The Devil’s Healer

Chapter 5:

ROSALIA POV:

The sunlight was mean. It came through the curtains like it was trying to hurt me. It woke me up after what felt like only a few minutes of sleep. For a seconds I forgot what had happened. Then I remembered, Enzo, the office, the other woman. I let out a sigh and buried my face in the pillow.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Sophias voice was loud and cheerful. She came into the guest room with two big mugs of coffee. "I brought coffee " she said.

"I do not want coffee " I pressed my lips together

She pretended to be shocked. "Who are you and what have you done with Rosalia?" she said.

"I mean it " he responded to me

She put the mug on the bedside table. Sat down at the end of the bed. "You know what I think? I think heartbreak should come with paid leave, unlimited carbs and a government funded vacation " she said.

I smiled a little. "I see you are trying " I said.

She was trying hard. "I do not think I will ever date again " j continued

Sophia stared at me for a few seconds. Then she started laughing.

"I am serious " I rolled my eyes

She laughed harder. "I know you are and that is why it is funny " she said.

Her grandmother used to say never make life decisions when you're hungry, angry or heartbroken. I had skipped dinner so I was hungry. I had slapped a man so I was angry, I was definitely heartbroken.

She picked up my phone from the bedside table.

"What are you doing?" I shrugged

"Preventing a crime " she said.

"I was not going to text him " I pulled the duvet closer to myself

She did not believe me. "Liar " she said.

She unlocked my phone. Her eyes got narrow. "Oh absolutely not " she said. "You still have his contact saved as 'Enzo' with a heart?"

"So?" I acted as if it was clearly fine, when it wasn’t

She looked at me like I was crazy. She started typing. "I am fixing it " she said.

Before I could stop her she changed his contact name to a bunch of trash can emojis and Human Garbage

"Sophia I cannot have that " I said.

"Why not?" she said.

I did not have a reason so I just took my phone back and edited the contact. I deleted the emoji she kept and save it as just Enzo

"You are changing it back?" She looking over my shoulder.

"No " I said. "It is just Enzo”

She smiled. "Acceptable " Sophia murmurs, Then she got a look, on her face. "I have an idea " she said.

"I do not like that smile " I swallow hard

She just grabbed her phone. "I am drafting revenge texts "

"No " I held her hand to stop her, then left it

Rosalia Romano was sitting there staring at me. "Yes I am writing these for purposes " she said. "I am not sending them." Then she cleared her throat in a dramatic way. "Text number one: *Congratulations on your promotion. You have officially been promoted from boyfriend to garbage. I wish you and your mistress a lifetime of trust issues.*"

I stared at her. "You need help " I said.

She knew that. "I know," she. She saved the text in her notes. "Next one: *Thank you for cheating on me before we got married. You saved me thousands in divorce lawyer fees.*"

I could not help it. A laugh came out of me. Sophia froze then she slowly looked up at me. "Was that a laugh?" she asked.

I did not want to admit it. "No " I said.

She said my name, "Rosalia Romano”

I still did not want to admit it. "It was not " I said.

She knew. "You laughed!" she mused

I had to come up with something. "I absolutely did not laugh " I said.

She would not let it go. "You smiled " she said.

I tried again. "I smirked " I said.

She was happy. "Progress " she said. She kept going. "Oh listen to this one. Dear Enzo if you ever miss me just remember that loyalty is not sold in supermarkets. Otherwise you would have bought some.

This time I really laughed. It was the kind of laugh that made my stomach hurt. Sophia was happy to see me laugh.

She clutched her chest. "She is back " she said.

I don’t think I was. "I am not back " I flared my arms up

She smiled softly. "No " she said, ". For a second you forgot to be sad."

The room was quiet for a moment. I looked down at my hands. "I still love the person I thought he was " I mused

Sophia reached across the bed. Squeezed my hand. "That is okay " she said. "You do not love the man who cheated. You love the memories."

I thought that was harder. "I think that is harder " I said.

She stood up. "Which is why we are not spending another night crying over him " she said.

I did not know what she was planning. "What does that mean?" I asked.

She disappeared into the hallway. Came back with her laptop. "I have taken the liberty of researching the cure " she said.

I was curious. "The cure?" I questioned, She showed me the laptop screen, which was full of clubs live music and rooftop bars. "No " I scoffed

She was not giving up. "Oh yes " she said. "Tonight."

“I do not want to go clubbing " i stammered.

She was not listening. "You do not have to want to " she said. "You just have to come."

I folded my arms. "I will embarrass you "

She was not worried. "I have been your friend for six years " she added. “You think embarrassment scares me?"

I tried again. "I do not drink " I said.

She had an answer. "You do not have to " she said.

I tried more. "I do not dance " I said.

She just laughed. "I will dance enough for both of us " making her piercing her face towards me

I kept trying. "I do not…"

She cut me off. "You need one night where nobody calls you Doctor " she

Her words stopped me. One night where I was not thinking about Enzo. One night where I was not mourning a future that no longer existed.

Sophia. Extended her hand. "So what do you say?" she asked.

I stared at her hand for a time. Then with a smile I took it. "One night " I said.

She was so happy that she squealed loudly. The neighbor even banged on the wall.

Sophia just said, "Worth it!"

I laughed again. Maybe one night was what I needed.