Love Beyond Love

Chapter 19

EDITED

Sonia woke up one hour earlier than her usual schedule the next day. After having a quick shower and a quicker breakfast of one toast and a cup of coffee, she was out of her apartment before Tara's alarm had even started for the day.

A few people from the local orphanage were to visit her today at eight am to discuss about the facilities, old and new, to be provided and added in the current blueprint, like a playground, a flower and vegetable garden, a few extra nurseries, three classrooms, a larger kitchen, a separate building for a medical facility and Sonia also wanted to suggest a swimming pool for the kids to learn swimming. Although it would take almost a month more before they could even start on the foundation, they were still cleaning and clearing out and preparing for the base.

She reached the site in time, just fifteen minutes early before they arrived. As she walked to the gates to receive them, she could see there were two ladies and one man getting down from the car.

"Hello. Good morning." She greeted them as they came up to her.

"Hi. I am Anna." The brunette woman in a grey dress said as she shook Sonia's hand. "You must be Ms Sonia. We talked on the phone?"

"Yes, it's good to meet you." Sonia smiled as the other woman, too, forwarded her hand.

"Chiara here. I am the Manager." She said and they shook hands. "And this is Michael."

She introduced the man, who smiled and nodded before shaking hands. Sonia invited them to her office, where the blueprints were already laid to start working. After a quick cup of coffee, they proceeded to discuss and make the necessary designs and plans. Almost two and a half hours later, Sonia bid them goodbye after their successful and very productive meeting and sat back on her couch with a deep sigh.

"Oh I am so hungry!" She grumbled to herself. "Where's Tara, why isn't she here with the breakfast?"

She had just said that when she heard the door knock and she smiled in joy.

"Thank God you came; I was waiting for you!" She said without getting up.

"Really?" A voice, which was not Tara's, said and Sonia's eyes widened open. "Well I shouldn't be surprised; you did say you'll see me today."

"Oh, hi, I wasn't...expecting you." She said, sat up straight and stood up as Drago walked in with a few bags in his hand.

"Hope you are hungry, I brought breakfast." He said and put the bags on the table.

"What?" She said with confusion written all over her face.

Why would he bring me breakfast?

How did he even know I didn't have my breakfast today?

"I'm just kidding. Your friend brought it. She's paying the cab driver and I was at the gate so I brought this from her." He chuckled.

"Oh." Was all she could say before Tara walked in.

"It's so hot here!" She complained before taking out her jacket and folding it neatly.

"Mr Barzetti, I didn't know you were coming so I didn't get extra food." She said and Drago shook his head.

"It's okay, I already had my breakfast so you can have it." He said and looked at Sonia. "Ms Sonia, aren't you hungry?"

"Uh? Yes. Very hungry." Sonia said and nodded before proceeding to open the bags. What was the point of lying when the food was already here and her stomach was ready to make whale noises anytime now?

"Tara, what do you want to eat-

"I am not hungry, I had two bagels on the way here. It's just your breakfast." Tara said. "I have a few calls to make, I'll be back." She said before walking out of the office with her phone.

"So." Sonia said as she took out a sandwich. "I have an extra sandwich here."

"Are you offering this to me because of courtesy or compulsion?" He said with a slight smirk.

Sonia just shrugged and put the sandwich in front of him with a cup of coffee. Taking the other one, she sat down and started eating without waiting for him to start. He kept his silence throughout her meal as she finished her salad and sandwich, had the one she'd offered him when she saw he wasn't even touching it and drank her milkshake, all before he finished his single cup of coffee.

After those fifteen minutes, she sighed and closed her eyes in leisure.

"You were kidding about those jokes, right?" She asked after a few minutes and Drago looked at her.

"What jokes?" He asked with a confused face.

"Those jokes, about the hammer and the screw driver." She said, without opening her eyes.

"Oh that." He chuckled as he remembered. "Well obviously I was joking. They were jokes."

"I know. Why did you do that?" She asked again, finally opening her eyes.

"I just felt like it." He said with a shrug and took a long sip of his coffee.

"Do you realize they were...bad jokes?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Yes, they were poor jokes, I agree." He said, nodding his head.

"Not poor. Bad. Dirty." She said, shaking her head.

"Oh." He mumbled. "Kind of. But I think we are both adults, right, who can take a joke?"

"Are you saying I am acting like a kid?" She said haughtily, crossing her arms.

"I never said that." He said and sat back, crossing his arms as well.

"You definitely meant that." She said but he just shrugged.

"I am sorry." He said unexpectedly and she just stared at him. "For not replying about the flowers you sent earlier. I was not at the office that day and they were put away by the cleaning staff."

"That's...okay." She said softly, nodding her head. "Why are you here, by the way."

"You invited me." He said and she frowned. "Last night. When you said, see you tomorrow."

"I didn't-

"Actually I came to apologize to you, about the flowers. Which I did, so I'll be leaving now." He said and stood up. "See you...later."

Sonia stood up and walked to the door as he went out.

"Also." He stopped and turned. "I wasn't apologizing for the jokes."

"What-you!" She whispered to herself and stomped her foot in anger.

"Hey, what's up with you, acting like a kid?" Tara laughed as she walked in, leaving her friend speechless.

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