"Hey! Over here!" Simon calls out to Lorraine in the market.
"Hey." Lorraine greets him happily with a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Did you talk to your mother?"
"Yup, she called me at eight last night. I had a feeling that it was pretty bad for Valentina but I didn't think it would have reached so far."
"Did she tell you anything else?"
"No, but she did say that they have to take us somewhere and tell us something. She was being all mysterious and shit."
"So was my mom. She told you about the cleansing?"
"Sadly, yes. I'm always near death when we do these damn cleansings!"
"In the beginning you are, but after you have more energy and you always promise to keep it up, well that is until you see a burger."
"Listen, let's start tomorrow and let's make today a food fest! Let's go all out! Eat, eat and eat some more!"
"In other words, let's just get sick."
"Oh come on! It's going to be fun! Oh and we can make it a movie night later on! Please! Please!"
"Fine! But if I get sick, you're going to come over and take care of me."
"Yes! Let's just get the ingredients, put them back in our apartments and just have a fun Saturday!"
"I don't know how fun I'm going to be after finding out about Valentina."
"Babe," Simon said while looking straight into Lorraine's eyes, "her death, anyone's death, is sad. Even though I didn't like her whatsoever, I feel sad for her, for her family and for you. But we need to live, besides wouldn't she want that? The girl was a partier and liked having fun, so we're doing this in memory of her?"
"Really Simon?"
"Really! So turn that frown upside down and let's wait for the mothers to get here. Okay?"
"Fine."
"Pinky-swear?" Simon asks while putting his pinky out.
"Pinky-swear." Lorraine says as she intertwines her pinky with his.
"But, I have to say something. For someone who just received bad news you look rested and kina cheerful."
"Can I tell you that last night was the first time that I had such a peaceful sleep? I felt so happy and rested when I woke up this morning."
"Well that's good!"
"I also had such a wonderful dream!"
"What about?"
"Let's just say that I had a very wonderful night, if you catch my drift." she responded with a wink.
"Okay, now I really don't want to know."
"Ha! Let's go get the ingredients!"
"What do we need?"
"Here's the list."
"So here we go! Let's cross our fingers that we don't die."
The market was set up like a flea market, outdoors with different stands. So the duo took their time to smell and haggle their way to the best fruits and vegetables. The outdoor markets have always been their favorite place to shop because it reminded them of the farmers markets in South Florida. They have lived in Italy for eight years but in Volterra for six. They do miss their family but the move was the best decision possible. Both Lorraine and Simon fathers left their mothers for other women while pregnant, and their stepfathers were terrible. However, they did not have bad childhoods; their mothers loved them and protected them as best as they could. Because of their stepfathers, Simon and Lorraine had made a pact since entering high school. They would take college courses so they could graduate with both their high school diplomas and their bachelors. And that's exactly what they did. Lorraine graduated with her high school diploma and a duel major in International Relations and Languages, focusing in Chinese, Arabic and Italian. Lorraine's next-door neighbors influenced her choice in languages because she had Chinese, Moroccan and Italian neighbors; all speaking to her in their native tongues. Three months before graduation she applied and got a job at the American Embassy in Florence, Italy because that's where Simon had gotten his job. Simon graduated with his high school diploma and a double major in International Relations and Economics. Once he knew that graduation was set, Simon quickly started job hunting but his gut feeling was telling him to go to Italy, so he started looking in Italy and quickly found a vacancy.
Once they were in Florence, they were in heaven. The culture and the language were simply breathtaking to Lorraine, while the food and wine were heaven to Simon. However, they soon realized how expensive Florence was and decided to move in together into this tiny two-bedroom apartment with one bathroom. Two years after moving to Florence, Simon's job transferred him to Volterra and Lorraine decided to follow. She was able to get a transfer to an extension of the Embassy that was 30 min from Volterra. Because Volterra was cheaper than Florence, they were able to get their own apartments walking distance from each other. And the rest is history. Italy became their home, they've never looked back, only visited their parents for major holidays and for a brief time.
"Praise the good Lord, we are done! And it "only" took us five hours! Who grocery shops for five hours?" Simon complains.
"But it was worth it. Now let's put this stuff away and we can meet up somewhere."
"How about La Dolce Casa?" Simon eagerly suggests.
"La Dolce Casa it is! Let's say we meet at 5? Time to put the stuff away and change into some nice clothes?"
"Agreed!"
They quickly parted ways. Once Lorraine got to her apartment, she quickly stored the food away and took a shower. Since tonight was a special occasion in a sense, 'Before Doomsday' Simon would call it, she decided to dress up and wear make up. She went all out on the makeup since the weather was quite cool. She firstly puts her primer all over her face and then her foundation with her fingers instead of a brush. She then does her eye in a smoky manner but with lilac eye shadow not black since her mother stated that black made her look like a coldhearted hooker; she added a purple eyeliner and voluminous mascara to finish her eyes. For her lips, she opted for dark red matte lipstick. She then went to her closet to find something cute to wear. She knew that she had to wear flats because they were going to be bar hopping in a sense, 'Maybe small wedges?' she thought. She then suddenly squeals with excitement when she finds a navy jumpsuit that she had bought a year ago and a pair of black wedges with a band around the ankles. After dressing, she looked at herself in the mirror and she was satisfied. She grabbed her red envelope purse and headed out to La Dolce Casa.
As she arrived, she could see Simon standing and waiting. This made her laugh because she knew that there isn't anything in this world that could come between Simon and food. He had on nice black jeans with a forest green sweater with collar and greyish jacket.
"Hey handsome." Lorraine greeted him.
"Handsome huh?"
"Extremely handsome." She had always known that Simon was beautiful but he had never seen himself in that light.
"Well darling, if I'm handsome that you are a goddess and that jumpsuit." He whistles at her, "But seriously, you look gorgeous."
"Why thank you kind sir. I know that I was going to see you so I had to up my game."
To an outsider, the duo seemed like a beautiful couple in love but the simple truth is that they saw each other as best friends, the brother and sister that they never had. And they were grateful for it.
"Let's sit outside." Simon recommends.
"I agree. It feels so good and we can people watch."
"Your favorite pastime."
They waited to be seated. When they sat down, it was near the streets
"What are you getting?" She asks him.
"We should get something light because we're going other places."
"A salad then?"
"Let's not talk crazy talk now. How about soup with breadstick and chocolate." Soup and breadstick are what they ordered, and as usual the conversation was flowing. They talked about everything and anything, and didn't even notice the night creeping in.
"Good evening, Lorraine." Lorraine turns around to see not only who called her but also who had that deep voice.
"Demetri." She answers.
"You remember my name. I feel flattered." Then looks at Simon, "My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt your date."
"It's not a date." Simon says, "And you're not interrupting anything. I would ask you to join us but we're going to another restaurant. You can come with, if you want."
"I really wouldn't want to impose."
"Not at all." Lorraine insisted.
"Well then, I shall follow."
"I apologize for Lorraine for anything that she does tonight." Simon says.
"Excuse me?" Lorraine reacts.
Simon looks at Demetri, points at Lorraine and does a drinking motion.
"Bro, I'll claw you!"
"See what I mean."
Demetri was looking at their interaction closely to understand if they were a couple or not. To him it felt like a friendly banter between friends and Simon did clear state that he was not on a date. Also, he's never heard a woman refer to her significant other as 'bro', but in this day and age, one never knows.
"Demetri, let's forget Simon and go to the next restaurant ourselves." Lorraine says before sticking her tongue out to Simon.
"Let us go then." Demetri gives her his arm and she takes it, and they start walking.
"Now, I'm hurt." Simon voices, "Demetri, I was protecting you and now you've betrayed me. If we were in the old days, I would have challenged you to a duel!"
"And you would have lost since you've been drinking." Lorraine reminded him.
As they were searching for their next restaurant to indulge in, they spot this nightclub. The walls of the club were jet black while the sign that was on it, Il Diavolo Tana, was in blood red.
"Let's go here!" Lorraine yells out.
"You want to go to a place called The Devil's Lair?" Simon asked.
"Yes!"
"Woman are you mad? This is against our spiritual beliefs! And you say that I'm tipsy!"
"It is simply the name of the discoteca." Demetri reminds him.
"That's the spirit Demetri!" Lorraine says, "Let's go!" She says while dragging Demetri by the arm.
"It's not a restaurant, Lorraine." Simon reminds her.
"The discoteca will have food, Simon." She reminds him.
As they got closer to the door, they realized that two men dressed in black were guarding it. The door itself was black with very odd symbols that ornate it, and its handle was black as well with red writing on it but Lorraine couldn't distinguish the language.
"Excuse me, what does it say on the handle?" Lorraine inquires to the two men in black.
"You see words?" One of the men asks her.
"How about those symbols? They look so cool." Simon says to them.
"You see symbols?" The other man in black responds.
"There is nothing there." Demetri says.
"Interesting." Both men say simultaneously. "Enjoy." One of them says as they open the door, while the other one adds, "Remember, when you're lost, that's when you are found."