Should I call you a cab?

Chapter two

Eventually Vienna finished her Major, and as soon as they gathered all the money they bought the tiniest, coziest apartment they found. Bruno worked as chef on a small restaurant near by, but he was hoping the business would grow soon enough. She got a job in a publishing company and got to do what she had always wanted, read all day. Vienna even used to tease Bruno, cause he didn't finished his degree. He wanted to work as much as he could to "settle enough to enjoy ourselves". He wanted to start family. Things were good, they stayed in touch with their loved ones, Bruno's brother even wanted to move to the city as soon as he graduated, just like him. That got Bruno very excited, cause he always loved the idea of having his family close. Vienna's mom was very proud, and insisted with the "starting a family issue" almost as much as Bruno did. But Vienna felt like they we're just fine the way they were.

-Why on earth are you in such a hurry? Are you afraid I'll realize I can do better and leave you?- Vienna joked one night while they where laying in bed after sex. Bruno laughed and hugged her hard so she would complain.

-I am not rushing anything dummie, we already have everything you always wanted. Remember how you used to talk for hours about meeting the one, falling in love and getting married and having like twenty kids? - he talked "girly" to tease her while she tried to break his hug.

-Yes I do, but you know things have changed -Vienna pushed him and them laid on his naked chest- besides, we have fun practicing, don't we? -she looked at him with kinky intentions- we wouldn't have this much fun with a crying baby next door.

Before Bruno could even reply Vienna went down his chest, spreading kisses, down to his pelvis. She closed the subject for the night.

As it happens in novels, as it happens in life, if everything is going exactly the way you wanted it to go, it's because something it's about to happen. Something bad. Bruno and Vienna were sleeping at home when Bruno's phone rang. His boss needed him to go to the restaurant earlier, to manage the opening, because one of his coworkers caught the flu.

-Mmmm, babe, what's going on? -She muttered, half asleep.

-Serge called, I gotta go cover Posy's shift, he's sick. - Bruno was looking for his shoes when Vienna started getting up and getting dressed. He looked at her confused- what are you doing?

-I'm preparing you breakfast - said Vienna still not fully awake, Bruno chuckled.

-Vienna, it's 4 am babe. It's okey, I don't need breakfast now, I'll get some coffee later at work. Go back to sleep please - he pushed her back to bed - you gotta go to work in two hours anyway, so get your beauty rest.

Vienna mumbled something but Bruno tucked her back in bed and left. When the 7 am alarm rang Vienna opened her eyes confused and saw she had an audio message on her phone.

"Babe, I got lots of work here, I won't be able to call you 'till lunch. I hope you got your beauty rest, though you don't need it. Talk to you later "

She replied with a few heart emojis and went straight to the shower. It wasn't until she finished her sandwich at lunchtime at the office that she realized he didn't call. She tried not to think about it that much, and returned to the book she had to finish checking for Friday. At 4 pm, when she thought she was gonna pass out of boredom on top of her desk, her phone rang. It was Serge, Bruno's boss. 

The restaurant's kitchen was being remodeled, Bruno complained about it all the time, saying that it wasn't safe to keep the kitchen running with half of the components out of place and the exit door blocked with paint cans. But he didn't talked to Serge about it "I'm giving everything I have to that place, Vienna, Serge trusts me and eventually I'll run the whole thing, you'll see". So when Serge said "Vienna, please sit down, something happened" she could almost feel on her body the warmth of the flames that consumed the restaurant that evening.

It is not hard to explain to you how it feels to lose someone you love. We've all been through that at some point of our lives. And if you haven't, well, there are no words. What it is hard to explain it's how much Vienna loved Bruno. The whole family traveled to Republican City for the funeral. Bruno's dad and brother closed the theater for duel and had to stay in a cheap hotel close to Vienna's for the weekend. Her parents on the other hand stayed a few days with her at the tiny apartment. She waited for them to fall asleep, on her and Bruno's bed, to cry. She couldn't sleep there, not on the bed, not on the couch, not on the apartment. Bruno was everywhere. His favorite coffee mug, his clothes on the wardrobe, his pictures on the wall, his handwritten recipes on the kitchen. Eventually her parents had to go back home. They begged her to go with them, at least for a few days. But Vienna had already shut down every bit of emotions on her body. Or at least tried to.

-Oh baby please, just a few weeks, come home with us, your cousins will be happy to see you. - Leticia said almost on knees.

-Mom, for the last time, this is my home. -Vienna was already exhausted of that conversation-Here with my job, my friends, here with my stuff, here with... -she wanted to say "here with Bruno", but she knew that would only show her parents she was wrecked. She sighed- Mom, Dad, please, I need to be alone. It's been a week and this apartment it's way to small for all of us.

-Promise you'll call. That's all your mother needs to hear, dear -Vienna's dad, Aero, was a humble man that loved her daughter, but he agreed with her, that apartment was too small indeed. He grabbed their bags towards the exit door.

-I promise mum. I'll call if I need you.

-There you go Leticia, c'mon, we're already late.- Aero rushed his wife.

Leticia hugged her daughter for longer than Vienna liked her to, and then kissed her so gentle and soft Vienna felt she was made out of crystal. Out of paper. Leticia and Aero took the cab and Vienna just stood there, sitting on the building main door steps for a few minutes. She was hoping with every bit, little cell on her body to go upstairs, open her apartment door and find him. Smiling, happy, full of life, cooking like he always did when she got home.