madness
805 Words
That Saturday in mid-September, Chiara Molero slammed the door of her house behind her, fully intending never to return. Once again she woke up in a cold, empty bed and knew exactly what awaited her. Yet another weekend spent alone, moping around watching romance movies.
These were her weekends now, ever since her partner, Daniele Fuentes, had decided to become the youngest professor of Civil Procedure. No more romantic dinners out, no going out with friends, no weekends and obviously no summer vacations. When she wasn't working, she studied and when she wasn't studying, she worked.
She too spent twelve hours a day working as a graphic designer in her friend's graphics studio, yet she would have gladly carved out some free time to spend together outside those walls. Chiara couldn't even remember the last time they had made love, no matter how much time had passed.
No, it was not possible to live like this. She was almost twenty-six and her seventy-year-old grandmother had a much more exciting life than hers. Daniele kept telling her to be patient because he was almost finished with his thesis and at the beginning she had even encouraged him to commit himself body and soul to make his dream come true, only now she had really reached the limit.
He hurled the large trolley into the trunk of his metallic black Fiat Panda and got behind the wheel.
"And now where the f**k do I go?" He couldn't go back to his parents.
She would have had to give too many explanations and above all put up with their sermons. They just wanted to see her married with at least three children and didn't understand what she was waiting for after eight years of engagement, five of which were spent living together. Chiara also wanted to start a family. Too bad Daniele didn't even have time to ask for her hand, let alone get her pregnant!
Her brother William had just divorced his wife, so he couldn't possibly keep up with her. It was hot, but it started to rain mud. "What shitty weather," she cursed at the dark sky above her.
It had been years since she felt so desperate. She was also tired of going out with her friends who regularly brought their boyfriends, partners or husbands and she was always alone to explain Daniele's absence.
So for six months Chiara had only left the house to go to work, at most to the gym, and at most to visit her family.
He turned the stereo up to maximum volume, and to the tune of Sia's "Chandelier" , he took off at full throttle without a destination.
Suddenly on the left he saw the exit sign for Punta Raisi. He didn't think twice and swerved sharply onto the ramp. He would have taken the first plane out to get away from Palermo as quickly as possible and as far away from Daniele as possible.
But unfortunately reality didn't work like in the movies.
Once she had parked the car and entered the international departures, Chiara had to decide where to go.
He began to look at the display of the next departing flights.
New York, too cold.
Dubai, too hot.
Bangkok, too far away.
Amsterdam, too close and too cold.
Moscow, are you kidding?
Marrakech, a deadly bore
Los Angeles, maybe maybe...
Chiara tried to rack her brains to remember which of her friends had moved to Los Angeles and had also invited her last summer.
Too bad that with Daniele's work and studies, they had to stay stuck at home with the air conditioning on full blast.
Oh yes...Carlo!!! How come he hadn't thought of that before.
He grabbed his cell phone and made the call.
"Elena, hi, Chiara, how are you?"
"Good, good, how are you doing?"
"Everything's ok, listen, but is your brother Carlo still in Los Angeles?"
"Yes, why?"
"Nothing, maybe I'll go see him, but it's not certain yet so don't tell anyone. Just give me his number, so in case, I can surprise him."
"He will surely be happy to see you, but let him know in advance because he is always at work."
It's not possible. Carlo also addicted to work like Daniele? I really didn't expect that from him.
"And what job did he find?"
"During the day he works in a marketing and graphics company, and in the evening he works as a bartender in a local"
"What!!??? Carlo who is a bartender!!??"
"Exact"
What?
Carlo had made his parents bleed to attend a prestigious American university, graduating with honors in marketing and had ended up working as a... bartender at night in a club?
Something must have gotten lost.
And he absolutely had to go check out what that madman was up to in Los Angeles.
- Writer
