Unchained #Wattys2020

5. The house in the Hamptons

After signing the contract, we get inside the house. The entrance opens into the main salon, modernly furnished.
Both walls and furniture are white with silver finishes. A big marble table is in the middle, surrounded by six silver chairs.
On the right side there's a big TV and a white leather sofa. Next to it, a giant library, with thousands of books, covers the rest of the wall.
On the left side, a big glass door takes to the other side of the garden. I can glimpse a pool and a small wood construction.
Silver stairs take to the upper floor.
Hanging on the wall, there are two pictures, a man and a woman, probably his parents. Behind us there are a small bathroom and the kitchen.
Gabriel asks: << So, what do you think about it?>>
<< I really like it. It's extremely elegant and sophisticated. This looks like a small piece of heaven.>>
<< I'm happy that you like it. So, what do you want for breakfast?>>
<< Uhm, yes, maybe we can make it together...>>
<< No, no, tell me what you want and I'll make it. You can have everything you want>>
<< Pancakes should be fine...>>
<< Perfect, please have a seat.>>
He moves to the kitchen and I sit on the sofa. I can't stop admiring this room and, after a few seconds, I stand up and start exploring it. The first thing that catches my sight is the library: it's huge and full of all my favorite books. It would be a dream to have it at my home. I can also see some medical books.
Then I approach the garden side and see something moving. Maybe he has a dog?
Meanwhile Gabriel comes back and we sit together. The pancakes are delicious and the coffee too. We finish our meal and Gabriel asks: << Would you like to see the rest of the house?>>
<< Yes, sure.>>
We reach the upper floor and I start noticing something strange with the arrangement of the rooms. There are five bedrooms, each with a private bathroom. Each room is of a different color: red, blue, green, white and, the fifth, the only one with the door closed, is black.
<< Particular, I'd say...>>
<< There's a precise reason to explain each color: every room has a meaning.
Each color matches a definite mood and, based on that, I choose where to sleep.
The blue room, for example, is the "sadness room", the one I sleep in during my darkest days.
The green one is the "money room" and I go there when I close big deals at work.
The red one is the "pleasure room" and... I don't think you need further explanations.
The white one is the "happiness room", the one where I've been spending the least amount of time during the last months. Maybe you will be able to change my mind. What are your thoughts?>>
<< Well, I've never seen a house like this. What about the black one?>>
<< It's off-limits.>>
<< Oh, sorry, I didn't want to...>>
<< Don't worry, I was rude, I have to apologize. Anyway, it's very personal, I've never let anybody come into it.>>
<< Yes, sure. Would you mind to show me the other side of the garden? It looked beautiful from the salon!>>
<< Of course. Start going, I'm coming in a few seconds...>>
Going to the bottom floor, I hear a metallic sound, keys probably. He made sure to close the black door I think. I wonder what the hell is hidden in that room.
After a few minutes Gabriel reaches me in the garden. The pool is a huge stretch of clear water with a light blue backdrop.
There are about ten deckchairs and here I can see better the small wood construction.
I ask him: <<Is this a dependance?>>
<< No, not really. It's my pet house>>
<< Oh, I heard some animal sounds from the inside. What's their breed? >>
<< They are not dogs really. >>
<< I don't understand...>>
<< Come here, I'll show you. >>
He takes a little key from his pocket and opens the door: they are wolves. There are four wolves in particular: two adults and two pets. I've never seen a wolf so closely. Scared, I start retreating.
<< Don't worry, I trained them. They will not attack you unless I give them my permission.>>
I get closer and I start admiring them. The parents are two opposite poles: the female is white and the male is black. The pets are the perfect mix between them: they're both black and white. They run to Gabriel and jump on him, while wagging their tail.
<< Seen? They are not bad!>>
<< I'm sure but I'd like to still keep some distance.>>
<< Well, since you've met them I've shown you all my family.>>
At first I don't understand what he means, then he keeps telling me: << I lost both of my parents in a tragic plane crash when I was very young. I have a sister but I have not been seeing her for years. We spent our childhood and adolescence together with our grandparents, then I moved to college and I haven't seen her since then. This four are now my family.>>
<< Oh, Gabriel, I'm so sorry...>>
<< Don't worry, it's a past story. Since then I've grown up and I've learnt to take care of myself. My company, my houses, all of this is fruit of my hard work during the last years. As you said, it's good to see that your sacrifices were worth something. Building my company, I've been able to create a small family with my employees as well that, during the years, has grown globally.>>
<< You are a person to admire. You've been able to build all of this by yourself. I can understand your words, since I've also been spending so many years at medical school.>>
We look at each other and, gently, he takes my hand and says: << At first sight I understood that you were different from any other woman I met in my life. You're intelligent, confident, ironic. Your primary necessity was not to give me the drugs I asked for but the ones I needed and, since you didn't have enough informations about me, you didn't do that. I don't know a lot about Medicine but I've always been fascinated by it. I also have got some medical books but I haven't read them yet.>>
<< Being a doctor is hard these days. And internet does not help too: people think they are able to recover by themselves and, if your advices don't match what they read online, they don't believe you. I try to explain that Internet is a wonderful invention If used correctly: it's a box of informations that you can trust if you're able to control the sources. But, as a scientist, I found out that most of the time those informations are wrong or incomplete or can't be understood by a non-scientist.>>
Gabriel seems to be very involved and asks me some other question about my job. Time goes by so fast and we keep chatting until 4 pm. I should go back home but I don't want to.
Gabriel asks: << it's already 4 pm, do you want me to take you back home?>>
I answer: << No, not really. I have to admit that I don't have that much work to do.>>
<< Are you hungry? We didn't have lunch>>
<< Uhm, yes, a little bit.>>
<< Ok, again, what would you like to eat?>>
I look at him and get closer, then I take his hands, put them on my waist and say: << I want this.>>.
I start to kiss him. I don't know what I'm doing. I knew I felt a huge physical attraction to him but I'm not the kind of person who takes the first step. I'm a proud person and I never admit my weaknesses. I never let my emotions get the best, I couldn't be a doctor otherwise. But, everything is different with him.
He kisses me too and grabs my waist. He slowly starts to caress my body. His hands keeps going lower and, when I realize what's happening, I stop him.
<< Gabriel, I'm sorry, I didn't want...>>
<< It doesn't look like you didn't>>
<< I mean, not this way, without your permission...>>
<< Permission? I've never asked the permission to kiss somebody. It's a spontaneous thing.>>
<< Well, I understand it's strange and embarrassing but I never act impulsively.>>
<< Ginevra, you can't make rational a thing like this. I understand your point of view but if I didn't want to, I would have just refused it.>>
I have to admit I don't know a lot about these things. I've never had a long relationship in my life. Yes, some short ones when I was at college but nothing serious.
<< I'm sorry, I try to plan everything in my life and this was not planned. I don't love turns of events.>>
<< Love is made also of this. You can't plan a relationship with someone on your schedule. Also, order wouldn't mean anything without disorder.>>
I've never looked at it form this point of view. I have a scientific mind, I love severity and logic. The illogic is something I've always been keeping far from me.
I say: << You're right and I'm sorry again. Maybe it's better if we get inside...>>
<< Yes, sure.>> Gabriel says, with a soothing voice.
We cross the garden and go to the kitchen.