Chapter 5 #5
On Sunday I decided to rest and distract myself a bit.
The heavy rain continued, so I went walking around a shopping mall, had lunch there, bought some things, and then went into one of the movie theaters to watch an action film.
When I came out it was already dark, so I went straight home.
I wasn’t hungry because I had eaten popcorn at the movies, so I made myself an herbal tea and went to bed early.
When I was turning off the bedside lamp, I remembered that I hadn’t checked my phone for hours.
I got up again and went to get it. I had messages from Serafina, from Baco, from my brother, and from some other friends.
Baco’s was asking me to come get a piece of his birthday cake because it was so big that there was quite a lot left, but since it was already very late I told him I’d stop by the next day.
The rest of the messages were to see how I was doing and to invite me to various things.
◆◆◆
On Monday I arrived at the office early, I had rested well and felt calmer. I was in a meeting until mid-morning and then shut myself in my office to review some reports that had been left for me to check. The sound of the intercom pulled me from my concentration.
“Yes, Julia.”
“Mr. Hermes Darwich wishes to see you,” my secretary informed me.
Hermes? Here?
I didn’t understand what he was doing at my office. We hadn’t arranged to meet, in fact we hadn’t arranged anything, especially not after he had left Baco’s birthday party on Saturday with his friend clinging to him. Remembering that moment made me furious.
“Julia, please tell Mr. Darwich that we didn’t have a scheduled meeting and that at this moment I can’t see him because I’m busy. Thank you.”
“Very well, Miss Darner.”
I stared at the intercom as if it would give me some idea of the reasons that had brought Hermes to my office. The little device rang again and I heard Julia’s voice once more.
“Miss Darner, Mr. Darwich insists that he needs to meet with you.”
“Julia, I’m sorry to put you in this situation, but please tell him that my schedule is completely full today. If necessary, check which days this week I could meet and coordinate with him.”
“Miss, he said he’s going to stay here until you see him and that, if you don’t, he’ll speak to your superior.”
“Don’t worry, Julia. I’ll go out there, but don’t tell him that. Keep insisting that I can’t see him and don’t say anything about my superior.”
I got up from my desk chair, straightened my dress, and walked firmly toward the door separating my office from Julia’s.
When I opened it, I was met with his imposing presence, which momentarily made me forget what I wanted to say to him.
That day he was wearing a dark blue suit that looked spectacular on him.
He was leaning over Julia’s desk, presumably trying to intimidate her.
“I need to see Miss Darner’s boss,” he demanded seriously, while Julia looked at him, caught between terror and being dazzled by his beauty.
“You’re looking at her,” I said, standing in my office doorway with my arms crossed over my chest.
Hermes turned and his burning gaze traveled over my entire body. It was obvious he hadn’t expected my presence. Then he looked back at Julia as if waiting for an explanation.
“Miss Darner is everyone’s boss here,” Julia said.
“You can come in, but I warn you I only have fifteen minutes.”
In two strides he was by my side. When he entered my office, he observed everything carefully. I noticed his gaze stopped at my desk, then he went over and picked up the picture frame I had next to my computer. It was a photograph of me with my brother, both of us smiling happily.
“Who is this?” he asked seriously, examining it carefully.
“My brother,” was my curt response, and I noticed his expression softened and he seemed to breathe easily again.
He returned the frame to its place and turned to look at me.
“Thank you for seeing me.”
“I did it for Julia’s health—you nearly gave the poor woman a nervous breakdown. Would you like some coffee?”
“I wouldn’t want to keep bothering your secretary,” he stated.
“That’s not what upsets her—it’s people who don’t know how to take no for an answer. Do you want coffee or not?”
“In that case, I’ll accept the coffee.”
I picked up the intercom and ordered them. Then I went to the conference table where he had already seated himself. I sat at the head and looked at him seriously. Just as he was about to say something, a gentle knock at the door interrupted him.
“Come in,” I said.
Julia entered with a tray that she placed on the table. We thanked her and she left very quickly.
“I think you scared the poor woman with your ogre face and your authoritarianism,” I stated.
“Ogre face?” he asked. “How strange, because I thought I had her dazzled with my beauty,” he added with his seductive smile.
I looked at him and rolled my eyes in a clear expression of impatience.
“I assume you didn’t come here to joke around, so tell me what you have to say because your time is running out.”
Hermes sighed in defeat and looked at me.
“I want to be with you, Delfina. I no longer care how we are together—it can be however you want, but don’t push me out of your life,” he pleaded, looking at me like he never had before. He seemed defeated, something I’d never seen in this man.
“Hermes, it’s not that simple. The other day you also talked about your desire to be with me and then you left with a woman hanging on your arm and cuddling up to you. How do you think that made me feel?”
“I can imagine. But I assure you nothing happened with her. We left and I took her to her home.”
“And you think I’m going to believe that?”
“It’s the truth. How could I be with another woman after kissing you? I don’t know what’s happening to me with you, but I assure you it’s never happened before and it’s driving me crazy.”
“I’m going to ask you a question and I’d like you to be honest,” I said, and he looked at me cautiously but nodded. “Why did you shield your heart? Why are you closed off to love?”
“It’s a long story and I promise to tell you, but this isn’t the place. Let’s have dinner together and talk calmly.”
For a few seconds we remained silent, looking into each other’s eyes, a gaze that said a lot. His eyes expressed an emotion I never thought I’d see in Hermes’ eyes—when speaking of his apathy toward love, his eyes reflected sadness.
“All right, let me know the place and I’ll be there,” I said.
“Let me pick you up, let’s go together.”
“Very well, but I ask that it not be at your house.”
Hermes looked at me, smiled, and shook his head.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked seriously.
“Because with you it’s as if my world is turned upside down. I’m usually the one who refuses to go to my house.”
“I don’t see what’s so amusing about that.”
“It’s not funny, it’s ironic,” he replied, picked up the cup and drank his coffee. “I didn’t know you held such a position of responsibility. You’re a box of surprises.”
“Why are you surprised? Do you think you’re the only one who, at my age, could take on the world?” I asked, referencing what he had told me some time ago.
“I shouldn’t have said that. It’s obvious that you’re an extremely intelligent, responsible, and clearly very capable person, in addition to being the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” he remarked, looking at me with a longing that made my heart skip more than one beat.
“I need to get back to work,” I said, standing up from my chair.
Hermes also got up.
“Shall I pick you up at eight-thirty?”
“Very well.”
He approached slowly, took my face in his hands, and gave me a soft kiss on the lips. When we separated, both of us had our eyes closed, and we opened them at the same time.
“Think about what I said. It will be however you want it to be.”
I didn’t respond. Hermes left my office leaving me completely confused. I wanted to be with him, but could I trust him? Would he be willing to have a “normal” relationship? I would have to listen to what he had to tell me.