Francesca Romano

Chapter 28 | My Office

This morning I wanted nothing more but to stay in bed. Though my hand was feeling better my head was heavy and I felt so lazy. It was a cloudy day in Venice with lots of wind. I sat In front of my vanity with my coffee to the side and my laptop playing the current show I was watching.

Sitting in front of the mirror I payed attention as I straightened my curls away. Having curls is such a luxury and the looks is so beautiful on people. It was once beautiful on me to just as it is on my mother. He deep curly hair pattern perfect and always showing.

I loved my curly hair when I was younger but I was told it was unattractive, to short, to defined, and lots more. To the point I grew to believe it. I felt ugly and hideous to the point I would throw temper tantrums for my mother to straight my hair.

To this day I still hear that person telling me how ugly I am when my hair isn't straightened down. Coincidently that person is the same person I called my father. He hated everything about me and was never afraid to show it. As a little girl who was so easily influenced everything he threw at me I believed it.

Yes he passed when I was young but his words lives on as I grow. I pray one day I come to terms with who I am and his voice is no longer the ring in my ear. I finished straightening my hair and drank my coffee before getting up to get dressed.

Because it was windy I made sure to grab a thick cardigan to put over my yellow mini dress. I grabbed everything I needed and stepped out. As I got in the car I heard my phone ring with Giovanni's name written.

"Frankie how are doing, how's your hand?" As he asked I could hear the papers he kept flipping through. "Good, I'm in bed resting not moving at all." I told him, feeling bad for lying. "That's good just wanted to make sure you weren't going insane without work, and I know the weather wasn't good last night."

"Yeah the power went out but everything is fine over here. How about you, how's work?" I said putting the key in and turning slowly hoping the engine won't be loud. "Work is hard right now but I'm getting through." I coughed loudly covering the  sound of the engine. "Well good but moms calling so I'll talk to you later." I said before saying out good byes. I sighed thankful I got through that call, and started driving heading to the hospital.
-
"Dr, Romano glad to see your back to work" the front desk assistant said with a smile. "Not completely, but can I have Micky Griffin's chart? And glad to see you too sweetheart." She handed me his chart with a smile and I walked to the elevator.

As I waited for the elevator I got tapped on my shoulder. "What are you doing here?" Jocelyn asked me. "I was hoping to not run into you." I said walking into the elevator with her. "I'm kind of all over the place so that was false hope. So?" She asked again. "I'm not here to work I just need to get something from my office." I told her. The elevator stopped and opened up and she shrugged before splitting ways with me.

As I walked into my office, I placed everything down and opened the curtains to my Ceiling to floor windows. Taking a breath in and enjoying the view. I took the pager off of my white coat and placed it on my cardigan before sitting down.

I took the scans I had home and placed it into Mickeys chart. My pager went off for the front desk as an emergency causing me to get out of my seat. I truly knew it wasn't an emergency and knew exactly what it was. I open my office door and stood by the balcony and saw King standing alone. "Let him up." I said to the assistant and she did just that and gave him a visitor sticker. He walked to the elevator and I went back to the front of my door waiting for him.

The elevator opened to show King's six foot figure with his head down. He held a black duffle bag and walked a straight line, not once lifting his head. He wore a thick hoodie and jeans. I don't think I've ever really seen him not in a hoodie. "Doc?" He said standing before me and finally lifting his head. "Where's Reid?" I asked opening the door for him. "What," He walked in. "You want the money or a day with my brother?" He dropped the bag on the desk, I shut the door and walked to him. "170 Thousand correct?" I asked bringing sliding the bag to the end of the table. He sat where I would during meetings, and looked up at me.

"That's what you asked for." I opened the duffle to she 20's banded and in stacks. I pulled the stacks out one by one and started counting. "What you think I'd give you less?" He asked laughing to himself. I know it was rude to count money that was given to you in front of that person but I had to make sure.

He began touching stuff on the table and looking around but I ignored till I was finished. "Your a man of your word?" I asked as I came to the total of what I needed. "No," He pulled one of the candles closer to him and smelled it. "Your special flower must be baby breath."

"My absolute favorite." I said putting the money back in the bag and and zipping it and shoving it under the table. "All the candles at your house were the same so I figured. He didn't seem to talk much, or not to me at least but when he did it was nothing but the trust and facts. He was aware of his surrounding at all times.

"Can I ask a question?" I took off the cardigan and sat on the edge of the table, making sure to pull the short dress down. "Understand why you wore a hoodie today I mean its cold," His eye contact was so dire the whole time. "But even when it's hot your in a hoodie, why?" It gets really hot here during the days so I saw no point.

"You see how when I walk in here everyone is alerted and all eyes on me, even though I show no weapon or action to hurt someone? It's not just here because it's a hospital, It's everywhere." He said and stood up. "So now if," He began and lifted the hoodie and shirt under. "I walked around showing these it'd be much worst." Tattoos covered his whole upper body. Though the tattoos did contrast his face and made him look more intimidating than before, that's not what caught my eye.

"Don't worry the guns on safety and I won't be here much longer." He said dropping his hoodie and a smirk laid on his lips. I got off the table and watched as he went to leave the room. "And I'll let Reid know you were asking for him." He told me. "Please don't." I told him. "He's cocky enough." I heard the chuckle he let out before walking out the door.