Page 13 of Three Times You

“Two seems like a good number to start out with if you want to be a good parent, but there’s time to see about things, right? Do you already have any ideas about the name?”

“Gin suggested Massimo if it’s a boy…which would be so much easier, and that way I wouldn’t get mixed up.”

Giorgio looks at me in surprise for the second time. “Seriously? Babi and Gin don’t know each other, do they?”

“Gin and Babi friends, sharing that sort of confidential detail? Nothing could be further from the truth. Why do you ask?”

“Thinking badly of others is a sin, but it’s also often quite accurate.”

“Nice.”

“The late prime minister Giulio Andreotti said it, but he’s dead so it’s in the public domain. You’re free to use it if you like. Can I ask you something else?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Have you talked to Gin?”

“Not yet.”

“Are you planning to do it?”

“I don’t know. Yesterday, I was about to do it, but it was such a magnificent dinner, prepared with such loving care, that I didn’t want to ruin it. Then I was planning to tell her everything after dinner, but she gave me the news.”

“So you’re never going to tell her?”

“I don’t know. Right now I’m not sure what good it would do anyone.”

“Right. Do you think that you’ll see Babi again?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you do know that we have a meeting soon with the director of the network drama series and that you’re going to have to make a pitch on everything that we presented?”

“Yes, I do know that.”

“Good. At least there’s one thing you’re seeing clearly about.”

Chapter 14

We walk in through the sizable front door of the headquarters of the Network and go to the counter where they issue security passes. One of the three young ladies leans toward us.

“Good morning. The director, Calvi, is expecting us,” Giorgio says.

The receptionist quickly checks for the appointment on her computer. I read her nameplate and discover that her name is Susanna. So Susanna speaks to someone on the telephone, replies “Thanks,” and hangs up. Giorgio pulls out his ID, but Susanna just smiles at him. “Giorgio Renzi and Stefano Mancini, I already have you registered.” And a moment later, she’s handing us two passes and pointing us in the right direction. “Take the elevator to the seventh floor.”

“Thanks.”

We head for the large glass doors, and we each slide our pass through the electronic slot. We walk to the elevators. When we reach the seventh floor, there’s already a young woman waiting for us.

“Hello there. Renzi and Mancini?”

“Yes.”

“Please follow me.”

We start walking down the long hallway. When we’re about halfway down the hallway, the young woman turns to me.

“I’m Simona, and I wanted to thank you for the kind gifts you sent to me and my colleague. How did you guess? Do you know that, when I opened it, I was literally speechless? Thanks again.” And she stops in front of the office, ushering us in and inviting us to take a seat. “Would you care for any coffee or water?”

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