The Godfather

PART IV

I did my hair and make-up. Naturally straight, middle part hair with my hair tucked behind my right ear. A soft eyeliner, nude colour eyeshadow, lots of mascara, bronzer and a minty lip balm from La Mer. My lips are tingling as the mint ingredient does it's work.

I enter my room and look at my clothes lying on top of the bed, but it's just not what I want to wear tonight. I grab my red Iphone 7 and call Anna, my assistant slash best friend. I tell her to pick up new clothes and bring them to me. 

I lock my screen after the call with a thought in my mind. What if I looked up Shawn Mendes, I ask myself. I just want to see his face again, but this time from up close. Maybe even zoom in a little. And not just for three seconds. 

I unlock my screen with my fingerprint-ID and open Safari, type in "Shawn Mendes" and there he is. "Canadian singer-songwriter".

As soon as I see his face I feel like I'm being pulled and pushed at the same time. Even though I want to scroll through his Wikipedia page and images, it just feels wrong. I can't do this. Not when he's in the same building as me. Besides, I want to figure out what it is I'm feeling, so if I want to know about him then I want to hear it from him if  I ever meet him. That seems like the fairest way.

I hear the door opening. Joe enters the suite and right behind him is Anna carrying more than ten bags. Joe puts three shoe boxes on the salon table. Chanel, Gucci and Prada. She knows me so well, guess she isn't my best friend for nothing.

"Lara, sweetie! I got you the best of the best combinations ever. You won't be able to chose so let's try them on so we can get to the choosing part faster!"

I do as I'm told and start trying on all of the combinations. Anna was right. They're all amazing. I don't know if I'll be able to choose. 

"So, what do you think?" she asks with stars in her eyes.

"You were right. I love them, and I think that the one I'm wearing might be the one I love the most."

"Ooh I knew it!" she says smiling. 

It's a satin, little, burgundy dress. V-neck and loose fitting.

Anna hands me the Prada pair of shoes, nude colour. "Wear these." she says while handing me an earring box. A long pair of diamond encrusted earrings. "I thought you could wear these with any of the combinations. Try them on."

I put them in and Anna's mouth falls open. I see this in the mirror as she's sitting on the bed  behind me.

"Wow Anna. I couldn't have wished for looking this good even if I did my best. Thank you!" I say with my hands placed on my heart. I look at her through the mirror and I can see the happiness of achievement in her eyes.

"You're very welcome. Well, I've got to get going. Your mother asked a favor of me as well, so ... Duty calls! Have fun tonight, sweetie. You deserve it. You always study and work so hard so enjoy tonight." she says while hugging me.

"I will, thank you."

As she closes the door behind her Joe walks into my room after knocking. 

"Wow. Someone cleans up very wel." he says with a smirk on his face.

Joe is as said before my father's Capo. Capo's do everything their boss tells them to. Anything. And his job for now is to keep me safe. As he's been doing since the day I was born. He's like an uncle to me.

Joe is a 47 year old man with the body of a 30 year old hunk, seriously. He's bald (he shaves it every other three days), has green/grey eyes, a strong jaw line, a sharp nose and normal to small sized lips. He looks a lot type wise like  Hector Elizondo in The Princess Diaries, in which he ironically enough plays a character called Joe. 

I give him my "yeah-yeah-watch-it" look and then we both start giggling.

He puts his hand on my back and escorts me out of our suite. We get in the elevator and there I see myself again in those golden doors. We go down. 

The bar is full of people. If I close my eyes this is what I hear: Take Five from Dave Brubeck (song), indistinct chatter and laughter.

We walk towards the bar and order our drinks. I order a Cosmopolitan which is THE New York drink for women, or so I noticed on the Sex And The City Series.

While waiting for our drinks Joe and I look around. We do what we always do, comment on people's outfit choice and behavior. I enjoy seeing all the happy faces. Everybody seems to be genuinely content and carefree. Something I don't see everyday at home. Home is where serious business takes place 24/7, but I'm not complaining. It's just a totally and completely different vibe here so I'm going to enjoy this moment as well. 

Joe and I comment on everyone's outfit and mad lib many conversations. I can feel the Cosmo doing it's work. This is perfect. This is exactly what I needed, until ...

I come eye to eye with a pair of eyes I've met once before. Eyes that have a hold on me. Everything around me becomes blurry except for him.