California

    I am on my way home after a long day at the office. My family and I got back from Sicily a few days ago. Once we got back, I decided to start working at my dad’s company. Helping Aurora at her office the other day reminded me how much I love my career.

    I finished my master’s a year ago and decided to take a break before working. I am not working for the mafia business but I am working for the one we use to deceive the government where all our money comes from. My father has a construction company. We build houses, hotels, anything, you name it, and we build it. We also have a few apartment complexes we rent out all over the United States.

    I park my car and walk inside the house. I take the stairs up to my room. Once I am in my room, I take off my clothes and hop into the shower. After I am done showering, I walk downstairs for dinner. I find mom and dad already seated at the dinner table; Santiago is nowhere to be found. He doesn’t live here, so I am not surprised he isn’t around.

   “Hello, Honey, how was your day at the office?” Mom says as I take my seat.

   “It was a bit stressful but fine.”

   “Were you able to get everything done today?” Dad asks.

   “Not all, but most. Hopefully, I should be done tomorrow.”

   “That’s good, Dear. I need you to do something else for me.”

   “How can I help Dad?”

   “The company is renovating the Costanzo hotel in California. Please, I need you to go down there tomorrow and see how everything is going?”

   “No problem, Dad. I can do that tomorrow.”

  “Lorenzo’s boy is in town, so once you arrive in California, pay a visit to him, ask if he has any complaints or additions he wants to make to the building.”

   “I will,” I say, wondering which of Mr. Costanzo’s sons is in California. I hope it is Thomas because we get along well, I also hope it’s Stefano, a little part of me wishes to see him.

    The following day I took the earliest flight to California. I just finished visiting the hotel, everything seems to be going fine. I am on my way to visit Stefano at his office. I don’t know if I am happy, he is the one in town. Knowing the type of person, he is, my mood can change from being happy to planning his death.

    It is a little late in the evening, I am going now because there was a lot, I had to check at the hotel site. I arrive at his office after a few minutes of driving, I pay the taxi driver and walk into the building. He knows I am coming, so he asked the receptionist to walk me to his office. Once we arrive, I thank her for bringing me and knock on his door.

   “Come in,” he says.

   “Hello, Stefano,” I say walking in.

   “Hello to you too, Andrea,” he says, for some odd reason hearing him say my name causes a shiver to go down my spine. I like the way my name rolled off his tongue. His Italian accent made my name sound hot. I shake my head to drive away the nasty thoughts that want to start building in my head.

   “How are you doing?” I say, trying to make small talk before we start with the business meeting.

   “When will your brother get here?” He asks, ignoring my greeting while looking at his wristwatch, checking the time.

“He is not coming, why are you looking for him?” I ask, a little confused as to why he is looking for Santiago

   “I presumed you both were attending the meeting and also in town for inspections of the renovations.”

   “And why is that? You don’t believe I can do it alone because I am a woman,” I say, offended at his assumption.

“I do not believe so, Miss Andrea,” he says, putting emphasis on my name. If I did not know better, I would say he is offended by my own assumption of him.

   “Then why are you asking for my brother?”

   “I asked for him because he has been in the business longer than you have, and I am also familiar with his ways in making deals. I assumed you were here to learn how the business works, and you just arrived before him. It has nothing to do with the fact that you are a woman.”

   “Oh, I am sorry I assumed that.” I say.

   “It’s fine, please let’s get down to business.”

    “Sure, let’s begin. I am here to take in any complaints or additions you would like to make to the renovation of the hotel,” I say, taking a seat in front of him.

   “Unfortunately, there are quite a few complaints and additions I would like to make.”

   “I am all ears, but do understand, if the additions are above the budget, we will have to increase the price.”

   “That won’t be a problem.”

   “Alright, what are your complaints.”

   “My first complaint is, I do not want you working on this project.”

   “Excuse me, and why is that?” I ask, confused by his request. I am starting to feel like Stefano has something against me.

   “Firstly, you are not an engineer or even an architect so speaking to you about the complaints I have will be a waste of time.”

   “I might not be any of those but my main purpose here is to get information from you and pass it down to them.”

   “Wouldn’t it be easier for both of us if I spoke to them directly?”

   “Yes, it would if you prefer for them to stop working and take their time to listen to your complaints; I am totally fine with it, even though it won’t be necessary given my use as a middleman,” I say, wondering why he is being so difficult.

   “I will decide if it is necessary or not.”

   “Ok, suit yourself.”

    The following day, I wake up a little late because of cramps. They kept me up all night and now I am late for my meeting with Stefano. I was able to get the architect and engineer to attend today’s meeting even with their busy schedules. I quickly get ready and take a cab to Stefano’s office. I arrive at the meeting room five minutes late.

   “I am so sorry I am late,” I say while walking into the room.

   “I am not surprised; please sit down let’s start the meeting,” Stefano says.

   “Why are you not surprised,” I ask, feeling a little taken back by his response

   “I am not surprised because you look like someone who doesn’t keep to time.”

   “Excuse me, I am late to our second meeting and automatically I am someone who doesn’t keep to time. I have a valid reason for being late today,” I say, feeling myself getting angry. I am sure my period has something to do with it, I don’t care because I am offended by his answer.

   “I don’t care what your reason is; it is either you are late, or you are on time. Now, sit down so that we can start the meeting.”

   “Just because you don’t know the reason that I am late doesn’t mean my reason is not valid.”

   “As I said, I do not care to know; sit down so that we can start,” he says, raising his voice a little while sounding frustrated.

   I look around and I realize everyone is looking at both of us. I do not want to sit down, I don’t want it to seem like he is telling me what to do, but there is nothing more I can say or do in this situation. I can’t tell him the reason I am late even if he wanted to know. It would be very embarrassing for me, so I swallow my pride and sit down. I still feel a little embarrassed with the way he spoke to me in front of everyone. The meeting starts once I take my seat and I try to forget what happened earlier.