Ugly Ronney: mafia romance [English]

Chapter 13-4

When I opened the door to the office, Wolfe was sitting at her desk, sobbing, her face buried in her arms. I hesitated to go straight to the waiting room. The poor lady didn't seem fit to continue her consultations. I wasn't surprised. She was either in a depressed state or in a state of hyperactivity.

I closed the door firmly behind me to force Wolfe to raise her head. She stood up abruptly from her chair and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Miss Jimenez?" she asked.

I raised my eyebrows and answered calmly, "Yes, it's time for my appointment."

The doctor pretended to fix her hair and reached into the first drawer of her desk to pull out a bottle of pills. Go ahead, take your dose, but avoid butchering my mouth afterward. With a nod, she indicated that I could go and sit down, but I decided to ask her my question now before I didn't have the courage anymore.

"When are you going to remove my braces?"

She seemed to analyze my question for a few moments.

"Soon! The result must be perfect. Your teeth need a lot of work. You can't imagine how bad it was when you first came to see me."

Her last words were spoken very calmly. Her tears were fading. The pills seemed to be working already.

"When you say 'soon,' do you mean a few days, a few weeks, a few months?"

The doctor stood up and pulled on her white coat.

"As soon as all your teeth are in their place. We pulled four molars four months ago. Now there should be enough room inside your mouth."

For a moment, the sharp pain I had felt during the procedure came back. Completely stoned that day, she had made a mistake injecting the anesthesia into my gums.

Once again, I was unable to get a date.

Alistair and Bergamote greeted me with a big smile on top of the roof. As always, I was the last to arrive. The record player was playing a Frank Sinatra song.

"Look, Bergamote! Our Ronney finally decided to wear the dress you sewed for her."

Embarrassed, I crossed my arms over my chest. Alistair rushed towards me to drag me to the middle of the terrace.

"It suits you, Ronney."

Bergamote circled around me to admire her work. She had put so much heart and energy into sewing this dress that I had decided to wear it today to please her after months of it sitting in the back of my closet.

"A true pin-up!" exclaimed Alistair, holding his suspenders.

"Stop it," I whispered uncomfortably, looking down.

"Leave her alone, Ali," said Bergamote. She turned to me, her eyes shining, and said, "You're very elegant, my Ronney. You should dress like this more often."

I shook my head vigorously.

"No, no. I feel like a living magnet that draws all eyes to me."

After talking about our days, I was going to bring up the subject of Logan, but I changed my mind. Bergamote and Alistair would ask me about him day and night if I told them now, and then would tell me to go out with him.

"I've made us a nice pizza," said my roommate, inviting me to follow her to the side of the terrace. "We have some time before Daphne starts rehearsing with the other dancers."

"Her performance is in two weeks. I can't wait to be there," I said as I sat down on the low wall.

Alistair poured me a glass of wine and said, "It will be hard to let Daphne and her group go after her performance. I heard that the ballet will be touring the country."

A feeling of disappointment washed over me. I took a bite of my pizza as I imagined our next dates, on Saturday nights, without Daphne. It wouldn't be the same.

Bergamote and Alistair were making their plans for Sunday when my phone rang. When I saw Yeraz's name on the screen, I felt dizzy and my heart began to race. He's still alive, I thought, relieved. I answered with a weak voice.

"Ronney, I'm in Sheryl Valley. I just got back."

Yeraz spoke with some restraint, but his tone betrayed some anxiety.

"Okay... Uh..."

Alistair and Bergamote looked at me suspiciously. They were trying to figure out who my caller was. My sudden change in behavior had made them curious.

"Do you have anything to ask me about Monday? I've confirmed your schedule, but I'll let you check it."

Shit, I hadn't even asked him how he was doing. My friends wouldn't take their eyes off me.

"Where are you?"

I closed my eyes. I could tell from the sound of his voice that he expected me to be at his house. Caught off guard, I answered awkwardly, "In the city center. I'm with my two roommates."

Why did I feel compelled to tell him this information?

"This doesn't tell me where you are."

He was calm, but only in appearance. I imagined him in his black suit, sitting behind his desk, his features tired. I couldn't tell him where I was. It was the only place that made me feel good and I wanted to keep it exclusively for myself.

"Ronney?" he insisted.

"I just need this moment, Yeraz. I can't tell you where I am."

Alistair nudged Bergamote. Both of them, mouths agape, showed an expression of great surprise on their faces.

I heard Yeraz sigh into the phone.

"Please, Ronney," he whispered. "Just for a few hours, let me join your world. Mine is so...dark tonight."

My heart clenched and turmoil rose deep inside of me. How could I turn down someone who asked for my help, even if that person was Yeraz? There were no words to describe what I felt at that moment.