Now they were in the pleasant water of the pool and stayed so close that she felt a bit embarassed, but then she let herself go in the rarefied atmosphere of that place and even Brian's proximity became normal. It seemed to her that eight years had never passed and they were a young couple of lovers who spent nice moments together.
-" It must be the magic of this place"- she thought, but she didn't make any effort to rebel against this.
Brian leaned forward a little to embrace her and she didn't protest; instead she hugged him and put her head on his shoulder. He didn't say a word; he feared to break that spell. It was their moment and they were soon exchanging a kiss containing all the suppressed passion of the years spent far from each other.
It was the tune of a phone call that brought her back to reality. Anthony was calling her.
She went away from Brian: -" I have to go. Sorry, Brian, I don't know what happened to me. "-
Brian didn't answer; he left the pool with her and entered their own changing room.
Liza's phone didn't ring anymore. She couldn't call Anthony in that moment; she put on her clothes and came out of the changing room, facing Brian.
There was Brian in front of her; he put his hand on her mouth and said: -"Don't say anything now. I'll take you home; we can walk; your house is so near. All I ask of you is to give me your cell so I can write my phone number and, if you want, you'll call me"-
She finally emerged from her silence and said:-" I'll never call you"-
He didn't answer, he perfectly knew what was happening to her; her eyes revealed what her mouth couldn't pronounce. When they arrived in front of her house he touched her lips with a finger and left.
When she entered, Helen looked at her as if she couldn't recognize her.
-" Who did you see? A Roman gladiator?"- Helen said laughing.
Liza gave her a hint of a smile and entered her room.
-" I should call back Anthony, but I can't now. "- she thought. -" How can I talk to him after what happened?"-
But she had no time to think about that because the phone played Anthony's jingle again.
She answered-"My sweet love, I was a bit worried! Haven't you seen my call?"-
-"No, I was so busy that I haven't looked at my phone since this morning. I wanted to call you to tell you that I'm forced to stay here a little longer".-
-"What? Are you joking? Your fashion show will be in a short time, you can't be seriously."-
-"Let me explain the situation to you. You know very well how much I care about the show, but unfortunately, there are unexpected problems here that only I can solve."-
-"I can't believe what I'm hearing. Lorna and I are going crazy in answering all those who ask about you."-
-"Dear Lorna!"- she couldn't help thinking. She had always been secretly in love with him. Liza and Anthony were steadily joking about this thing.
Anthony was still talking on the phone -" You have to come here in, at least a couple of days. There are some urgent decisions to be made."-
-"I can't answer now, I'll do my best to be there as soon as possible"-
-" I hope so"- Anthony said. -" Now I have to go, Lorna is calling me. Bye, my love"-
-" Bye, my love"- she repeated without energy. Talking to Anthony, she had spent her last energies from her. She took the wool blanket on the armchair and covered herself. She could only think about how exhausted she was.
