Daniel was originally from Düsseldorf, but left there at the age of seventeen. His parents were not rich people and were able to give him little; looking at how they lived, he decided to move to France. In the country of grapevines, he organized his own business and managed to make friends with influential people, including Louis. When they met, they discussed more than just business issues, since he was a member of the de Grasse family and knew a lot. Louis’s friend was aware of the family’s move to Sicily and the fact that Olivia was strongly against it. He was the eyes and ears of Louis, because his friend trusted him very much. When Louis approached the fence, Daniel was sitting in the gazebo and smoking a pipe.
– Daniel! “You will open the gates of your house to your old friend,” smiling, Louis called his friend
The friend, hearing his name, rose from the bench and walked towards the gate. Seeing Louis, he was happy, although he understood that his friend most likely came again on his daughter’s business.
– Louis! Glad to see you, come in,” he opened the gate and extended his hand to say hello.
Louis passed and they shook hands.
A lot of time had passed since they last saw each other, and he knew nothing about what was happening at Louis’s house. Daniel, seeing that his friend was tired after the journey, invited him to immediately sit down at the table and open a bottle of wine.
“Let’s sit down, you’re obviously tired, let’s open the wine, here’s some more cheese,” Daniel said, taking out several types of cheese from the refrigerator.
– Yes, perhaps we can drink some wine. I’m here for a short time, for a day or two, so I want to immediately ask how my girl is doing.
– Olivia is doing well, we sometimes meet on the street, and I go to her store. Why are you here for a day or two? – Daniel asked, pouring wine into glasses.
“Vanessa hasn’t been feeling well lately and I need to be with her.
– Something serious? If you need help, you can always count on me.
From Louis’s eyes, his friend realized that this was not just an illness, but something more serious. He was frightened by his own feelings towards his wife, because before he had not been interested in her condition. Attachment and sense of duty that appeared at the end of life. He was torn between Olivia and his wife, because they both needed his time and attention. Louis was silent, lost in his thoughts, Daniel broke the silence.
– Let’s talk about Olivia. The more I watch her and how she runs her store, the more I think that she should think about opening her own restaurant.
– Why such conclusions?
“People come to her store because they like the way they are served.” Good service, pleasant staff and of course the attention of the hostess. Talk to her about it.
– Okay, I’ll talk to her about this after we move. And I came this time to tell her exactly this news. You can congratulate me on purchasing a house in Sicily.
“Already,” Daniel became a little upset, “this means this is our last meeting here.”
– Yes, everything happened quickly, unexpectedly for many.
Hearing his friend’s sad tone, Louis felt a pang of conscience, because he and his friend had gone through a lot and he was one of his close people. He drove away his sentimental thoughts, but his resistance was not as strong as in his younger years, it seemed that the great Chinese wall in Louis’ soul had collapsed. The ice that had shackled his heart for many years was broken. The iceberg began to melt.
– I know I know. I’m sorry it turned out this way. But as I mentioned earlier, it’s about Vanessa. She asked for a quick solution to this issue.
– Did you ask for it yourself? – Daniel asked in surprise, “who would have thought.” After so many years of traveling, she still hasn’t lost her love for it. How are you doing with her?
“Something has happened to her since we’ve been living together.” Something strange, Daniel. She abandoned her roses and garden. She doesn’t care about Olivia at all. They sometimes talk to Inessa, but also less and less. She spends more and more time in her room, only letting Louise in, but when she leaves, she is always depressed, as if it were contagious. Her condition worries me, because this has been going on for three months now. I can’t leave her alone anymore, although I never thought about it before. She doesn’t always have dinner with me, sometimes she just comes to the table. And the strangest thing is that at these moments she puts on her diamond necklace.
Daniel did not have the patience to listen to the end, and he interrupted and said his thought regarding all this:
– Sorry Ludovic, but it seems to me that she is suffering from depression. Maybe she should see a psychotherapist? I can make inquiries about good specialists.
– Do you think? I doubt she’ll like it. She never liked doctors. And to be honest, I’m at a loss. I don’t know what to do, for the first time in my life. When we have dinner, we talk about the theater, cinema, weather, wine, but not a single word about roses or daughters. I don’t understand what’s going on.
– Have you tried to talk about your daughters? But roses, what do they have to do with them? To be honest, I’m surprised by her behavior; I’ve known Vanessa for more than a day or even a year, and I can say that something has broken in her. I think it’s better for you and me not to guess, but to consult with people who know the human soul or who think they know. As you wish,” Daniel expressed his assumption with a knowing smile.
– How to say to you. Not that I tried. During one of these evenings, when we were having dinner together, they brought us a parcel. It was signed supposedly from Olivia, but I know my daughter’s handwriting and can say that it was not she who sent the parcel. The box was intended for Vanessa. I didn’t open it, I put it on the dresser, thinking that she would open it after dinner, but she got up from the table and went to this parcel. I offered to help, she refused, saying that she would open it herself. When she opened it, she immediately lost consciousness, I barely managed to catch her.
– What was in the box?
– Someone sent her dead roses of the variety that she once brought from Germany. These were her pearls. Well, that is, they were dried, but she always treated the flowers as if they were alive. I was surprised by their number. 113 roses, why they were sent and why in such quantities, I still don’t understand.
– Yes, it’s strange, I think she should still see a doctor if she’s so worried about the flowers. Although their number is really interesting.
It was already well after midnight when the conversation between the two friends ended. Daniel prepared a room for him.
– Thank you for the conversation, it’s late, I need to go to bed.
– Think about the doctors, good night to you.
– Yes, I’ll think about it, good night to you too, tomorrow I’ll go to Olivia.
The friends went to their rooms, and everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Louis was thinking about how to talk about his daughter’s move and whether it was worth talking about his
