(Max's POV)
Song of the chapter: (Mentioned scenes)
(Breakfast scene): I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
It's been awhile since we had visited Dr. Bellevue at the hospital and it's probably because she told us to come back every other two months and the date is nearing. For the mean time, we just make sure that we are still drinking our prescribed pills and we try to avoid the sensitive topic as much as possible. We both know that we have to talk about it eventually but we're both stopping ourselves because the topic might not end well but we're both at the same page anyway.
Cooking a British-inspired breakfast fit for a queen and take note, my queen, I played a random song from my iPod that was in its dock. With its groovy rhythm, I unknowingly started to dance along the song.
Scrambling the eggs and dipping the bread onto it, my hips swayed with the dance-jerking tune. It was as if I was in a one-man show, pretending to be the singer, the saxophonist, the pianist and the violinist wrapped up into a single entity and guess what, I was enjoying myself even if I looked stupid.
"What are you doing?" I almost jumped out of my skin as I heard my queen's voice coming from behind me.
"Cojeme!" I shouted and Andrea laughed whole-heartedly with what scene she just witnessed. I immediately paused the song with the remote within reach.
"I'm so s-sorry," she tries to catch her breath but fails because she continued laughing, "I didn't mean it."
"Yeah, I can see how sorry you are, mi amore." I scowled which made her stop laughing and looked at me with apologizing eyes.
"Don't stop on my account. It's just adorable how I caught you like that. You know what?" Andrea walks towards me, kissed me softly on my lips and got the remote then pressed play again and the whole first floor was filled with the groovy tune again.
We danced silly to the song and even danced as if we were on a dance show plus, we were singing softly to each other's ears.
"Losin' you would end my life you see?" I sang the line to her ears and she hugged me tightly.
"'Cause you mean that much to me." Andrea whispered back and sent chills all over my body. How can two lines summarize the universal love?
We continually danced to the song and swayed with our bodies attuned to each other with the music flowing from the speakers.
"Wait—"
The smoke alarm goes off and the sprinklers got turned on. We were drenched under the sprinklers with laughter around us as we somewhat reluctantly called the Security Office.
"Hello, yeah— um, can we request for the sprinklers to be turned off? Yeah, well— er, we were just cooking and we kind of left it." I explained while Andrea giggles behind me and turns off the stove that cradles the burnt breakfast we were supposed to have.
"Not 'we', it's only you!" Andrea teased and threw the burnt leftovers from the pan. Now we're going to eat out and I have the most perfect place in mind.
"Yeah, that would be great! I apologize again for the inconvenience." I snorted and then eventually laughed as I dropped the call.
"That was awful! Everything's wet!" Andrea exclaimed and I looked at her then threw a smirk which elicited a laugh from her.
"I'm obviously wet too but not for the reason in your dirty mind."
"Well, it's a mess worth cleaning later for the housekeeper."
~
"One King's breakfast for me, please." I requested from the waitress who's obviously eye-fúcking me and Andrea doesn't seem to care.
"How about for you, ma'am?" Louise, the rudest waitress I've encountered in front of my wife, sarcastically said. I'd better take note of her name and report her later to the manager.
"Your breakfast special, please. Oh, and a glass of orange juice with pulp."
"How would you like your eggs? You know, like, poached? Fertilized?" Louise sneered at my wife.
"What the fúck?" I immediately retorted to the waitress who now looked astounded. "You have the grace to look shocked that I protected my wife from being disrespected by you?"
"Max—"
"Yes, mi amore?"
"Let's not make a scene, okay?"
"I will not tolerate any disrespectful behaviour towards you! No one should ever be treated that way, in the first place!" I argued back.
"Sir, what's happening here?" The man asked and I looked at his name tag and was written Manager on Duty. Good.
"Your waitress here disrespected my wife!" I angrily whispered now being aware of the eyes that's on our table.
"Max." Andrea called my attention but I hushed her by looking at her. I would not have anyone disrespect her or anyone within my presence. Where are people's manners and respect?
"Louise, go to the waitresses' room and wait there." The manager ordered and Louise went there with her head hanging low. "What did she do this time?"
"This time? So this isn't the first time?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then why'd you still keep her?" I asked bitterly but not caring about the answer, I shrugged. "My wife and I are having problems and she directly mocked my wife because of that!"
"Okay. In hopes of keeping our clientele's interests, the bill is on the house for that incident. We sincerely apologize for that."
"We're good. We would still like to eat here but with no more incidents like that, please."
"Why can't we have a peaceful event outside the house?" I muttered under my breath which made Andrea scoff.
"When did we ever not have an 'event'?"
"Accurately true. Say, your breakfast was a very hearty one, eh?" I teased her which made her slap my shoulder.
"Hey! It was a craving I can't help, okay?"
"I'm driving! Careful!" I laughed at her antics against me. "I haven't seen you eat as much before. Maybe I should burn more breakfast so I can entice you to eat like that."
"Shut up."
~
Andrea wasn't able to get out of bed for feeling under the weather today but she insisted that she had to go to the orphanage and I almost had the urge to slap her under her head so that she wakes up and realises that she needs to rest.
"You're so stubborn!" I admonished her but she just stuck her tongue out and drank water but ended up coughing anyway.
"I told you so!" then I was met with a, "Whatever, Max."
Buried under the tons of paperwork I had to do, I was being flexible by pointing my fingers to every pie by going to different meetings and signing contracts. I was not in the mood to be messed with after I had an encounter with an old, er, friend telling my secretary, which is by the way fired now, to let her in to my room. I found the old friend on my room's couch with harlot red lipstick with matching skyscraper heels with black stockings and tried to seduce me before I pushed her. I had to call security for her to be kicked out and to be banned from the premises. Of course, my secretary came along with her and I'm now busy as a bee looking for a more reliable replacement.
"Mr. Bravucci, someone is calling your telephone line." One of the department heads said and not minding the number, I immediately answered it.
"Recess for two minutes, gentlemen." I announced and excused myself.
"Hello?"
"Hello, we are looking for a certain Maximillian Bravucci?" The other end said.
"Speaking. Who am I talking to?"
"This is Chicago General Hospital calling for you. Your wife, Mrs. Andrea Ellis Bravucci was called in because she collapsed at the orphanage she was working in."
Before I fell on my knees, I hold out on the chair before I faint with worry.
"I-is she okay?"
"She's still in the emergency room so we can't say for now. Can you go here immediately?"
"Yes, absolutely."
I ran outside and I was faced with questioning gazes from the departmental heads.
"I have a personal emergency that I have attend to. The meeting was well over anyway as we were able to discuss what we have to accomplish for this month." I announced and immediately went straight to the elevator and called Miles.
"Miles, I will be waiting at the entrance. Let's head to Chicago General, Andrea was called in."
Time was suspended as I was waiting for the doctor's feedback outside the emergency room and I saw Matt, the small kid from orphanage, being comforted by the nurses in the vending machine.
"Matt!" I called and when he saw that it's me, he ran towards me and hugged my hips to down.
"I don't want Andrea to die, Max!" He wept and I ruffled his hair in comfort. I had to pry his small arms from my lower half so I can look at him straight in the eyes when I talked to him.
"She won't, okay? Andrea is a brave and strong woman." I reassured the small kid but I think I had to say that out loud also for myself to believe it.
"I love her, Max! I don't want to see her die!" The little boy mourned and I shook my head in response.
"Trust me, kid. I love her just as much as you do. We'll see her soon standing up and being a beautiful woman again, okay?"
~
A/N: LONG AF CHAPTER FOR Y'ALL BC Y'ALL DESERVE IT TBH
thank you for sticking with me so far and wow sorry again for the inconsistent uploads! i'm buried under tons and tons of deadlines for this month so i had to upload that before i drown hahah (im graduating high school so i have to work my butt off for this last 3-4 weeks ahead of me) and soon, i'll be having 5 months of crazy summer! wooha
but til then, you'll find me with designer eyebags and having breakdowns after breakdowns because of stress!!! i love school!!! what a stress-free environment
hope to see you soon! ily all x
kat xo