Love Beyond Love

Chapter 18

EDITED

"This cheesecake is so good!" Tara exclaimed as she took another bite of the creamy dessert.

"Thank you dear, I am glad you liked it. I made it myself." Julia smiled, having another bite herself.

"One of Mom's another great recipes, you are lucky to try it." Drago smiled and everyone chuckled.

"We sure are!" Sonia said, nodding.

"So, Sonia, you were telling us your parents are businesspeople, what do they do?" Orlando asked his guest.

Clearing her throat, Sonia shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Oh how she disliked small talk related to her personal life but what could she do? If Orlando Barzetti was asking her something, she had to reply!

"Come on Dad!" Drago interrupted before Sonia could even start saying anything. "We had enough of these talks. Let's talk about something else. Ms Sonia, how long are you here for?"

Sonia thanked her gods before looking at Drago.

"Five to six months. It depends on the construction. I'll be here until I open the orphanage successfully and all the children have shifted comfortably." She replied.

"That's great, you can have many dinners with us then." Orlando said with a smile as they all enjoyed the dessert.

One and a half hour and a long discussion over many different topics later, it was time for the guests to leave. Apart from the occasional discomfort from the unexpected questions of Mrs and Mr Barzetti, which were thankfully and tactfully dodged by Drago, Sonia admitted that she had a great time tonight.

"We should leave." She said looking at the clock and then at Tara, who nodded. "It's getting quite late."

"Oh I didn't see the time at all!" Julia said with concern. "Don't worry, I will send a driver with you."

"It's okay Mom, I will drop them." Drago said and his parents looked at him surprised. "Because all the drivers have left for tonight."

"That isn't really necessary, we have a car." Tara said, shaking her head.

"No, it's quite late. Drago will drop you." Orlando said.

"But how will he come back?" Sonia asked slowly.

"I will call a cab, it's no big deal. Shall we?" Drago said and stood up before anyone could argue further.

Sonia and Tara followed Drago outside after saying their goodbyes to his parents. As he went with Tara to get the car, Julia stopped Sonia.

"It was so great to talk to you. You are a very intelligent woman and so brave too. It's a rare sight these days." She chuckled and Sonia chuckled.

"If Julia Barzetti is saying that, then it must be true." Sonia replied and Julia just shook her head.

"Julia Barzetti is not saying this. A woman is saying this, to another woman. And that makes it more true." Julia said genuinely and Sonia couldn't help but gulp and nod at this lovely woman's sincerity.

"Let's go." She heard Tara call her and quickly walked to the car, sitting in the back seat while her friend sat in the front seat with Drago.

The twenty-minute ride was a quiet one, even Tara was silent as they moved along the silent road. As her loft apartment was in an inner part of the city, the way was not filled with vehicles waiting to reach their destinations.

As Drago stopped the car in front of her building, Tara got down and closed the door before looking back.

"Wait a minute. We didn't tell you our address, then how did you know where we lived?" She asked with a frown.

"You gave me your address, on a piece of paper." Drago said as Tara bit her lip and nodded, not looking at Sonia, who was glaring at her.

"Yes I did. Ok, I will see you later, thanks for the ride. Bye!" She quickly said before running upstairs.

"Thank you." Sonia said and stood there beside Drago who looked at her with confusion.

"I, uh, called a cab for you." She said, showing him her phone screen with a cab service app open. "It'll be here in any minute now."

"Thanks." He said and they could see a cab coming in their direction five minutes later.

"I haven't paid for it though." She quickly said and Drago smiled.

"Sure." He chuckled as the cab stopped. "I'll pay him. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. See you tomorrow." She said before she could stop herself.

"Sure." He said again with a deep laugh and the cab drove off, leaving an embarrassed Sonia alone.

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