From Rome with love

1: A spare ticket to Rome

Part I

*Bren*

I walk into the small cafe, spotting my sister almost right away. As she sees me making my way towards her she stands up smiling. "Damn Bren, you get bigger every time I see you".

 "Well you probably don't see me often enough". I say hugging her tightly. "Have you always been this tiny ?"

 She hits me on the chest and sends me a glare. "I am not tiny, you have just grown to the size of a beast. Everyone would look tiny next to you now".

 "I am not that big". I say sitting down, trying to fit under the rather tiny table. She looks at me with one eyebrow raised and I make a face at her. "Not my fault the table is this small".

 Shaking her head slightly with a grin she sits down again. "So are you looking forward to the trip ?"

 "Well.. Can I say yes and no ?" I say with a slight sigh.

 "What is wrong ?" My sister knows me to well, instantly spotting that something is wrong. "It's Anni right ? .. Oh God she broke up with you.. I am so sorry sweetie, what happened ?"

 I breathe in slowly. "I don't know how you know it, but yeah.. ten days ago.. she didn't see us going anywhere.. neither metaphorically or literally".

 "She must be mental.. How are you holding up ? I know you had hoped that it would turn serious". She grabs my hand on top of the table, squeezing it.

 "Is it really bad that I kind of feel relieved ?" I send her a small smile. "I thought I would be more upset, but after I kind of just felt relieved. I think I might have been more into the idea of the relationship, than I was actually into her".

 Shakira smiles, padding my hand softly. "I could have told you that, but knowing you, Well you probably wouldn't have listened. But honestly I knew she wasn't the one for you".

 "I kind of realised. You know what she said ? That I had to be crazy thinking that three weeks in some dump in Europe watching ruins and churches was romantic. If I had taken her to Bora Bora or the caribbean she might have stayed". I Shake my head. How could I have thought she was something special ?

 "Yeah, as I said, she is mental. A woman who doesn't find a trip to Rome with an amazing man romantic, she is not worth the trouble". She smiles at the waiter, ordering food and I do the same. Then she looks at me again. "Bren, you need to realise that you tend to date women who are.. Well a tad bitchy sweetie.. you need to change that or you will never find the right one".

 I lean back in my chair. "I know.. believe me I know. It is not like I want to date women like that. They never seem that way when I meet them".

 The waiter comes back with our food. "What about the trip then ? Are you going to Rome alone ?"

 "Seems like it, unless you want to go with me". I say looking hopefully at her. "Joel and David both have little kids and work, even Eric is too busy and talked about needing a break from me after Canada.. I have asked everyone I could think of".

 "Sorry sweetie, I can't go to Rome for three weeks, I would love to if I had the time". She says, stabbing a potato with her fork.

 I slice a bite of my chicken breast, chewing it slowly. "Well if you happen to know someone then I got a free ticket 4 days from now".

 "I will.. I don't think I know someone, but I'll keep it in mind ?" She says. We eat in silence for a couple of minutes. "Oh by the way, guess who I am having lunch with tomorrow.. Dahlia Mitchell, she is back in town, if you remember her ?"

 "Yeah I remember Dahlia". Honestly every man and probably woman too, who has ever laid eyes on Dahlia would remember her. She is the embodiment of true beauty. "Haven't seen her for years".

 She sips her water. "Yeah she has travelled with doctors without borders in some of the worst and most dangerous places. She could have been a super model, but she rather help others. But I think she is wanting to settle down.

 "Well, tell her hello from me.. tell her to drop me a message or something". I say. Dahlia is something special, and I am not talking about her beautiful face or her perfect body. She is smart, funny, very sweet and caring, and she only cares about how people act, not who they are or how they look.

 "I will". She says, sending me one of those smiles, saying she is thinking about something. I ignore it, Dahlia is amazing, but she has never looked to my side.

*Dahlia*

"Shakira, long time no see". I say, as I hug my friend. "Being a mother suits you, you look radiant. And this must be Timmy, he is just the most precious".

 The little boy looks at me with curious eyes, and I squat down in front of him. "Hi little man, aren't you just the cutest thing ever ?"

 He giggles happily and Shakira smiles. "You look absolutely amazing as always Dahlia and thank you, I love being a mom".

 "Well one day I will get there too, I hope". I say with a small sigh. I have honestly started to doubt it. There seems to be a lack of men who are worth the time. Either they are not serious or they just want me to look pretty on their arm.

 We sit down and order our food, she asks a lot of questions about what I have been doing the last couple of years. "Oh by the way, Bren sent his hello and told you to drop him a message".

 "Thank you.. how is he doing ? I heard he got a big role finally, he so deserves that". I say smiling. I would like to see Bren again, he is just the sweetest guy. "So he is still single, or ?"

 She smiles, then nods. "Yeah, he seems to keep picking the wrong women. Last one dumped him 10 days ago, so now he is going to Rome alone".

 "Poor Bren, she must be crazy.. I mean Bren is a great guy and who doesn't want to go to Rome ?" I say, suddenly feeling my cheeks go hot.

 She nods. "Yeah.. hey you said you were just relaxing right now and that you needed a holiday.. Well Bren has a spare ticket for Rome.. why don't you go with him ?"

 "I don't know.. I mean we haven't seen each other for long and who says he wants me to come.. might not be a good idea". I say. I mean, I would love to see Rome, but traveling alone with Bren.. I am not sure.

 She has already pulled out her phone, smiling at me. "Of course he does. And you know Bren is a good guy, you have nothing to fear".

 "Well you are not giving me much of a choice are you ?" I bite my lip. I am really not sure it's a good idea, there are things I am not too fond of stirring up, but of course Shakira knows nothing about that.