The price to pay

Chapter three

"Obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated."

Russell Warren

Seeing Rita is going to be the only relief for this sick curiosity, I need to demystify her and realize that also she, as I am, as Anna is, is human.

There is nothing wrong with this.

Anna complains about my disease, I will cure it to the root, by meeting the bug which is turning me into a detached man from her and finally bringing myself back to her; she cannot be angry if I am going to take the evil inside of me and turn it good, even if I will keep it a secret.

I delete the messages.

I am not deleting them because I am being secretive, no, far from it... this problem is going to be solved even before Anna gets to complain about it, she does not need to know about this.

And the fact that I have chosen a day in which she will be out of town with her mother is just a coincidence... I am not hiding anything.

Google maps suggests what route I should take, bringing me out of town, away from the sight of those with mean intensions who could tattletale this to my girlfriend without knowing that I am not only doing this for me, but for us.

Sweet Rita... she was okay with this bar in Oltreponte, away from the city, away from everything.

No....

I have to stop thinking about her as sweet.

She is dangerous, poisonous to my relationship.

There is nothing I need from her but to recognize that she was only an idealistic thought in my mind, something far from reality, and when I will achieve it, she won't be but a friend I'll see and enjoy from afar.

No, not enjoy.

I park a via away from the encounter bar, even if someone sees the car, they are just going to assume that my mother is here... I'll have to thank her later for lending me her car when I told her that mine was not working and I felt like going out of town... bless her soul.

Bar del Corso.

I can see it from here, I stare at the plants outside delimiting the perimeter of the street they can occupy and, most importantly, provided privacy, the comfortable chairs in the terrace and how every table was distanced enough to offer a private conversation; I have chosen it because of its distance, but it does not mean I do not care about being careful.

Ok, Marco... we will see her, have a quick chat over coffee, and when she will confess me that she is not a goddess figure, we will leave with our heart in our hands to offer to Anna.

I repeat myself that this is my only intention, and that the way I have dressed means nothing compared to it, as I stare at the watch I have received as Christmas present that is valued in more than my yearly rent.

No, I won't blame myself for the white pants ironed carefully last night, for the blue shirt that falls over my shoulders like a glove fits to a hand and that wraps my body defining the skinny body type I could not get rid of... I am not guilty for looking good, nor for taking an extra minute to make sure my hair looks perfect.

This is vanity, not interest.

I finally walk towards the bar, closing the car with a gesture of the keys behind my back, and I wear my sunglasses against the bright, too bright, sun to search for Rita.

"Pisani!"

Her smile rolls over me like an avalanche in the middle of the summer.

Why has she arrived early? She could have at least taken a few more minutes, not respecting the time perfectly as my watch marks 9.30 exactly.