Page 58 of Capuleto

"It's not what you think."

"No, of course not. It never is. It's usually worse. It wasn't what I expected to find, either. I spent ten hours traveling, imagining how I would console you because Koroleva told me you were devastated, and like an idiot, I didn't think twice. What I didn't imagine was that someone else would be giving you that comfort and that what you had destroyed wasn't your heart, but your ass."

"Go to hell, Andrey! You don't have anything to reproach me for! You were the one who left, you were the one who set the rules and the distance."

"I see how deep your feelings for me were when you become the sheath for any sword." Jealousy spoke through my lips.

"And what the fuck does it matter to you? You and I are nothing. It's as if I slept with the whole fencing club!" he claimed.

"You're right, there's nothing between you and me. And you don't need my permission to sleep with whoever you want. Everyone handles grief in their own way."

Ana María came down the last step, holding a travel bag in her hand. I murmured a "thank you," and she nodded briefly.

I returned to the car. Aleksa had fallen silent on the other end of the phone. Reminding him of Dante's death was a low blow. My heart threatened to leap out of my chest to slap us both.

"I wasn't okay last night. I went to a bar; Álvaro came with me and..."

"He fucked you," I finished for him.

"I don't know; my last memory is of tequila."

"Aleksa, you were in your bed, naked and aroused. And you weren’t wearing a damn thing, don't take me for a fool."

"I'm just telling you what happened. I don’t know if it went that far."

"Well, look, if you go to the bathroom and your ass feels sore, start suspecting. I would get a thorough anal examination if I were you." When I started spouting nonsense, it was hard to stop.

"Go to hell, Andrey!"

I was angry and couldn't think about anything other than him betraying me, even if it wasn’t true.

I hung up and turned off my phone. I didn't want him to mess with my head anymore. He had moved on with someone else, which was great, a sign that I was on the right path before I got this temporary insanity over him.

Next stop, the hospital.

I knocked gently on the door, not knowing if they were attending to Romeo or if my bosses were asleep. I waited a few seconds and quietly opened the door. Romeo greeted me with open eyes and his index finger pressed against his lips.

My boss was asleep in an armchair.

"I've brought you some clothes," I muttered. He gestured with his hand for me to come closer.

I closed it very carefully so as not to make noise.

Nikita had purple marks under his eyes that would normally be camouflaged. Romeo wasn't at his best either, discomfort was evident in every line of his face.

"I'm very sorry, I know Dante was very important in your life," I told him.

"I appreciate it, Andrey." His voice was still very weak. Nikita told me that he had damaged his vocal cords.

"Andrey, what are you doing here?" asked my boss, stretching. "This armchair is so uncomfortable!" she complained, moving her neck stiffly.

"I thought you might like to change." I shook the bag in front of her eyes.

"You know me well. How was the flight?"

"Long and tedious, as they all are," I confirmed without further explanation.

Romeo's hand reached for Nikita's, and with effort, he told him to go home and rest.