Hold My Hand

Chapter Twenty-Two

I got my mother's consent with a promise, that we would be under the supervision of an adult. At two o'clock in the afternoon, I ran to the closet, opened the door wide, and, as always, couldn't think of anything to wear. I got tired of looking at hundreds of different outfits, which I had never worn in my life. So, I picked out everyday-style blue jeans and a white sweater. When I got dressed and gained confidence, I looked at the 14-year-old in the mirror and smiled. I also put on black winter shoes, brushed my wavy hair, put a drop of cologne on my wrists, said goodbye to my mother, and ran down the stairs.

It was three minutes before three, when Mrs. Nino's brand new, silver "Mercedes" pulled up in front of the park, on the opposite side of the bakery. It stood out from all others for its purity, bright color, and quality that only wealthy people could boast of.

One would think, that she was a professional driver, as she drove the car so quickly and skillfully in the disorderly and chaotic traffic of Tbilisi, the like of which, personally, I have not seen anywhere else.

From the streets crowded with cars of different colors, shapes, brands, and sizes, deafening sounds of cursing, unstoppable beeping, roaring, and swearing could be heard. Only the word "Damn!" was heard from Nino in response, and compared to other representatives of the male or female sex, for whom it was usual to swear with the words so dirty, I couldn't even understand the meaning of, it was kinda funny. I wished that all the drivers could control, or at least try to control their temper like her. 

We stepped into the polished and spacious entrance hall. The marble-like texture of the whole area made it look luxurious.  The two Greek-style columns made an impression on the visitor as if they supported the entire building. Unlike my cramped and unsanitary entryway, the door had a more powerful security mechanism to protect it from strangers. The polished elevator approached us briefly and we went to the third floor.

The smell of iodine, alcohol, and other medical products made me dizzy. Nino turned the lock three times and led me into a wide corridor.

A burgundy carpet decorated with Iranian and oriental ornaments lay on the wooden floor in a wide corridor. On the walls, the most precious, ingenious works of world-famous artists caught the eye and enchanted the viewer. The scent of citrus oil was wafting around and the smell of medical products was mixed with the intensity of the dizziness. 

- Make yourself comfortable!- she led me to the living room. 

Antiquity was perfectly combined with modernity. The living room was decorated in a contemporary style, with brown, expensive armchairs and a large, fluffy sofa, cream, white, high ceiling, carved, massive wooden furniture, and a cupboard. The walls were decorated with abstract canvases and miniature compositions made of handmade leather and velvet. A huge golden Christmas tree, decorated with red balls and golden garlands, caught my eye the moment I entered the room. There was something, that made me feel extremely cozy there. In front of the Christmas tree stood a brown, probably really expensive and beautiful piano. One would feel awkward just by touching its keys, probably because of the price. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.

- Wait here... - Nino pointed to the couch. - You don't know how happy Gabriel will be. It's been a long time since I've seen him so excited. Just one second...

I sat down on the fluffy sofa.

- Dress properly! You will catch a cold! - the sound of arguing could be heard from Gabriel's room.

I decided to do a little "research".

I followed the scent of spices and astringent, citrus oil. I walked across the hallway to a spacious wood-paneled kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. In front of my nose, I noticed twelve kinds of oriental spices in small glass jars.