She laid her palm on his back, gently rubbing in circles, trying to soothe him, but instead, it only seemed to increase his fit. "Mi Dispiace!" she apologized, "I didn't mean to startle you. Can I get you something?" She looked around to get someone to help her.

"That's alright... Non-fa Niente," The other guy pacified, coming around to help his friend. He whispered a few words to him, to which he seemed to object, but the other guy forcefully held him down by the neck, restraining him from looking up.

"Your sudden Italian shocked us," he grinned.

"Oh!" was all she could say, still not able to comprehend why he was not allowing the other coughing guy to get up. "Could you get us a glass of water, per favore."

"Oh yeah sure! Please hold on," She dashed away.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" growled Dante.

"Helping you not to ruin your chance."
"What chance, She is right here." He gasped, leaning back on the chair taking a breather. His face was still red from all the coughing, and his heart seemed like it was still running a 180 miles/hr.

"Of all the places we searched, and she is right here. What if we could have missed her, What if she never came out... and I would have never known...Cazzo!" He swore. He couldn't imagine the frustration, had he known she slipped right under his fingers again.

"Listen to me... Porca miseria!" demanded Renato glaring daggers at him. "Whatever the case she is right here. Now, don't you think you need to learn more about her, than just her name?"

That stopped him short. 'Her name?' He had finally learned her name... Vera... it rolled off his tongue, longingly. "Here she comes, just keep your mouth shut and don't let her see you."

"Here Signore," She placed the glass of water in front of him. He sat with his back towards her, So Vera tried to lean forward to have a look at him making sure he was okay, but the guy turned away from her bluntly.

'What the...?' she swore. He didn't have to be so rude.

"I am sorry for his behavior, you see Signora, he is a bit embarrassed. You know what I mean." He wriggled his eyebrows in a cocky manner. That brought a smile to her face, "Give him some time. But enough about him, Tell us what a Bellezza like you is doing in a..." he spread his arms around showing the decor, "Forgive me for not getting the correct words. But you look Italian and this is an Indian restaurant..."

"Which also serves Asian cuisine," she cut in smiling. She got asked this question many times when she tried to introduce herself to her customers. Aadiv thought it was the best way to make more native customers visit his eatery. He always insisted it was a blessing to have her there. His interpretation that people will be more open when they see one of their own in a foreign establishment. Whatever, was the logic behind it? But it worked beautifully, and people not only enjoyed their food but also kept coming back regularly.

"I work here. I am the chef of Asian cuisine," She smiled proudly.

"What she means is," cut in Aadiv, "She half owns this place." Holding her shoulders with both palms from behind, he leaned on her and added proudly, "This place is much more enjoyable because she is here. I can't have made it through without her."

"Oh come on Aadiv!" she groaned, "Do you have to say that to each of the customers you see."

"I should," he continued seriously. "My mom always says, 'Count your blessings.' There is no way I am leaving you out of mine."

Vera rolled her eyes at his antics. She smiled inclining forward, "We don't want to keep you from enjoying the food. Please continue, Do let us know your feedback," She beamed and left with Aadiv.

The only thing that was keeping him seated, without rushing towards her was the stern message from his friend - 'Don't mess this up.' Clutching the knife in his hand, grinding his teeth. He was unable to sit still, the way that guy held her, so close, hugging and praising her, and she responded so casually... Dante split. He pulled his chair back, rushing out the restaurant, shocking everyone on the way, not giving a damn about what they presumed. He was not a patient man, his legendary temper was about to explode. Walking straight to his car, he startled the snoozing driver by banging the car door shut.

The driver took one peek at him in the rearview mirror, gulped and sat straighter, waiting for an order, 'Whoever had the nerve to piss him off?' He prayed that he would not be at the receiving end of what was about to erupt.

"Sir?"
No response...
The driver decided to wait for his friend who was yet to return. After a few minutes, the other guy walked in. He tapped him on his shoulder, making the driver jump again in his seat. Commanding softly, "Go," He turned to look at his friend, frowning in an accusing way. Dante glanced at him and barked, "What?"

"Scaring the poor driver, Are we?"

"Hmpf! If he can't even handle this, he is not fit to work." It made the driver tremble, even more, but he stayed quiet, hoping he still had the job at the end of the day. Renato shook his head in denial, turning to look out as the car traversed the small streets reaching the main road towards their company.
"So..."
"So?" taunted Renato.

Dante leaned forward demanding, "Cut the crap and tell me what happened?"

Renato Guidi sighed leaning back on the plush interiors of the car, starring at his too hot-tempered friend, "What do you want me to say? About their shocked expressions in the manner, you left, or me explaining a sudden emergency, and paying your bill?"

"Stronzo! tagliare la merda! e dimmi cosa voglio sentire," warned Dante his gaze turning cold.

"Okay! You want me to cut the crap?" he fumed, "Then here it is. After you charged out, there was nothing I could do other than pacifying them and rushing out after you. I warned you to keep it cool, We could have gotten more information, but dammit you won't listen and had to storm out from there. What else do you expect me to do?"

"Shit!" swore Dante leaning back covering his face with his palms, trying to bring down his anger. Renato was right. But what could he do? After searching for so long, he finally found her, and that too in the arms of another man. Wait! what if he was her boyfriend, even worse - her husband? "I want everything on her and him in an hour."

"Noted," affirmed Renato, getting into his business-mode, fetching out his laptop set up to work.

Dante knew the information would be ready before the hour is even out. A pro in hacking, Renato could be seen as a Digital Nomad. There was nothing he could not dig out of the Internet, his whole life runs on numbers and algorithms.

Satisfied, he concentrated on his current predicament. He ruined whatever chances they had of finding out more about her. What could he do? She spoke out of nowhere, his throat clogged up, chocking him. That was the first time, anyone had ever surprised him. The voice he had been waiting to hear, ever since the first time he set his eyes on her. In the beginning, it was just a physical attraction, more of the familiarity of the intimacy they shared the night. Her act of leaving before everything fell apart in his life, was the greatest punch in his gut. In all his 28 years of his life, none had shown him the consideration that she did involuntarily. The girls he dated had all but two purposes, either to tie him down with a knot or get as much as compensation as possible.

But she was different. The act of self-preservation she performed was an eye-opener, not only the first time but also the second time when he was forcefully drugged set up in the same position. He had yelled at the betrayal, not comprehending how to get out of the new crisis. only to find no one had come in the night. The following day when Renato finally broke into the suite, he discovered he had been saved again. Knowingly or unknowingly she had destroyed the false accusations piled up against him, by his conspirators. The first time - Familiarity, the second time - Gratitude. He did not know what to make of the third time she saves his life, two weeks ago.

Could it be called fate, that she appears before him at the time of his desperate need? or was she his 'Tutore personale.' Whatever she was, he was determined to have her in his arms by the end of the day.

**

Unlocking the door to her apartment, Vera balanced her shopping grocery with her handbags capriciously, while still talking with her aunt on phone, held between her cheek and shoulder.
"Yup! Just reached," she replied locking the door and heading towards her kitchen in the semi-dark apartment.
"Hmmm... Hmmm," acknowledging habitually, not bothering to switch on lights, She moved around the apartment arranging the groceries. Turning on the speaker, she placed the phone on her bed, an elderly voice was heard droning on about her neighbor and the party. Vera rolled her eyes, knowing her aunt was not going to stop any time soon, smiling inwardly she swiped the dampness off her face with her elbow. It was stuffy due to humidity. She strode to open her window in the bedroom, A sheen of sweat covered her forehead and neck, pulling her hair up, she tied it in a knot, exposing her neck, letting the chill air of the night cool her. Deciding to take a shower, she was mid-way pulling her shirt over her head when her aunt spoke hesitatingly, "You know they are still asking?"

Vera paused her action resulting in the shirt being tangled with her arms, frowning at her phone. She stood transfixed at the phone, dreading the next sentence, "They are hoping..." A wave of anger spread across her face, she jerked her shirt out slamming it across the wall, "Hoping for what?" yelled at her phone, hands-on-hips, scowling at whomever she was imagining her phone to be. "But Vera... listen..." her aunt pleaded only to be cut short sharply.

"I don't give a damn. Do you hear me, aunt, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" She shouted, cutting the call and throwing the phone on the carpet. Vera strode around her bedroom agitated, huffing, and pulling her hair in frustration. "How dare they...?" She stood glaring at her phone for a few minutes. Once she cooled down a bit her shoulders slumped, all tension leaving her body, no matter what their problem, she should not show her frustration to the only family member, who understands her. Deciding to apologize, she picks up the phone dialing back.

"I am sorry," she whimpered softly, lying back on her bed, "I... I... I know it's not your fault." She paused listening and smiled, "I am sorry, Aunt! I shouldn't have spoken like that. I-" listening for a few minutes, she bobs her head as if in confirmation, "- Okay! You take care too, Luv you."
Vera breathed a heavy sigh, throwing her forearm across her eyes, she shielded them, Her mind swarming back to the memories of the past.