The loud noise in background wakes me up from slumber sleep. I try to ignore it, covering my head with a blanket.
The sound of traffic outside was loud, but this one, in particular, was closer.
I groan, and the sound stops.
I slowly open my eyes but getting blinded from the light, I close them fast.
Who opened the curtains?
I gave soft twirl against my eyes with fingers and open them; I pop myself on elbows and I look in the direction from where the sound was coming.
"Ralph?" I ask watching him through my sleepy eyes "What are you doing here" I say lifting myself in a kneeling position.
Getting aver of my surroundings, I am still in my apartment but it's much clearer. The table in front of me was empty with no evidence of food and used pottery.
I groan again, feeling ribs clench with every move. The last time I slept on this couch.
I rub my neck to reduce the pain.
"Here you go," he says handing me the glass of water, I take it from his hand and in my other hand, he drops a pill for pain.
"Thank you," I said putting the pill on my tongue and drink it with water.
He sits on the stool in front of me, waiting for me to finish.
Gulping to the end and take a breath; not realising how much I was thirsty; putting a glass on the now-empty desk.
Realising Ralph cleaned it.
"Give it few minutes, and it will help," he says and I nod looking at shut off television on the wall.
"Talk to me, Nora," he pleads.
I avert my eyes toward the window, blinking away the tears that were threatening to fall.
He waits for few seconds and stands up "Go wash, you stink" he jokes to lighten my mood and he succeeds. The giggle slips from my mouth.
I look at him and he sternly looks at me "That is an order". I groan at his command and throw the blanket from my body standing on my those with my hands up, I stretch my body.
Ralph turns around towards the kitchen, finishing what he started.
I gather my pillow and blanket to leave it in my bedroom.
I fast gather my clothes, trying to ignore empty bed and wardrobe before I go to the bathroom to wash.
After twenty minutes I finish, feeling more fresh and relaxed. Putting on my glasses, not wanting to put my lens, I put them inside my mirror.
"Good," Ralph asks when he notices me getting to sit at the kitchen island.
"Yeah much better, thank you," I say with a smile feeling the energy flow through the body.
"Here I made you a coffee," he says handing me a cup of coffee.
I take a sip feeling the aroma enter my body I smile looking at Ralph.
"Sorry, but what are you doing here," I ask him. I know he has a spare key to my apartment, but how did he know that I wasn't all right.
"Yesterday after work I got a call" he explains, putting the last plate aside for breakfast
"I didn't have a number memorised, so I thought it was work," He says making himself comfortable on the chair.
"For my surprise, it was a feminine voice on the other side that introduced herself as Sarah White"
"My friend," I say and he nods.
"She sounded upset because you didn't return her calls, I told her how you were possible just turned your phone off so you can have more time with Theo," He says looking out of the window.
"Then she told me how she called him too but his phone was turned off, and that Nick tried to call you but he had the same"
Fuck Elenora, you scared your friends.
"I told her how I will call you and she thanked me, telling me to call her back when you answer me," he takes a sip of his coffee.
"Then I called you, you didn't answer your phone after four tried I called you on your work phone because I knew you had to answer to that phone but it was just ringing. Then I started to worry, really worry."
I bow my head, feeling embarrassed and guilty of scaring my closest friends and family.
"I didn't know what happen. I end up calling Franco, explaining to him you weren't returning the calls, and that I was closer to your apartment. He told me how he was calling for backup but I didn't want to be false information so I told him not to do it"
Oh my, I just stare at him not knowing what to say.
"Which ends up him showing here," I hide behind my arms
"He didn't want to for me to go alone"
"So when we got to your door and saw your mattress and bedsheets outside of your door, we didn't know what to think"
"But the quietness that was coming from your apartment scared me, I called but you didn't return the voice."
"We broke the door Elenora, the door, how you didn't hear us," He was now angry. Asking me.
"I took some sleep pills, I couldn't fall asleep how much my head was hurting me," in disapproval shaking his head.
"The apartment was dark and quiet, broken glass everywhere we Thought someone broke in but then we see you on couch sprawled, I ran to you feeling your pulse starting to wake you until Franco stopped me showing me a broken frame of a picture, Theo and you, Franco told me how his stuff was missing and"
"And then you realised," I say fidgeting with my fingers "That we broke up" I finally found the word, feeling embarrassed.
How could I do something stupid?
Ralph nodes.
"I know the sorry won't fix how much I scared you all because of my childish behaviour"
Ralph shakes his head,
"You can't let this happen again if you don't want to tell me, at least tell your friends"
"I will"
"Now tell me what happened, and why the mattress is outside"
"After you left me, I get to my apartment and everything was dark and quiet until I heard a voice. I thought he was just talking with someone on the phone until I heard Barbara's voice"
"Figilo di puttana" (*Son of bitch*)
I agree with him nodding my head
"They would have done it if I didn't barge in" I spat the words" They would fuck again" Ralph was listening but he was getting angrier
"He tried to explain himself, but I wasn't dumb. I told them that if they don't move out in three hours, I would call the police or something worse" Ralph chuckled.
"You know I was more pissed at her than him," I said trying to laugh out but my heart was in pain "You know best friends forever," I said
"And mattress, I just couldn't found myself to sleep where they done it"
He nodded, understanding.
"But next time when something happens no matter how is important, answer you phone," He was in uncle mood
"I would not let that happen next time," I said reassuring him.
"If your father was here, he wouldn't let this slide for soo easly, but for Theo" he shakes his head
" I would run" I laugh knowing too, my father wouldn't be happy.
"Are you better, now?" Ralph asks, taking out empty cups.
"Yeah, much better, thank you so much, Uncle Ralph," I smile putting filling my plate.
He groans sitting down "You didn't call me like that for so long" filling his plate.
"We spend more time on work together, I can't just like that talk to you," I say eating.
"Oh, did you inform Sarah about my," I say twirling my finger around, like showing the mess that happened two days ago.
"Yes, yes, I did," He says taking a bite of eggs. I waited for him to finish the chewing.
"She was relieved, but she was angry because you weren't answering your phone"
"I have to call her as soon as I can," I say finishing my plate I went to clean the table but Ralph stops me " Sit, I will clean it"
"But you already cleaned everything" I protested he just raised his hand, and I stopped. I sit calmly drinking juice while he was cleaning.
"Ugh, I need something to divert my thought of all this and this place!" I say feeling sad but I was too numb from crying for two days.
"What about Italy" Ralph recommends
"What do you mean?" I say.
We just returned from Italy but it was just working, work and work...I don't remember the last time I went to Italy to just enjoy my time
The only person who I meet for coffee was Maria and no one else.
"You would mostly be at our house, but if you want to do something at work, I could give you something you didn't do for a long time"
"Like what," I say still thinking how I could visit some people I didn't see since I started to work for La Morte's.
"We need a Lawyer," Ralph says raising his eyebrow waiting for my answer.
"What about Mr Russo?"
After the murderer of my father, in his place came Mr Russo, but he was just that.
My father wasn't just a friend of Franco or his most trusted man, but he was a Lawyer for La Morte's family.
Now you see that I went down my Father's steps.
"Well," he stalled talking about not importing things.
"Are you going against him?" I ask curiously because I know he did a magnificent job since my father died.
"Yes, we are. We noticed some strange activities like missing money and all signs are going towards him" I listen to him slowly.
"So are you for, I wouldn't load you with work! Most important thing is that you get better" He says reassuring me.
"When are you going back?" ask him.
"In two days, we have some things to do here and we are done," he says.
But I don't think the only reason that they are going back to Italy was because of Mr Russo. Someone else more important is there and I see Ralph is trying to hide it.
I went to ask him about Riccardo, but his stern face stopped me.
You don't question the things you don't must know.
And I puffed.
"Then I will have some time to meet up with Sarah and Nick," I say more to me.
And get drunk...
"I will inform you when our flight will be, and I will come to you," Ralph says and at that moment his phone rings.
He apologises and takes up a conversation in my bedroom.
Which reminds me of my phone and I went to the stool.
Looking through it, I snickered at myself looking how much miss calls I have.
I typed the message both to Sarah and Nick
Telling them I am fine, and if they had time for us to meet.
I meet Sarah for the first year of me staying in New York City.
She was doing her first year of practice nursing in New York hospital and I meet her in Library where I work when I am not working for Gio.
After few times oh her coming and having a conversation with her, I realised how much similar we both are and pretty much soon I look at her as my older sister.
Nickolas or as we call him Nick. I meet him at one of the local gyms I visited. He was one of a trainer worked there and practically owned the Gym. He was a great-looking guy with well build body. He was all time talking about his friend and how much she would like me. That when we finally meet each other, she ends up being my Sarah.
Which we hung out more together.
"Hey, I have to go," Ralph says
I nod getting up to greet him.
"Oh, I almost forgot" He stops at my door, I tilted my head looking at him.
"Your mattress and fresh bed shifts will come during the day" I went to protest to him but he holds his hand.
"We throw out the old ones and some Franco man will bring a fresh one" I opened my mouth shocked.
"You didn't just command them to bring me a mattress and new bedsheets," I say dumbfounded.
"We did, Soo shut it," he says playfully.
And I just hugged him which he returned, I tightened my hands around his torso and murmured "Thank you Soo much for everything, for taking care of me and bringing a smile on my face" I say feeling tear sliding down.
He moved from our hug but his both hands were on my cheeks, thumb sweeping my tear" You are part of my family, you always been and I always protect my family" he says kissing my forehead.
"Now stop crying because we don't sadden older man," he says smirking which I Laugh and wipe my face.
"All good," I say
************
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Hello hello Say hi to new Chapter :)
Again I am Late for upload but here it is :)
First for people who are reading La Morte, thank you soo much for checking it and staying for Elenora journey you don't know how much that means to me!:)
Soo we have some moments between Ralph and Elenora, even Franco.
Did you expect Franco to react like that?
What do you think soo far.
Give a comment and vote
I will try to upload new chapter soon this week.
Thank you again, love you...