you still going back to that place?” She inquired as she sat down on the chair opposite him. 

Luca glanced down at the table and saw she had prepared mashed potatoes, grilled steak, and roasted vegetables. “I don't know for now, Granny.” 

She took a spoon and began eating. “It is your choice.” As Luca raised his hand to pick the spoon, she questioned again. 

“How was your first day at work?”

The scene before him and Michael flashed through his mind and he heaved a sigh as he leaned back against the chair slowly. “It was good. Mr Micheal is a nice man and the employees are also doing their various assignments.”

“He is not your type?” She asked in a low tone, conspiratorially.

“Come on,” Luca grunted as she giggled. “I want to have my food in peace so let me eat in peace.” 

“Alright, Alright. You win.” 

After taking a few bites of the food, Luca set down his spoon and shifted his gaze to his grandma. “Any symptoms lately?” 

She hesitated, her spoon playing with the food carefully. “No…

“You don't have to hide anything from me, Granny. We have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow, you know right?” He interrupted calmly. 

“Why an appointment when I'm perfectly fine?” She questioned as she looked at him sharply. “Don’t go about wasting funds, you need it more than I.”

“Whatever. You see symptoms or not, get ready to leave for the hospital tomorrow.”