Point of no return

Chapter 3

He slept late, when he looked at the clock it was showing eleven thirty. They usually took breakfast away at ten, but he knew his father. He would have them keep it out for him until he showed up, so he decided to just walk down and get that over with before getting ready for the day.

His father was still at the breakfast table, probably waiting for him since he must have finished long ago.

'Good morning.'

'Morning Luca you don't usually sleep so long. But then again you got home a lot later than I thought you were going to last night. I waited up until almost two.'

Luca poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down.

'Dad I'm 34 years old. The days where you clock watched me and waited up are very much long gone. So why don't you just say whatever it is you want to say?'

Just as his dad was opening his mind to speak, Helena their longtime housekeeper walked up.

'What would you like for breakfast, Mr. Luca?'

'Eggs and toast are fine, Helena.'

'Yes, Mr. Luca.'

He looked back at his father.

'You were saying?'

'How's your love life going?'

'Why do you ask?'

'Surely it's a father's prerogative to be interested in the love life of his only son.'

'You've never asked before.'

His father took a few seconds to drink some coffee before continuing.

'It has come to my attention that for the past few days, various members of our security staff have been engaging in some surveillance work for you. It's a young woman I believe?'

'Yes.'

'I also had an editor from a major newspaper call me this morning. He seemed to have bought pictures of you kissing a girl outside of a restaurant a few days ago. And holding hands with the same girl, though I must admit you could barely recognize her by appearance, yesterday evening.'

'What did he call you for?'

'They got quite a few pictures three nights ago. In some of them, the girl is seen slapping you. In some, you're kissing. He just wanted to make sure that it would be ok to print. And asked which version of the pictures we would prefer him to use, the kissing ones or the slapping ones.'

Luca took the news calmly, he could tell his dad thought he was telling him things he didn't know. He knew pictures had been taken.

He thanked Helena that just brought him his food and then said to his father.

'Tell him to sit on them. And to destroy the slapping ones and keep the kissing ones.'

'Is that all you're going to say?'

'What else would you like for me to say?'

'Who is she, and what the hell did you do to deserve a slapping?'

'Her name is Elizabeth.'

'And what did you do?'

'I think it's fairly obvious. I kissed her.'

'That warrants violence these days?'

'Don't be too hard on her dad. I hadn't been on my best behavior that evening.'

'I certainly don't mean to sound hard. I think I'm more amused than anything.'

'Well, I'm glad I could keep you entertained.'