Numb. That was the word that could define how I felt. I couldn't believe that after years of study, dedication, hours of sleep deprivation and an internship that stressed down to the last nerve in my body, I graduated. More than that, I got a promotion and now I was part of the team of Architects of Vivere Architecture & Construction. I felt like the movie of my life was going through my head while I was walking through that airport, saying goodbye to my parents as I went to board the plane for my first international architecture congress. In Italy.
Mr. Giovanni Barbieri, owner of the company and an old acquaintance of my father, insisted that I present the company's news at the Florence' International Institute, where a congress will take place over the next three days.
- MARINA, È GIÀ DECISA. TU VAI!!!! shouted the man.
- But I ... - I tried to argue uselessly.
- BASTA, È FINITO! - he said slapping the table.
He talked to me later, that he only wanted my best, that I had dedicated myself a lot to the office in all the years that I worked as an intern and that he and my father were very proud of me and I more than deserved to be part of the congress, on behalf of the company.
My father worked in a company that provided services to big construction companies and one day he met Mr. Barbieri in the construction yard and, amazingly enough, they became friends, a simple and humble man like my father, making friends with a man like Giovanni Barbieri, a man who looked like came out of a movie about the Italian mafia.
In all these years since I started interning at Vivere's office, even though demanding, Mr. Barbieri has always been patient with me, as his Italian blood allowed him. My final college project was the implementation of Vivere's new office in São Paulo. Everyone was excited and proud of me and the project had already been approved by all the associate architects at Barbieri. Except for Vincenzo, Mr. Barbieri's eldest son who had not yet done so due to lack of time, as he replied in one of my thousands emails.
Since I began my internship at Vivere, I have never met him and as far as I knew, he always travels accompanying the works and is also responsible for the office in Milan. I only knew him from hearing about and from an old picture of him as a boy that I saw on his father's office desk. Everyone said that he was a very demanding and a bit grumpy man and that he was the only one who had the courage to face old Barbieri. I was definitely not interested in meeting him, I just wanted him to approve my project as soon as he could.
So here I am, looking for my seat on this huge plane, on my first flight to Europe at first class, by the way. Which is very different from the economy class that I flew when I went to my friend's house in Argentina years ago but old Barbieri insisted that I be first class, as it would be a horrible experience to spend twenty hours crammed into a can of sardines, as he used to say.
Before I manage to settle in my seat, my cell phone started to ring and in an unsuccessful attempt to took the call, the handbag that I was unsuccessfully trying to place in the reserved space above the cabin, slipped from my hands and fell on the head of the man sitting in the hallway chair. He was furiously typing with his glassy eyes on his laptop.
Oh crap! If I had been facing Superman, he would certainly have been disintegrated me, the way that man stared at me was more than enough to make me completely embarrassed. It was five seconds of pure fury, he moved so fast that when I realized, he was already standing, putting my suitcase in the compartment. In the same second he was back for another round of violent typing against the keyboard of his laptop. Which also didn't give me a chance to thank or apologize.
- Hi Mom! - I said when I finally managed to answer the goddamn cell phone.
- Nina, are you on the plane yet? - my mother asked, not even imagining that she chose the worst possible time to call me.
- Yes, I'm trying to settle myself in here. - I replied, still fighting the shame for what happened with the suitcase.
- I just wanted to make sure everything was okay, Mom loves you. Have a nice flight, daughter. - she told me in her loving voice.
- It's okay mom. - I replied while finally sitting in the strangely large and comfortable seat. 'That's if the hot executive guy doesn't kill me in the next twenty hours.'
- What, I didn't hear what you said. - she replied, making me realize that I had thought out loud.
- Nothing. I ended up accidentally dropping my handbag on the man in the aisle seat and he almost killed me with his eyes. - I was trying to speak in a lower voice while looking behind me to see the man. - I couldn't even apologize. Ah, but screw it! The arrogant didn't even give me a chance either.
- Oh sweetheart, you're so clumsy. Have a great trip and call me as soon as you arrive. I love you. - she replied and I could tell by her voice that she was having fun with my little incident with the hot executive guy. Well, at least someone had to enjoy the situation.
- I love you too mom, I'll call you as soon as I can.
After the phone call and all that handbag disaster, I managed to settle into that strangely comfortable seat. So I decided to rehearse my speech for the congress a little more but I ended up falling asleep and only woke up with something touching my shoulder.
- Excuse me, I think this is yours. - said the low voice.
Either the furious, angry-looking executive guy in the aisle seat had an identical twin but a thousand times more likable, or I was going crazy. Crazier.
- Thanks. - I said, taking the chocolate bar of his hand.
- I would like to apologize for earlier, it seems I was kind of rude with you. - he said with his greenish eyes fixed on mine.
I was still a little shocked, as he seemed to be another person. That arrogant and angry expression on his face was gone and replaced by a more relaxed and friendly face.
- I, I ... no, it's ok. I apologize for dropping the bag, it must have hurt you, I didn't want to disturb you. - I replied almost stuttering. It seems that somehow I had lost my ability to form sentences.
- Shit happens, you know. Although I already have longed for laser vision so I could be able to shoot some people with my eyes, don't worry, you were not one of those people. - he said with a smile stretching the corner of his mouth.
I felt my face blushing. I loved having a dark skin tone, especially in situations like this, where melanin did not allow me to be so flushed. But the fact was, he had heard me talk about him on the phone. I tried to compose myself, but I could only stare at him.
- Nice to meet you, I'm Enzo. - he said to me smiling as he held out a hand.
- Nina. - I've said trying to look as confident as he did. But it must have sounded funny, because he gave me an amused smile.
A few hours of flight had passed and I had to go to the bathroom as my bladder decided not to be so collaborative as usual. I was walking distractedly down the hall, watching that spacious cabin, the very nice and elegant flight attendants, dressed in dark blue suits and red scarves around their necks. When I got to the bathroom door I realized it was occupied so I decided to wait, I needed to stretch my body a little. After a few minutes, I heard the bathroom lock opening and a nice little lady came out giving me a warm smile as she headed for her seat.
Things were going well, until everything started to shake and I practically was thrown into the bathroom. For a moment I felt like I was on a roller coaster until I realized that we were experiencing turbulence. I only realized I was on the bathroom floor when I felt a hand pulling me up.