The look on his face quickly transforms back into frustration.Fare thee well, amused Giovanni,I think, preparing for the lecture I’m about to receive.
“Those heels are unsuitable for the rainy weather anyway. Why don’t you check the forecastbefore getting dressed for the day?”
I shrug and flip my hair over my shoulders. Why is he so mad? I’m the one sloshing through the rain in heels.
“I don’t have the time. Notall of uscan tell it’s raining by the pain in our joints.”
Giovanni ignores the dig entirely. “Can’t you crack a window before you leave your place?”
“Joke’s on you; I can’t even open my window because there’s stuff blocking it,” I respond haughtily, then quickly realize I’m insulting my own apartment. It may be microscopic, but I pay a lot of money to be able to reach my kitchen sink from my bathroom sink.
Clearly, the leather polish is scrambling my brain.
“Anyway, I’m in fashion. I dress aspirationally,” I explain.
“Aspirationally?” His voice gets louder, a frustrated “ah” sound capping the end of the word.
“Why are you shouting at me?”
“I’m not shouting! Americans have sensitive ear canals.”
“Well, I dress for the day Iwant, not the day itis.”
In response, I get a string of very fast Italian—both verbally and nonverbally, as his hands are telling a story all their own.An angry story.One with an ending where everyone dies.
I wait for him to wind down. After a few moments, it looks like there’s no end in sight, so I cut in.
“Listen, Giovanni. I know I’m not your favorite person.”
His head snaps up. “What do you mean?”
“I justknowyou don’t want me following you around all day.”
He stares at me, a sly glint in his eye. “You do, huh?”
Shrugging, I shift on my feet. “I’m pretty sure you’d rather work with nylon than me.”
His icy blue eyes blink in response.
“So, I’m giving you an out.”
Giovanni’s eyebrow raises. “Anout?”
“Yeah. An out. I’m happy to just pop in here like I normally do and report back to Lamont that we’re working closely together, if that’s what you’d prefer.”
He folds his arms. “And you think that’s what I wouldprefer?”
“… obviously?”
After a brief pause, he announces, “Well, I want an in.”
“What?”
“You said you’d give me an out, but I want an in.”
“An ‘in’ with whom?”
“You.”
