Love Beyond Love

Chapter 13

EDITED

"Mr Barzetti, what are you doing here?" Drago was pulled out of shock by Tara's confused voice.

He looked back to see the lawyer standing at the office's door with a puzzled expression on her face.

"I heard there was an accident." He replied and cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

"Yes we are fine." Tara said and nodded her head. "A worker slipped and hit his head pretty hard. He's in the hospital and the doctor said he'll be fine in a few weeks."

"That's...good to know. Was anyone else...hurt?" Drago asked, subtly looking at Sonia, who was apparently sleeping soundly.

"No. Thank God. But we all were pretty shaken. Especially Sonia. An accident of this sort, it happened for the first time. She was really-

"Mr Barzetti!" Tara was interrupted by a surprised Sonia, who woke up in the middle of their conversation.

"I just came to see if everything was fine." Drago replied. "I heard about the accident."

"Oh. Yes. It was very...we were quite...we are fine, thanks." Sonia tried to form a sentence but in vain.

"We should be going home." Tara said and walked to Sonia. "You need to rest."

Sonia nodded and stood up, pulling her hair in a ponytail as Tara gathered their bags. Drago stood there as the ladies got ready to leave. He couldn't help but stare at Sonia's bloodied clothes and something in his chest tightened. He frowned at it and cleared his throat.

"I will drop you home." He said as they walked out of the office.

"No, it's fine. We have a car." Tara said, showing him the car keys.

"Thanks for the offer though." Sonia smiled and he nodded.

"If you need any help, please feel free to contact us." Drago said as they reached Sonia's car.

"Sure. Thank you." Tara said while Sonia sat in the car.

Drago nodded as Tara sat in the driver's seat and drove off. He stood there for a minute, feeling strangely uncomfortable at remembering about the accident.

While he waited for his car to pick him up, as the other one had gone to drop Tisha, he couldn't help but think about Sonia. She was such a brave woman, working alone in a strange country, far away from her family in such a not-so-safe environment. He knew she belonged to a rich family, was an alumni of a famous university, had travelled the world many times just so that she could make a home for kids less fortunate than her and he suddenly felt so much respect towards this stranger woman who had fought with him in their first meeting.

He was suddenly interrupted by his cell phone ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out and the slight smile on his face was faltered by the name on the screen.

Gina calling...

Drago gulped slowly and shook his head before picking up.

"Hello." He said.

"Hi sweety!" She shouted chirpily and Drago smiled.

"Hi, how are you?" He asked.

"I am absolutely fine. In Las Vegas right now!" She said and Drago could know she was quite drunk. He looked at the time and smiled.

"It must be past midnight there and you are partying?" He chuckled.

"It's day here all the time baby!" She shouted yet again.

"I think you should head back to your hotel." Drago said with concern.

"You are not my boyfriend! Let me celebrate in peace, goodnight!" She shouted and cut the call before Drago could say anything.

"Yes I am not." He said to himself and sighed as his car came in sight.

As soon as he reached home, he was ambushed by his mother's worried voice.

"Drago, where were you! You said you'll be home by five and it's almost eight now!" His mother scolded in a tensed tone.

"I am fine. I had gone to the orphanage's construction site, there was an accident." He replied while walking inside.

"Oh my God! Was anyone hurt?" Julia asked, her concern ten folds now.

"Yes. A worker. He's admitted now." He replied.

"Was Sonia alright? And her friend?" His mother asked.

"They weren't hurt but shaken." He said and Julia nodded.

"Well obviously they would be." Julia replied. "Should I go and visit them tomorrow?"

"As you want." Drago said. "I am going to take a shower."

As he dressed later, Drago thought about Sonia's tensed and troubled face as she sat on the tiny sofa, with her hair crumpled and eyes red, the bloody clothes and shuddered helplessly. The sight was giving him goose bumps and he just felt uncomfortable before he recalled the call from Gina and sighed.

You love Gina but you are thinking about another woman right now, great.

Why am I thinking about her so much? She's just a girl...I don't understand...

He scratched his head and shook it in denial before heading down for dinner.

--

"Why not!" Tara exclaimed as Sonia came out of the shower.

"Because they will call me right back. Tara, promise me you won't tell my parents about the accident!" Sonia pleaded as Tara looked away.

"They should know! What if they come to know from someone else?" she said as she poured them both a cup of tea.

"They won't." Sonia said while she put on her pajamas.

"How are you sure?" Her friend asked as she put the tea cups on the small coffee table.

"I am...how would they? Who will tell them?" Sonia said, toweling her hair dry.

"Anyone can. Listen, I really think you should tell them." Tara said softly and Sonia sighed.

"Fine." She said and sat on the bed.

"Awesome, take this." Tara said and handed Sonia her phone.

"Not now." Sonia said and took her phone, only to put it under the pillow. "I will tell them later."

"When?" Tara asked as she sipped the tea.  "Ow it's hot!"

"In a week or two. And you have to promise me, you won't tell them!" Sonia pointed a finger at her friend.

"Fine." Tara said and Sonia smiled, sipping her tea.

--

I do not own the picture. Credit goes to the owner.