One Night Only

Lillie

I wake up to the tone of my cell phone. I reach out to the nightstand, groping for it, and answer the call without looking to see who it is. I just open my eyes.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Dante’s voice comes through the receiver. I sit up quickly, eyes wide open. “Did I wake you?”

How embarrassing, he must think I’m lazy.

I glance at the clock on my nightstand; it’s nine in the morning.

“No, I was already awake,” I try not to sound groggy. “Is something wrong?” I want to hide my excitement at his call.

“I just wanted to hear your voice and see how you’re doing. I don’t have much time. And I shouldn’t call you on just any phone.”

I don’t understand why he shouldn’t call me on any phone or cell, but since he doesn’t have much time, I won’t ask right now. I’ll just take the opportunity to listen to his voice, which always makes me nervous when he talks. I hear him say sweet or naughty things to me, as he likes to do.

“So, you can’t even send me a message?” I need to know if that’s the reason why he hadn’t contacted me.

“Neither. I sent Franco to bring you a new cell phone. That device will only have my number and Ivan’s for emergencies,” his tone is very serious. “If for any reason I don’t answer, you can write or call him. He’ll always be available. He’s already aware. He’ll also bring you other things. He should be outside your house by now. Go check. I’ll end the call.”

And with that, he hangs up.

He didn’t let me say a single word. He spoke so quickly that not even a minute passed.

I grab my bathrobe and put it on. I go to the bathroom and wash my face and brush my teeth. After checking if this Franco guy is outside, I’ll go back to take a quick shower. I’ll go to the hospital. I don’t have classes until after noon today, so I have time to visit mom and bring some food to Alex. I go to the entrance and open the door. I jump in fright when I see Franco, the tough guy, the one I still hold a grudge against for the first time he interfered with me. I know it’s not his fault, but his boss’s. He just follows orders. Still, I’m annoyed by it.

“Miss Watson,” he says with formality and seriousness, “the boss asked for this to be delivered to you,” he extends his hands with two large black paper bags.

I purse my lips. Didn’t he say it was just a cell phone? Why so many bags?

I grab the bags and thank him. As soon as I do, the guy quickly disappears from my sight. He vanished as if by magic. I stand at the door for a few seconds. They’re so fast. I enter, close the door, and leave the bags on the couch. I start to hear a cell phone ring. It’s very different from mine.

What’s that sound?

I look at the bags. The noise is coming from there. I remember he sent me a cell phone. I open one of the bags and search while following the sound. I find a beautiful pink iPhone. I pick it up and answer.

“Do you like it?” he questions. He doesn’t let me speak. “I sent you some more things, have you seen them?”

“Not yet. I was just about to see what they contained.”

“Good. Now you can communicate with me from here. It won’t be possible from the other phone. You can get rid of it now.”

“But my family has that number.”

“There’s no problem with that, just give them this number, and that’s it,” he says as if it were easy.

“Okay.”

“It’s all set with everything you need. My number and Ivan’s are also there. Don’t hesitate to contact us if something happens.”

I don’t understand why so much concern or protection, he even involved his friend.

“No need, everything’s fine.”

“I’m serious, Lillie,” he says my name in a serious tone. If he’s so worried, something strange is going on. Is something happening? “Please, do as I say. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

I sigh. He really exaggerates. Still, I give him the answer he wants. I don’t want to argue. I missed his voice.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Good. Now open the bags, don’t hang up, and put the phone on speaker.”

I follow his orders. He’s bossy. I’ve known that from the beginning. Now I don’t contradict him. I open the first bag, where the cell phone box is. I see another bag, but it’s plastic. I open it and see several boxes of medication. What is this? I read the names. They’re the pink pills, the ones you take the day after. I remember I should have gone to a pharmacy to buy something like this. I think and count the hours; it’s been more than twenty-four hours already. That pill might not even work if I take it now. I don’t say anything. I don’t want to worry him with something trivial. Maybe it doesn’t count for the first time, but for the second or third it does. It’s not like I could get pregnant the first time, of course not, the chances are very low, but I know it’s still possible. I ignore all those thoughts and without waiting any longer, I take one pill. I know well that you shouldn’t take more than one, that it’s only possible within a certain time.

After that, I open more boxes and things that come in the bags. There’s a white gold watch and a doll with a note attached that says “For the princess.” I imagine it’s for Sandy.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“‘For the princess,'” I read aloud so he can hear me. I’m still on the call.

“Yes, your niece should also have something from me, especially since she claims I’m your boyfriend,” he comments playfully.

“Kids are like that, they imagine things.”

“Well, she has a good imagination. That’s why I give her a gift. But there are also gifts for your mom and your sister, since they accepted me.”

I laugh hearing him.

“Who said that?” I try to sound serious.

“I know they loved me, but not more than you.”

I remain silent. He’s right, my family accepted him. Just seeing him once, apparently, they already like him. And indeed, I like him more. However, I won’t tell him that, I’m not ready for that. First, I want to know where this will lead us. I don’t know if it’s a relationship or what. I don’t want to spoil the moment by asking him. I know all this could be new to him too. He didn’t tell me anything about it, but his behavior and the way he treats a woman show it. For now, all I hope is that this isn’t just a game for him, that he’s not playing with me, like he did at the beginning.