Page 43 of Three Times You

Lorenzo goes inside, but he’s back in a few minutes with a tray. On it is the espresso for Babi and a bottle of Talisker scotch with a short glass and a bowl of ice cubes. He sits down, fills the glass with ice cubes, and pours himself a generous amount of whiskey, practically to the brim. Then he takes a long sip, leans back in his chair, spreads his arms, and looks up at the sky. “I’m constantly traveling, but I can’t settle down. There’s just too much to do and see, but actually, I wish I could just stay here, by your side.”

“But even when you’re here in Rome, we still never see you. You never come home to eat, you don’t go to pick Massimo up at school, and at night, you always have something you’re doing for work or with your friends. All that makes me think you must have a girlfriend on the side.”

“If only.”

Babi turns and looks at him in surprise, baffled.

Lorenzo drinks a long slug and finishes the glass of whiskey. He fills his glass again and takes another long sip. Then he pulls out the pack and lights another cigarette. “I’ve had you stuck in my head since I was just a boy. I’ve chased after you all my life. I pursued you, I called you, I courted you, and I invited you to parties. You’ve always been my obsession.”

“I never thought I’d meant so much to you. So aren’t you happy your dream has finally come true? You married me.”

Lorenzo finishes his glass yet again, fills it back up, and takes another slug. Then he takes a drag on his cigarette. “I didn’t marry you. You’re the one who married me. In fact, you only married a part of me, the part you needed to fill up the space that I could occupy in your life. I still don’t quite understand why you needed me, of all people. Why you chose me. Maybe you wanted to punish me for something.”

Babi starts laughing. Lorenzo pulls her to him and kisses her. For a moment, she lets him do it, even though she never parts her lips. Then he lifts her skirt, touches her legs, tries to spread them, and slides his hand into her panties, but she resists, clamps her legs shut, and refuses to let herself be touched. Lorenzo exerts more effort, crams his leg on top of hers to try to part them, and at that point, a sort of wrestling match breaks loose.

Then, all of a sudden, Lorenzo pulls away because she’s bitten his lip. “Ouch.”

“You were overdoing it.”

“I want you.”

“Not like that.”

“Do you realize how long it’s been since we’ve made love? More than eight months. Don’t you understand that I still love you? What do I have to do to make you understand it? You’re the only woman I desire, that I long for, the only one who gives me a thrill.”

“I’m going in to check up on Massimo.” Babi walks away, steering clear of him.

Lorenzo watches her leave. “I wish you loved me even a tenth as much as you love him.” Then he picks up his glass and drains it at a single gulp.

Babi goes in. Even a tenth, she thinks to herself, would still be too much.

Chapter 36

Gin wakes up early and goes to the kitchen. She knows that Step had an appointment early that morning. She finds a note propped up against her morning breakfast mug.

Break a leg today, with a kiss from me.

So she pulls out her cell phone and texts him.

Thanks. And a kiss right back at you.

But she notices that the double WhatsApp check mark, indicating the message has been read, fails to appear.

Gin makes breakfast, putting a kettle on to boil and taking tiny bites of a piece of melba toast. Then she leafs through the paper, lingering over an item or two, and studies the entertainment page.

She hears the water come to a boil and then pours herself a pot of green tea, bobbing the tea bag in the hot water before carrying the teapot to the table with a hot pad to keep from burning her fingers. She pours out a mug, adds a teaspoon of honey, and stirs it while chewing on another slice of melba toast. She glances at the clock. She’s contented and thinks,What a wonderful time of my life this is.Aurora will be born soon, and we’ll fix up her room, Step’s work is going great, and he’s so much more even-tempered, and today, to cap things off, I’ve been called in for an interview after sending around my résumé.

Gin showers, dresses nicely, and climbs into her Fiat Cinquecento L. She feels utterly calm. Soon afterward, she’s on Viale Bruno Buozzi, heading for the interview. She immediately finds a parking spot, which strikes her as a sign that her luck is good today. She locks her car and walks into the gorgeous office building. The entrance is all marble. On either side of the majestic staircase stand two large and lovely potted plants. To the right sits the concierge at a desk, checking the morning’s delivery of mail.

“Good morning. I’m expected at the Merlini law office.”

“Of course, take the second elevator, fourth floor.”

“Thanks.”

When Gin reaches the office, she speaks to a young secretary with a pageboy hairdo, seated at the reception desk.

“Good morning. I’m Ginevra Biro. I have an appointment with Carlo Sacconi.”

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