Savior

Chapter Two

Luna

‘The pictures came out great.’ Alessandro Agosti, my uncle complimented me as he continued to admire the picture, where I and Dave look ready to lift couple-of-the-year trophy. The dress that I’m wearing is of a color I detest the most and wouldn’t have worn it if Gina hadn’t forced it upon me. But then again, I’ve been doing everything she’s been forcing me to do, so why let the dress be an exception.

‘I told her she’d look stunning in that attire. Peach suits you.’ Gina gave me a smug smile as she peaked at the newspaper in her father’s hand. Yes, she was my cousin, but due to turn of events, she had declared herself to be nothing but a sibling to me, and taken complete control of my life. Something that I tried to avoid but then there’s only little a human can do when God is hell bent on trying to write your destiny without consulting you.

‘Can’t we pre-pone the wedding?’ An unwanted suggestion comes from my aunt, whose face made no efforts to hide the hatred she had for me.

‘It’s already in two weeks.’ I remind her.

‘It can be done earlier too.’

‘Maria, I know you’re excited to see Luna here getting married but let’s stick to the decided date please.’ My uncle said knowing fully well that his wife was going to give him an earful for not agreeing to her, when they’d be behind closed doors.

Lines on her face tightened and she stood up to leave, not before leaving a comment. ‘No one here ever considers my opinion.’ Only if I could remind her how this should’ve been my line, for I was the one getting married without anyone asking me if I actually wanted to do it.

‘Don’t worry about her, just concentrate on your wedding.’ Gina said.

‘Hmm. I’ll take your leave now, I’ve to attend a meeting.’ I announce.

‘Meeting?’ Uncle raised his brow.

‘We’re meeting a prospective investor today to discuss Eclissi Solare’s expansion.’

He folded the paper and kept it on the table. ‘Luna, you’re getting married.’

‘So?’

‘You should be focusing on your wedding ceremony right now. Business can wait.’

‘Uncle, you know my priority is the store. I can’t put it behind anything.’

‘But this marriage….’

‘…is something that you wanted. And I am doing it. I’m doing everything that you want me to do but I will never compromise my store.’

‘What is so special about it?’

‘It’s the result of my hard work. After everything that I’ve been through, it is the only solace I have in life. I’ve built the business from scratch, it’s my child and no parent ever prioritizes something else over and above their child.’

When he folded his hands and beside him Gina rolled her eyes, I took the silence as my cue to leave.

An hour drive without the traffic makes you appreciate your surroundings well. Trees in California never looked as appealing to me as they did today for even when I had the wheel under my control, my mind wanted to wander in the plushness of the green trees on the way. When I reached the store, as usual my secretary came out with my usual coffee and a terrified expression which meant she’d messed up big time.

‘What is it?’ I asked stepping out of my car.

‘Don’t get mad...’ She began.

‘Cathy, what is it?’ I asked again.

She gulped. ‘I mailed the wrong company regarding the meeting.’

‘What?’

‘I mailed the…’

‘Heard that. How can you be so careless, Cathy?’

‘I’m really sorry. There email addresses were kind of similar and I….’ She sighed and lowered her head.

‘Did you mail the correct company then?’

‘I was about to but…..’

‘But what?’

‘The wrong company’s representative is already here.’

‘There’s here? When did you send the mail?’

 ‘About a week ago.’

‘And you didn’t realize your mistake until…’

‘This guy dropped in our office today for the meeting.’ I closed my eyes. Why does this happen to me all the bloody time? I set out to do something and then completely opposite of it happens.

‘What do we do now?’ Cathy asked and I opened my eyes to look into her terrified ones.

‘It’s okay let me handle this.’

I went inside the glass door and straight to my cabin. A man in his early twenties was waiting, his fingers tapping against the mahogany of my desk. He was nervous anyone could tell.

‘Hello, I’m Luna Agosti, owner of Eclissi Solare.’ I introduced myself before continuing, ‘I apologize but there seems to have been a misunderstanding…’ But before I could continue he spoke.

‘I know.’

I blinked several times before saying, ‘What do you mean?’

‘I know that our company received the email by mistake.’

‘You do?’ Now I was confused.

‘Of course. We’re a security program developer company, and yours is a wood craft store. I’m assuming you’re smart enough to look for companies with similar areas of interests if you want to expand.’

‘If you knew it was mistake then why are you here?’ I asked up straight.

He turned to point at something behind me and said, ‘To deliver that.’ I turned around to look at what he was pointing at and the air left my body. Suddenly panic overtook me and I stepped away from the man.

‘Now that I’ve delivered it, I’ll take your leave.’ He said and left without giving me a chance to recover from the shock.

‘Luna, are you okay?’ Cathy asked as she noticed the sweat on my forehead.

‘Throw it away.’ I said in a low voice.

‘But it looks new, are you sure?’

‘Just throw it away, Cathy!’ I shouted and she hurried to do as I said. She picked it up and ran out my cabin. I went to the window from where I got a look at the dumpster in front of our store. Within few minutes Cathy appeared there and threw the violin, yes it was violin, on top of the pile of garbage.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I couldn’t help but wonder why after all these years, he’d decided to contact me.

Sole

‘Her secretary threw it in the dustbin.’ Ricci announced as he entered my office.

‘Good.’ I said still looking at the presentation on the monitor screen.  

‘How is it good? She threw it away.’

‘It means she hasn’t forgotten me.’

‘Forgotten you? You’ve met her before?’

‘I’ve done more than just meeting her.’ From the corner of my eye I noticed Ricci’s eyes widened. ‘Anyways send her another violin tomorrow.’

‘Why so that she could throw it again?’ This guy’s got some guts. Other secretaries would stop after yes sir and no sir but he made sure to remind me he wasn’t the robotic one instead the logical one.

‘Yes.’

‘Why don’t you talk to her directly?’

‘Don’t worry. We’ll have a conversation soon.’

‘Soon?’

‘Hmm. She’ll come to talk to me herself.’

‘Are you sure?’

I looked up from the screen and smile at him. ‘Why you think she won’t?’

‘She threw away your gift and by the looks of it she will throw the next one too.’

‘Then I’ll send her another one.’

‘For how long are we going to do this?’ He asked taking out his phone.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Calculating how much money you’ll be wasting on her just to see her rejecting you over and over again.’

‘Not much. She won’t throw the third violin.’

‘She won’t?’

I shook my head. ‘She will bring it back to me.’

‘So she’ll be returning it herself, rejecting you in person.’

‘No. She’ll bring it here to smash my head with it.’ Ricci looked at me as is I was psychopath and to give him a scare I laughed like one.