Pre-consumption

He doesn't see her.

For the milliseconds that the girl can clearly see that this is her old roommate, Johnny takes her hand and they both go inside the building together.

This could only be a joke in very bad taste.

How could the two of them not have met yet? How could her then-boyfriend live in the same building as Joshua and neither of them be aware of this?

Inside the elevator, the young man says:

"Are you worried about something?"

Damn. She had always been very good at hiding her own emotions. If it came to the point of failure, it was because they were indeed very much on display.

Emanuele took a deep breath, calming her own thoughts. That night should be special, and not just another one of those difficult early mornings full of worry and torment. And besides, they were there to celebrate making it official.

She could put that aside, at least for the time being.

Not least because Joshua being there was the least of her problems. Sooner or later she would have to tell him about