Evy,
Later tonight...
I open the front door eagerly anticipating a long bath, craving to devour dinner, and then simply collapse into my bed. However, upon seeing Mary standing in my living room with a pitying expression, my energy renews, and I hurry towards the second room down the narrow hallway. I stop, frozen, as I spot my mother sitting at the edge of her bed, rocking back and forth, her gaze distant.
"She's not doing well today," Mary comments, coming to a stop beside me.
"What happened?" She lets out an audible sigh.
"I don't know. Judy simply refused to take her meds and started saying she was seeing her father in the room. I tried to calm her down, but she wouldn't stop screaming, and when she finally did, she became like this."
"Damn it, Mary, why didn't you call me?"
"And disrupt your second day of work?"
"But, Mary, she's my mother!"
"Yes, I know. And you need that job to help her." I exhale sharply and move closer to my mother. I place my hands on her shoulders, but she doesn't even look me in the eyes. Her gaze remains fixed on the wall behind me.
"Hi, sweetheart!" I whisper, forcing a smile at her. But nothing happens, not even a flicker of response. Judy simply seems not to be here with us. "Sorry for taking so long, but I'm here now. Can you see?" I try to sound enthusiastic, though I don't feel it at the moment.
"Evy, Judy needs help!" Mary insists. I close my eyes and hold back tears. However, she's right. I can't help her if I can't be near her all the time. "Marina can't keep stealing sedatives from the hospital. She could lose her job."
"I know!" I reply softly and dispiritedly.
"I've been researching some nursing homes with reasonable monthly fees, and they'll take good care of her for you. I left some contacts and brochures on the table."
"Thank you, Mary!" I straighten up and walk out of the room. In the living room, I bid farewell to our neighbor, shut the door, and sink weakly into a chair at the four-seater table. I gaze at some papers and letters on the surface and, with a tired sigh, I grasp a leaflet bearing the name San Tiago Nursing Home - Casa de Repouso São Tiago, and I start reading, allowing the tears to flow freely.
"Sorry, Mom!" I bow my head and surrender to the painful moment."
***
Some days…
The place isn't entirely bad, and the monthly fees fit perfectly into my budget, leaving me some spare time for extra work if needed. I think to myself as I walk through the rooms of the nursing home alongside Larissa Krill, the administrator. A room just for her with a bathroom, a small wardrobe, and a single bed next to a wide window overlooking a beautiful and inviting garden. The room isn't very spacious, but it's well-lit, and the connection with nature could help her. Larissa assures me of support from a psychologist and other professionals. However, separating from my only family is tearing me apart inside.
"And then?" The woman looks at me expectantly over her glasses, and before responding, I glance once more at the cozy little room.
"I liked it!" I finally say, and she gives me a half-smile. "When can I bring her?"
"First, you need to fill out some documents and a form with all your mother's details. We need to know every little thing about her, Evy. Then, you need to pay the first month's fee in advance. It's just a way for us to cover some initial expenses, and then you can bring her."
"Alright, I'll do that as soon as possible! Thank you, Larissa!"
I leave the nursing home satisfied, although with a heavy heart, knowing it's the best for her. Now, I'll need another job to ensure my survival and pay off our house's mortgage, and who knows, maybe we can move back there? Arriving home, I dedicate myself to keeping her company because I'll have her close for just a few more days, and I want to make the most of the time we have left together. At night, I fill out a lengthy form, making sure not to miss any details, and have dinner alone as I've been doing for the past few days. Mrs. Judy spent the entire day rambling, and that's worrying. Getting the advance for the monthly fee was the easiest thing to accomplish, surprisingly. I was taken aback by that, but my boss made it quite manageable. I need to remember to thank him on Monday. The start of the week was the toughest part of my life. After leaving her at the nursing home and being sure she'd be alright, I went straight to D'Angelo's, and as expected, my mind was constantly focused on my latest decision. I even thought about going back and taking her out of there, but what then?
"What have you done this time?!" Dylan asks, his tone filled with concern as he enters the kitchen. I simply stare at him, completely without a reaction, unsure if I've truly done something wrong. Probably yes, but I'm not certain.
"I... I don't know!" I stammer, disoriented. God, I can't afford to lose this job! I repeat in a form of prayer, as now I
Gael "There he is!" Paul, my personal advisor, says as he enters my office. His spontaneous cheerfulness makes me roll my eyes because I know he's expecting good news from my last family meeting. Being born in the golden cradle of D'Angelo brings some very, very good things: success, money, hot women and the extravagance of parties, although it has its downside too. Women always look at you as if you were a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You don't have the freedom to come and go, and you have the weight of an empire on your shoulders. "So how did it go there? Are you more of a millionaire than you were yesterday, or..." I laugh sarcastically. "You're not going to believe this, but my mom left a demand in her will. Can you believe she demanded a marriage with love and all the frills possible?" "Holy shit!" she grumbles and pulls up a chair to sit down. "What was she thinking?" "She wants to punish me, simply to impose her will on me. Something she hasn't managed to do
Gael. Hours later... I enter the house to its usual silence and, after getting rid of my tie, I go to the corner bar and pour myself a generous shot of whisky. Afterwards, I approach a glass wall and observe the streets with their bright lights and the bridges that seem to wrap around the city. You can't hear anything from here, everything seems too quiet, but the chaotic traffic says otherwise. I take another sip of my drink and decide to go up to the second floor of the penthouse, and then to the master bedroom. I take a long shower, put on some comfortable clothes and call the hotel restaurant to order my dinner. While I'm waiting, I lock myself in the office and open D'Angelo's accounting minutes. A few months ago we discovered that our chief accountant was carrying out some petty theft in the company. Of course, I demanded secrecy on the matter, because I didn't want my name in the tabloid gossip, let alone to be seen as a weak and inattentive businessman. That's exactly why P
Evy "Good morning, my name is Evy! Mr. D’Ang..." "Of course, Mr. D'Angelo is expecting you!" I don't reciprocate the secretary's cordial smile as she kindly opens the door for me because I'm so nervous I don't even know how to react at this moment. What could I do, beg not to be fired? Humiliate myself so he might take pity on me? No! My father always taught us that we should have some integrity, and if I have to stay in this job, it will be by acknowledging my mistakes and fixing them the best I can. And if he doesn't accept me into his company, I'll find another job, right? Damn it, it's not that easy, Evy! You're desperate, that's a fact! I enter an extremely spacious and well-lit office and can't help but notice the details of the light furniture in perfect contrast with the black and charcoal gray décor. Behind an imposing mahogany desk sits a man too young for such an important position. Dark-skinned, square-faced, with a stubble that made him look masculine and piercing. His
Evy — Evy, are you okay?" Wendy asks with concern as soon as I enter the pantry. I ignore her worry and head straight to my boss's office, and as I walk in, Dylan stands up from his chair. He doesn't hide a worried look and immediately comes over to me. "Evy, what's wrong?!" Without hesitation, I rush into his arms and cry there for some time until I feel relieved. I sense him gently patting my back, and when I finally compose myself, I step away from his embrace, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry for that, Dylan," I say, avoiding eye contact. "No need to apologize, dear. Do you want to talk about what happened?" Although I desperately need to confide in someone, I shake my head. "Can you let me off for today? I'm sorry, I just can't work!" He exhales audibly. "Just because I can see you're not doing well, but you'll have to make up for it tomorrow," he says. I agree with another nod. "I promise! Thank you, Dylan!" I immediately leave his office and the building minutes later. As
Evy "Miss Dixon?" A female voice said as soon as I answered the call. "Yes, who is this?" "My name is Chloe. I'm Mr. D’Angelo's secretary, and I'm calling to let you know that I'll be sending a package to your address in a few hours." I furrow my brow. "What package?" I inquire. "Tonight, a driver will pick you up. Be ready!" Damn it, why do they need to make everything so mysterious?! I exhale deeply through my mouth, and just as I think of pressing on with my questions, the call ends. Idiots! I grumble inwardly and head back to my shower. An hour and a half later, the doorbell starts ringing, and upon opening the door, I'm met by a man in a delivery uniform. He simply hands me a large white box and extends a paper for me to sign. Once inside, driven by curiosity, I lift the lid of the box and push aside the tissue papers to find an exquisite long black dress and a pair of high heels. I scoff sarcastically. Who does he think he is? I curiously notice a small envelope at the botto
Evy After signing the contract with Mr. D'Angelo, everything in my life began to happen as if by magic. A call from the bank informed me that the mortgage on the house where I was born and raised had been paid off, the creditors who had simply vanished from my doorstep, and my mother who had been transferred to a specialized private oncology clinic. Finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief! The next steps would be timed. D'Angelo and I would have a photo session narrating our "love story," and his assistant would handle the rumors surrounding the coveted "Lion of Business" wedding. In the end, he looked into my eyes and said, "Get ready for the best part!" I wondered if there was anything better than laying my head on the pillow and sleeping without tears, without regrets, and without thinking about the next day. Surely, there wouldn't be. "Ready, your mother is settled in now. Can we talk?" Dr. Monique Toledo approached, pulling me from my reverie. I glanced at the door she had jus
Evy A few days later... Every girl's dream wedding. I think, looking at the long white lace dress, with its delicate high collar and sleeves trailing down my arms. A beautiful and delicate tiara, adorned with tiny sparkling stones, secures a full bun resembling beautiful dark brown petals. Anxiously, I let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh. "Do this with your mouth," the makeup artist asks after applying the lipstick, a soft shade of red that perfectly complements the daytime makeup. "Perfect!" he chirps, clapping frantically, prompting a half-smile from me. It doesn't take long before I'm holding a bouquet of beautiful white lilies with tiny pink jasmines, walking into a church adorned entirely with the same flowers, tulle, and silk ribbons in the same color. Yet, there are only a few people in the countless pews. An organ announces my entrance, and soon all eyes are on me. I clutch the bouquet to contain my nerves, force a smile of a happy and passionate bride, and focus on th
Evy "Wake up, we've arrived!" I open my eyes, still blurry, and stare at the facade of a house entirely made of dark wood, with huge translucent glass windows. I shift in the back seat of the car to get a better view of the surroundings. Small lampposts illuminate a charming little garden. As the door opens, the driver helps me out, and the scent of wildflowers envelops me, followed by the cold breeze of dawn. "Where are we?" I inquire, taking in the graceful porch with a dark wooden railing like the rest of the house, and... "One of my vacation homes," he says, taking the keys out of his pants pocket. I glance back to make sure. Tall and closely clustered trees and from the noise back there, no beaches in sight, and no pools anywhere. "This doesn't look like a vacation home," I snap, turning my gaze back to him, but Gael isn't by my side anymore. "Oh, you idiot, are you leaving me out here?" I growl in irritation, seeing him inside the porch, opening the front door. "I believe no