A Summer in Rome

Chapter 1

It was a bright sunny morning in Rome, forty-five year old, Brenda Avery had just woken up and was lying still in bed. She didn't sleep well due to her fifty-year old husband, Francis's bad snoring habit. His snoring was so loud that she had to wake up several times during the night to hit him so he could stop snoring.

 But his snoring wasn't her problem. Her problem to which she gave so much thought to, was the idea of  leaving him. Francis for her was so absent in her life that she felt the need to call it quit. And the one thing that came to her mind was to ask for a divorce. 

But she kept this thought to herself and had never made her intentions known to him. However, she had made a promise to herself to avoid his advances and did so several times during the week while they were in bed.  And even though it annoyed him, Francis took no offence at all. 

This surprised Brenda so much that she felt he didn't care about her at all. As she lay in bed in their hotel room thinking about what steps to take next, she thought of what it would be like living a life of her own where she could be free to do whatever she wanted and  be with whomever she wanted. 

She really needed time for herself to understand if it was worth filing for divorce on the grounds of marital insufficiency. Even though Francis her husband was a good provider, his absence made her feel there was no marriage at all. 

And although she knew  this absence was due to work, thoughts of him being with other women other than working crept into her mind. But she quickly dispelled those thoughts and  felt that he, Francis, could do better than dedicate all his time working. 

He had to have time for her, to take her out to dinner, to take her out shopping and on weekends take her out for a walk or go to the movies or to some place romantic. As she was deep in thoughts about her life and what she wanted to do, Francis playfully stretched his hands out and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him. 

Brenda quickly took hold of his hands freeing herself from his grip and gave him a severe look. This greatly surprised Francis such that he sat up on the bed and facing her asked,

"What was that, Brenda?" Brenda ignored for a few seconds and then answered angrily,

"Nothing, I'm just not in the mood for anything right now."

"Brenda it's been weeks you've been pushing me away. I have a right to know what is going on."

" As I've told you before, I'm just not in the mood for romance. Perhaps with time I might change."

"With time you might change? What do you mean with time you might change?"

"Sorry to disappoint you dear, this is not romance season for me. Please bear with me, will you?"

" Brenda this is summer. This is what you said in winter remember? So summer is not right, winter is not right. When will the time be right?"

"Francis keep you pants zipped cos I'm not in the mood for anything now and maybe even in the future. And stop arguing  cos I won't satisfy your s****l urges".

"Fine then, if that's the way you want it then I'll leave you to decide whatever it is you want to do. I won't ever ask you to satisfy my conjugal needs, ever."

Francis having finished what he said got out of bed and  went straight to the bathroom only to come out a few minutes later to dress up on his way out.

"And where are you going so early, dear?" Brenda quickly asked.

"No place that you would be interested in." replied Francis

"Let me remind you that we came here to spend time together, and to get away from family and friends." 

"I know that."

"And that means telling me where in the hell you are going this morning."

"Well when my wife has needs that don't coincide with my needs, then what I do or where I go should not be of interest to her.".

"Francis, you bring me to a place I have never been, where I don't know anyone and you are going out without me?"

"Sorry dear, our needs right now don't match and it would be a waste of time trying to make them match. See you when I get back". 

Francis then went over to her side of the bed and leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Brenda closed her eyes and breathed in. Francis saw her reaction to his kiss and stared at her. Brenda looked back fixed a strong lustful look at him like she wanted him. Francis left her and went out.

 Brenda couldn't believe what had happened to her. For the few seconds that her husband kissed her on the forehead she felt the urge to be held and loved. This was something that she thought couldn't happen seeing the way she had replied to his need of knowing why she was avoiding his advances.

She had put up a strong resistance towards his insistence but found out that a simple kiss from him had enough power to move her. It moved her so much that all she wanted now was to be touched by him. Thoughts of being loved by him filled her mind. She longed to be held by him, touched by him and kissed by him. The feeling was so intense that she picked up her phone and called him. 

"Hello, this is Francis but I'm busy right now. Leave a message and I might b able to get back to you."

"Dear, it's me  your loving wife on the phone," Brenda said with a little apprehension

"My loving wife? I never knew I had a loving wife. So what can I do for you?" replied Francis quite perplexed. 

" Look, dear I'm all messed up and I don't know what's happening to me but you are the best thing that can happen to me right  now. Where are you?"

"Okay then you need a doctor to visit you if you're all messed up. I'm not a doctor so I can't help you."

"Look dear, I don't need a doctor I need you. So where are you?" Some minutes of silence followed before Francis replied back.

" Look dear I'm sure a doctor will be more helpful so I'll  contact hotel reception and let them know you need a doctor. Don't worry you will be fine once a doctor visits you. I'm sure about that."

With that Francis cut the call and immediately phoned hotel reception. His call was received by Myra the hotel receptionist.

"Hello reception, this is room 203 my wife has an upset so I want her to be checked right away. Do you have any doctor available at the moment?"

 "Actually all doctors we collaborate with have outside engagements. So unless they are free we cannot be of help."

"Look my wife seems to be having an upset so whatever your name is, I'm sure you can come up with a solution. Find whatever doctor is available and get them to visit my wife okay?"

"My name is  Myra and at this moment we do not have any doctors available. That is, unless I can call a good acquaintance of mine to visit her. But this is not one of our usual collaborators."

"Look Myra or whatever you call yourself, get that doctor up there and let them visit her okay? Get this person up there and perhaps I might be generous with you."

"I understand your concern for your wife, sir. I shall see that your needs are met immediately."

"Thank you." Francis replied back, ending the call.

Myra the receptionist was used to receiving such phone calls and knew that most of the emergencies that came to her from worried husbands was simply because the wives needed the attention their husbands were not giving them.

In such cases she knew those to call to resolve the issues the wives were having. She had a list of men whom she could  call that would appear instantly. She had a notebook with their names but before she assigned a man she always went to the room to see the woman who needed such attention.

Myra went up to room 203 and knocked. Brenda opened the door surprised to see a tall beautiful woman.

"Hello, you must be Brenda, right? My name is Myra and I am the receptionist."

"Oh do come in Myra." Brenda replied. As Myra entered, Brenda closed the door. Without wasting much time Myra told her why she came.