Thirty Days with Stavros Rozanov

CHAPTER THREE: A man, Kid And A Nanny

A woman walked out of the house to approach the vehicle. She was old, short and slow. Cute. Vanessa thought.

"Here are your bags." Peter said, looking up to catch the woman approaching them.

"Ah, there's Nonna Lucia. Nonna Lucia."

He called as he approached her, saying something in concentrated Italian that she couldn't decipher even if she tried to. He sprinted over, pulling her into a hug and walking her over.

Vanessa tried for a smile. Rethinking her entire life, she could have just died in her bed. What the hell was she thinking? And why is it hot in this coat? It wasn't snowing and it wasn't that cold either. The weather was just a little bit chilly.

"Ah, Vanessa, how are you?"

The old woman asked warmly, smiling at her and Vanessa smiled back. She didn't know whether to hug or keep on smiling or faint.

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you and be here. I... I- this place is beautiful."

"Glad you like it" Her English was polished, perfect even. "My name is Lucia"

"Oh. Nice to meet you-"

"Nonna Lucia" Peter finished for her.

"Yeah" She shot him a look.

"Come in." Vanessa grabbed her new suitcase to follow her.

"It is Nonna Lucia, okay? Do not call her by name. It is disrespectful." Peter was saying in a low tone but she wasn't really listening. Was she going to be living with a old couple for the next few days?

She nodded "Okay"

The man placed a hurried kiss on her cheek.

"Good bye. I'll see you later Nonna." He said, running back to the car. Vanessa followed behind the woman, astounded. Was that normal? She touched her cheek? Man, was his lips soft.

A wide entrance hall opens up first, graced with marble flooring, a runner softened by years of footsteps. Light filtered in through the tall windows and a huge chandelier that hung above them, catching on framed portraits and dark, equally tall mirrors. Rooms opened off a hall into high ceilinged drawing rooms with paneled walls, tall fireplaces and deep-set windows that looked out onto the gardens. The building evidently had multiple wings, one side having probably private living rooms, studies, or libraries the other side may house formal reception rooms or dining areas. She couldn't imagine getting lost in any part of the house, she was just going to rot there.

"When you're fully rested, I'll take you on a tour of the house. But for now, let me show you to your room." They started up on the grand staircase coated with a long rug that ran all the way down the stairs.

Once at the top of the stairs, Nonna Lucia led her towards the left wing of the house.

"Your room is going to be over looking the beautiful garden and the lake. You're going to love it."

"Nonna Lucia, Peter was -" she started to say before someone cut her off

"Nonna" A child came calling, running over from the right wing towards them, a miniature plane in hand. She was the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. Her ginger hair framed her face in waves and her grey eyes focused intensely on... On her.

"Hi"

"Hi."

"What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Vanessa, what's your name?"

"I'm Ginevra"

"Pardon the little one, she's very inquisitive"

"It's fine." She smiled at Nonna Lucia, turning back to the girl "I love your hair"

"Yeah, I'm a natural ginger."

Vanessa smiled wanting to badly say something stupid about herself but said instead, "Well, I'm not"

"Oh." She turned to Nanna Lucia. "I'm hungry."

"Okay, well there are snacks in the freezer"

"Don't tell daddy" She yelled, running down the stairs and disappearing from sight.

"Daddy?"

"Oh, yes. Ginevra and her dad are here to celebrate Christmas."

Vanessa tried for a smile.

"Oh, are there more people coming?"

"No. It's been just her and her dad ever since her mom died"

"Oh, I'm sorry?"

"It's okay." Nonna Lucia smiled, waving i off as she lead her to the room at the end of the hall. "Dinner will be ready in an hour. Well, I'll have Ginevra bring you.

"Okay. Thank you very much."

She opened the door to her room. A sweet scent hit her when she entered, it smelled like a sweet flower, it was divine. A queen sized bed sat in the middle of the room with a gothic bed frame draped with flowers. A huge vanity sat on the side, with leather cushions and a dresser behind the door. Two doors stood next to each other and a glass one on the left side of the room. She dropped her bag, crossing the room to slide it open.

"Oh my god" A maze was right behind her room, and a garden and... Is that a river bed? Okay maybe she wasn't going to kill Cider after all. It was like walking straight into the 1800's. She was in love with the way the manor was still adapted into the past century. Her phone rang just then, vibrating in her pockets.

"Cider"

"Oh, you've landed. How do you find the place?"

"It's beautiful." She ran a hand through her hair. "Now, why the hell am I living with a family?"

"Oh, I just thought it'd be fun. And it's free anyway, which is a plus. A friend owns the place. You'd be fine"

"I'm gonna fire you"

"Whaaaat?"

"You'd be fine?" She huffed

"Like you'd be good. Would you rather stay alone in a big house and drown in your sorrows?"

"I'm not sorrowful!"

"Oh my god. Vanessa," he groaned.

"When I get back, I'm gonna beat up your f*****g ass. I wonder what the bloody hell Mark saw in you."

"He is in love with me. It's not my fault you don't have anyone in love with you."

Vanessa gasped. He was so lucky they were best friends. If not, she'd have fired him.

"You're lucky I love you."

"Well, I love you too."

She looked up to take in the scenery once again. Somehow, something stung her eyes, she blinked, was she crying? She sniffed in. She never cried. What the hell? A sob escaped her, an another.

"f**k"

"Are you okay.... Wait, Vanessa Elizabeth Marona, are you f*****g crying right now?"

Fear laced his voice. Maybe he was even more concerned. Vanessa never cried, not even when her mother died, she'd always kept by the mantra that crying was an act of weakness.

"Vanessa"

She was weeping now, she walked back into the room, shut the door, stalking towards the mirror. God she was an ugly cryer

"Don't go anywhere, I'm on my way."

She laughed.

"God, are you gonna run?" She said in between tears

"I'm going get on a ship."

"Oh my God. You're so stupid."

"Vanessa"

"God, I'm such an ugly crier." She said chuckling, as she stared back at her own reflection. "I'm dying."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Um.. it's nothing serious. I... I just got the test result a couple of nights ago. I uh... Been diagnosed with um, some kind of terminal cancer but I'm fine"

"Vanessa!" Cider exclaimed

"What?" She sniffed, getting up from the leather seat. "I need to get out of these clothes, take a f*****g shower and reset my brain."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't even think." She drawled, putting her phone on speaker, tossed her phone on the bed and started to undress.

"Vanessa-"

"This place.... Do you think the owner would be kind enough to let me live here for the next month? I'll pay if course. I just... Just want to be alone."

"Vanessa, you've been alone. You f*****g isolated me and shut me out. This is major."

"Oh my god." She groaned, walking towards one of the door in the room and twisted the knob.

"I'm not whining. But you should have told me"

A walk in closet lay before her. It was empty but huge. It almost the same size as her room. "Nice" she whispered. Turning to the other closed door.

"Are you even listening?"

"God, this bath is sick. I'm in love with this place. Everything is vintage. Can you do me a favor and talk to the owner on my behalf. Tell him I have cancer."

"This isn't funny." She could hear him sigh on the other end of the call. He was fed up of her. "Yeah, I doubt Stavros would mind."

"Stavros?" She stepped into the bath. "That name sounds familiar. What's his Last name?"

"Oh, yeah, Stavros Rozanov? The guy I called you for? Yeah he owns the place"

"Oh my f*****g days Cider! I had s*x with him"

"Bloody hell"