Chapter 4 become a man

"So why were you holding her hand? Is that the way we stand? Were you lying all the time? Was it just a game to you?".

Liz, as far as her age allowed, was aware that she was diabetic, and that some habits would change, others not so much. Nicholas talked and spent the whole day with her, and the next day I was the one who talked about it. On the day of the consultation with Rhodes, the doctor again explained the situation to her in a pediatric clinical way and answered the girl's questions.

A month had passed since then. Rhodes continued to come to the bistro constantly, and the Cassanos were already preparing for their return again. Due to the increased volume of work, Nicholas was closer, with little travel and focusing on publicity work and preparing the new comeback album with the brothers.

He and Priyanka had come out publicly, and he had also spoken to Liz. I was freaking out. It wasn't enough not to accept the union of the two, I would have to put up with the idea of ​​my daughter living with her father's girlfriend. We walked Liz and I humming to the entrance of theFrom Katharine, and the girl squealed happily when she saw Joseph with Sophie, his girlfriend, waiting for us at the bar talking to Alex. She ran to her uncle and I smiled pleasantly and surprised.

- What a surprise! – I said greeting them friendly.

"I told Joe we should wait for you to open Katharine, but you know how he is, don't you?" - Sophie justified.

- It's like Sophie, you can come whenever you want and he knows it. Isn't it, Liz? – I asked and the girl agreed smiling – We will open now too.

I looked at the clock and smiled.

"Alex can see you a table, do you want one?" I asked.

- Please, sister-in-law, today Sophie and I will have dinner at the best restaurant in this city! - Joe said convinced.

- And I uncle? – Liz asked sadly.

-Oh! Sophie, Liz and I are having dinner tonight at the best restaurant in town! - He rephrased the sentence filling his niece with kisses.

"Alex, seat them, please. Excuse me dears, and Liz, behave yourself. - I said leaving.

I walked into the kitchen and went to my work, as Tiffany had already opened the door to the bistro.

The tomato sauce was dripping from a pan onto the tray and that smell of basil rose in my nose making me travel between the flavors that I could combine. However, the dish was already formulated and now it would brown in the oven.

Liz appeared in the kitchen through the office door. She knew she couldn't enter the kitchen without my permission, and whenever she wanted to talk to me, let her go through the office. There was a kind of little grate there that prevented the girl from going directly into the kitchen. He yelled at me from the door and my staff laughed and joked with the little girl.

- Mommy!

- What happened daughter? I asked approaching.

- Uncle Daniel. – she said and ran away.

I entered the office removing my robes and going to the dining room. I saw Rhodes with Liz on his lap, and the two were laughing and talking excitedly. I smiled towards them, and noticed Joe and Sophie staring at the scene in surprise.

- It has already been taken care of by our newhostess ? – I asked Daniel, poking Liz in the stomach.

"Oh yes, she was about to lead me to my table. – he said jokingly.

Liz got off his lap and took him by the hand, led him to table thirteen and then called George, thebut

- Mommy! I answered Uncle Daniel. – said the little girl who had run up to me smiling.

- Yes daughter, you were impeccable. Now stop running around the room, okay?

- Fine! - She returned walking elegantly to Joe's table, who looked at me laughing.

I smiled and walked over to Daniel's desk.

- How are you doing?

- I am worried. – he said with a serious face.

- Because? I asked, sitting down at his table.

"You'll be in trouble if they find out you're exploiting child labor here.

He said and we laughed.

"She looks very well, Katharine. – he said, still laughing.

"Yes, it is. Thank God. I'll get Tiffany to attend to you. "Thanks Katharine, good job.

We greeted each other warmly and I asked Tiffany to come over. Then I went to Joe and Sophie's table.

"Are you satisfied with dinner?" – I asked approaching.

- This was the best dinner of my entire life. - Joe said laughing - Tell me you agree to prepare theBuffet of our marriage.

"Why, it will be an honor, Joe.

"By no means Katharine!" - Sophie spoke scolding - You will be invited and you will not work at our wedding.

- I can at least bake the cake, and my team takes care of theBuffet, How are you?

- Perfect! - she said.

"Is that Liz's doctor, Katharine?" – Joe asked me.

- Yes, Daniel is a frequent customer here. I replied.

"How could it not be, isn't it?" - Sophie said staring at Joe in a discreet way.

"Uncle Daniel is really nice. - Liz said and Joe pretended to be affected.

- Little lady! Is he cooler than me? The coolest uncle you have?

"Not Uncle Joe, you are. - she said laughing.

We all smiled and I excused them and went to other tables to greet the customers. Before returning to the kitchen, Joe and Sophie were already getting up to leave. Liz came to me saying that she was going to play in the "little room", which was nothing more than my office. He hugged his uncle and his girlfriend and left walking slowly, under our watchful eyes.

"Katharine, thanks for dinner. It was wonderful. - Sophie said hugging me and drawing my attention to her.

- I thank you for coming.

"Katharine..." Joe hugged me back and released himself slowly and cautiously.

"You weren't just here for dinner, were you?" I asked staring at him when I noticed his caution.

He scratched his head and handed me a gold envelope.

"Nicholas will be at an event, and he promised Liz he'd take her. But, mother thought it wise for her to go with you who are the mother, since...

"Denise won't be. - concludes.

"She will be. And Danielle and I will be too, Katharine. - Sophie said as cautiously as Joe.

'I see, it's certainly better that Liz is at such an event with her mother.' - I found discouraged.

"It's important to him that Liz go, please consider Katharine. – Joe stated.

"I'll think about it. I don't mind Liz being at her dad's event as long as she's well cared for and watched over now... Ask Nick to talk directly to me next time. He can't butt into my life when he wants to, and in situations that concern our daughter running errands.

"It's just... Not wanting to justify it, Katharine." But... It's an event with Priyanka. Mom thought you wouldn't want Liz to appear with the two of them all of a sudden in the media.

- Denise knows me well... - I said sighing heavily - I'll think about it.

"You can take a date. - Joe said pointing to the invitation.

- Invite Dr. Rhodes. You guys seem to get along well.

Sophie spoke smiling friendly and looking at the doctor's table, where Liz had stopped making me frown. Joseph looked down at the table, then back at me.

"Er... You can call whoever you want, really." - Joe confirmed staring at Sophie curiously.

- Couple's insinuations aside, if I go, I'll go alone. I replied.

Joe shrugged and Sophie smiled as if amused at being caught up in my interpretations of the two of them. We hugged and I went to Liz. I beckoned to her with my hand, but Daniel made a silent sign for me to leave her there. She asked "please" with her hands and I rolled my eyes letting her.

When we got home, Liz was asleep and I carried her across the garage to her room. I sat at the foot of her bed and stroked her hair thinking about the invitation I received. Should I let her go alone? But, she was still so young... I would have to go, but... How would I have the strength to face that situation?

I sat on my kitchen counter and opened a bottle of wine I had brought from the bistro. I put the stereo on low and just sat there thinking.

Tocar: If I Ain't Got You

Some people live for the fortune

(Some people live by fortune)

Some people live just for the fame

(Some people live just for the fame)

Some people live for the power, yeah

(Some people live for the power, yeah)

Some people live just to play the game

(Some people live just to play the game)

The opening chords of that song reminded me of the day Nicholas and I were returning from a parade. I had hated the idea of ​​appearing publicly with him, leaving the bistro with Alex that night and going to fulfill one of my girlish dreams: attending a fashion show. Nicholas was so ridiculously slutty that he took me to a fashion showVictoria's Secret

I remember joking about the situation saying that he was fulfilling not my dream, but his. And we stayed throughout the event, sitting hand in hand, exchanging little jokes in each other's ear. Nicholas greeted some people in aafter party which happened to a select few, and I was glaring at him when he understood my request. I wanted to go home to a better event between us.

After we discreetly left the party, he opened the door, pressing me against the wall and placing kisses on my face and neck. I got off my heels, excited and smiling, and we walked awkwardly, bumping into furniture, under the darkness of the house. Nicholas didn't want to wait, we fell playfully on the couch, and he grabbed the stereo remote. It was Alicia's voice rocking our moment.

Some people think that the physical things

(Some people think material things)

Define what's within

(Define what they are inside)

And I've been there before, but that life's a bore

(I've felt this way before, but life was dull)

So full of the superficial

(So ​​full of superficial things)

FLASHBACK

"I love you so much Katharine!"

"No more than I love you.

"Thanks for being real. – he said between a stroke and another – It's what comforts me, knowing that in this superfluous world of mine, we are both real.

FIM DO FLASHBACK

It was like I was still seeing the two of us on that same couch. I stared at the stereo control beside me and downed another sip of my wine. Without realizing it, I was in my scenario months ago, where mourning the end of my marriage was a daily event.

Some people want it all

(Some people want it all)

But I don't want nothing at all

(But I don't want anything at all)If it ain't you, baby. If I ain't got you, baby

(If I don't have you, baby. If I don't have you, baby)

The thick tears that came down from my eyes fell so naturally that I only noticed when I saw my cell phone screen, with a drop of tears. I sniffled, running my hand over my face and wiping the screen. I ended up discovering a notification from Robert there.

I sent the message suspicious of that conversation.

I watched our text conversation, and although I was right, I didn't sleep. I really didn't want to lie down and temporarily forget about Nicholas. I wanted to forget about him completely. Once and for all, and for that, suffering there, at that moment was part of it.

Some people want diamond rings

(Some people want diamond rings)

Some just want everything

(Some just want it all)

But everything means nothing

(But it all means nothing)

If I ain't got you, yeah

(If I don't have you, yeah)

Some people search for a fountain

(Some people look for a source)

That promises forever Young

(Which promises eternal youth)

Some people need three dozen roses (Some people need three dozen roses)

And that's the only way to prove you love them

(And this is the only way to prove your love for them)

I poured myself another glass of wine. And I took a deep breath picking up my phone and walking over to the couch and laying down there comfortably. I put the glass down on the coffee table, and unlocked the screen of the device in my hand. Robert hadn't said anything else. And then a flash, a need to talk to someone, came over me. I dialed the call without even thinking straight about it.

- Katharine?

Daniel's voice, hoarse like someone who's just woken up, brought me to the reality of my actions.

"Sorry to call at this hour... - my voice sounded in a whisper.

The sound on the other end of the call made it sound like he was getting up.

- What there was? - he asked worried"Anything with Liz?"

- No do not worry.

- Is at home? – he asked still worried.

"I'm lying on my couch, listening to Alicia Keys, drinking wine, while Liz sleeps and...

"Suffering for Nicholas." – he stated.

The noise, of my smile, coming out ironic and muffled in sniffing reflected in Daniel's deep sigh.

"I don't want to sound like the clueless type of woman who keeps calling a friend down the drain and all..."

- Don't worry Katharine, you can call me whenever you need.

"Where are you Daniel?"

I asked casually, with a slurred voice denouncing the recent crying, and I got a few minutes of silence until I heard the answer:

- Unfortunately, in the collective hospital room, resting until the next surgery.

- I'm sorry... I woke you up, didn't I?

- Does not matter. Everything is fine... But... Did something happen to this relapse of Nicholas?

"He wants me to go to his and Priyanka's event so Liz can go... And... I just don't know how to deal with it... I don't know how to deal with the fact that I'm still faced with it. this feeling of guilt, loss... I don't regret it, because... I couldn't do otherwise, but I regret having made him do what he did.

"Stop thinking Nicholas betrayed you because you made him do so. You are an amazing woman and I'm sure he didn't make a mistake because of you. In fact, there are no Katharine culprits. In time I hope you realize this...

- I think you are right. In fact, I think everyone is right, but why can't I accept it?

- Katharine...

Daniel pondered his speech and we spent a while listening to each other's breathing on the line. I don't think he would know what to say to lighten my mood. So I just sighed heavily and apologized again.

"I'm sorry for waking you up and bugging you with my momentary depression, Daniel. I let out a weak laugh.

- You have nothing to excuse... I'll stop by the bistro tomorrow, all right?

"Thank you, Daniel.

- Good evening. Don't drink all the wine.

I smiled and hung up the call, right after Daniel did the same.

Hand me the world on a silver platter

(Serve me the world on a silver platter)

And what good would it be?

(And what good would it do?)

And no one to share

(With no one to share)

With no one who truly be cares for me

(With no one who really cares about me)

I didn't want to bother him, and I can't even explain why I turned to him. But all those times Daniel made me feel better. Even though he didn't say anything and just listened to me as he had, I felt relieved.

I had the impression that Daniel cared about me, still cared about this Nicholas and me situation. Everyone else seemed to have done all they could do, and said all they could to make me feel better. But, Daniel always seemed to have an extra word. I felt like he was going to accompany every step of my new beginning. Every step of my total healing.

Some people want it all

(Some people want it all)

But I don't want nothing at all

(But I don't want anything at all)

If it ain't you, baby. If I ain't got you, baby

(If I don't have you, baby. If I don't have you, baby)

Some people want diamond rings

(Some people want diamond rings)

Some just want everything

(Some just want it all)

But everything means nothing

(But it all means nothing)

If I ain't got you, you, you

(If I don't have you, you, you)

If I ain't got you with me, baby

(If I don't have you with me baby)

So nothing in this whole wide world don't mean a thing

(So ​​nothing in this whole world means nothing)

If I ain't got you with me, baby

(If I don't have you with me baby)

I finished pouring the wine still present in the glass and took it to the kitchen. I put the bottle in my fridge and turned off the stereo. She had cried and thought about Nicholas enough for one night. So I just needed to try and put my head on the pillow and wake up the next day as the strong woman I've been trying to be.