16

The next few weeks were hectic for both Sandra and Bruce, running for mayorship was not as easy as they thought it would be. They funded the campaign with the loan Bruce had gotten from the bank. The bank had approved the loan so fast, one would think they had dirt on the bank's president. It was only approved that fast because the rumor of his company striking a deal with the Rossis', traveled so fast, they had to approve so as not to get on their bad side.

Sandra sat in her office going through some company documents. Bruce had made her the vice president of the company few weeks ago, well he had to since he had no other choice. She currently has the highest number of shares and she was the reason why they were about to strike a billion dollar deal.

Her office was very spacious, too spacious to Sandra. The walls were painted blue and a huge painting of a cabin hung on it. It had a fireplace to keep her warm during the winter and an amazing view of the city. It also had a two seater sofa and a three seater sofa for her leisure, especially now that she was expecting a baby and a coffee table in between the sofas. Bruce had wanted to give her the office close to his own in the last floor but she had objected, she liked this one just fine.

There was a knock on the door, she watched from the brim of her glasses as the door swung open and Antonio walked in. She had been expecting him, since the one month she asked for had already passed. Fearing that her baby bump would show, she pulled at her oversize shirt, making sure it covered any part of her tummy that would expose her. She knew that if Antonio found out she was pregnant, he would drag her ass back to Italy and deal with the Morgans himself.

"Antonio, good to see you." She got up from her chair and padded over to him, she gave him a quick side hug and gestured for him to have a seat.

She pressed on the intercom and asked her secretary to bring a cup of coffee and a cup of tea.

"Tea?" Antonio raised an eyebrow, he knew Sandra wasn't a big fan of tea, she loved strong coffee. He had once asked her about it and she had told him that tea was for the weak.

"Yess.. I just feel that it's too early for coffee." Sandra replied, avoiding his eyes as she lay gently on the three seater sofa.

"It's one.." His eyes went quickly to his wrist watch and then went back to her. "One thirty five in the afternoon."

"Too late then." She chuckled nervously.

"Are you hiding something?"

"No...no..not at all."

"You're taking tea, nervous laugh, voice cracking," He squinted his eyes in suspicion. "Are you...."

"NO." she shouted, interrupting him.

He looked at her puzzled, he sat up straight and studied her for a few seconds, he smiled and relaxed back on the sofa.

"Nevermind that. I will be going back to Italy in a few days."

"Ohh.. I'm sorry I won't be able to follow you back." She apologized, she had hoped to wrap things up in a month but the plans she had had then, when she asked for a month was different from what she had now. She could already smell her sweet victory from afar.

"That's alright, I suggest you call your father and at least tell him yourself." He took out a piece paper and a pen and scrabbled on it, he dropped the paper on the coffee table.

The door opened slightly but large enough for her secretary to pass through and enter the office to drop the cup of coffee and tea on the table. She gave a slight bow and walked out, closing the door with a soft click.

They both sat in silence sipping their cup of coffee and tea. Just sitting there, no one uttering a word, only the sound of their breathing, the soft click sound their cups made whenever it came in contact with the table, the horning from a distance, it was comfortable. Sandra felt relaxed and safe, she found herself yearning for the moment to last longer. She dozed off while watching Antonio sip his coffee and when she woke up, he was gone.

****

5:55PM..

Her heart hammered inside her chest, she sat staring at her phone, contemplating on whether she should dial the number. She took in a deep breath and without letting it out, she picked up her phone and the paper Antonio had left on the table, she typed the number out on her phone and with shaky hands tapped the call option on her screen. She put the phone to her ear and nibbled on her fingers nervously, each seconds that passed taunted her, the call neared it's end and her eyes went down in disappointment.

"Hello?"

Her eyes widened in shock, the call had connected without her realizing. She held a handful of her shirt and squeezed it so hard her knuckles went white.

"Hello who's this?"the voice over the phone asked again, clearly annoyed.

"Hello," She swallowed hard, it felt like a lump was in her throat. "Father, it's Aurora."

There was a long pause over the phone, followed by a deep sigh and then the line got disconnected.

Sandra stared at the phone in disbelief, her heart breaking, a tear dropped followed by another and in a matter of seconds she had tears rolling down her cheeks involuntarily.

Her phone buzzed and her father's number popped up on her phone. He wanted to Facetime her, a laugh escaped her lips in-between her sobs.

One tap on her phone and his face came on.

"Ahh, you are crying," he chuckled softly. "Asciugati le lacrime bambina." (Translation- Wipe your tears child.)

She stared at her father and noticed that he also had tears rolling down his cheeks. His once black shiny hair now white as snow, he now had wrinkles at the sides of his eyes, his cheeks now saggy and his lips lacking colour.

He seemed to have aged alot.

She nodded and wiped her tears like a child, just as she was instructed.

Seconds, minutes, hours went by as they conversed, talking about everything and nothing, crying and laughing together, leaving nothing out and catching up on old times.

They finally ended the call and promised to call each other often until she goes back to Italy.

Her eyes gazed at the clock and then she looked out the window, it was already so late and she was sure her secretary was either home or on her way home. She lay back on the sofa and decided to sleep at the company tonight, she couldn't risk going home and getting her mood ruined. She closed her eyes, allowing the day's events play in her head with a small smile that found its way to her mouth.